Alternative TitlesEnglish: Neon Genesis Evangelion Synonyms: Shinseiki Evangelion Japanese: 新世紀エヴァンゲリオン
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 26
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Oct 3, 1995 to Mar 27, 1996
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.311 (scored by 37932 users)
Ranked: #1442
Popularity: #11
Members: 53,874
Favorites: 4,093 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
action drama mecha psychological sci-fi |
SynopsisIn the year 2015, the Angels, huge, tremendously powerful, alien war machines, appear in Tokyo for the second time. The only hope for Mankind`s survival lies in the Evangelion, a humanoid fighting machine developed by NERV, a special United Nations agency. Capable of withstanding anything the Angels can dish out, the Evangelion`s one drawback lies in the limited number of people able to pilot them. Only a handful of teenagers, all born fourteen years ago, nine months after the Angels first appeared, are able to interface with the Evangelion. One such teenager is Shinji Ikari, whose father heads the NERV team that developed and maintains the Evangelion. Thrust into a maelstrom of battle and events that he does not understand, Shinji is forced to plumb the depths of his own inner resources for the courage and strength to not only fight, but to survive, or risk losing everything. (Source: AniDB) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Summary: Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth
Sequel: Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
Alternative version: Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, Evangelion: 3.0 Q Quickening, Evangelion: 4.0,
Spin-off: Petit Eva ~ Evangelion@School ~
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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CitizenGeek
147 of 253 people found this review helpful
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26 of 26 episodes seen
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| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
Note: this review is spoiler free.
Hugely experimental and wonderfully unique, Evangelion is a roaring success.
The basic, initial, plot goes thus: a 14-year-old boy named Shinji is called to NERV (an organization charged with defending mankind from extinction, no less) by his estranged, seemingly cold and calculating father. There, his fathers' first words are an order to pilot an immense robotic machine, the titular Evangelion, and fight against the monster that's attacking Tokyo-3, the city under which NERV has it's headquarters. These illusory 'monsters' are called Angels and are seemingly invincible - traditional weaponry, even in the year 2015, has minimal effect upon them. Only the Eva 'biomechs', which can be piloted solely by certain selected 14-year-olds can stop them. This [i]is[/i] merely the basic, initial premise of the series. As it goes on, everything gets a lot more complicated; There's a metric ton of mystery, suspense, twists and turns in Evangelion's plot, all routinely thought-provoking and intensely interesting.
The characters are excellent. This is an important point as the series is more about them than about the Angels or NERV. Shinji Ikari is one the most believable and genuinely sympathetic character ever conceived in anime. Though some would complain that Shinji is overtly emotional and annoyingly so. But, really, no one wants Shinji to become the 'Hollywood hero' and save the day with a smile on his face - no such human could ever really exist, and studio Gainax understand this and apply it perfectly to the series. Shinji's mental struggle is dealt with effectively by Hideki Anno, through the use of complex monologues and largely successful experimental cinematic techniques. Asuka and Rei, the other chosen children, are both polar opposites and ingenious characters. Both develop a great deal in a very interesting way throughout the series, and this character exploration and growth is at the heart of Evangelion.
The design aspects are wonderfully unique - the Evas themselves are strikingly colourful and the Angels are attention grabbing and memorable with many towering over Tokyo-3's skyscraper. The Angels appear in many different forms (one Angel takes the form of a gargantuan, blue diamond while another is too small to be seen with the naked eye and acts as an organic virus, crippling NERV's computer system) which helps Eva avoid the repetitve "Monster of the Week" format and keeps the action aspect of the series consistently fresh and enjoyable. Judeo-Christian references are famous (or rather, infamous) in Evangelion and despite widespread condemnation, I am of the firm belief that the symbolism is never obnoxious, and always evocative and visually shocking. It must be noted these references are usually fairly shallow, but they make you sit up and take notice of the deeper meaning in the series as a whole. Animation is crisp and clear for the platinum re-mastering that I watched, and I hasten to add that this re-mastering is only version of Eva worth buying. Visuals are regularly stunning and scenes from this series will surely stay with you forever. The regular provocative imagery is often times shocking and sometimes awe-inspiring. The image of a crippled Rei, bleeding and covered in bandages in the first episode provides the first real shock of the series. Such imagery contrasts with the visual gags present throughout - a toothpick container obscuring Shinji's nether regions in episode 2 being one of the most memorable.
The music is, much like the rest of Eva, superbly memorable. It excels at setting the right mood and tone, using inspirational trumpets to highlight Asuka and Shinji's success in battle, and nuanced reflective tunes to convey the character of Rei. The OP is among my favourites of all time and you'll not tire of hearing it throughout the 26 episodes of the series.
