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Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA (エヴァンゲリオン ANIMA, Previously known Neon Genesis EVANGELION (3 Years After) -ANIMA-?) and shortened as Evangelion ANIMA) is a light novel that was serialized in Dengeki Hobby Magazine from 2008-2013. [1] It was written by Ikuto Yamashita and illustrated by Hiroyuki Utatane and Ikuto Yamashita in the serialized magazine version. The book version was solely illustrated by Yamashita. The book version was later compiled into five volumes.

ANIMA also utilizes several early ideas that were discarded for the original series. Many of these were compiled in supplemental material, like Yamashita's own Sore o Nasumono and Mitsuo Iso's Animation Works.

Story[]

It is set in an alternate future of the Evangelion world in which the Human Instrumentality Project, seen in episodes 25 and 26 of the anime was averted by Shinji (along with some plot changes such as Kaji not getting shot or Unit-00 being not completely destroyed).

Plot Summary[]

Volume 1[]

The story begins three years after the destruction of the Mass Production Evangelions in the Battle of the Geofront. In this timeline, Asuka and Unit-02 were the keystone of Third Impact instead of Shinji. The old Nerv HQ has been trapped inside a black dome where time does not move, along with Gendo, Ritsuko and many workers and soldiers. This place is known as “Lilith’s Chronostatic Sphere.” A new headquarters has been built on the surface, along with a new Tokyo-3. Rei III, now called Trois, has split her soul and introduced shards in three new bodies: Quatre, Cinq, and Six. These clones orbit the Earth, each piloting a Unit-0.0, and are controlled by Trois from the planet’s surface.

One day, Trois’ connection with her clones is cut, and Quatre redirects her Eva on a collision course with Tokyo-3. Shinji and Asuka are dispatched to intercept it, and although they manage to minimize the destruction by using their AT-Fields, Rei Quatre lands and begins to fight Unit-01. At the same time, a skeletal version of a Mass Production Evangelion, housing a cocoon among its ribs, appears and starts walking towards Nerv HQ. When Shinji attacks it, the arm of the Angel Sachiel emerges from the cocoon. Asuka follows the Mass Production Evangelion all the way down the old Geofront, where she destroys it using a replica of the Lance of Longinus. Meanwhile, in the surface, the Eva of Rei Quatre mutates and fuses its arm with a gamma-ray laser canon. With this, she shoots Unit-01 and kills Shinji before vanishing. The new threat, the resurrected Mass Production Evangelions, are named “Angel Carriers.”

Anima vol 1 bye replica

The second Angel Carrier steals the replica Lance from Unit-02 by using the powers of Leliel

Unit-01 is transported down to a Cage. They discover that the body underneath the armor is liquefying, with the exception of the S2 Engine, which is actually shrinking and slipping away into another dimension of existence. A few days later, a new Angel Carrier attacks and, using the powers of Leliel, manages to steal the replica of the Lance. Helped by Yui’s soul, Shinji returns to life in a reconstituted, more powerful Unit-01; and he destroys the Carrier. However, Yui seems to disappear from inside the Eva.

They discover that Shinji lacks a heart, and that he’s connected with Unit-01 –renamed as the Super Eva– through the core, which now beats like a gigantic human heart. Trois, having experience in sharing a consciousness among many bodies, teaches Shinji how to keep the Super Eva under control. Their training is cut short when she, along with the other two Reis still in orbit, is taken over by a mysterious entity. Surveillance satellites around the moon localize a giant clad in black armor holding the original Lance of Longinus. This entity speaks through the Reis, demanding “You who have failed your parts, depart the stage at once;” and also declaring Super Eva’s heartbeat to be an anomaly.

Anima Vol 1 Armaros on the moon

Armaros on the Moon

The black giant, named “Armaros” by Misato, unwinds the Lance into a radiant line and hurls it at the Earth. Then it releases the Reis from its control, which completely severs the connection between the three. Unable to cope with her newly-gained independence, Cinq falls into a self-induced slumber. Six freaks out, but Toji manages to calm her down through the comm channels and she uses her Unit to attack the incoming Lance. However, the attacks not only don’t work, they also cause the spear to release bursts of light which turn 1.9 million people –from North America to Europe to Russia– into pillars of salt. Among the victims is Kodama, Hikari’s older sister, who was in Germany.

