| I tried rewatching it, and it almost felt... overwrought? Shinji’s internal monologues dragged, the pacing felt off, and the abstractness of the final episodes came off more pretentious than profound. But then again, maybe I was just less emotionally receptive. Is Evangelion something that feels profound mostly when you're going through inner turmoil? Does its reputation as a “masterpiece” depend heavily on the mental state of the viewer? |
DragevardMay 15, 4:19 PM
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| I never even watched Neon Genesis Evangelion, so I'm not sure how I can answer the OP's question. |
| You don't have to feel in the moment the same as the characters just understand and empathize. |
| ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣸⠋⠀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⡔⠀⢀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⡘⡰⠁⠘⡀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⣀⠀⠀⡇⠀⡜⠈⠁⠀⢸⡈⢇⠀⠀⢣⠑⠢⢄⣇⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢰⡟⡀⠀⡇⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡇⠈⢆⢰⠁⠀⠀⠀⠘⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠀⣧⠀⢿⢠⣤⣤⣬⣥⠀⠁⠀⠀⠛⢀⡒⠀⠀⠀⠘⡆⡆⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢵⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡰⠀⢠⠃⠱⣼⡀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠳⠶⠶⠆⡸⢀⡀⣀⢰⠀⠀⢸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣀⣀⣀⠄⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⢠⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⣼⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠢⢄⡔⣕⡍⠣⣱⢸⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡰⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⡜⡨⢢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣄⠀⠀⣠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢛⠽⠗⠁⠀⠁⠊⠀⡜⠸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢀⠔⣁⡴⠃⠀⡠⡪⠊⣠⣾⣟⣷⡦⠤⣀⡈⠁⠉⢀⣀⡠⢔⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⡗⢀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣠⠴⢑⡨⠊⡀⠤⠚⢉⣴⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⡇⠀⠹⣻⠛⠉⠉⢀⠠⠺⠀⠀⡀⢄⣴⣾⣧⣞⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠐⠒⣉⠠⠄⡂⠅⠊⠁⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢠⣷⣮⡍⡠⠔⢉⡇⡠⠋⠁⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀ |
| Well I had clinical depression when I watched it still found it mega boring except the last two episodes but I also liked the movie? But only the last half. My answer? Just watch aniessays about it. |
 |
| Evangelion is decent but overrated as fuck because of nostalgia. If it was released as a new anime post 2020 even with modern art style, it would have never topped the charts. |
| I've never been depressed and I liked both Evangelion and the rebuilds, so I would say no. The og is pretty chaotic but it tackles some really amazing ideas in its story and it just feels like a very "raw" experience (I don't know how to explain that last part, but I do understand it myself). The rebuilds are probably better written imo, they convey Anno's ideas better in general and it is pretty amazin to see how his mental state changed after all those harsh years he went through. |
| "Those words are meant for those that dare defy god's final warning... An epigraph of their stubbornness" - Maho Hiyajo (Steins;Gate 0)  |
| No? It is good at a very technical level. For a 1995 anime, if feels structurally very like a modern anime. I've always admired how much it conveyed in every episode even when very little is explicitly said. |
| I like Gunbuster more than EVA the ending of Gunbuster really sold me.(Another thing I hate Eva is religious theme I don't like they portrayed) |
 |
Kisaragi_Toka said: I like Gunbuster more than EVA the ending of Gunbuster really sold me.(Another thing I hate Eva is religious theme I don't like they portrayed) There is no religious theme in Eva. It is purely for aesthetics. |
| ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣸⠋⠀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⡔⠀⢀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⡘⡰⠁⠘⡀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⣀⠀⠀⡇⠀⡜⠈⠁⠀⢸⡈⢇⠀⠀⢣⠑⠢⢄⣇⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢰⡟⡀⠀⡇⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡇⠈⢆⢰⠁⠀⠀⠀⠘⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠀⣧⠀⢿⢠⣤⣤⣬⣥⠀⠁⠀⠀⠛⢀⡒⠀⠀⠀⠘⡆⡆⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢵⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡰⠀⢠⠃⠱⣼⡀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠳⠶⠶⠆⡸⢀⡀⣀⢰⠀⠀⢸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣀⣀⣀⠄⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⢠⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⣼⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠢⢄⡔⣕⡍⠣⣱⢸⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡰⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⡜⡨⢢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣄⠀⠀⣠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢛⠽⠗⠁⠀⠁⠊⠀⡜⠸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢀⠔⣁⡴⠃⠀⡠⡪⠊⣠⣾⣟⣷⡦⠤⣀⡈⠁⠉⢀⣀⡠⢔⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⡗⢀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣠⠴⢑⡨⠊⡀⠤⠚⢉⣴⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⡇⠀⠹⣻⠛⠉⠉⢀⠠⠺⠀⠀⡀⢄⣴⣾⣧⣞⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠐⠒⣉⠠⠄⡂⠅⠊⠁⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢠⣷⣮⡍⡠⠔⢉⡇⡠⠋⠁⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀ |
| *Evangelion is only good when Anno was depressed |
| It was a ground-breaking masterpiece in its time, because it was unique. A lot of people recognize the historical significance of EVA anime. Now the mecha trend is over, the giant robots/aliens/whatever is nowhere nearly as prevalent as in the 90s, and the slow pacing and tern colors of the 90' shows...; all of this feels awkward compared to very-fast pacing, bright-colored and high-detailed scenes we're having today, for better or for worse. So, yeah, in a way, it can feel very depressing when you dust it out. |
   There is only one truth in this world かわいいは正義 Also, robots are your friends ✿❀(*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ⋆˚✿˖° Check our anime affinity, Senpai! Fellow cute girl lovers FR accepted. Watch NGNL, ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ you bastard~~desu Yuri is life. Now, break a sweat. ★May the stars shine upon you.★ |
| Who is actually depressed? I don't think many people are depressed. I enjoy my life. |
Reply to traed
Kisaragi_Toka said:
I like Gunbuster more than EVA the ending of Gunbuster really sold me.(Another thing I hate Eva is religious theme I don't like they
portrayed)
I like Gunbuster more than EVA the ending of Gunbuster really sold me.(Another thing I hate Eva is religious theme I don't like they
portrayed)
There is no religious theme in Eva. It is purely for aesthetics.
| @traed but I still don't like they portayed it I don't like Anno using the religious in that way. (yeah this why I avoid this anime like a pledge I don't care about the characters my hate is Anno writing) |
|
| Well I was not depressed when I delved into the franchise and I found it to be good at the time, but sure sharing the same feelings as the author might help in connecting with the series more. But overall I think it's just you getting used to modern anime more. |
| I really liked it till everything before ep 23-24 ish after that, it wasn't my cup of tea. End of evangelion didn't save the ending for me either. |
 |
| I never really cared for the series very much, so in my eyes it's only good when you're drunk. |
 |
| I dunno about that. I "liked" it back in the day when it was new. I wasn't depressed. But looking back now I know it was just me being an edgy teen, pretending to like something because it seemed intellectual when deep down I knew it was a nothing but a bunch of nonsense. |
 |
| no, it's only good when you're not a cornball. |
 |
Reply to HokutoMumyoZan
@Retro8bit I will say the series is put on a pedestal too much for my liking. I do like that it allowed for more introspection and navel gazing in future works, but while it was "punk" of its time to be depressive and rebel against serving order blindly, and related with those in that straight of dysphoria and isolation, I'm not surprised that the ending to the original series did what it did. You can't be depressed forever.
