The Fourth Child is the sixth release of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's manga for Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Overview[]
With the arrival of Evangelion Unit-03 in Tokyo-3, Toji Suzuhara is identified as the Fourth Child; NERV offers better medical care for his sister if he agrees to become a pilot. While he agrees to the offer, Toji reveals to Shinji his fear of becoming an Evangelion pilot and apologizes for their initial encounter, finally understanding what Shinji must feel. While Shinji reassures Toji and accepts his apology, the subsequent activation test for Unit-03 goes horribly awry when the angel Bardiel infects it. When Rei and Asuka are defeated by the Angel, Gendo activates the Dummy Plug system in Unit-01 after Shinji, fearing for Toji's safety, refuses to attack Unit-03. Unit-01 brutally destroys the angel-infected Unit-03, but kills Toji in the process.
Synopsis[]
Stage 34: The Fourth Child[]
NERV's second branch in Nevada, USA has vanished along with everything in 89 km radius, and this was in the time NERV-02 was installing the S² Engine in Unit-04. The U.S. government insisted on removing the completed Unit-03 from its land, and asked the Japanese government to take it. Toji goes to see his sister in the hospital, and Shinji is thinking that he will never understand anyone around him. Ritsuko informs Gendo of the Dummy Plug system, which carries Rei's persona, and he ordered to input its data in Units 01 and 02, and then tells Rei to go eat with him. Shinji is still confused about himself, his parents, the people around him, the Angels and "the truth" while he was cleaning with Toji in the school. Toji tells Shinji to learn from him how to peep at girls' panties but Shinji denies this intent, but Toji got caught by the class rep. Hikari and runs. He collided with Shinji and Shinji got injured. Hikari asked Shinji if Toji talks with them about her, and if he likes Asuka. He told Asuka what Hikari told him and she answered that Hikari actually loves him. Ritsuko informs Misato about the activation test of Unit-03 in Matsushiro and that the Fourth Child was chosen to be Toji.
Stage 35: Light, Then Shadow[]
Gendo and Fuyutsuki are discussing the matter of Unit-04 and the second branch accident, and Gendo said that as long as Unit-01 is good, nothing else matters. Meanwhile, Toji asks Shinji to copy his homework, and Shinji tells him to take from Hikari, which led to a quarrel between her and Toji. Then, the teacher comes to class and tells Toji to go to the Principal's office, where he met Ritsuko, and she told that he will be the pilot of Unit-03, and they will take care of his sister more better. Asuka goes with Hikari and Shinji to the roof and advises her to confess to him, and Shinji suggests that she make food for him. Misato asks Kaji about information of the Marduk Institute, and he informs her that it is just a fake, and NERV is choosing the pilots, and then goes to flatter with Maya. Kensuke tells Shinji about the Unit-04 accident and Unit-03's arrival to Japan, and while Shinji was going to go home, he met Toji and Toji invited him to go to his house.
Stage 36: Confessions[]
Asuka tries to get Kaji for herself and tries to seduce him but failed, but she also found out that Toji is the Fourth Child. Meanwhile at Toji's house, Shinji had dinner there, and helped Toji in washing the dishes. Before Shinji goes to his residence, Toji told him that he was chosen to be a pilot for Unit-03, but he is extremely afraid of doing so, but Shinji comfort him by saying that he will be okay. The next day, Misato told Shinji that she will leave for four days to Matsushiro, and that they call Kaji during that time. Meanwhile, Unit-03 passed through an odd cloud during its transportation, which was actually an Angel.
Stage 37: The Gift[]
Toji prepares to go to Matsushiro for the activation test of Unit-03, and he noticed Hikari on his way. She was going to give him a lunch box, and hesitated but felt happy that Toji considers her as a friend. At NERV's facility in Matsushiro, the preparations for Unit-03's activation is beginning, and Toji has arrived there. Meanwhile at school, Hikari tells Shinji that she couldn't give Toji the lunch box, and offers him to take it instead. The Entry Plug has been inserted, and when the Eva has reached the border line, the Angel reveals his possession of it and destroyes the entire facility. Maya calls Shinji to bring Asuka and Rei with him to NERV Headquarters immediately.
Stage 38: Ambush[]
The possessed Evangelion Unit-03 is heading towards Tokyo-3, and all three Evas are dispatched to sent to intercept it. Gendo orders to force-eject the Entry Plug, but it is locked by the Angel's ooze, and then Gendo orders to abandon Unit-03 as the Angel. Shinji has seen their target but got surprised to know that it is an Eva. The Angel attacked Unit-02 and disabled it, and moves forward to Unit-00's location. Shinji tells Rei that Toji is Unit-03's pilot and she hesitated in shooting until the Angel discovered her presence. The Angel has caught Unit-00 and started merging with its left arm. Gendo orders to severe the contaminated arm, which left Unit-00 disabled, and the Angel heading to fight the remaining Unit-01.
Stage 39: The Dummy System[]
Unit-00 became incapable of fighting, and only Shinji in Unit-01 is left to fight the Bardiel-possessed Unit-03. The Angel starts attacking and kicked Unit-01, and Shinji notices that the Entry Plug is still inserted. The Angel attacked Unit-01 by his extended arms and began to suffocate it. Shinji refuses to fight back so he won't hurt Toji, and prefers to be killed rather than killing his friend. Gendo orders the cut the synch between Shinji and Unit-01 and activate the Dummy System, although it still has some problems. The Dummy Plug-controlled Unit-01 starts to choke the Angel.
Stage 40: Staining The Twilight Black[]
The Dummy System was activated, and Unit-01 started to savagely tear Unit-03 apart. Despite Shinji's request to his father to stop, but Gendo only said that he should just sit and be quiet. He tries to speak with Toji, to no use. Unit-03's blood covers all near places, and then Unit-01 crushed the Entry Plug in its palm. The Angel and Unit-03 has fallen silent. At Matsushiro NERV facility, Misato and Ritsuko are still alive and Kaji informs Misato of the last battle's results. Back to the battle's place, where Toji has been killed and Shinji is completely shocked. At Horaki's place, Hikari is still cooking lunch for Toji, who is unknown to her, dead.
Notes[]
- Asuka and Shinji go to the school's roof with Hikari to discuss about her confession.
- Toji invites Shinji to his house and tells him that he was asked to be Unit-03's pilot.
- In the manga, Gendo refers to Bardiel as the eighth Angel. However, even with the omission of some of the anime's Angels, Bardiel should have been referred to as the ninth Angel.
- Rei became aware that Toji is Unit-03's pilot in the battle, not before it like in the anime.
- Toji dies in this chapter, while in episode 18, he survived but got extremely injured.
References[]
Manga Volumes | ||
---|---|---|
Volumes | Volume 1 • Volume 2 • Volume 3 • Volume 4 • Volume 5 • Volume 6 • Volume 7 • Volume 8 • Volume 9 • Volume 10 • Volume 11 • Volume 12 • Volume 13 • Volume 14 |