The Lance begins to spin around the Earth, which causes earthquakes and other natural disasters as the planet’s mass mysteriously disappears. The birds also vanish en masse, which causes an overpopulation of insects. Rei Quatre returns, now with silver hair, and abducts Shinji. She kisses him and tries to convince him to restart the Human Instrumentality Project, but he rejects her and she disappears once again.

Anima Asuka Pushups

Asuka doing push-ups while Unit-02 is being upgraded in the background.

Unit-02 is modified into the Eva-02 Allegorica, fitted with an N2 reactor, wings, thrusters and a centaur-like appearance. Asuka, along with Rei Cinq in her Unit-0.0, is going to be sent to a lunar expedition. However, to reach the moon, they first need to cross the Longinus Curtain, a force field that isolates the Earth from the rest of the universe, created by the spinning Lance. The spear attacks them when they try to breach the Curtain, and Cinq sacrifices herself so that Asuka can go through. All her memories and emotions are sent back to Rei Trois.

These dire news cause Shinji, who was inside Super Eva at the time, to lose control and run away to a desolate area. An Angel Carrier is attracted by the heartbeat of his Evangelion and attacks, but Shinji kills it with help from the UN. Then, a white Eva descends from the clouds, one that has the same type of wings, thrusters and reactor as the Allegorica. Shinji calls Asuka’s name, but Hikari is the one who responds, telling him that Asuka is still alive.[2]

Volume 2[]

The new white Eva reveals itself as a Unit created in Germany, called Evangelion EURO-II Heurtebise, or “EURO-II” due to its similarities with Unit-02. When Shinji notices that it has two of Armaros’ black scales in its shoulder pylons, Hikari claims that they have found a way to harness their power without being contaminated. However, Shinji doubts it, as he notices that his old friend seems to be in a sort of trance. While Super Eva and Euro-II fight, a fleet of UN military planes fly over them, towards Tokyo-3. They blame Nerv for all the people that turned into salt due to the Lance of Longinus, and they want to seize control over the headquarters. Fortunately, a massive swarm of locusts ruins their engines, and the remaining planes are easily shot down by Nerv’s defenses. Euro-II and Hikari abandon the battlefield and fly away. After the failed assault, Nerv, Japan and the UN establish mostly peaceful relationships once more.

On the island of Cyprus, Kaji and Kensuke find Keel Lorenz’s visor. When Kaji puts it on, his mind is taken over by the collective memories and knowledge of all SEELE members. Kensuke calls Tokyo-3 and informs them of the situation, but before a rescue party can be launched, two black Evangelion-like creatures appear near headquarters. They are similar to Armaros, but smaller and with only one wing each. These entities –named Victor 2 and Victor 3 for the moment– open a portal, and three winged Angel Carriers arrive through it. After Shinji defeats the Carriers in his new flying Super Eva, Rei Quatre, in her mutant Unit-0.0, takes Misato through the portal before it closes.

Meanwhile, Asuka and her Eva-02 Allegorica have arrived on the moon, which is now much closer to Earth, swollen to several times its original size and with magma-filled cracks running across its surface. This couldn’t be seen from Earth due to the Longinus Curtain. Asuka defeats an Angel Carrier with the powers of Arael, and then she finds Armaros terraforming the satellite through unknown means. She realizes that the Lance of Longinus is teleporting Earth’s mass to the moon, and that’s why the planet is shrinking. After that, Asuka finds a mysterious crystalline structure, and when she enters in it, both she and her Eva are overwhelmed with data from millions of different lifeforms. She learns that Earth and the moon have been switching places for several thousand years and that it’s about to happen again. Armaros rips them out of the structure, but the Allegorica mutates into a more animalistic version of itself and attacks the black giant in rage.

Quatre and Misato come out of the portal and arrive in Cyprus, where they meet with Kensuke and Kaji, the latter a vessel for SEELE. He explains that Armaros has no pilot nor will; it is simply a safety mechanism to ensure the advance of the Human Instrumentality Project. They are attacked by the Euro-II Eva, so Kaji takes control of Quatre and uses her mutant Unit-0.0 to escape along with Misato and Kensuke, teleporting them to the Atlas Mountains in Africa. This is where they find the Ark, an ancient crystalline structure which contains the data of all life forms that have ever existed. It’s also the same one Asuka found on the moon, since the Ark is split into two existences so that it might survive unharmed thorough eternity. Unit Euro-II appears and attacks again.

