[EVA] Eva Manga Stage 74

[M]

> If the anime Kaworu made love to Shinji, the manga version fucked him.

Actually, I would have to say just the opposite.

After browsing various discussions of the Eva manga, it seems that  
most people have negative opinions of this last manga stage and  
Kaworu in general.  However, as far as I can tell, they are missing  
the real significance of this stage which marks one of the most  
important deviations yet from the anime.

The anime Kaworu approaches ("makes contact with") Shinji with an  
attitude that is both overly familiar and aloof at the same time.  He  
uses lofty and inscrutable language which confuses Shinji and throws  
him off guard, allowing Kaworu to play with his emotions.  And in the  
end, after being "betrayed" by Kaworu, who had appeared so perfect  
and good, Shinji is forced to kill him out of fear (he's an Angel),  
anger (betrayal) and an imposed sense of duty (Nerv/Misato/etc.), and  
ends up a guilt-ridden emotional wreck.  How that can be called  
"making love" is beyond me.

The manga Kaworu shows similarities, but approaches Shinji more  
openly with a bad side as well as a good side.  Here Shinji's  
confusion mainly stems from Kaworu's lack of social graces/mores and  
his frankness in trying to figure out humans and prod/provoke Shinji  
in an attempt to get him to open up.  In the final sequence Shinji  
does initially feel betrayed, angry and afraid, but Kaworu allays  
these negative emotions and ultimately gives Shinji peace for what he  
has to do.  In the end, Shinji kills Kaworu not because he is afraid/ 
angry or because Kaworu is an Angel and it is his duty, but out of  
understanding and consideration/friendship with the full knowledge  
that it was his decision (his true feelings) and that he alone must  
accept responsibility for it (and continue to "remember" Kaworu).   
This may be tough love, and it certainly left Shinji with a lot of  
thinking/digesting to do, but IMO it qualifies as "love" nonetheless.

So,
In the anime, Kaworu/Tabris was the Angel of Free WIll mainly for  
himself.
In the manga, Kaworu(Tabris?) exercised his own free will, but he was  
also the Angel that gave Shinji the free will to think and make  
decisions for his own reasons.  Basically, Kaworu made Shinji stop  
running away.

I think there is a strong link to Misato's last words to Shinji in EoE:
      But, no matter what happens, remember that it was your decision.
     And that makes it worthwhile, Shinji - Because you decided by  
yourself!
      So stop lying to yourself... Think about what you can do...
      And then live with your decisions.

This was a supremely important stage for both Kaworu and Shinji, and  
IMO one of Sadamoto's best original interpretations/deviations yet.

"M"