The final two episodes are controversial (more controversial than the rest of the series at least!) because they are both the peak of experimental Eva. While I certainly wouldn't call them "bad", they are frustratingly unsatisfying as an ending. Thankfully, the subsequent movie release titled 'End of Evangelion' rectifies this with bombastic aplomb. EoE - which essentially tells the story of what happens in eps. 25 and 26, but this time outside of Shinji's mind - is truly magnificent, and definitely lives up to the sky high standards set in the series, and perhaps even exceeds them. As well as being one of the greatest anime movies ever made, EoE gives the series an extraordinary conclusion.
I haven't even mentioned the dub, the pacing or the sound effects, but rest assured that they are all of a fantastic standard. Overall, I think this series deserves it's iconic status - it's easily one of the absolute best TV series (anime or otherwise) that I've ever seen. Every single episode is nothing less than a masterpiece and an utter joy to watch. I whole heartedly recommend Neon Genesis Evangelion. It is imperative that you watch this anime!
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Yamine
16 of 29 people found this review helpful
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26 of 26 episodes seen
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| Overall |
9 |
| Story |
7 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
The human psyche is not an easy place to trample upon. In fact, I would say this to be an undeniably extremely difficult task especially when it is the first of its kind, experimenting with a delicate and complicated subject as the human mind.
When I started this anime I was pretty much expecting a lot of hypnotic swirls which would be deemed as “psychology”, tonnes of mecha action, the usual character personalities and the odd sex joke every once in a while since the main character is a guy teamed up with two other female pilots.
Man, was I wrong.
The mecha action was great. Every fight was different and a personal experience for one of the characters so it was never repetitive. The best thing about this was that the pilot was actually connected to Eva so they felt the damage too; and the fact that for a robot fight it was well bloody. Literally. Blood actually comes out the Evas. It was gory in fact, especially when the Eva goes berserk and all over the place.
As for the plot…I don’t think there was one. The characters were the plot. Even so, each episode was magnificent, the writing and execution was so perfect at times it didn’t feel like I was watching an anime but a TV show where every episode is unique yet connected, different from the usual anime routine. It was sometimes hard to follow what was going on, so at times like these, hail wikipedia episode summaries :).
Excellent sound. This show didn’t rely heavily on music, it was mostly used during battles but even then the music is superb and makes the scene really dramatic. There was use of classical music and church songs such as “Hallelujah”; both types of music went well with the scenes - once again, showing the amazing skills of the director. The classical music + fight scene is definitely one of my favourite moments in this anime, but of course isn’t limited to that. Because this show doesn’t rely on music as much it uses “natural” sounds in the background such as the chirping of birds etc. which most anime don’t do; they either have scenes with loads of music or scenes where it’s dead silence in the background. Producers should realise that having these simple sounds make the anime so much more realistic.
Like I said, the characters essentially are the plot, and because of this there is much depth to not just the Eva pilots but to all the characters. On the surface you have a wussy, self-conscious boy (Shinji) , an emotionless girl (Rei) and a total bitch (Asuka) but as you carry on through the series you and the character themselves learn about each other and that they all have one thing they strive for and fear: The reason of their existence. Even the other members of NERV (the organisation of which Shinji, Rei and Asuka work for) such as the easy going Misato and intelligent Ritsuko had deep psychological problems. Not one character was normal, everyone has their share of secrets and everyone has their own twisted stories. The thing about the characters in NGE, is that none of them are made to be likeable. It is very hard to find a favourite character from here since it seems like they were all made to be hated. I have never seen a more f***** up cast than this, but that’s what I love about NGE.
Now for the Christianity element…well I was actually looking forward to this even if it were to be blasphemous but sadly the Christianity references were just that. Only references. They use a lot of biblical names, and talk about God but to be honest I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Not that this is a negative point at all, just saying for those who are expecting heavy use of religion it’s not here.
There’s been a lot of controversy about the ending of the series, some people loved it, some people hated it, some people were left there staring at their screens thinking “Wth, is that all?” For me I belong to the first group. It wasn’t the same old “save the world/universe” climax but more of a “save yourself” ending. No physical threats. Just the threat of the self-conscious, fragile human mind.
However, this series also provides an alternate ending in the form of a movie: End of Evangelion, for those people who disliked this ending, or just wants to see a different conclusion with some more action.
