Manga Review – Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 12

The End continues…

Title: Neon Genesis Evangelion, Volume 12
Story and Art by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Based on the series by Hideaki Anno
Translation by HC Language Solutions & John Werry
English Adaptation by Carl Gustav Horn
Published in the US by Viz Media

Available from Amazon.com

The Premise

The Japanese Self Defense Force is storming NERV, killing all in their way, combatant and non-combatant alike, and taking no prisoners, with orders to leave none alive – especially the Eva pilots.

While NERV desperately attempts to hold off the attack, a barely cognizant Asuka is loaded into Eva Unit-02. Shinji, distraught, hides under some stairs, while soldiers with itchy trigger fingers close in. Meanwhile, Gendo Ikari prepares to pull a metaphorical trigger – the trigger on Third Impact, which he hopes will reunite him with Yui.

High Points

Asuka’s fight with the Mass Production Evas is very well realized, along with her earlier rampage against the JSSDF.

Low Points

Same as last volume – the JSSDF forces are just too evil for my taste, at too large of a scale, at too quick of a turnaround.

Scores

Originality: This volume sticks fairly clsoe to the events of End of Eva, with a few changes. 3/6

Artwork: 6/6

Story: 5/6

Characterization: We get some development for Misato before her death[/spoiler, and for Gendo when he comes to rescue Shinji. 5/6

Emotional Response: We get another major character death this volume. 6/6

Flow: 6/6

Overall: 6/6

In total, this volume gets 37/42.

Differences

  • Gendo Ikari goes to rescue Shinji from a JSSDF extermination squad, though he doesn’t particularly attempt to mogivate Shinji to act – Misato does that.
  • Gendo deploys an AT field from his left hand, which contains Adam.
  • Misato is not visited by a Rei upon her death.