Shinji Ikari Raising Project (Manga)
The Shinji Ikari Raising Project is an Evangelion-based manga spin-off of the video game, which was set in the original series timeline. The series was created by Takahashi Osamu, but is actually set in the Alternate Universe seen in Episode 26. This is similar to how Girlfriend of Steel 2 was also a video game based on Shinji's alternate reality dream-world from Episode 26, and then spawned a manga spin-off.
The series ran from June 2005 until February of 2016 in Shōnen Ace, which was the same magazine the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga was published in. It has a total of eighteen volumes and is published by Kadokawa. A translated version has been published by Dark Horse Comics in the US, and is currently on volume sixteen.
| The Shinji Ikari Raising Project 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 | Volume 15 | Volume 16 | Volume 17 | Volume 18 |
Differences between the original series and the manga:
- Shinji and Asuka now have a much less antagonistic relationship: they are both childhood friends, having met when they were both 4.
- Yui Ikari is still alive, and is working alongside Gendo at Nerv as head scientist, instead of Ritsuko.
- Gendo and Shinji's relationship is less negative and more complex, with each in competition with the other and always trying to outdo each other.
- Misato is the homeroom teacher at Shinji's school and Ritsuko is the school nurse, although both still have some sort of connection with Nerv.
- Kaworu has some sort of connection with Ritsuko, and seems attracted to Shinji. This forces Asuka and Rei to put aside their mutual differences to prevent Kaworu from stealing Shinji away.
- Rei Ayanami is introduced as a distant relative of Shinji's from Yui's side of the family. She is also Shinji's love interest (keeping in mind that Japanese or even European definitions of incest do not extend to cousins of various degrees; this is a common occurrence in various anime series).
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