Back in Japan, Toji convinces Fuyutsuki to get out of retirement and to return to Nerv in Misato’s absence. Meanwhile, Trois is starting to act and speak like Cinq. Victor 2 and 3 reappear and open another portal, summoning more Angel Carriers; but Shinji and Trois, in the Super Eva, pursue them before the gate closes. They fight inside what appears to be a transdimensional corridor, and the clash trowns Super Eva into the Atlas Mountains. As a result of this dimensional shock, Armaros and Unit-02 to appear there as well, but the latter is so mutated that nobody recognizes it.

Shinji believes that Asuka died on the moon. Super Eva answers to his rage and burst into flames, attacking Armarmos with powers never seen before. During the fight, Shinji keeps yelling “Give Asuka back to me!” The black giant calls down the Lance of Longinus, which pierces through the Super Eva, taking away its “heart.” Then it returns to orbiting around Earth and it dispels the Longinus Curtain, allowing everyone to see the real moon. Armaros vanishes and Quatre frees herself from Kaji’s control; but Trois disappears, and so does the mutant Unit-0.0. Hikari is freed from her trance and she recognizes the mutated Unit-02, calling for Asuka to no avail. In a desperate attempt, she rips one of Euro-II’s black scales and puts it in Super Eva’s chest, managing to revive both the Evangelion and Shinji.

At Hikari’s plea, Shinji calls for Asuka. This causes a reaction in the mutant Unit-02, and it sheds all the excessive genetic material it received from the Ark until all that remains is a humanoid red giant, a fusion between Unit-02 and Asuka. Toji arrives and meets Hikari.[3]

Volume 3[]

Hikari gives Toji the glass ampoule containing the salt that was once her sister Kodama, and asks him to take it back to Tokyo-3. Hikari will return to Germany and keep piloting the Heuterbise, but she will be the one in control this time. Meanwhile, they discover that the Asuka/Unit-02 fusion –called “Crimson A1”– acts like a small child: curious, unable to speak, harmless but hard to control. When it’s time to return to Japan, Shinji tries to fly, but he doesn’t know how to extract power from the Armaros’ scale in Super Eva’s chest. Crimson A-1 takes Super Eva by the hands and lifts it in the air, the two flying together.

Apple’s Core

Apple’s Core.

During the flight back to Tokyo-3, Rei Quatre destroys a window of the plane she’s in and falls. Shinji manages to catch her and he gets her inside Super Eva’s plug, but Quatre draws power from Armaros’ scale and wishes for it to “take them to the farthest place.” Thus, Super Eva and its two occupants go through dimensional tunnels and end up in a strange land. There they meet Kaji, who has Rei Trois and the mutant Unit-0.0 under his control. He explains that they’re in Apple’s Core (リンゴの芯?), a planet at the other side of the sun and the testing ground for the first Human Instrumentality Project. Shinji finds the Leliel Angel Carrier who stole the replica Lance of Longinus. He retrieves the replica and hurls it back towards the Earth so that Kaji can’t have it. Quatre frees Trois from the mind control and reclaims her mutant Eva, teleporting away along with Kaji. This event helps Trois to stop repressing her feelings, and she cries for the first time in many years.

Meanwhile, in Japan, the land surrounding Hakone has been transformed by the constant cataclysms. A massive crystalline structure appears on the shores of Lake Ashi, and they identify it as the Glass Egg, the shell of Lilith’s Chronostatic Sphere (リリス 時間停滞スフィア?). Maya wants to separate Asuka from Unit-02, and suggest asking Nerv U.S. to send their pilot, Mari, who has been genetically altered using animal DNA. Maya hopes that, by studying the little girl, she will find a way to reverse the process in Crimson A1. Thus, Mari arrives at Tokyo-3 along with her Unit, an animalistic-looking Eva called Wolfpack. However, before any experiments can be performed, the UN decides to lure Armaros to a trap by replicating Super Eva’s heartbeat. While being transported to the battlefield, Crimson A1 flies off the ship and she’s abducted by strange root-like tendrils emerging from the ground, disappearing. A similar fate happens to Rei Six, as her Eva-00 Type F Allegorica accelerates beyond its flight path and vanishes.

The fake heartbeat summons one of Armaros’ Victors –from now on referred to as “Torwächters”– who proceeds to fight the UN forces stationed there, including Hikari in the Heuterbise. As the fight goes on, they discover that the Torwätcher has Super Eva’s heart beating in its chest. While this is happening, Shinji and Trois are travelling through the dimensional tunnels, trying to return to Earth. They find Asuka’s spirit, who enters the plug. She hugs Shinji, and through Trois she apologizes to Cinq for her death. Shinji feels soothed by Asuka’s presence, but then her spirit goes away, claiming that “You didn’t bring me here, Shinji! It wasn’t you!”