This anime is definitely not for everyone. It is extremely hard to understand what on earth is going on, and if not for reading episode summaries I still wouldn’t have understood what had happen unless I watched the episode again.
Having said that, one of the main reasons I watched this because I was in the mood for some seriously warped mind messing - and I can say that I am an extremely satisfied customer. However, it also did surprise me with the tiny dosages of comedy, romance and ‘normal’ teenage sexual tensions (Yes, there are adult themes) it had in the first half of the show that dangerously misleads the viewer. Anyone who wants to experience a miniscule amount of comedy, loads of drama, some romance, dramatic action, heavy psychology, philosophy with engaging, rippling, heavy monologues and complex science fiction with an awesome twisted cast should watch this - one of the most extraordinary, somewhat ambiguous and successful anime I have ever watched, or ever produced. read more
Recommendations
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I think this has been compared to Evangelion, Numerous amounts of times, mostly because of the Mechanical aspects, the characters and the fact that the Angels and Dolems kind of parallel each other.
Evangelion is the main source of inspiration for Rahxephon, many consider it a clone. Evangelion tends to be more complex and intelectual, concentrating on philosophy and psychology while Rahxephon tends to be easier and not so inteligent concentrating on a love story with harem like influences all covered up in an artsy smart wannabe story with big, complicated words used that don't have any real meanings behind them (perfect for the new generation of anime fans who love superficial stories who like to seem complex).
Similar premises, but RahXephon did a lot better job of it.
If You Watch It, You'll See Why. There Are Some Very Interesting Similarities, But The Show Is Still Unique.
Can't explain in one sentence. You just have to see it.
The mechas are similar,but they are made of "Clay",the story is kinda oriented into the same genre,but Evangelion's story is deeper moved into the religious sector,while RahXephon's is oriented about time.
NGE created the genre, Rahxephon and Eureka7 are two original creations inside that format, both are great but I prefer the original
Rahxephon is basically neon genesis done correctly!! Where Eva failed Rahxephon succeeded.
both have a very similar story lines and themes
They're both intriguing psychological dramas amongst countless of other similarities.
Both have giant mechas used by the main characters, and during various episodes like to play with your head some.
DUH? RahXephon is a direct copy of NGE but not as messed up. It is the NGE for amateurs and newbies to anime. But RahXephon has its own appeal b/c it is referenced in other shows such as Ouran High school host club. However, i have to say that i like RahXephon more b/c i can sleep at night after watching it and b/c of Quon and "Ra Ra what is it Ollin?" Who wouldn't fall in love with that?
Both are great mecha shows that deal with other underlying psychological/emotional themes, although NGE has a little more of the psychoanalytical "stuff". In the end, RahXephon is really more of a love story, but doesn't slack on the action or introspection. If you are an anime fan, you owe it to yourself to watch both of these shows, even if you don't like mecha.
You can almost call this a copy of NGE, aside from the fact that Rah Xephon tends not to mess with your mind, is not as depressing. The Story is just as epic though, the trials are just as challenging and the story is detailed enough that you do need to follow the story to know whats going on.
RahXephon - although good - is more or less a rip off of Evangelion (and so is the Bible lol). It has so many subtle similarities in characters and story, but none the less it is still a good anime. Evagelion is one of the GREATEST animes and is amazing to watch and even more complex the RahXephon. If you enjoy philosophical thinking - both are good, but Eva is better.
Both implement mecha robots as well as some form of religious belief to progress each respective plot. Also both have main characters with social problems. Need I say more???
They share a ridiculous number of specific and general similarities. Essentially, RahXephon is a much lighter and brighter version of Evangelion. Evangelion has significantly more psychological and philosophical elements than RahXephon, but RahXephon sounds and looks far better (also is less screwy, if you're not a fan of mind screw). Either way, if you like Evangelion, you'll definitely like RahXephon.
Using gamer terminology, these series have the same setting: huge anthropomorphic robots save the world (or try to destroy it, according to the point of view) with a little help of brave teenagers. The formula is completed by a mere alien per episode and a big boss in the end. As a set-off against Eva, RahXephon has a great love story. By all means, those who were excited about one series will enjoy watching the other.
Both series are mechas with dramatic, psychological themes. Both are really high quality for their times and have amazing plots and characters.
The similarities are endless and there is also definitely some major differences biggest one of which being that the main theme of RahXephon is music and its power to change the world (tune the world). I think of RahXephon as being very similar to NGE (at least there seems to be slightly more similarities than differences) with a much less emo male lead and a watchable ending (more than watchable actually, compared to NGE's completely unwatchable and horrific last two episodes).
