Manga, Anime or Rebuild Movies?

[Trajan]

NGE + EoE

As others have said, it's lightning in a bottle, something you can't replicate. Every facet of the show works together to make it into a cohesive whole. There's so much to analyze and scrutinize that we only just ran out of things to talk about a year or two ago.

The manga just feels like a simplified version of the story without the benefit of excellent voice acting and sound design.

Rebuild just feels too blockbuster-esque, it's missing the artistic daring of the original and lacks the psychological and philosophical insight. It's great if you just want to be entertained, but I can't help but compare it unfavorably to the original series.

[EvangelionGodMode]

Funny to hear how many people prefer the series over the magna, with all the adaptations of books and comics being made these days for the big screen. And for some people to call the manga shallow compared to the series, you don't hear that too often.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Idea for the show came first, though.

[Jäeger]

Funny to hear how many people prefer the series over the magna, with all the adaptations of books and comics being made these days for the big screen. And for some people to call the manga shallow compared to the series, you don't hear that too often.

Well, the series is the original source, the manga just an adaptation or an intepretation if you prefer. So, not a good example

If I can remember, the first manga chapter was released in 1994, but just as a preview for the anime. The true, original work it's what comes from Anno's mind, Sadamanga is just a very personal adaptation from Sadamato. I don't blame if uou didn´t know that : it seems that in EEUU many people had their first contact with the franchise reading the manga. Not the same in Spain, so we don't have a problem.

Pretty curious that the three most important mecha series (Evangelion, Macross, Gundam) are original works for TV, not manga adaptations.

[pwhodges]

The true, original work it's what comes from Anno's mind, Sadamanga is just a very personal adaptation from Sadamato. I don't blame if you didn´t know that

And Sadamoto's part in the original conception was not negligible either.

[Guy Nacks]

The manga does have one of if not the most WAFFy moment in the entire canon, though in stage 29 where Rei tries making tea for Shinji, burns herself resulting in Shinji attending to healing her injuries and them talking about his relationship with Gendo.

[Jäeger]

And Sadamoto's part in the original conception was not negligible either.

Of course, he is the fucking designer A great one and after reading the entire manga...he better stays as designer. Asuka, Shinji, Gendo.....oh my God

That's not incompatible with the series being the original work and the "canonical" one.

[pwhodges]

Designs were not his only contribution, was my point.

Given how much longer Sadamoto has had to think about the progress of his version of the story, it would be fascinating to know (though presumably we never will), whether he ever discussed his version with Anno; or even just what Anno thinks of it.

[LukeMM95]

NGE & EoE are the definitive Eva experience.

The manga is a decent read but it has some noticeable flaws. Not everything that works in the anime translate well to a manga and that seems to be a major case here. Plus, a lot of the stuff they changed was mostly for the worst. The ending especially just isn't all that great.

I remember enjoying the first two Rebuilds a lot when I first saw them and was kind of on the fence about the third. Now I don't really care much for them. I think the first film is a pretty decent starting point but the second doesn't hold up well on repeated viewings and I've yet to give the third film another watch. They're just too flashy and like the manga, the stuff they changed didn't improve anything. The second film especially, seems to just throw character development out the window and instead just relies on action and fanservice to the point where it's just boring. Even the animation is subpar when compared to how good EoE looked.

[movieartman]

in terms of favoritism and enjoyment, love it all to the highest degree but
1.) eva 2.0
2.) 1.0 ramiel battle and build up to it
2.) eva 3.0
3.) end of eva
4.) specific nge episodes (11,16, 19, 21 especially, 22, 23)
5=6.) other nge episodes = eva 1.0 on the whole

in terms of quality, artistic merit and craftsmanship
1.) end of eva
2.) eva 2.0 past mari pulling Shinji out of the bunker
2.) different specific nge episodes (16, 19, 21, 22, 23)
3.) eva 2.0 on the whole
4.) eva 3.0
5.) 1.0 ramiel battle and build up to it
6.) most other nge episodes
7.) eva 1.0
8.) absolute worst nge episodes (all of which are still good IMO just worse than anything else listed)

have not read but the first 2 volumes of the manga so im leaving it out of the comparison.

[Reichu]

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion anime (includes DC + EoE)
2. Evangelion New Theatrical film series
10. Neon Genesis Evangelion manga

NGE (meaning #1, of course) is precious to me and I have nothing especially useful to add here. ENT is an interesting complement.

The manga... I don't particularly care for. Had I encountered it first, it would have at best made me aware of the source anime, and at worst I would have just forgotten it and moved on. Sadamoto is obviously a talented guy who makes valuable contributions in a collaborative setting, as his fans take care to belabor, but this does not mean I have to find his solo work in any way compelling.

[Sorrow]

The manga... I don't particularly care for. Had I encountered it first, it would have at best made me aware of the source anime, and at worst I would have just forgotten it and moved on. Sadamoto is obviously a talented guy who makes valuable contributions in a collaborative setting, as his fans take care to belabor, but this does not mean I have to find his solo work in any way compelling.

