[MANGA] [NGE] Special Edition Releases

[ice reaper]

anybody know when volume 8 will be released in special edition?

and what is the differance between the second edition and the other versions?

[Reichu]

anybody know when volume 8 will be released in special edition?

Never. It was the first volume to only be available in the original Japanese orientation, with Japanese SE left intact (a glossary provided in the back).

and what is the differance between the second edition and the other versions?

GOOD

- Only available in Japanese orientation (with SE left intact and glossary provided).
- Somewhat smaller dimensions (like the originals in Japan).
-Supplemental material included in the Japanese volumes that was previously omitted is now translated.
- Some tweaked translation work.

BAD

- For some mysterious reason, the original cover illustration for volume 2 has been swapped for something else. :shock: I've also seen volume 1 with an illustration of Rei on the front instead, as well.
- No dust jackets like the Japanese release.
- No color plates like the Japanese release.

[anatrok]

I kinda liked the biger one, but the colour scheme is a lot better. It matches my Platinums. :)

[ice reaper]

right.....i'm a bit more than worried now because i have volumes 1-7 special editions.......from what you say, reichu, they have never been released. maybe a mix up in the names or something?

take a look.

[Reichu]

I was just saying that, with volume 8, Viz stopped releasing the manga in two different versions (the 'normal' and 'special' editions) and published new editions of 1~7 to be consistent with the new format (and to correct some errors/oversights in the original editions). That is all.

[Carl Horn]

anybody know when volume 8 will be released in special edition?

Never. It was the first volume to only be available in the original Japanese orientation, with Japanese SE left intact (a glossary provided in the back).

and what is the differance between the second edition and the other versions?

GOOD

- Only available in Japanese orientation (with SE left intact and glossary provided).
- Somewhat smaller dimensions (like the originals in Japan).
-Supplemental material included in the Japanese volumes that was previously omitted is now translated.
- Some tweaked translation work.

BAD

- For some mysterious reason, the original cover illustration for volume 2 has been swapped for something else. :shock: I've also seen volume 1 with an illustration of Rei on the front instead, as well.
- No dust jackets like the Japanese release.
- No color plates like the Japanese release.

It's true that I originally wanted Rei to be on the cover of Vol. 1 (the image from the cover of DER MOND). The publisher felt that Mr. Sadamoto's art style had changed sufficently between when Vol. 1 was drawn (in late 1994 and early 1995) and DER MOND (in 1999) that it would be misleading for the new reader.* The idea of having a life-size standee of Rei to accompany the release in bookstores (as had been done with Excel and Menchi/Mince for the EXCEL SAGA manga) was scrubbed as well for the same reason. At any rate, that's why some ads were seen with the Rei image.

I'm not actually sure why that particular cover image for Vol. 2 (it is originally from the Dec '95 cover of SHONEN ACE) was used instead of the original manga Vol. 2 cover (which was the plan); I wasn't there at the time. Actually, at one point I wanted to use Sadamoto's painting of Shinji and Misato from the 11/95 ACE cover, although as Sadamoto says in DER MOND, it doesn't really match the mood of the plot overall.

As I've mentioned before, the idea to run the covers matte instead of gloss was a last-minute suggestion of the book's regular designer (I designed the cover layouts), Veronica Casson. She pointed out that removing the layer of clear varnish you see on most manga covers (including the Japanese originals) would better show off Sadamoto's painting. I think she was absolutely right, and it's the kind of thing that definitely wouldn't have occurred to me. Casson also added the faint glow around the "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (which is just stretched Times New Roman) which I kind of like, as the effect reminds me of the eyecatch of the TV show.

Dust jackets are not only almost unheard-of in U.S. manga publishing; they are also a very unusual feature on U.S. paperbacks in general--it is fairly typical of Japanese paperbacks (not just manga) to have them, whereas it is quite unusual for a U.S. paperback of any kind to have one. The traditional reason Japanese paperbacks have dust jackets is to leave the option open for re-issuing unsold books with a flashier one in the event it doesn't sell well in its first incarnation (as opposed to having to tear the whole cover off, and bind on a new one--although in practice it seems very rare that a book is actually re-issued in Japan with a new dust jacket). Interestingly, Viz *did* try a few manga GN paperbacks with slipcovers in the late 1980s--for GREY, PINEAPPLE ARMY, and KAMUI.

I'm now more inclined to think that original color pages should also be published in color in translation if at all possible (which means, among other things, that it wouldn't change the price) even though this is also unusual in U.S. manga GNs--it is worth noting that Viz did in fact originally publish them in color when they first appeared in the monthly EVA comics.

--C.

*Although in his afterword to DER MOND, Sadamoto seemed to feel from his perspective it hadn't changed at all. I think Sadamoto-san clearly can draw in a different style (just look at ROYAL SPACE FORCE). Maybe what he's looking for is a different style that will also be popular

[Reichu]

My memory might just be messing with me, but I thought I had seen actual COPIES of the re-issued vol.1 with Rei on the cover, and wondered, "Dear gawd, what on Earth were they thinking?!?" I dunno, it seems fairly elementary to me that the cover image from the original should be left intact. And if for whatever reason the vol.1 cover HAD to be substituted, I am sure there are several paintings more content-appropriate than the "Der Mond" Rei...

