- Mangaka : Ikuto Yamashita, Khara (Concept), Yasuo Kashira (Planning & Editing)
- Publisher : Seven Seas Entertainment
- Genre : Action, Drama, Mecha, Psychological, Sci-Fi
- Published : October 2019
Introduction
When Neon Genesis Evangelion came to an end, the entire fandom cheered. We here in Honey’s Anime, of course, were part of the clamor. After all, we were all happy to see another masterpiece from beginning to end. On the other hand, the sadness that lingers after experiencing the conclusion of a long-running show remains. It was never gone, after all. The heart-tugging feeling loss after a big chunk of our lives had somehow concluded is both nostalgic and fun. On the other hand, we are glad to have witnessed the adventure from start to finish… or what we thought was the end. Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA takes place if . . .
Contains Spoilers
Discussion Time
Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA is set in an alternative future wherein the Human Instrumentality Project had failed without taking the world with it. In this alternative future, Ikari Shinji had somewhat saved the world from oblivion. Given his exploits, he became the de facto leader of the EVA team. Since three years has passed in this timeline, the Evangelion suits are also given some nifty upgrades to combat the upcoming evils, in this case, the return of the monstrous Angels.
1. A Lovely Alternate Story
The whole fandom knows that Neon Genesis Evangelion ended in a somewhat ambiguous tone. We are not sure whether or not the succeeding events were hopeful, happy, or a fake sense of glee. After all, what’s the point of saving one life when the majority of humanity has vanished from the face of the Earth. Plus, the majority of life forms on Earth are the heinous Angels. Well, imagine a future where that didn’t happen… Wait, there’s no need to do that. ANIMA tells us that kind of story. Even though Neon Genesis Evangelion is set in a fictional world, it just doesn’t bode well to see your entire species go extinct.
2. Sci-Fi Galore
Hey, what’s Neon Genesis Evangelion without all the science, mecha, and cool other technologies? Basically nothing. That said, it is fairly safe to say that ANIMA certainly gave justice to the original series. In fact, the very first paragraphs of the first chapter mentions more science-y terms than non- science-y terms. We didn’t really do all the math, so don’t hold us accountable for it if that’s not accurate. Anyway, the science geeks inside us have definitely awakened and are already hitting a big grand slam welcome back party. Also, we can confidently say that the entire fandom will join in on the party once they start recognizing terms like Eva-01, LCL, and S2 engines. What’s even better is that these units are actually newer and more improved. Now, what else can we actually ask for?
3. Action Packed Adventure
For those who love seeing steel on steel action, Evangelion ANIMA also delivers on that aspect. Although the first volume is a bit short to satisfy our mecha loving hearts, the volume is actually jam-packed with robo action we’ve always loved Neon Genesis Evangelion for. More so, it’s not just a matter of quantity over quality. In fact, the action scenes are so intense that we’ve literally squealed. Well, that was actually quite embarrassing, but a good thing that there was nobody to shame us. Nonetheless, it was an amazing action-packed read.
Final Thoughts
Just like every other ending in the world of manga, Neon Genesis Evangelion left the entire fandom divided as to what to feel regarding the series’ ending. Well, Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA more than compensates for that. It was amazing to witness the characters we’ve grown to love interacting with each other like the rest of us. It kinda heightens the relativity of the story. We mean, it’s always nice to see our fictional friends have their definition of fun, right?
Author: Christian Markle
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