Neon Genesis Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン, "Shin Seiki Evangerion") is a long-running manga series by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto and published by Kadokawa Shoten; it began in the February issue of Shōnen Ace in December 1994. It consists of 14 volumes, each composed of several "stages" or chapters. It was released before the anime of the same name, and was intended to increase public interest. In 2008, it was announced that the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga is approaching its conclusion. In July 2009, it was moved to a new Shoten seinen magazine, Young Ace, being published there until January's issue, when Sadamoto stopped writing the manga, putting the publication on hiatus in order to work on the latest Rebuild of Evangelion film, 3.0: Q Quickening.