A bunch of 7th grade kids fight with a giant robot to save the world. Could it be more cliche?

I've found references to Bokurano anime on the internet, finding for mecha style animes. At first i watched the anime and found it amazing. But then I've read the manga. It was outstanding.

The main plot involves this fifteen kids who sealed a contract with a strange man. Everything they know it was they have to use a giant robot to fight with an enemy with similiar one. Sooner they discover that every fight has it price. Many people die during battles (many know people, even kids relatives often) and most important, the contract has horrible conditions they never knew.

Without any spoilers i can say the remaining history develops around how the kids face their fates, and how they deal with the feel o lost or despair of being in charge of mankind. Every one react in different ways. Some fall in despair. Some fight bravely. Some simple don't mind anything and some just (try to) runaway.

The way the plot develops is amazing. Every kid has it own fears, history, desires. Their history sometimes get involved into and sometimes the character has their own history. Every chapter was better than another. The only "mistake" i cant found was the art, wich particulary i've disliked. Its detailed sometimes but miss an art finalization. I dont know if i get used to it or if the drawing get more improved until the end, but this doest matter.

If you like Evangelion like anime/manga Bokurano dont you dare die before reading this. And do it before you seal the contract.