Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project, Vol. 1

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project #1

by Osamu Takahashi, Michael Gombos (Translator)

Stunning, hot-headed Asuka Langley Soryu has been friends with Shinji Ikari since they were little. And she always sort of assumed they'd stay together - until the day the beautiful, brilliant Rei Ayanami showed up in class! When Shinji starts to get curious about Rei, Asuka needs to figure out if she wants to be just friends with Shinji, or something more. But why are so many people keeping an eye on these relationships - people like homeroom teacher Misato, school nurse Ritsuko, and Shinji's mother - NERV's chief scientist, Yui Ikari . . . ?

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Romance, Comics, Science Fiction, Comics Manga, Slice Of Life

186 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2006

About the author

高橋 脩 (Takahashi Osamu) is a japanese mangaka.

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Citajuci ovo dobijam utisak da citam neki fanfic koji je slucajno dobio oficijelnu licencu. Ima par cute delova ali sve ukupno razocaravajuce nekako.

Meh, zaobici.

[Bogi Takács]

Evangelion slice-of-life romcom AU. I really liked the concept (and it works surprisingly well with the canon of the TV series), but I felt the execution was lackluster. Yes, this is pure fanservice, that's what I expected. But it's just not very good fanservice.

For example, there is of course the mandatory beach episode, but it honestly read as truncated to me. They barely arrive on the beach and it's already over. If you're going to do a beach episode, commit to it and carry it through! Or there is a lot of bickering that's supposed to be funny but just didn't click with me - could be a translation issue, but given that structure / pacing / etc. also seemed to have issues, I'm inclined to think that this series is just not very strong overall.

If my local public library had more volumes, I'd give the series one more try, but it doesn't, so I'll just stop reading here. It's definitely not strong enough that I'd use my purchase requests on it. I guess other people felt the same way, because it's quite odd for my library to have just the first volume of a manga...
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Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library

[Grace Cross]

girl i have no idea what this is i thought i was going to be reading the original but i mean it was fine i guess

[I live in your walls (real) (go check) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so far in the depths with EVA that I couldn’t even find a torrent of this book I had to actually p a y m o n e y f o r i t 👁️‍🗨️👄👁️‍🗨️

[Victor The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the popular anime, it’s something of an alternate version and centers on Shinji Ikari, his childhood friend Asuka and the mysterious new girl Rei. Most of the story is full of funny and familiar high school moments, while the last part gets more serious. Even though I’ve haven’t watch the anime, this story and its characters are still pretty entertaining and sometime to look out for. B+ (83%/Very Good)

[Oz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Last chapter sums it up. "This artist, the slightest stress makes him say 'Let's head for the maid café!'"

Some sweet moments, overall too many pages up-skirting highschoolers for that to matter. Blegh

[bi lalalalalaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

BAKA SHINJI

[Maggie BB · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off let me say that I watched Evangelion back in the 90s and it DESTROYED me. Want to have your mind blown away and shattered? Get your hands on the original series.

Don't get me wrong: I loved it. But that ending? Holy shit. I would rewatch the whole serious and just not watch the ending.

SO. Got this manga in a nerd block with mixed emotions. I love to revisit familiar and beloved characters. But can my psyche handle revisiting this world? Will this be a slippery slop back to revisiting the original and trying to wrap me head around the ending again?

Who know.
What I do know is this is a MUCH more light hearted story, at least so far. Plus I find myself quite liking Asuka... I was not a fan of hers when watching the original anime. Rei is a bit less enigmatic and easier to like right off the bat. Shinji is still Shinji. Though slightly less mopey. Suppose his life isn't as sucky right off.

Enjoyable read. Will probably try to get my hands on the rest of this series.

(and then crave the original. Lord help me.)

[Tyler · Rating 1 out of 5]

I sat and read this at a Chapters bookstore while waiting for the GF to get off from work. I usually stay away from Evangelion fanfics (no matter how official this Shinji Ikari Raising Project might be, it's quality is no better than a fanfic) but felt compelled to pick this up out of my blind love for all things Evangelion. It's basically your typical cheesy Japanese high school love drama manga featuring Evangelion cast members. If you're like me and find that stuff juvenile, sexist, and boring, then stay away from this series and stick to the original Evangelion manga.

