Scroll down to see my recommended watching order.
Characters: 9/10
While some people dislike the protagonist, Shinji Ikari, I consider him one of anime’s most unique and complex characters. He whines a lot, true, but he offers a more realistic perspective of how a child might react to being told he (or she) must save the world. Unlike the popular Ichigo Kurosaki style of kicking ass while facing impossible odds with only brief flashes of doubt and long bouts of training (which I also enjoy), this shounen gives us a reluctant protagonist who fights out of fear of being unwanted, along with other societal pressures. This creates a very human and realistic character I appreciate and love.
Unfortunately, Shinji barely changes throughout the story, ping-ponging his choices and desires instead of making choices and moving forward (or backward). Real people tend to act more like this, but audiences tend to expect more from characters. I think this causes a lot of frustration in many viewers who consider Shinji a weak, boring, and inactive protagonist. I, personally, disagree. Shinji is clinically depressed, a character handicap most mecha or battle shounen ignore. His depression affects most of his actions and is an interesting, if disheartening, battle to watch. So, if you’re interested in realism, you might find Shinji interesting. If you want an action-heavy hero, you’ll probably roll your eyes at him.
For those who don’t know, NGE’s creator battled depression while writing this story, which is how the anime slips from a shounen into an exploration in psychology.
Shinji aside, the entire cast is solid and well developed. From protagonists to antagonist (and those who ride the rail between the two), character motivation is well explained and developed. Steeped in psychology, NGE takes more time to show you why characters behave as they do, exposing an underlying cause for behavioral issues, insecurities, and motivations.
Another plus: the cast offers a wide variety of characters, several of which have become iconic in the anime world, including Rei, Asuka, and Misato. However, these personalities tend to be extremely strong and vibrant, which may seem abrasive to some viewers. I, however, found both Asuka and Misato amazing and loved their sheer amount of sass and competence.
Most of the characters also share significant relationships with other characters. They don’t just float but seem to exist outside of the plot. It feels as if we know what the character would be doing if they didn’t have to save the world. Thankfully, they didn’t drop from the sky and into the story.
In truth, the characters are one of the most compelling aspects of NGE.
Plot: 7/10
Let’s face it: NGE is confusing. You will probably understand the gist of it, but don’t feel bad if NERV, Angels, Evas, Adam, Human Instrumentality Project, AT Fields, Terminal Dogma, SEELE, Second and Third Impact, GEHIRN, Dead Sea Scrolls, and all the names and mecha terminology to boot--not to mention the alternate universe theories and references to Kalabalah, Christianity, Judaism Buddhism, Shintoism, and Gnosticism all told through a surreal, Freudian perspective--gets you a little lost.
Aside from the fact it is difficult to follow at times and the feeling you’re missing very subtle and not so subtle hints, it is a solid plot that moves at quick pace and will take many unexpected turns. It does have a slow start, but those first episodes are by no means bad, just a little more typical.
NGE is an exploration in depression told through a Freudian lens, and the plot reflects this. Situations are often hopeless and, despite the success of some plans, the characters stumble away bruised, battered, and more upset than before. On the other hand, the plot is difficult to predict yet doesn’t seem random, offering logical solutions to complex problems.
Brutal yet surreal, the plot kept me sitting at the edge of my seat—until the last two episodes. Oh yes, these infamous episodes lived up to their reputations as an absolute breakdown of narrative story telling. If you love psychology, these episodes will seem like a dream. I don’t want to describe them too much and spoil the unique experience, but I’ll also recommend you pass on watching these if you’re not interested in 40+ minutes of characters asking cryptic, large-scale, existential questions. Personally, I feel as if these episodes do have a lot to say, but I’ve never bothered to figure out what that message is. They are a disappointing end to a great show (so much so the franchise got two movie series!).
That being said, too many people try to discover the meaning behind NGE. Sometimes there are no right answers, and NGE is a show where everyone needs to find how the show spoke to them at a personal level. It will speak to everyone in different ways as it covers problems many of us face: social pressure, the desire to belong, loneliness, helplessness, depression, and love (of all kinds).