also anyone who is best fan of evangelion knows misato is best woman
also anyone who is best fan of evangelion knows misato is best woman
| @HokutoMumyoZan I think the main turn off for me with EVA, other than it's hype, was the symbolism. Felt like a lot of the symbolism was there just for the sake of having symbolism. Didn't flow as well in my opinion. I will agree with you about Misato though. Oh and the opening to the first season was one of the most epic tunes from its time. |
|
Evangelion is a nice anime with a lot of symbolism, but the real reason why Evangelion is good is Misato Katsuragi. |
| @derangedx29 Well ummm...thanks for the mental picture. O.O |
|
| It's a sincere, artistically unrestrained cry for help by a deeply troubled and depressed man. You don't need to be depressed to appreciate it, but it certainly hits home harder when you are. |
Take care of yourself |
| Probably true in many cases, but not all. |
Dragevard said: Its reputation doesn't change by someone's mood. Simply you should watch a show that suits your mood.Does its reputation as a “masterpiece” depend heavily on the mental state of the viewer? |
| As someone who watched it a few years back for the first time without any emotional attachment, (ie those who watched it back when airing and during the 90's/early 00's and who seem to have a bond with the show), I found it overly pretentious and a bit boring. I liked the mech action in parts, but Shinji, his dad and Asuka were all annoying for different reasons. Miss Misaki and to a lesser extent, Rei, are the only redeeming chars for me. If I didn't know it was a cultural phenomena I would've just thought it was another 90's mech show, an average one. It wasn't terrible, just wasn't anything special, for me. I wasn't depressed when I watched it, so can't reply specifically to OP's point. I wouldn't say the show itself was overly depressing, no more so than Texnolyze or Casshern Sins, which were both better imho. |
23feanorMay 16, 4:52 AM
 |
Reply to kuroneko99
Dragevard said:
Does its reputation as a “masterpiece” depend heavily on the mental state of the viewer?
Its reputation doesn't change by someone's mood. Simply you should watch a show that suits your mood.Does its reputation as a “masterpiece” depend heavily on the mental state of the viewer?
| @kuroneko99 I would generally agree with you. However, in the quantum state, EVA is as good as you perceive it. Don't ask me why, I just know it works.  |
There is only one truth in this world かわいいは正義 Also, robots are your friends ✿❀(*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ⋆˚✿˖° Check our anime affinity, Senpai! Fellow cute girl lovers FR accepted. Watch NGNL, ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ you bastard~~desu Yuri is life. Now, break a sweat. ★May the stars shine upon you.★ |
Reply to removed-user
@Eldinis How is it unique when you had V-Gundam & Irresponsible Captain Tylor right before it, and Martian Successor Nadesico airing next to it the same year? And if we are going further back, Nadia was much more interesting.
| @Ranpy EVA made a definite point in the fusion of emerging trends and taking them to the next level. The mental struggles and raw emotions are central to the plot. There is little friendship in EVA. In a sense, it's as dark as Victory Gundam, but the internal struggles are more laid out. The mecha genre was subverted. It was not a mere comedic parody, such as Tylor or Nadesico. It made piloting mecha scary and terrifying. Some people in this thread have disliked EVA for being "religious". However, to be more precise, the angels are more aesthetics than anything. EVA plays a lot on Freud-Jungian psychology, to give the characters room for psychological introspection and existential questions: EVA questioned self-worth, connection and life meanings. From what I've heard, EVA has influenced later shows such as Revolutionary Girl Utena and Serial Experiments Lain. That influence made EVA's name carved in the history of anime, unlike the other titles you've mentioned (at the very least, I've never heard someone claim that before, so you'd be the first). |
There is only one truth in this world かわいいは正義 Also, robots are your friends ✿❀(*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ⋆˚✿˖° Check our anime affinity, Senpai! Fellow cute girl lovers FR accepted. Watch NGNL, ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ you bastard~~desu Yuri is life. Now, break a sweat. ★May the stars shine upon you.★ |
| Nope, even with a depression all the faults you mention are just as visible. Have no idea why it is considered a masterpiece. |
| In my honest opinion, no. I watched Evangelion back at a time where I was really depressed and lonely, but I loved it. These days I'm reading the manga and I love it even more. I still think it's a really good story, with amazing character development. Also, I don't think you need to be depressed to understand how difficult it must be foe a 14 yo boy to suddenly realise that he needs to safe the f world and all of the other discoveries he does afterwards |