[Shika · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was completely boring, I could barely finish the first few chapters.

[doseofsoma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Evangelion but make it a trashy harem.
This holds a special place in my heart as it is the first manga I remember struggling to finish.

[Christian Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neon Genesis Evangelion A Cruel Angel's Fanservice

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Shinji Ikari Raising Project is an Evangelion spin-off based on the alternative world as seen in the final episode of the TV show. Where the Evangelion cast is thrown into a slice of life anime. Now fully developed into a full fledged manga series where Shinji and Asuka are childhood friends, Rei is the new girl and all the nerv members are teachers. Seeing the Evangelion cast catch a break from there usual why are we still here just to suffer is great. I liked the slice of life segment from the show and seeing here as a fully-fledged manga is great. Sure you have all the tropes of anime such as the accidental pervert and the its not I like you or anything baka (yes they kept baka in the official translation). The one difference that its with Evangelion characters and if you didn't like the characters or just want to see cool mechas, then this series is easily a pass as there's none of that here. As someone who loves the characters and liked the slice of life segments from the show this manga nails the characters and personalities. The art is well drawn as well indistinguishable from the show. Evangelion Shinji Ikari Raising Project is shameless fanservice filled manga and its glorious.

[Damián Lima · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡Qué raro esto! Está bueno, es entretenido, despierta algo de nostalgia, pero no deja de ser raro. Para quienes tenemos a Evangelion cincelado en el ADN no deja de ser una experiencia bastante ambigua que saquen algo así: por un lado, la emoción de ver a los personajes vivos una vez más; por otro... ¡no me toquen a Evangelion, che! Proyecto de Crianza de Ikari Shinji kun (o Baka Shinji para los fans de Asuka) es lo que podríamos llamar una ucronía, un What If...?, o una versión de Evangelion en una dimensión o universo paralelo donde no se produjo el segundo impacto, Yui no murió, los Evas no existen y los Ángeles no están intentando destruir a la humanidad (o al menos ese es el punto de partida del primer volumen, aunque puede haber sorpresas más adelante). Por lo tanto, lo único que queda para Shinji, Rei, Asuka y demás es llevar una vida común y corriente de estudiantes, con situaciones cotidianas y enredos amorosos al mejor estilo comedia romántica, con un trío amoroso bien marcado entre los tres protagonistas. Sin embargo, también hay un Instituto de Evolución Humana en el que trabajan los padres de Shinji y realizan experimentos, así que quizás más adelante empiecen a pasar cositas al estilo de la serie original. Será cuestión de esperar y ver hacia dónde lleva la historia el autor.

[Doc · Rating 5 out of 5]

And now for something different.

Ever wonder what Shinji and the other kids would be like if they had normal school lives not under the threat of a potential end of the world scenario from angels from beyond? While this story is not completely devoid of what could eventually lead to NERV this story is more slice of life than science fiction as we see long time friend and genuine Tsundere, Asuka realize that she has some competition from the new girl in town even if she is distantly related to her love interest Shinji.

Like a longer peek into an alternate world displayed at the end of the original series (Still love Rei running with toast in her mouth) the characters in this world will obviously not be like the same characters from the much darker original series so if you are looking for some of the edge of the original series there is some drama but this series is no where as dark with actual loving parents and no looming threat to humanity (so far.) With that said if you want to see a reality where the kids can be kids then this is a good start to the series though there is no telling how things will turn out as everyone finds their role in what is to come.

[ara · Rating 2 out of 5]

im giving it 2 stars instead of 1 only because the ending wasn't as bad as all the rest of the manga

honestly this is horrendous : the fan service, the very unnecessary and disgusting ilustrations of minors in their underwear, the lack of any real connection between chapters, the inability of giving ANY actual personalities to the female characters ughhhhhhh

reminds me of the +16 One Direction fanfics from 2013 and I meant it as an insult

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le doy 2 estrellas en vez de 1 dolo porque el final no fue tan malo como el resto del manga

honestamente esto es horroroso: el fan service, las muy innecesarias ilustraciones de menores de edad en ropa interior, la ausencia de una conexión real entre capítulos, la incapacidad de dar NI UN TOQUE de personalidad real a los personajes femeninos ajjjjj

me hace acordar a los fanfics +16 de One Direction del 2013 y lo digo como insulto

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like the anime, this is the version that happens after the end of the series (not EoE). It’s an alternate universe where the kids are just kids and the adults don’t do much. It’s extremely repetitive (basically all the girls find Shinji very attractive and want to date him without telling him because… that manga is at least 18 volumes long). Shinji happens to always enter a room full of girls being half naked and apologize about it. That’s about it really. Asuka and Rei are kinda fighting over Shinji and Asuka is the girl next door while Rei is the new attractive student. The other kids just ask Shinji who he prefers between Asuka and Rei. That’s really it. It’s probably PG-13 at best and lacks any profound or adult theme. Probably great to read if you are at the beach.

