Volume 2 (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Shōnen and Knife
Type	Cover of the second volume of the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga.
Type	Manga Volume
Kanji	ナイフと少年
English	A flaming sword, which turned every way
Romaji	Naifu to shōnen
Release Information
Release Date	05 March 1996
Number of Episodes	6

Shōnen and Knife is the second release of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's manga for Neon Genesis Evangelion. It consists of six "stages".

Overview

Shinji starts going to the school, but he eventually is attacked by his classmate, Toji Suzuhara, whose sister was injured during the time that Shinji used the Unit-01. Shinji is then summoned by NERV to fight an attacking Angel, and his classmates Toji and Kensuke Aida follow him. In the battle, Shinji is pushed to his mental limit during the battle, going berserk during the last seconds. The Angel is defeated, but Shinji remains shocked. Misato questions Shinji's motivation to be an EVA pilot and sends him back to live with his uncle. However Misato realizes how Shinji was suffering with his uncle, and convinces Shinji to stay with her.

Synopsis

Stage 07: Closing Hearts

Evangelion Unit-01 at the simulation training.

Shinji and Misato arrived to her apartement, and Shinji sees how messy it is. Shinji asks her about the other fridge, and she tells him that "he" is sleeping. He is surprised to see a penguin and it is taking a bath, asks Misato what it is. She tells him that it is their roommate Hot Spring Penguin, Pen Pen. They share their work by playing "Rock-paper-scissor". The next day, Shinji goes to school, the students are bored with their teacher's lesson. Two of his classmates are talking about him and the "Robot". Shinji approves their speculation, and all of his classmates rushes to him. Toji comes late to school and goes for Shinji, and tells him to go outside with him. Toji tells Shinji about his sister injured in his battle. Toji punches Shinji, and Kensuke tells to stop. In NERV headquarters, Shinji is training after they asks him about his school. Misato and Ritsuko are talking about how Shinji returned to pilot the Eva. Inside the Eva, Shinji thinks that there is someone him who watches him, and he decides to lock his heart, so he won't feel pain of fear.

Stage 08: Shinji's Bad Mood

Shinji is back home while Misato is bathing, and he found a book in her room titled "Third Child Supervision Record", in which he found what happened to him recorded in it. He tells her that he doesn't pilot the Eva because he wants to and doesn't care about dying, and he got more frustrated after she tells that his body is not his anymore. in the school, while Shinji is on the roof, Toji and Kensuke found him there. Toji is angried by his attitude, and Shinji tells him to punch him seriously. Rei comes to the roof, and tells about the emergency call, the 4th Angel is approaching Tokyo-3.

Stage 09: The Trials of a True Fan

The 4th Angel attacks faster than expected while Commander Ikari is away. The conventional weapons are useless against it, and the committee demands on dispatching the Evangelion Immediately. In the shelter, Kensuke tries to watch the battle, but get nothing, and he demands Toji to go out with him. Shinji is readied to dispatch, while Kensuke and Toji are out for watching. Shamshel is standing in the city, while the Eva got in city. Shinji rashly starts firing at the Angel without aiming, covering it with smoke. Shinji is knocked on the ground, with his rifle sliced. Another rifle is sent for him but he is afraid, and Shamshel starts to attack him, severing the Eva's umbilical cable and switching to its internal power. The Eva is catched from its feet, and thrown. It landed on the mountain that Toji and Kensuke is watching the battle from. Shinji notices his classmates about to be crashed. The Angel is floating above the Eva, and attacks with its "light arms", and Shinji stops them with the Eva, causing the hand's armor to start melting.

Stage 10: Shōnen and Knife

Evangelion Unit-01 stabs Shamshel with its Progressive Knife

The fight between Unit-01 and Shamshel reached the point where the Eva grabs the "arms" of the Angel, and Shinji lets Toji and Kensuke to enter the Entry Plug. Unit-01 kicks the Angel away and gets up, with its palms burned and exposed. Shinji draws the Progressive Knife and charges at the Angel with one minute left in the activation limit. Shamshel stabs the Eva in the stomach but Shinji attack its Core with the Knife. The Eva stands inactive with the dead Angel. Toji contemplates Shinji's suffering and feels pity for him.

Stage 11: Third Child Wandering

Misato is interrogating Shinji for disobeying her orders to retreat, and he replies by saying that he is only a pilot under her command and nothing else and tells he won against the Angel and there is no need to worry. Misato slaps him and tells him to go home. Ritsuko is surprised to know from Misato that Shinji is missing. In the school, Toji is wondering what Shinji is doing, and Kensuke tells him to ask Rei about him, but both of them gave up on asking her. Misato returns to her apartment with only Pen Pen there and wonders where Shinji is. Meanwhile, Shinji is walking with no where to go, and surprisingly found Kensuke's tent. They ate dinner and Shinji tells him that he doesn't have the will to pilot the Evangelion, and suddenly, agents of NERV Intelligence Bureau came to get Shinji to Headquarters. Shinji is in NERV Headquarters and Misato comes to ask Shinji if he wants to pilot the Eva or not, and he replies that even if he doesn't want to, he is the only pilot NERV have, and she tells him to go to his uncle's place for his own good. She leaves Shinji and says goodbye to him.

Stage 12: Fumbling Towards Kindness

Ritsuko discusses Shinji leaving NERV and Unit-01's next pilot with Gendo, and he said the this was predicted, and he is planning to rewrite the Unit-01's data to Rei. In the school, Toji is angry towards Kensuke for not protecting Shinji, and he answers that he couldn't do anything. Toji decides to visit Shinji's place. Toji and Kensuke arrived at Shinji's place to see him, but are surprised to see that Misato is living with him, and she tells them that Shinji is going to depart Tokyo-3. Misato goes to see Shinji before he leaves, and arrives in time with Pen Pen. She tells him about her story with Pen Pen and why she took it with her instead of leaving it be euthanised, and Shinji decides to live with her, and continue his job in NERV.

Notes

• In this volume an interview with Yoshiyuki Sadamoto and Megumi Ogata, with a brief epilogue by Yoshitoh Asari are printed.
• In the manga, Shinji was the one who allowed Toji and Kensuke to get in the Entry Plug, not Misato.
• Also, Ritsuko deliveres a message to Shinji from his father prior to leaving, but he doesn't see her in the anime, but sees Toji and Kensuke.