Final Impact-An Evangelion Gundam Anime Corner Special (Part 5)

Previously:

Asuka Langley Soryu stormed into Shinji’s life and the pair had to learn to work together to pull off the greatest dance routine of all time to defeat another Angel.  Now with Team Eva at full strength in the Manga, they’ve got a whole laundry list of Angels to go through…maybe.  You thought Volume 4 shook things up with changes, wait til you see what next on Final Impact: An Evangelion Gundam Anime Corner Special.
 
Volume 5 (Episodes 10-15)
In the Anime:
With three Evangelions under its direct supervision, NERV is ready for anything the Angels can throw at them.  They come under attack from four separate and unique Angels in rapid succession.  Asuka is dispatched into a volcano to destroy the 8^th Angel-Sandalphon.  The 9^th Angel-Matariel, attempts to destroy NERV HQ when a mass power outage in Tokyo-3 cripples the base.  Thanks to the quick thinking on Gendo’s part, Shinji, Rei and Asuka are able to destroy it.  The 10^th Angel-Sahaqiel attempts to destroy Tokyo-3 by freefalling from Earth orbit.  Once again, Misato pulls together a miracle plan with Shinji, Rei and Asuka all playing equal parts to take the Angel out and save the city.  The 11^th Angel-Ireul, appears as a corrosion that threatens the safety of NERV’s MAGI Supercomputers but is thrawrted thanks to Doctor Ritsuko Akagi’s interference.  While all of this is happening, Shinji is getting used to his role as an Eva pilot and is even bonding with his fellow pilots.  Misato, meanwhile, finds her feelings for her ex boyfriend, Kaji, have not been forgotten.  But Kaji has his own secrets he’s keeping and Misato discovers a pivotal one hidden in the heart of NERV HQ: The First Angel-Adam.
 

In the Manga:

·        While Kaji is conducting his investigation into NERV, we see that he is being observed by Gendo himself, who has a very disturbing smile on his face.

·        Many events from the TV Series are placed in a different order throughout this volume.

·        Asuka moves into Misato and Shinji’s apartment following the defeat of Israfel.  Her welcome party and Misato’s promotion party happen simultaneously rather than as separate events in different episodes.

·        Ritsuko and Rei are not present for either party as they are partaking in tests involving Rei in Eva Unit 01.

·        Kaji takes a drunken Misato out for some air where they have a talk about their relationship (seen in Episode 15).  We glimpse Misato’s memories of Second Impact.  Asuka, who is out for air, interrupts a potential kiss between Kaji and Misato.

·        In a Manga exclusive sequence, Shinji visits Rei to deliver some notes to her.  It’s the morning after Rei’s Eva tests and she invites Shinji in for tea.  Rei suggests that Shinji reach out to Gendo.

·        Shinji and Gendo’s visit Yui Ikari’s grave has a slightly longer conversation: Gendo tells Shinji to stop trying to reach him, that he should learn to stand on his own as he has.  This continues to impact Shinji in later chapters.

·        The Manga skips over Sandalphon and Matariel, making Sahaqiel the 8^th Angel.  It is still defeated as it is in the Anime.  Fuyutsuki says that Sahaqiel was the 7^th however, does this make Sachiel the Second Angel instead of the Third?

·        Gendo reveals that there are 12 Angels to be defeated, rather then the 17 in the Anime.  That number could change going forward though.

·        The NERV Blackout plays very differently from the Anime, taking place right after the defeat of Sahaqiel.  Already at base, Shinji and Asuka go to search for a missing Kaji and Misato, who are trapped in an elevator as in the Anime.  We see them reminisce over their prior romance.  Asuka dares Shinji to kiss her but the moment is interrupted when the power comes back on and an elevator opens revealing Kaji and Misato.

·        Asuka sends Shinji to NERV HQ to explain to Kaji about her attempt to kiss him.  Shinji runs into Misato and follows her and Kaji to terminal Dogma, where Kaji reveals “Adam” to Misato…and inadvertedly Shinji, who is clearly shaken.

·        Kaji takes Shinji to an Aquarium where he reveals the truth about NERV, SEELE, the Eva’s and Shinji’s Mother.  This scene is similar in nature to one seen in Episode 17 in Kaji’s Melon Patch

·        We see Rei insert the Spear of Longilus into “Adam” in Terminal Dogma.

At this point in the Anime, Evangelion’s kind of in a more traditional Giant Robot show holding pattern, giving the new characters time to shine and interact with the established cast and have them rack up a few solid victories against their foes.  Evangelion’s Manga seems to have other plans.  We’re still giving Asuka and Kaji plenty of time to interact with Shinji, Misato and the others but the number of Angel encounters is sliced by more than half.  Shinji, Rei and Asuka only battle one Angel in this volume of the Manga: the atmo diving Sahaqiel, in a sequence that’s pretty much the same as it is in the Anime.  The rest of the Volume’s time is better spent on the characters themselves, which isn’t a bad thing, particularly with the new directions some are being taken in.  After only being introduced in the last Volume, Kaji gets more page time and we see that Gendo is personally spying on Kaji’s “secret” investigations with a very unlike Gendo smile on his face…downright creepy.  Kaji also has better scenes with Misato and Shinji and I think I like the romantic moments between him and Misato better than in the Anime but I also think the Manga is being a lot less harsh on people than the Anime (right now anyway).  His revealing of “Adam” to not just Misato but Shinji as well is a game changer, especially for Shinji, who was told by Gendo personally to stay out of his affairs and quit trying to connect with him and learn to stand on his own…I think that latter part has a bit more care in it than Gendo ever showed in the entirety of the Anime but it is Gendo after all.  Some other smaller moments were entertaining including Shinji and Asuka’s near kiss during the NERV blackout and Shinji and Rei having a Manga exclusive moment to better explore their friendship.  One thing that I’m scratching my head on is the Angel count.  Gendo says there are 12 Angels that need to be defeated, rather than the 17 in the Anime.  So what number are we on now?  Fuyutsuki says that Sahaqiel was the Seventh but I thought it was the Eighth by my count.  I guess that would make Sachiel the Second Angel and not the Third?  This is what Wiki’s are for to keep track of stuff like this.

 
So while not a lot of Angel fighting action, the Evangelion Manga put its pages to good use letting the characters just interact and play off one another, opening up new doors for new interactions while delivering new revelations and new warnings across the board.  Volume’s 4&5 have changed things up quite a bit and I cant wait to see what’s in store next…cause if we’ve condensed and jump around as much as we have, Volume 6 is where things are going to start getting trippy…and a lot less happy for poor Shinji.  See ya Next Friday for more Final Impact, right here at the Gundam Anime Corner.