NGE is heavily influenced by Freudian psychology as well, which means the desire to return to innocence and parental issues are prominent in the show.
Art: 10/10
A stunning work of animation, I have rarely seen a show that uses sound and angles as effectively as NGE. The art style itself is older, as is the show, but it actually benefits the tone. NGE’s off-colored atmosphere adds to the dystopian feel. The fight scenes are brutal and well-done, if a tad disturbing at times. In fact, I’ve heard (but never confirmed) some imagery was considered so disturbing the show was almost terminated but received a budget cut instead.
(angles)
The show uses angles and quick screens to create tension. It also uses the scene’s layout and angles to create feelings of sadness or aloneness. The show clearly focused on colors, sounds, and angles and considered how they could help tell the story.
(intro and outro)
The intro is famous for being amazing, so I won’t add much here. Yes, the intro is fantastic, especially if you’ve already seen the show. The song –Cruel Angel Thesis—is one of the best. The outro song keeps changing as well, which I’m sure has some sort of meaning I missed.
(OST)
Again: fantastic. This show does not ignore a single aspect of TV and carefully considers not just characters and plot but presentation as well. The music adds to the show and helps create emotions and tension throughout the story, as do the sound effects.
Female Representation: 10/10
There are a handful of naked people and fan service shots in NGE. These shots often sexualize a character, as so do their outfits. But this show includes a lot of Freudian psychology, and anyone who has studied Sigmund Freud knows he was a very sexually disturbed individual. While the fandom sexualizes of some characters to a level I find disgusting, the show does a little of this on its own. But it’s not just the kids and it’s not just the young girls: NGE sexualizes everyone. So this isn’t so much of a “female” thing as it is a warning to anyone who shies away from naked people.
Regardless, this show has amazing female representation. Females populate the world as much as males, meaning not all of the background workers are male. In fact some of the most capable characters are female. We see females and males in positions of power and both sexes are allowed to be powerful.
The girls and boys receive equal development and share in having sad pasts and lots of issues. The females exist as characters, not plot devices, and they have a wide range of personalities. Both sexes are allowed to be strong but flawed. Males and females are treated equally as characters and by characters in the show. That, in truth, is all I ever really want.
Sub or Dub:
I watched the first episode in dub and hated it. I thought it was awful, especially Shinji. The sub, on the other hand, gripped me tight and didn’t let go. I feel the Japanese VAs did a wonderful job displaying the varying emotions of the cast.
Warnings:
This show is violent and disturbing, covering difficult topics that may make some squeamish. It is not for the faint of heart or those adverse to lots of blood, naked people, or daddy issues.
Watching order explained:
Basically there is a manga series, an anime (which came before the manga), and five movies (which came after those last two episodes managed to piss off an entire nation).
The manga and the Rebuild of Evangelion movies follow the anime’s story premise. They have the same characters, adversaries, and problems in general. However, both the manga and the Rebuild of Evangelion series offer separate, alternative versions of the NGE anime, from which many theories have sprung.
Movies in relation to NGE canon:
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth – a clip show consisting of material from the anime and The End of Evangelion
The End of Evangelion –an alternate conclusion to the anime’s ending (mainly a reaction to those last two episodes)
Rebuild of Evangelion- a series of four movies (only three are out)
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone – first movie in the rebuild series
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance ¬– the second movie in the rebuild series
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo – the third movie in the rebuild series
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 – the fourth and final movie in the rebuild series, which has not been released yet but is rumored (not confirmed) to be out sometime at the end of 2015 or start of 2016.
My recommended to watch order is:
Anime
(read the) Manga
(skip Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth)
The End of Evangelion
Rebuild of Evangelion movies (in order)
Rewatch anime
Overall: 8.5/10
I plan to re-watch the show in the hopes I understand some of things I missed the first time, which gives this anime a high re-watch quality. Again, let me know if you have any questions!
