Girlfriend of Steel
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| Girlfriend of Steel {{#if:{{{image|}}}|<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">{{{image|}}} | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Gainax Network Systems {{#if:{{{publisher|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Publisher(s)<td>{{{publisher|}}} |
| Release date(s) | February 1998 (JP) |
| Genre(s) | Visual novel |
| Mode(s) | Single player {{#if:{{{ratings|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Rating(s)<td>{{{ratings|}}} |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Windows {{#if:{{{media|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Media<td>{{{media|}}} |
Girlfriend of Steel (or Iron Maiden) is a video game based on the Gainax anime/manga series Neon Genesis Evangelion, released officially only in Japan. Some fans also consider it an additional episode of the series because whilst it was interactive to a small degree, it principally played out like a segment of the anime's story, fitting in just before the mood of the series started to get darker (probably just before or after the 12th Angel, Leliel).
Story, Gameplay and Endings
A new female character, Mana Kirishima, starts at Shinji Ikari's school and immediately admits to finding him cute. Gradually, a relationship unfolds and they end up going on a date where they kiss. It turns out, however, that she is the pilot of a new competitor to the Evangelions, similar to Jet Alone, thus the name Girlfriend of Steel. Eventually, the other robot goes berserk and the Evas have to destroy it. Throughout the game, Asuka Langley Soryu is constantly jealous of Shinji and Mana, consistent with her widely-speculated romantic feelings for Shinji. (Mana is, in fact, much disliked by many fans of the Shinji/Asuka pairing.) Rei Ayanami is present but plays a rather background role in the story.
The interactivity in most of the game is limited to walking around areas until the next plot event is triggered. However, the one true branch occurs at the end of the game, where the player may choose to focus on Mana, Asuka or Kaji. This choice determines which of the game's three endings are shown. In the Mana ending, Mana is discovered not to have been killed in the battle. Shinji rescues her and brings her back to his apartment. She showers, emerges wearing only a towel, and teasingly asks Shinji if he'd like her to remove it (this is similar to a scene involving Shinji and Asuka in Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's Evangelion manga, in which Asuka actually does remove the towel - revealing that she has on a sleeveless, strapless top and short shorts underneath). In discussion with Misato, however, it is agreed that Mana has to leave Tokyo-3, and she says a teary goodbye to Shinji who had won her heart.
In the Asuka ending, Asuka helps Shinji to get over Mana and the two children grow closer as a result. This ending contains the most romantic images of Asuka and Shinji together that have been officially produced by Gainax, including a moving scene where Asuka hugs Shinji emotionally.
The third ending with Kaji does not focus on any one character as much as the other endings do. Mana is also discovered not to be killed, and says goodbye, with Shinji replying "I'll be waiting for you".