Continuities (Portal)
In general, only the original Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered canon. However, the expanded Evangelion franchise includes a very large amount of spin-offs, video-games, commercial collaborations and such. The only two "main" ones besides the anime are the manga adaptation by character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto and the new Rebuild of Evangelion film series, though they are also separate continuities from each other.
Refer also to What Is Canon? for a complete exploration of Evangelion material. See also: Theory and Analysis:List of Common Misconceptions
Anime
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Original 1995 anime by Gainax and Hideaki Anno. Followed by 1997 film End of Evangelion.
Death & Rebirth is a recap of the series, and the Director's Cuts extended versions of Episodes 21-24 take precedence over the earlier On-Air versions.
Manga
Neon Genesis Evangelion manga by character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
- While many anime with prior manga releases are adaptations of the manga's original story, this is not the case with the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga. The manga was explicitly created as a supplement to the TV series and meant to promote it. The first volume of the manga was published on August 29, 1995, five weeks in advance of the TV series' October 4, 1995 premiere due to production delays with the latter. Over time, Sadamoto kept working on it and, despite the story itself being considerably shorter, he only finished the manga in 2013 due to it being something of a secondary project. Sadamoto has also repeatedly stated that the manga is his own individual work and should never be used as reference for anything in the anime.[1][2]; stated that he made the manga entirely on his own, without consulting anyone, in contrast to the anime's more collaborative production;[3] and also denied links to the Rebuild movies.[4]
New Theatrical Features
Also known as Rebuild of Evangelion. This is a series consisting of four films, released in 2007, 2009 and 2012, with a final one scheduled for release in March 2021. They are considered a new continuity.
The Universe Expanded
Notes and references
- ↑ Sadamoto Yoshiyuki: My Thoughts at the Moment
- ↑ All About Kaworu Nagisa interview
- ↑ Milano Manga Festival: Reportage dei Sadamoto Days
- ↑ Interview with Sadamoto, includes his confirmation that the Mari bonus chapter was just fanservice.