Hikarimaros

Armaros wreaks havoc in Europe

On the battlefield, the Torwächter opens a portal, and from it emerges Crimson A1, now contaminated by Armaros’ scales but apparently still acting on her own accord. Maya, who is watching the fight, suggest that maybe Crimson A1 thinks that the Torwächter is Shinji, since it has Super Eva’s heart. Seven Angel Carriers are also summoned, and all of them attack Heuterbise. Mari and Wolfpack arrive, and when the girl sees Crimson A1, she declares that she wants to be like her, admiring her nature as the perfect fusion of different beings. Toji takes a small plane and flies into the battle, where a stray attack shoots him down. He’s saved by Crimson A1, and Toji tries to convince her that the Torwächter is not Shinji; but Hikari attacks, believing that he’s in danger, and Crimson A1 flees.

The Super Eva emerges from the ground, following the beating of its stolen heart. The Angel Carriers encase it, along with Wolfpack, inside a crystalline structure called The Tower of Babel, which causes everyone around it to become unable to communicate. During a long and tense battle, Shinji has a vision of the Torwächter’s and Crimson A1 flying though the dimensional tunnels and notices that one of her hands is touching the heart of Super Eva. Shinji learns how to draw power from it, even if it is far away, so that he no longer has to depend on Armaros’ scale. With Hikari’s outside help, Shinji destroys the tower and kills all the Angel Carriers. Even after that, he can still feel Asuka’s warmth close to his heart. Mari and Wolfpack go their own way.

Shinji, Trois and Toji return to Tokyo-3, where they discover that Lilith’s Chronostatic Sphere has been stolen by Armaros. Shinji deduces that it has most likely been taken to the moon, still in the process of becoming the new Earth, getting closer and bigger each day.[4]

Volume 4[]

Using the Super Eva, Shinji and Rei Trois go into space to recover Rei Cinq’s Unit-0.0. The operation is a success, and Super Eva returns to Earth while Trois prepares herself to go search for the disappeared Rei Six. However, her plan is interrupted when a piece of the bloated moon breaks off. Unbeknownst to everyone, Six and her Unit-0.0 Type-F Allegorica are in there. Meanwhile, in Norway, Mari decides that she wants to eat Crimson A1, hoping that it will grant her a much better connection with the animal souls inside Wolfpack. She mimics the heartbeat of the Super Eva, attracting the attention of both Crimson A1 and Torwächter B, the one who stole the heart. They teleport to Norway and open a dimensional gate, sending Wolpack and themselves to the moon fragment. Around the same time, the replica of the Lance of Longinus arrives from Apple’s Core and crashes on the detached lunar landmass, where Rei Six finds it.

RootsInTheSky

Rei Six, in her Unit-0.0 Type-F Allegorica, watches as the roots of the World Tree cover the skies.

As Super Eva returns to Nerv, Shinji starts seeing through the eyes of Torwächter B. Moving almost on instinct, he grabs Azumateratsu, a giant bow-like weapon that Maya had excavated from Lake Ashi, and aims it towards the sky. The bow shoots an immense arrow of light which vaporizes half of the detached lunar landmass, from now on called “Yomotsu Hirasaka”. However, the energy output turns Super Eva, and Shinji, into a salt statue which crumbles as Azumateratsu disappears.

Shinji’s spirit takes control of Torwächter B, but in doing so he forgets his identity. Azumateratsu manifests from his shadow, and Shinji uses it to fire at Wolfpack, who has the replica Lance in its fangs and is trying to attack Crimson A1. From a nearby mountain, Kaji/SEELE and Rei Quatre watch the fight, and the former reveals that he was the one who detached Yomotsu Hirasaka from the moon, using it to intercept the Longinus replica.

Inside a dream-like mindscape, Shinji sees a “girl clothed in red wind” being attacked by a snake made of lightning, and jumps in to protect her. In the real world, Wolfpack unfurls its AT-Field, creating a pack of spectral beasts that incapacitate Torwächter B. Wolfpack reaches Crimson A1 and bites her shoulder. This causes Asuka’s consciousness to reawaken, and she calls out to Shinji, who hears her voice inside the dream-like mindscape and remembers his name. The “girl clothed in red wind,” now with a bite mark on her shoulder, scolds him for forgetting about her. She declares that, even if the world became a perfect place, she’d love him enough to be the one real thorn in his side. Then she kisses him, and Shinji recognizes her as Asuka.

