Volume 5 (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Cenotaph is the fifth release of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's manga for Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Overview
Asuka starts living in Misato's house and adapts to live in Japan, while she becomes friendly with Rei and Shinji. Meanwhile, Shinji goes with his father to visit his mother's grave, and tries to know him better. Ryoji Kaji, Misato's ex-boyfriend, is revealed to be a spy who investigates Gendo's job. He reveals to Misato and Shinji that the Angel, Adam, which caused the Second Impact that destroyed half of the human race, remains crucified in NERV Headquarters. Kaji then explains to Shinji that the Evangelions are clones from Adam, and that Shinji's mother, Yui Ikari, was the one who created them. However, Yui was killed in a test subject from Unit-01, but her soul remains now in the Evangelion.

Stage 27: The Party
Kaji is investigating Marduk Institute and has found out that its companies are just dummies, and he thinks that he knows the one who is manipulating them. Toji and Kensuke are planning to study at Shinji's place, so they can see Misato. Asuka moves in with Shinji after she asked Misato to live with them, and takes over Shinji's room. Misato was promoted from Captain to Major, which makes Kensuke plans for a celebration: for Misato's promotion and Asuka's move in. Hikari came at Asuka's invitation and Kaji came to the party at the moment Misato thinks he won't come. Toji angers Asuka and she punches him, Misato tells her that she doesn't have to act like a good girl, and Shinji tells that he told her before. Shinji said that he felt so happy, but couldn't forget that his happiness can't last long, and the sorrow will come to him again.

Stage 28: Follow Back Along Your Scar
Rei is inside Unit-01 for test in developing the Dummy System, and her synchronization ratio is nearly the same with Unit-00, which means that the plans on the Dummy Plug will continue, but Lt. Ibuki does not seem to be accepting the plans. Meanwhile at Misato's apartment, everyone there are tired after the party, and Misato is drunk. Kaji goes out with her, the thing that reminded her of their past relationship, and she told him that she broke up because she felt that he remind her of her father, who died in the Second Impact. They were about to kiss, but interrupted by Asuka, who felt disgust with them and got mad. At school, Shinji was wondering about Rei's absence, and Hikari tells him to give her the handouts. Shinji remembers his first time in going to Ayanami's room, and then found out that she was asleep before she saw him. Rei asked Shinji to stay with her for a while.

Stage 29: Cenotaph
Rei asked Shinji to stay in her room for sometime, and she is making tea for him, although she does not know how to do that. Shinji is wondering about how she can live in such place, and for her to be in the kitchen looked really weird to him. Rei touched the hot teapot and her hand got little burnt, and Shinji washed her hand. Rei seemed happy with but Shinji blushed and tells that he will make the tea. Shinji asks Rei about his father, and how he can get to know him better. Shinj tries to call his father, but couldn't talk enough. The next day, Shinji to his mother's grave at the anniversary, when he saw Gendo there. Gendo tells him not to look for him anymore, because he has grown and doesn't need to be taken care of. Gendo left the graveyard and talks with Rei, but she thinks that she is the one whom nothing is going to change about.

Stage 30: Catch the G-Shock!
The Angel Sahaquiel appeared in the Earth-orbit, and began droping part of itself. Its massive destruction is aided by its A.T. Field and the kinetic energy while falling towards Earth. The first and second drops fell far from Tokyo-3, and NERV determines that it will drop its entire body once it zeroes on the city. The contact with Commander Ikari and Dept. Commander Fuyutsuki were jammed due to the Angel's A.T. Field. Misato plans to send the three Evas to stop it using the Evas' A.T. Fields at maximum power. Unit-00 and Unit-02 have started running, but Shinji is still absent-minded by his father's words earlier, and ran later than them. Still, Shinji has caught up with the Angel, and Asuka and Rei arrived to help. Rei neutralized the Angel's A.T. Field with Unit-00's Prog Knife, and Asuka destroyed its Core with Unit-02's Prog Knife, and the Angel has self-destructed. In Antarctica, Gendo and Fuyutsuki are abroad an Aircraft carrier, and on it, a warped object they called "The Spear".

Stage 31: NERV Blockout
After the synchro test, Misato is mad at Shinji to his hesitation last battle, and she wants to talk to him after he changes. Misato meets up with Kaji on her way, but when they were in the elevator, all of NERV power has been completely cut. Meanwhile, the three pilots are heading to the Command Center. All the power sources in Headquarters are dead, and Ritsuko orders to reroute all remaining power to Magi and Central Dogma, and tells Hyuga to look for the pilots. Asuka insists that Shinji will go with her in searching for Misato and Kaji. Meanwhile at the elevator, Misato and Kaji remember their days when in college. Asuka asks Shinji if he and Rei have kissed, and Shinji denies. Asuka tells him to kiss her, but when they were about to, the power has returned, and they were seen by Kaji and Misato.

Stage 32: The Abyss of Truth
The connections have been restored to NERV, and the case of the blackout is still shrouded by mystery. Shinji tells Asuka that he will go to school but tells him not to go, but to Headquarters to deliver her letter to Kaji. Shinji saw Asuka's letter and decide to keep it, and goes to HQ, when he saw Misato walking without noticing him. Kaji goes to Terminal Dogma, but Misato points her gun at his head, after knowing that he is a spy. He showed her what he believed to be Adam, but Shinji saw that giant white being too, and remembers his father's last words to him.

Stage 33: Aquarium
Misato tells Shinji to forget about what he saw earlier in Terminal Dogma, but that just made him disturbed, and affected his synchro ratio. Rei noticed Shinji and asked if he is depressed, and he told her that he tried to talk with his father, but the result was not good. Asuka goes between them and asks Shinji about her letter, and he returned it and tells her to give to Kaji herself. Shinji left Headquarters and goes home, when Kaji met up with him, and tells him to have a talk in an aquarium. Kaji told Shinji about NERV, why the Angels always attack Tokyo-3, and why the Evangelions are based there. He also told Shinji about SEELE, and the Dead Sea Scrolls, which SEELE kept with them as a prophices of the humankind. Shinji knew the truth that his mother, Yui Ikari, was the creator of the Evangelions, and he remembers that he saw his mother vanishing when he was still a child. Gendo and Fuyutsuki were discussing few things, the blackout in NERV, Ryoji Kaji, the Adam Project, and the Spear of Longinus. Finally, Rei used Unit-00 to impale the Spear in Lilith's torso.