I definitely agree. The manga was only worth looking over online because I liked the anime so much.

I kind of like the rebuilds, but wouldn't care if they were to have never existed - though I imagine I will be more fond of them in light 3.0+1.0.

[vito]

NGE TV(DC) + EoE.

Everything else I consider to be just fanservice. lol

[Mr. Tines]

Had I encountered it first, it would have at best made me aware of the source anime, and at worst I would have just forgotten it and moved on.

In fact I did encounter the first chapter of manga first, in one of the US compilation magazines, maybe Super Manga Blast, in the latter part of the '90s, was not impressed, and did just forget about it.

@Topic
1. NGE TV, (plus EoE for the masochism).


9001= Jo for Operation Yashima
9001= Manga for a couple of cute S/R scenes that should have been in the series

[Jäeger]

NGE TV(DC) + EoE.

Everything else I consider to be just fanservice. lol

Same goes here : NGE DC + EOE is Evangelion ultimate form. Other Media are just (bad) interpretations (sadamanga) or new points of view (NTE)

[Darkwing]

The manga does have one of if not the most WAFFy moment in the entire canon, though in stage 29 where Rei tries making tea for Shinji, burns herself resulting in Shinji attending to healing her injuries and them talking about his relationship with Gendo.

Oh yes. I started with the original anime, but for me one of my favorite parts was Shinji and Rei's relationship. I guess I'm someone who found the whole psychological deconstruction and angst less appealing than other parts of the series. Also I don't like how you have to read side materials and the PS2 game to know what the fuck is going on with the plot and the angels and stuff that isn't the casts mommy and daddy issues. And I tended to interpret stuff... Uh pretty well the reverse of what Anno intended. His an my minds don't think alike at all.

Be warned I probably go off on a bitchfit here. So you may want to skip this part.

The manga is probably my preffered version for now due to not having to rely on trippy imagery and mindfuck due to running out of money, and having versions of the characters I find a bit more relatable and palatable. It's not perfect due to

SPOILER: Show

Evil kitten killing Kaoru, Asuka still being fixated on Kaji at the end, and in the new world despite all the Shinji/Rei buildup in the series it's Asuka Shinji sees and no sign of Rei at all. Serously some version keep her around at the end already!

Rebuild was doing good until Q and it's

SPOILER: Show

shocking swerves for the sake of angst and a flying battleship cause everyone apparently wishes they were working on Yamato. Oh and jerking us Rei fans around.

I probably shouldn't harp so much on the Rei parts, but after three times of being dissappointed there it's a bit of a sore spot.

[Debb]

I can't decide which I love the most, but i'll say the original series+EoE.
The manga was an awesome experience as well. There were some changes in the story that I liked more than in the series. I still prefer the original ending though.
As for the Rebuilds, I never watched them! I guess some day i'll have to.

[Jäeger]

Oh yes. I started with the original anime, but for me one of my favorite parts was Shinji and Rei's relationship. I guess I'm someone who found the whole psychological deconstruction and angst less appealing than other parts of the series. Also I don't like how you have to read side materials and the PS2 game to know what the fuck is going on with the plot and the angels and stuff that isn't the casts mommy and daddy issues. And I tended to interpret stuff... Uh pretty well the reverse of what Anno intended. His an my minds don't think alike at all.

Be warned I probably go off on a bitchfit here. So you may want to skip this part.

The manga is probably my preffered version for now due to not having to rely on trippy imagery and mindfuck due to running out of money, and having versions of the characters I find a bit more relatable and palatable. It's not perfect due to

SPOILER: Show

Evil kitten killing Kaoru, Asuka still being fixated on Kaji at the end, and in the new world despite all the Shinji/Rei buildup in the series it's Asuka Shinji sees and no sign of Rei at all. Serously some version keep her around at the end already!

About Manga's Asuka

SPOILER: Show

In the anime, she is a girl who looks infatuated with Kaji but it's just a cover for her wish to be recognized as an adult (thanks to her childhood trauma)and her real affections go towards the main character. In the Manga?? Until the end a dumb teenager with a REAL crush on Kaji (despite the hints she likes Shinji somehow)

Stupid Sadamoto, the less he touches an script, the better.

[Grand Duke of Yashima]

I always thought that I preferred the manga, as I just felt the pacing of the story was done a little better than the original series, and while I like NME I feel that they're too rushed. I've always preferred that EVA be re-done as a TV series and expanded in length to a 36-40 episode series. There's so much ground not covered in any rendition of EVA that you could just keep mining it for at least another reboot or two.

[ReiAyanami25]

I can only choose the aspects of all three that I prefer. I prefer the Manga for its character development, which I think is more abundant in some cases, but I prefer NGE because it is a richer experience, I suppose- with sound, color and a soundtrack. I enjoy the crisper art quality of NME.