San Francisco, CA (3/18/98)-In July '98 Viz Comics proudly presents Neon Genesis Evangelion, the graphic novel collecting the smash hit comic series by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto! Japan's biggest combination anime and manga hit of the last five years, as seen on U.S. home video from A.D.V. Films, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a surprising, controversial and powerfully psychological science fiction series which takes the familiar 'giant robot' genre into territory never seen before.

In the year 2015, half of the human race is dead, and the survivors face a terrifying last judgment from giant "Angels." Within Tokyo-3 and the headquarters of the secretive organization called NERV, a handful of teenagers are trained to pilot the colossal superentities known as "Evangelions" and battle the Angels on their own terms, whatever the cost to their minds and souls. Summoned to Tokyo-3 in the middle of what appears to be a war, 14-year-old Shinji Ikari has no idea he is about to be reunited with his estranged father, or the terrifying responsibility that awaits him…

In a first for American editions of Japanese comics, Viz Comics is presenting the prestige Neon Genesis Evangelion graphic novel in two formats: Regular and Special Collector's Edition. The Special Collector's Edition is printed "unflopped", reading from right to left, as the comic was originally printed in Japan. For years fans have clamored for manga as it was originally printed in Japan, preserving the original orientation of the artwork and Japanese sound effects. Plus, both versions include special, never-before-translated essays and commentary on the series by director Hideaki Anno and mecha designer Ikuto Yamashita!

Neon Genesis Evangelion is written and drawn by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, the original character designer for the Evangelion animated series. Evangelion is based on a concept by Studio Gainax. Both the regular and Special Collector's Editions are 176 pages long, with both color and b&w pages, and retail for $15.95 in the U.S. and $22.25 in Canada.