Now in full control of the Torwächter, Shinji grabs the Longinus replica and fights back the horde of AT-Field beasts. In the process, the black armor cracks, releasing a reconstructed Super Eva, now reunited with its heart. Meanwhile, Rei is using her Unit-0.0 to blast the incoming fragments of Yomotsu Hirasaka, so that they don’t fall on Earth. She is infected by one of Armaros’ scales; but Hikari appears in Heuterbise and saves her. Shortly after, the Longinus Ring creates an enormous lens right between Earth and the incoming lunar landmass.

Rei Six wants ice cream

Shinji, Toji and Rei Six having popsicles

ReiSix

Rei Six being reasssured by Toji

Just as Shinji tells Rei Six to take Crimson A1 away from there, Armaros manifests and reclaims Azumateratsu, which originally belonged to it. The black giant summons two more Torwächters, ones that speak with Asuka and Rei’s voices. Kaji/SEELE reveals that the current Armaros is a Shinji from a previous world, one where Asuka and Rei died before the final battle. A wounded Wolfpack attacks and manages to absorb all the organic data from Crimson A1, and both dissipate in red particles. At the other side of the lens, in the entry plug of Unit-0.0, Asuka and Mari materialize, returning to their human forms.

As Yomotsu Hirasaka gets closer and closer to Earth, Shinji channels the power of Third Impact through Super Eva’s heart, becoming a giant of light, bigger than even Armaros. This allows him to change the collison course and decelerate the lunar fragment, hopefully minimizing the damage. Hikari uses a new weapon, the Devil’s Backbone, to seemingly kill Armaros once and for all. Yomotsu Hirasaka falls safely into the Pacific Ocean, but Shinji disappears.

Some time later, he reappears at the Tokyo-3 school, but he is acting weird. The pilots discover that they can meet there when they sleep, regardless of the real-world distance between them, and theorize that it must be Shinji’s dream. The deceased Rei Cinq is also present, although the narration implies that it’s actually Yui’s soul. She explains that Shinji froze Third Impact in its last 0.82 seconds, and that it will resume if he wakes up. Asuka arranges for an entry-plug to be translated to the classroom, and convinces “dream” Shinji to get inside with her. A few seconds later, Super Eva reappears in the ruins of old Central Dogma.[5]

Asuka and Mari Anima

Asuka finds Mari in the island of Yomotsu Hirakasa. Wolfpack can be seen in the background, with Unit-02 on its forehead.

Volume 5[]

Affected by pain, Shinji goes into an almost berserk state, making the Super Eva trash around; but Asuka manages to calm him down. She explains to him that, because of the unfinished Third Impact, his dream is now merging with reality, manifesting in anomalies such as the classroom. Maya finds a message carved onto a piece of metal, from Gendo Ikari and Ritsuko. They are alive, but trapped outside of time and watching events unfold. Meanwhile, in Europe, Hikari and Heuterbise become the new Armaros, taking Kensuke with them and causing untold destruction.

Crimson A1 returns

Asuka and Unit-02 re-fuse into Crimson A1

Asuka suggest they go to Yomotsu Hirasaka and destroy the lens, which are now siphoning seawater to the moon. She believes that such an action will attract Armaros’ attention. In the dream classroom, Shinji hops back into the entry plug, returning to his body, frozen in time inside the Super Eva. He reactivates it, managing to keep the last 0.82 seconds of Third Impact at bay. Super Eva –now christened as the Final Model–, takes off, with Asuka and Toji following in a VTOL. Meanwhile, using her mutant Eva, Rei Quatre takes Kaji/SEELE to Nerv, where he negotiates with Misato: information in exchange for the Longinus replica. Around the same time, Mari regains some of her animal instincts and features. She slips under Nerv’s vigilance and sneaks into a boat on route to Yomotsu Hirasaka.

In the new island, Shinji is attacked by the Angel Carriers, which have regenerated thanks to the power of the Ark. During the fight, he falls into subterranean magma and finds Lilith’s Chronostatic Sphere. Influenced by its power, Shinji contacts two other possible versions of himself, and together they summon the Lance of Lucretius. Shinji uses it to destroy the spatial lenses, bringing Armaros to the island. In the meantime, Asuka sees Mari running through the jungle and follows her.

