>>3006242Rei is better than Kaworu because he is barely even a character, just a one-dimensional "I love you Shinji" cardboard cutout. And she's better than Asuka because she has a more pleasant personality and a more interesting backstory.
>>3006241It mostly just apes the TV series or even the new shitty films towards the end, and the manga original additions are either poorly scripted and extremely cliched or superficial, depending on the occasion and character.