To quote the original series: "Omedetou Shinji-kun!"
This was an awesome addition to the franchise and a great read. I liked the manga better that the TV series. This might be because I had a good idea of the plot when I started reading it, however there were some things that were handled better in the manga in my opinion, like Kaji's childhood or EVA-01 killing Touji. All in all, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a coin with more than two sides (TV series, End of Evangelion, Rebuilds, manga etc), but I believe that it's worth investing your time on the complex story, the relatable and well-developped characters, and its philosophy.
PS: If the petrified MP EVAs are seen as relics in the Evangelion universe, what are really the Moai relics in our universe?