Shinji New Eva

Shinji's new Evangelion after he's "birthed back to life" by Crimson A1

Upon arrival, Armaros is attacked by a reconstituted giant Wolfpack, who now has Unit-02 embedded into its forehead. Mari fuses with Wolfpack while Asuka climbs to the head and manages to reactivate Unit-02. They aid Shinji in the fight against Armaros, but the black giant summons a Torwächter containing Kodama’s soul, and then it turns Toji into another Torwächter. The original Lance of Longinus comes down from space and tries to stab the Final Model, but it’s absorbed by the roots of the World Tree, which manifest all across the world, bloating the skies. In Nerv, Kaji/SEELE explains that the roots are “the road that connects the Human Instrumentality Project.” They’re also what Armaros, the Towätchers, the Angel Carriers and Quatre’s mutant Eva have been using to teleport freely around the world.

Using the Ark, Asuka fuses with Unit-02 one more time, becoming Crimson A1. Shinji is forced to use some of the power of the stopped Third Impact, but in doing so he brings the cataclysm 0.5 seconds closer to completion. With the original Longinus lost inside the World Tree, Armaros flies through the roots to Tokyo-3, to steal Nerv’s replica. Rei Quatre takes the replica Lance and uses it to crack the Glass Egg, destroying both in the process and bringing back the old HQ into reality, along with Gendo, Ritsuko and many others. After this, Kaji is freed from SEELE’s control. At the same time, a massive volcanic eruption in Yomotsu Hirasaka launches Lilith’s Chronostatic Sphere into the moon.

Armaros fuses with the roots of the World Tree, taking the form of an immense giant of darkness who threatens to destroy Tokyo-3. They urge Shinji to let as many people as possible inside dream classroom, since it’s indestructible as long as he’s alive. He also releases the final power of Third Impact, turning the Final Model into a giant of light. Shinji burns some of the roots of the World Tree and cuts one of Armaros’ arms, but in doing so he frees the original Lance of Longinus, and the spear plunges right though his heart, putting a stop to Third Impact. In the dream classroom, Toji reawakens Bardiel’s essence within his body, which allows him to take control of his Torwächter form and extract Hikari and Kensuke from Armaros. Asuka realizes that Shinji’s consciousness must be intact somewhere, since his dream still exists, and so she calls out to him. Kaji tells her to “think of the one she loves” and that she “must give him a vessel.” On the real world, a dimensional rupture appears on Crimson A1’s lower body, and a brand new Eva, piloted by Shinji Ikari, comes out. This process returns both Asuka and Unit-02 to normal.

AnimaEND

The pilots are reunited after the final battle

Shinji gets ready to destroy Armaros, knowing full well that he will become next one; but Mari appears, still fused with Wolfpack, and kills the black giant. Using her powers as the new minister of the Human Instrumentality Project, she takes the Ark and the Lance of Longinus to Apple’s Core. The moon becomes the New Earth, since the original has lost its Ark and too much mass. Shinji, Asuka, the Reis and the other pilots will have to look for a new moon to stabilize the orbit of New Earth; but first, Shinji wants to speak with his father.

The end.[6]

Characters[]

Evangelion Units[]

Mechanics[]

Gallery[]

Development[]

The initial announcement was presented in the November 2007 issue, with a short introduction by and interview with Ikuto Yamashita in December 2007. The first chapter was published in the January 2008 issue. The chapters are accompanied by numerous illustrations of the characters and many redesigned and upgraded Evangelion units.

ANIMA is advertised as "Ikuto Yamashita presents," and he is credited as the supervisor of the entire work, mecha designer, and illustrator. Character design and character illustrations are done by Hiroyuki Utatane, with coloring by Ryou Ramiya. The series also features additional mechanical designs by Kio Seiji and, in a few issues, models built by some of the Dengeki Hobby modelers as well as Bandai prototypes. The Chōgōkin Super Evangelion toy was finally released in March 2010 after more than 2 years of development by Bandai and supervision by Yamashita.

In the June 2010 issue of Dengeki Hobby Magazine the Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA Visual Book was announced for release in the summer. The August issue of Dengeki Hobby dated the book for a 24 July 2010 release, costing 2,000 yen. It was subsequently delayed until 11 August 2010.[7]

There are differences in content with the serialized version and the book version, with information regarding to technology being ommited from the book version, which had its first chapters rewritten by Yamashita, unlike the serialized version which was written by Takeru Kageyama.