RahXephon is what Evangelion should have been like. NGE has a lot more fans than RahXephon, although i can't possibly comprehend why aside from the fact that NGE came first.
Neon Genesis has a very complicated and detailed plot, and many consider RahXephon to be a rip-off of it. However, I found that I enjoyed RahXephon much more than Evangelion. Both deal with Mechas, politics, religion, a boy struggling to come to terms with his life and what everyone expects of him. I just felt RahXephon was executed better.
Both involve around a teenage boy trying to remember and forget the past at the same time. Everyone that the boy loves has either turned away or no longer able to be there for him. Full of action, A Mecha is what the boy uses in battle to combat with the organization he has joined. Which is use primarily for battle.
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Characters' style in the beginnig of the story.
Eureka7 was clearly influenced by NGE
Eureka Seven takes many MANY things from Evangelion, such as characters (i.e: Rei Ayanami = Eureka), use of mecha, some things from the plot, etc. Sometimes when I was watching Eureka 7 I felt i was wachting eva, altough Eureka is not as sad or phsicological as Evangelion.
The LFOs in Eureka are similar to the Evas in NGE.
The story is deep very envolving, really when I first started watching it, I thought it reminded me alot of evangelion.
Both main characters are boys. Both go through things that make them go through developement. Theres plenty of Mecha battles and drama in both of them and both can get psychological at times. Also, in both NGE and E7 the mechs make up a lot of the mysteries in the plots.
Eureka Seven is very similar to Eva. They both have mysterious mechs. The main male characters think alike and go through a lot of change, there is a lot of character development.
Few anime series can compare to the masterpiece that is Evangelion, but if you are looking for something similar then Eureka Seven is more than likely a series you'll enjoy. Both stories' central focus is around a young male and his search for belonging, as he's thrown into the midst of a giant conflict. Giant mechs, young love, and large casts to boot, these two series are both quite similar to each other in a number of ways. Spoilers and synopses aren't my type, so ultimately I'll leave it for you to decide. Eureka Seven certainly isn't as timeless as Eva, but it's one of the better series one could compare it to and it still does a great job of keeping its audience captivated up until the final curtain falls.
Giant robots. Strange creatures to fight against. Protagonists with f***'d up lives. What more could you ask for? It's all right here in these two great anime series. Check them out!
Both have strange, simillar mechas, some psychological problems and mystery. However NGE is more .. mature (?).
Both are sci-fi, both of them have a main character who follows his evolution, and a lot of good action and sci-fi scenes :-)
well they're both similar because of the whole child growing to an adult thing. if you like mecha then you'll love these
Both include romance, action, and mystery.
Mysterious female characters and the one's that fall for them. Plus the disasterous plot of the world ending, fighting with machinery/robots.
Cute relationship that starts to form between main characters, and how they try to save the world.
Both question human nature, and humanity.
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Opening Theme"残酷な天使のテーゼ [Zankoku na Tenshi no Te-ze (Thesis of a Cruel Angel)]" by Yoko Takahashi
Ending Theme#01: "Fly Me to the Moon" by Claire
#02: "Fly Me to the Moon (Rei #5 Version)" by Megumi Hayashibara (ep 5)
#03: "Fly Me to the Moon (Rei #6 Version)" by Megumi Hayashibara (ep 6)
#04: "Fly Me to the Moon -4 Beat Version-" by Yoko Takahashi (eps 7,12)
#05: "Fly Me to the Moon (Aya Bossa Techno Version)" by Aya (eps 8,22)
#06: "Fly Me to the Moon (Yoko Takahashi Acid Bossa Version)" by Yoko Takahashi (eps 9,13)
#07: "Fly Me to the Moon (Yoko Takahashi Version)" by Yoko Takahashi (eps 10,14,21)
#08: "Fly Me to the Moon -4 Beat Version (Off-Vocal)-" by [Instrumental] (ep 15)
#09: "Fly Me to the Moon (Off-Vocal Version)" by [Instrumental] (eps 16,24)
#10: "Fly Me to the Moon (Aki Jungle Version)" by Aki (ep 17)
#11: "Fly Me to the Moon -B22 (A-Type)-" by [Instrumental] (ep 20)
#12: "Fly Me to the Moon (Rei #23 Version)" by Megumi Hayashibara (ep 23)
#13: "Fly Me to the Moon (Rei #25 Version)" by Megumi Hayashibara (ep 25)
#14: "Fly Me to the Moon (Rei #26 Version)" by Megumi Hayashibara (ep 26)
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