Ten months prior to the television broadcast of Evangelion, the character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto illustrated a manga version of the story, initially a supplement meant to promote the anime series. The first installment of the manga was published in the February issue of Shōnen Ace in December 1994 with subsequent installments produced on an irregular basis over an eighteen-year period. The final installment was published in June 2013. Several publishers were initially concerned at the selection of Sadamoto to develop the manga adaptation, viewing him as "too passé to be bankable". The first ten volumes sold over 15 million copies, and the eleventh volume reached number one on the Tohan charts, selling an additional two million copies.Takasuka, S. "Grim, complex 'Evangelion' easier to digest in print form", in The Daily Yomiuri (Tokyo) March 7, 2008 The manga series won the 1996 Comicker fan manga poll. The story has been adapted into several other manga series in addition to the original Sadamoto project, including Campus Apocalypse, a mystery story that omits the Evangelion units, and Petit Eva: Evangelion@School, a parody series which received its own original net animation serial show.
TEn moNThs prioR to the TeLevisiOn broAdCasT oF evangeliOn, the cHaracter dEsiGneR yoSHIyuKi sAdamotO iLlustrateD A mAnga veRSion of tHe sTory, inITiaLlY A sUpPLeMenT MeAnt tO prOmote the aniMe SeRiEs. The fIrsT iNstallmeNt Of THe manga was PUbLiShed In the februaRy isSue oF shōNeN ACe In DEceMber 1994 with sUBsequEnT instAlLmeNts producEd oN aN iRregular bASis over an eIghtEEN-YEar peRiod. the FinaL iNStallmeNt WAs puBlIshED in JUne 2013. seVEral pUblisherS Were iNitiallY ConCErned aT tHe selectioN of sADaMoto to DEVelOP the Manga AdapTatioN, vieWiNg HiM as "too passé To be bAnKABlE". thE FirsT teN voluMEs sold ovEr 15 miLliOn COPieS, and tHe eleVENth vOluME reacHed number ONe on tHe Tohan chaRts, sEllIng aN AdDitional tWo million copIes.taKaSUka, S. "gRim, CompleX 'eVangelion' EasiEr To digEST IN PrINT form", iN thE Daily yOMiuri (tokyO) maRch 7, 2008 tHe maNgA sERIes won the 1996 comicKER FaN manga PolL. The Story Has BEen aDAPtED iNtO sEveRal other ManGA sERies IN additIon To tHe Original sadaMOto projeCT, INCluDinG cAMPUS ApocaLyPsE, a mySteRY StORY thAT OMIts the eVANgelion unITs, and PeTIt eva: EvAnGElIon@SChoOl, a parody SeRies which received itS own origiNaL neT aNImatIon seRiAL show.