To commemorate the series' 10th anniversary, ANIMA received a full print volume release, split into five books. The first two books were released simultaneously in Japan on 30 November 2017.[8][9][10] The third volume was released on 17 March 2018.[11] The final two volumes were released simultaneously in Japan on 30 March 2019.[12][13]

On 11 January 2019, Seven Seas Entertainment announced they had licensed ANIMA for an English language release. The first volume of the series was released early digitally on 15 August 2019 and in print on 29 October 2019.[14][2] The final volume for print was released on 03 August 2021, with an early digital release on 24 June 2021, completing the series.[15]

Volumes[]

Volumes Release Date ISBN
Volume 1 30 November 2017 ISBN 978-4048933728
Volume 2 30 November 2017 ISBN 978-4048934565
Volume 3 17 March 2018 ISBN 978-4048937429
Volume 4 30 March 2019 ISBN 978-4049121209
Volume 5 30 March 2019 ISBN 978-4049124064
Visual Book 01 August 2010 ISBN 978-4048685269

English Volumes[]

Volumes Release Date ISBN
Volume 1 22 August 2019 (digital)
29 October 2019 (physical)
ISBN 978-1-64275-708-8
Volume 2 20 February 2020 (digital)
10 March 2020 (physical)
ISBN 978-1-64505-194-7
Volume 3 30 June 2020 (digital)
25 August 2020 (physical)
ISBN 978-1-64505-460-3
Volume 4 24 November 2020 (digital & physical) ISBN 978-1-64505-770-3
Volume 5 24 June 2021 (digital)
03 August 2021 (physical)
ISBN 978-1-64827-202-8

Audiobook[]

Main article: Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA (audiobook)

On 04 December 2023, Seven Seas announced an audiobook adaptation of ANIMA, narrated by Asuka's ADV/Amazon English voice actress, Tiffany Grant, with a 14 December 2023 release date for Volume 1,[16][17][18] and Volume 5 for 13 June 2024.[19]

Visual Book[]

Main article: Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA Visual Book

See Also[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20080219134029/http://www.gainax.co.jp/anime/eva/news/0146.html
  2. 2.0 2.1 https://sevenseasentertainment.com/books/neon-genesis-evangelion-anima-light-novel-vol-1/
  3. https://sevenseasentertainment.com/books/neon-genesis-evangelion-anima-light-novel-vol-2/
  4. https://sevenseasentertainment.com/books/neon-genesis-evangelion-anima-light-novel-vol-3/
  5. https://sevenseasentertainment.com/books/neon-genesis-evangelion-anima-light-novel-vol-4/
  6. https://sevenseasentertainment.com/books/neon-genesis-evangelion-anima-light-novel-vol-5/
  7. https://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/294/294112/
  8. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2017-10-14/ikuto-yamashita-evangelion-anima-novels-with-alternate-ending-get-print-book-release-in-japan/.122570
  9. https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B2%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AA%E3%83%B3-ANIMA-DENGEKI-HOBBY-BOOKS/dp/4048933728/
  10. https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B2%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AA%E3%83%B3-ANIMA-DENGEKI-HOBBY-BOOKS/dp/4048934562
  11. https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B2%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AA%E3%83%B3-ANIMA-DENGEKI-HOBBY-BOOKS/dp/4048937421/
  12. https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B2%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AA%E3%83%B3-ANIMA-DENGEKI-HOBBY-BOOKS/dp/4049121204/
  13. https://www.amazon.co.jp/エヴァンゲリオン-ANIMA-DENGEKI-HOBBY-BOOKS/dp/4049124068/
  14. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-01-11/seven-seas-adds-evangelion-novels-wize-wize-beasts-of-the-wizarding-wizdoms-nicola-traveling-around-the-demon-world-the-brave-tuber-manga/.141963
  15. https://sevenseasentertainment.com/series/neon-genesis-evangelion-anima-light-novel/
  16. Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA, (Light Novel), Vol. 1 by Ikuto Yamashita - Audibook - Audible.com
  17. "Asuka Voice Actor Tiffany Grant Narrates Neon Genesi Evangelion: Anima" - @tiffanygrant2365 on YouTube
  18. Seven Seas Launches Audiobook for NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: ANIMA Light Novel Series
  19. Book Walker - [AUDIOBOOK] Neon Genesis Evangelion ANIMA
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