A yuri Yuletide moment from Evangelion: Campus Apocalypse

[alicemacher]

Another out-of-season Christmas post, but it does fit with this month's community theme.


Neon Genesis Evangelion: Campus Apocalypse (Dark Horse, 2010; originally serialized in Monthly Asuka 2007-2009) is an AU Evangelion story in which Shinji, Asuka, Rei and Kaworu are Catholic middle-school students on a secret mission to protect humanity from the Angels, only their Evas aren't mechs but magical handheld weapons powered by their individual wills. Chapter (or "Event") Five serves as a light-hearted break from the action, as their class stages the school's annual Nativity play. The mangaka is Mingming, the English translation by Michael Gombos. 8 of 24 pages.



As showtime draws near, a typically angry voice calls out, "WHERE IS REI?"













Rei, having missed breakfast, gets her classmate's permission for a quick snack.







With an hour to go before curtain time, the student cast as Gabriel sprains her ankle and can't perform. Misato, here the children's teacher, considers a quick rewrite in which Mary simply receives a text message from the archangel. Asuka has another idea: recasting Shinji as the pantomime horse and Rei as Gabriel.







Misato approves the casting changes, whereupon Rei, looking noticeably flushed and flustered, tells Shinji there's something she'd like to discuss with him after the "mission."

Finally the curtain goes up, and we get to see what must be the gayest, most smoldering Annunciation scene in all Christendom.







Whenever I get to this part I can't help but identify with the narrator in "Walking in Memphis" by my fellow Jew Marc Cohn: "She said, 'Tell me, are you a Christian, child?' / And I said, 'Ma'am, I am tonight!'"

Anyway. Watching the scene backstage, Shinji becomes lost in speculation as to why Rei looked so nervous and hot under the collar when she asked to speak with him afterwards. Could this mean she wants to confess her feelings for him? Misato, noticing him spacing out, tells him it's his cue and playfully shoves him toward the stage. Of course, this causes our beloved buttmonkey to crash into the set and knock it down.









That's right, the horse head. Rei asks if she can take it home with her. Shinji recovers himself enough to admit it's not his to give away, so...







Poor Shinji! But let's face it: while Rei's furry interests needn't be an obstacle to you, with her apparently reciprocated feelings for Asuka I'm afraid you don't have a prayer. Well, there's always Kaworu...