[Lewis Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trying to catch up on Evangelion manga I haven’t read so I ordered some of the later volumes of Raising Project. However, it’s been absolutely ages since I last read the volumes I have so I thought I’d start from scratch. This series is more of a teen comedy/slice-of-life take on the show with Asuka and Shinji’s parents still alive. The stakes are much lower and it’s setting up a love triangle between Shinji, Asuka and Rei. It’s quite sweet and innocent enough despite a few fanservicey moments. The final chapters move away from high school and into Nerv but it’s still fairly low stakes and is mainly there to build up the relationship between Shinji and Rei. A nice enough start that isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel, but I’m happy enough to continue reading.

[Curtis Mullins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable for sure. This is pretty much Eva if it was a shitty, trashy haram story. For these reasons, I find it very fun and entertaining. It is not a well written piece of fiction, but a good guilty pleasure. Shinji is now just a normal haram MC. Rei is even more best girl. She's still shy and quiet, but now is much more expressive. I see this as an absolute win. Asuka is pretty mellow and is just a normal tsundere childhood friend. Seeing how most spinoffs prefer Shinji/Asuka, I don't doubt that Asuka will win, if there is a winner. But still hoping for best girl. Over all just fun, entertaining garbage to read till 3.0+1.0 is out.

[John Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more light-hearted treatment of the Evangelion characters focusing on their slice-of-life days as ordinary high school students. NERV is there in the background, and the sense of foreboding about the Angels, and the periodic pilot evaluations and training exercises, but really this spinoff series is more about their emotional lives, their relationships, etc., especially the hypothetical love triangle between Shinji, Asuka, and Rei. The artwork is beautiful and it is a fun read.

[Colton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was of course super cheesy and is nothing more than officially-backed fanfiction, but it's always nice to spend some more time with Shinji, Rei, and Asuka. This volume has very little EVA action; it's mostly just schoolyard romance, which kind of got old after a little while. I enjoyed my time with this book, but I don't see myself seeking out the rest of the series.

[Traci Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

This book was not what I was expecting, but it was still good. This book was more of a romance book than an action book. But the Eva's and the action are coming in later volumes.

[kaitlphere · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's the hint of a reality-bending experimental technology in the sidelines of this book, but this volume centered on the immature relationships between the characters. The art and commentary from the male characters is also very male-gaze.

[Tyler Mickelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this Anime was suggested to me by my wife and it's probably one of my all time favorites so I am stoked that I found this series. So far I am loving it. Has a very similar yet drastically different feel than the original anime. Super excited to read this series.

[Hodgimoto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Either a very poor slice-of-life story, or a magnificent parody of the source martial... or possibly a sequel. A with most things NGE, it's hard to define. Highly recommended for fans of memes like "Shut up, Shinji", not recommended for newcomers to NGE.

[aries_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slice-of-life AU of Neon Genesis Evangelion, one of my favourite animes of all time. Though packed with fanservice, I enjoyed the respite of a silly, romantic spinoff of the normally intense series.

[Beatrice Monti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gli ultimi due capitoli sono davvero belli, perché riprendono quello che è davvero Evangelion. Gli altri non sono niente di che.

[Elbio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me parecio divertido ver la vida de los personajes si no fueran tan depresivos pero llega el punto que la historia no se sostiene y es puro relleno. En realidad no tiene un fin mas que ese.

[Cid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slice of life Eva timeline... Living my best life

[Robbie Barrat · Rating 4 out of 5]

i wish shinji ikari raising project type manga (where all the characters attend high school) was available for every series.. i want to read hxh equivalent gon raising project

[Lonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the anime in paperback form, what more is there to say.