Final Impact-An Evangelion Gundam Anime Corner Special (Part 6)

Previously:

Shinji and company only had one Angel to fight which left plenty of time for talking, attempted make outs and a chance for Shinji to see the giant not Stay Puff Marshmellow Man in a Mask being kept in the basement of his Dad’s job.  And if Shinji thought that last detail threw a wrench in his new Tokyo-3 life…today’s Final Impact is about to shatter that fragile peace and there’s no going back
 
Volume 6 (Episodes 16-18)
In the Anime:
Shinji’s newfound confidence piloting Eva is shattered when the 12^th Angel, Leliel, swallows him up, causing Shinji to encounter a mysterious force within the Eva and possibly himself.  Eva Unit 01 eventually tears itself from the Angel, defeating it.  Soon after, NERV’s Second Branch in the US vanishes off the face of the planet when trying to activate Eva Unit 04 with an experimental S2 Engine.  As a precaution, Eva Unit 03 is escorted to NERV and a 4^th Child is selected to be its pilot.  Eva Unit 03 becomes infected by the 13 Angel, Bardiel, trapping the pilot within and going on a rampage.  Rei and Asuka are swiftly defeated, leaving Shinji to face the Angel infected Evangelion alone.  Knowing a pilot is still inside, Shinji refuses to fight.  Gendo then has Eva Unit 01’s Dummy Plug system activated, taking control away from Shinji.  Unit 01 goes berserk and tears Eva Unit 03 to pieces before crushing its entry plug.  Shinji is horrified in the aftermath to learn that the 4^th Child and the Pilot of Evangelion Unit 03 is a seriously wounded Toji Suzuhara.

In the Manga:

·        Shinji does not battle Leliel as it is totally absent from the Manga.

·        Unlike the Anime, The Manga reveals Toji is the 4^th Child and everyone is aware, even Shinji.

·        Toji tearfully visits Shinji to express his fear over becoming an Eva Pilot.

·        Toji and Hikari’s budding relationship is shown in expanded detail throughout the volume. 

·        Asuka attempts to proclaim her love for Kaji by stripping in front of him.  Kaji stops her and lets her down as easy as he can.  It’s here that, as in the Anime, Asuka learns that Toji is the 4^th Child.  Note: This plays out similarly to the Director’s Cut of Episode 22 which shows us the night before Asuka and Kaji met Misato and Shinji.

·        Hikari attempts to give Toji lunch before he goes to NERV but is too nervous.  Toji hopes they can talk when he returns.

·        Toji is killed by Eva Unit 01, in the Anime he barely survives.

Oh Toji…I know I wanted his role expanded upon but I never expected he’d be Evangelion’s first major casualty.  I’d say it’s too soon for this but in six volumes we’ve run through nearly 3/4ths of the Evangelion Anime so this was bound to happen at this rate.  Still, while Toji’s luck ran out by Volume’s end, much of Volume 6 put him front and center.  I like that, unlike the Anime, the Manga was upfront about Toji’s new status quo and that Shinji was aware of it right from the start.  It was a shock to be certain when we saw his mangled body pulled from the Entry Plug in the Anime.  But Shinji being very well aware of what his Berserk Eva is doing to one of his few friends (and one of his closest few no less) is even more powerful emotionally.  This is where the Eva we all know weaved it’s way into the Manga: a bleak and unrelenting powerhouse of emotions and torment that never shied away from going where few Anime at the time dared to go.  Toji’s heart to hearts with Shinji about becoming an Eva pilot and more scenes with Hikari to highlight the romance that will never be strengthened this.  Evangelion is a take no prisoners story when it wants to be…to bad Toji had to be the first on what’s still sure to be a pretty lengthy butchers bill before Manga’s end.

 
So…how will Shinji handle being forced to watch as his giant robot mercilessly tore his best friend to pieces because his Father is a giant douchebag?  Next week…believe it or not things might just get even worse for Shinji…but that’s kind of par for the course when it comes to Shinji Ikari and Neon Genesis Evangelion.  See ya Next Friday for more hard hitting Anime to Manga drama right here at the Gundam Anime Corner as Final Impact: An Evangelion Gundam Anime Corner Special continues.