Puchi Eva: Evangelion @ Game
Puchi Eva: Evangelion @ Game is a video game that is based on the spin-off 4-koma manga, Petit Eva: Evangelion @ School written by Maki Ozora. Another similar manga was created by Ryusuke Hamamoto. Much like the manga it is based on, many of the characters from the original series return, but have a cuter chibi-style design that gives this game a more lighthearted tone.
Rather than protecting humanity from Angels by piloting Evangelion Units, Puchi Eva revolves around the slapstick shenanigans of the everyday lives of the main characters of the series, Shinji Ikari, Asuka Langley Soryu, Misato Katsuragi, and many other characters from the Evangelion universe. It was published by Bandai Namco Entertainment and released for the Nintendo DS on March 20th, 2008.
Gameplay
Puchi Eva: Evangelion @ Game is mainly played through a variety of mini-games that are all categorized into different months in the year. Each month has a number of mini-games to play through that involve a specific character and one of four different kinds of gameplay. Most games give the player an objective to complete as well as the rules to play the game. The style of each mini-game is listed before and after a mini-game is selected.
Point and Click Adventure: In these mini-games, the player is given a scenario and a specific goal that they must reach to complete the game. These goals can be completed by interacting with characters and objects in a specific order, while some options lead to a losing condition. However, if the player fails any mini-game, they can simply reselect it in the menu afterward. After completing a mini-game, the player is often rewarded with a “Treasure”, which is a collectible item that can be found later under the “Treasures” menu. Each item has its own description and many Treasures act as references or cameos for other characters in the series.
Puzzles: The player has to arrange objects in a specific way in order to solve a given puzzle. A certain number of objects and places to arrange said objects are given, allowing the player to experiment until they find the solution.
Scrolling Action: These games involve getting a specific character or group of characters across a road or other path safely. Players can slide the camera left and right freely, but the characters must stay on screen. Several obstacles are also left in the characters’ paths and the player must eliminate them or risk failing the level.
Heart to Heart: While the given scenario varies from game to game, a group of characters approach Shinji and talk with him. The player has a chance to reply to each question or comment and must select the response that makes each individual character happy. Selecting the correct option for Shinji’s response will raise the “heart meter”. At the end of the game, the player will win as long as the heart meter is above a certain level.
Notable Characters
Most characters from Puchi Eva: Evangelion @ Game are just like their original counterparts if they were in a lively slice-of-life setting, however, there are some notable differences between some characters:
Shinji Ikari: This young boy is still the protagonist of the game. He unfortunately ends up getting involved in everyone else’s shenanigans.
Rei Ayanami (Oldest Sister): She is the oldest of the three Ayanami sisters. Although she tends to be quiet and gets fantastic grades, this Rei tends to visit clubs related to sports often. Her personality is based off of Rei III from the original series.
Rei Ayanami (Middle Sister): The second oldest of the three Ayanami sisters and the most energetic of the bunch. She is very athletic and lives without a care in the world. Her personality is similar to that of the Rei from Girlfriend of Steel 2nd.
Rei Ayanami (Youngest Sister): The youngest Ayanami sister who appears to be young and innocent, but in reality has an incredibly sharp tongue. She also keeps a collection of Angel dolls. This Rei is based on Rei I from the original series.
Evancho: A character based on Evangelion Unit 01, but has no need for a pilot and is much closer to the height of other characters. Although he isn’t capable of regular speech like other characters, Shinji seems to be able to understand him.
JA-ko: A character based on the automated anti-Angel robot Jet Alone. She is an android girl that loves Evancho and is easily flustered.
Puchi Eva OVA
The Puchi Eva game was also adapted into a series of 3D CGI OVAs aired in October 2007. The OVA series had a total of 24 episodes. Shunichiro Miki directed the first 9 episodes and Hiroaki Sakurai directed the remaining episodes from 10 to 24. Each episode was an anime short, which is not a full anime episode and only lasting around 5 to 6 minutes. The OVAs continue the slice-of-life story of the manga in a comical manner, with characters completely different to the original anime series.
Links
Official Puchi Eva: Evangelion @ School Website (requires Adobe Flash)