        |
| @SPTLayzner You totally missed the point. EVA never invented anything new. |
There is only one truth in this world かわいいは正義 Also, robots are your friends ✿❀(*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ⋆˚✿˖° Check our anime affinity, Senpai! Fellow cute girl lovers FR accepted. Watch NGNL, ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ you bastard~~desu Yuri is life. Now, break a sweat. ★May the stars shine upon you.★ |
| Evangelion is like the emotional hitman of anime. it doesn’t care how you’re feeling, it’s taking you down regardless. If you are Already depressed, it’ll validate all your existential dread like a comforting abyss. If you're Feeling cheerful and happy then Evangelion is about to wreck your mood so thoroughly you’ll start questioning your existence. |
| Oh interesting. I did actually rewatch it like two weeks ago. And, for the first time, I watched the rebuilds. Anno generally has a pretty good tone when it comes to his series, swinging from lighthearted and jovial to extremely heavy, draining content so it's a pretty complete watch in that way. I think there's a surface-level way to enjoy his stuff, and then there's also a lot more if you want to get into it. If you stick to the surface-level, I think Evangelion, along with Nadia, Kare Kano etc. they all deliver. It's when you try to get a bit deeper with them that the characters, story plot points, themes all unravel a bit. Evangelion is not the masterpiece that a lot of its fan will try to convince you it is. But, it's goodwith a lot of positives going for it until it comes apart a bit once they tried to wrap up its story. I don't think you need to be depressed to either enjoy it or appreciate it as a good show. It is a bit pretentious in places, but I don't find it overbearing. The rebuilds, on the other hand, just not great. |
Reply to Enigma2025
Evangelion is decent but overrated as fuck because of nostalgia. If it was released as a new anime post 2020 even with modern art style, it would have never topped the charts.
| @Enigma2025 Calls Evangelion "overrated". Rates One Puss a 9. LOL |
on 
| It's my favorite anime and I've rewatched it multiple times. None of them was ever in a depressed state. And it's still great. |
  Mi música chiptune (auténtica, no fakebit) / My chiptune music (real, no fakebit)YouTube Battle of the Bits SoundCloud |
| I feel like I'd have this same sentiment if I watched Evangelion now. Originally saw it when I was 18 and even then it felt a bit pretentious at a very few points. Mostly I just hated Shinji for being a lil bitch but I feel like I'd have felt that way even i I was depressed |
   |
| Watched it in a really bad mood. Still hated it. And yep, overwrought seems to be the right word for it. On the contrary I love Serial Experiments Lain, another series praised as a Masterpiece of the Psychological Genre. But that one I can only watch if I am feeling melancholic. If I am in a fun mood I go watch something fun, not something weird / eerie / depressing. So I would say it is a mix: It depends heavily on the current mental state of the viewer but equally also on the show in general. What I hated about Evangelion was that there really isn't any kind of resolve. Like... it's just pure despair and depression till the end of the world. Just raw and pure negative emotion leading downwards with no end. Also waaay too heavy on religious symbolism for my taste (while I grew up with religion in school I personally do not have any connection to it at all. In fact I never understood it in the first place I guess... Never felt a need for faith or to believe in a higher power or such...). Serial Experiments Lain on the other hand while also very ambiguous is more like a dissection of various psychological mental states rather than just a straight ride to depression hell. From going down the rabbit hole of conspiracies to questioning reality itself and the need to stay in it. It makes me ponder and wonder which Evangelion completely failed (besides wondering wtf is going on in the first place in this world haha). I have to bring up another show which is sort of similar to Evangelion and that is Bokurano which I think executed it waaay better. The world is in a similar unexplainable / ambigous near end stage but it has a wider cast and focuses on different kinds of dark / psychological aspects of said characters. It has more variety which I really liked. |
| No. Evangelion isn't good. It was never good. |
| I wasn't depressed while I watching Evangelion. I don't think Evangelion is bad but overrated, the characters were very annoying to me. |
AnimeEnjoyer2357May 17, 8:27 AM
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