[DatDude]

umm why does a change in cover art make somany people upset? Its just a cover, as long as the story stays the same all should be well yes?

[Reichu]

The cover is part of the original book content. Yeah, it's changeable, but why should it be changed? In Rachel's perfect world, the English release would look *exactly* like the Japanese one, just with the Japanese substituted with English...

[DatDude]

Reichu their are times I think you'd rather listen to J-pop then the beatles. :P

[Carl Horn]

My memory might just be messing with me, but I thought I had seen actual COPIES of the re-issued vol.1 with Rei on the cover, and wondered, "Dear gawd, what on Earth were they thinking?!?" I dunno, it seems fairly elementary to me that the cover image from the original should be left intact. And if for whatever reason the vol.1 cover HAD to be substituted, I am sure there are several paintings more content-appropriate than the "Der Mond" Rei...

Whaddya you...a Communist? It's Rei! Rei Ayanami--top a' da (vegetarian) food chain! And whose face you see at the top of this page? Mascot of the Eva Monkey Forums, of which these are?

Anyhow, first time we see her in Vol. 1, she's all bandaged up in her plugsuit, just like the cover. Ostensibly this mysterious, wounded girl is the reason Shinji gets into the EVA Unit-01. I don't think it wouldn't have been content-inappropriate.

We'd already used that brown cover painting of Shinji and Gendo twice--once for the monthly, once for the original GNs (four times if you count both flopped and unflopped editions). It's not uncommon in Japan for re-issues of a title in a new format to use different, or updated cover art; we thought we might experiment with that idea.

As far as I know, no actual copies of Vol. 1 were ever printed with the Rei cover...but if anyone actually has one, please mention it.

[The Eva Monkey]

umm why does a change in cover art make somany people upset? Its just a cover, as long as the story stays the same all should be well yes?

Many hardcore anime fans desire faithful adaptation of their anime and manga. Many are violently allergic to anything to might appear to be the licensor taking artistic license with a title.

I'm sure there's a thread about Amanda Winn Lee that can be linked too... but I don't feel like searching.

As for the manga editions.... I have 3 different versions, 1st edition standard, 2nd edition, and the original kadokawa tankoubon. The original tankoubon are really nice little books, and I like how the 2nd editions are emulating them. There are of course a few things I was dissapointed with. Particularly that a number of volume 2's were sized slightly differently, and that the cover illustration was changed.

I'm more partially to the first edition release. I like its more simplistic layout and larger size. It just seems classic and vintage to me and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[Reichu]

Anyhow, first time we see her in Vol. 1, she's all bandaged up in her plugsuit, just like the cover. Ostensibly this mysterious, wounded girl is the reason Shinji gets into the EVA Unit-01. I don't think it wouldn't have been content-inappropriate.

I fail to see how that is more appropriate than the montage of Shinji, Gendo, and EVA-01. :(

We'd already used that brown cover painting of Shinji and Gendo twice--once for the monthly, once for the original GNs (four times if you count both flopped and unflopped editions).

I suspect that whoever is picking up the second edition probably wasn't around for the monthly. In my case, anyway, when I was getting into the Eva manga, I think the first six anthologies were already available here, and the monthly was dying a slow, painful death -- so I didn't bother.

Next chance I get I'll hop around to some of the local bookstores and see whether or not I was having Rei delusions (back during my initial store-hopping for the MIA volume 9).

[ice reaper]

thanks for puttting me straight reichu. i'll have to get the 2nd editions now then and the originals :roll: i'm a collector, you see?

[Reichu]

Well, if you're a collector, you'll have to track down all of the individual issues Viz released, along with both the regular and special editions of volumes 1 through 7!

[anatrok]

I think I'll just bypass the whole viz thing, and buy the Japanese versions. I dont' really need to know what's going on anyway, It's not like I'll understand the ending any better. Carl Horn, you don't work at Viz anymore, right, so I'm not cheating you out of any money. So everyone's happy, Yay.

[Reichu]

Anatrok, bochan_bird is still translating the manga as it comes out. I read volume 9 by sitting there with my Japanese copy and bird's translation on the computer screen. Sure, it wasn't extremely efficient, but it worked well enough.

Where did you get the idea that Carl isn't working for Viz anymore?

[anatrok]

He isn't the editor for the Eva manga right. I don't know, I'm just confused. And that is a great Idea with the translations.

[The Eva Monkey]

Where did you get the idea that Carl isn't working for Viz anymore?

He isn't... he's with Dark Horse now. He's only in a supervisory role which he can probably further elaborate upon.

[ice reaper]

Well, if you're a collector, you'll have to track down all of the individual issues Viz released, along with both the regular and special editions of volumes 1 through 7!

you bet i am! i've got all of the special editions already, the first volume of the original copies by viz, so not much really.....it's gonna cost me about £70..........dear god.