My name is Arais Demlant. I'll begin by writing about my personal varied and most certainly unique opinion on the most controversial show ever created, Neon Genesis Evangelion. (Side note, if you want to skip the rantings [a.k.a. Introduction] of a deranged psychopath and jump into the criticisms, go just past Asuka to the character grievances section.)
For any storyline discussion and loopholes, I am sure that the reviewers above me have adequately covered its flaws and high points. I will simply delve into the matters that interested me the most, regarding some of the story, and the characters.
Now I certainly will not say that the entire story was trash, and the characters suck, and bash it into the ground without mercy like how I eat my food. But I will note that some of the characters have made me feel more angered than I have ever felt before, and so angry that I actually wanted to break things (As a side note, I did.) Now, there is a certain character that does this better than anyone else for me, and guess who it is? Not Asuka, it's the main protagonist Shinji.
----Characters (A few of them)
The characters in this story are fairly unique, and all have their personalities and psychological disorders, and are hated or loved uniquely by each viewer based upon their personal opinion. That being said:
-Shinji Ikari.
The idea behind the main character was to create a character with depth, and that felt more real to the viewer, and to change the way people look at main protagonists from viewing the typical headstrong 14 year old badass. However, never in my life have I ever harbored such an overwhelming hatred for a fictional character who literally could not think or act for himself in any way possible. Throughout all 26 episodes, and the "movie", he did not develop his character in almost any way. He did not grow in any way, He still was the same wimp he started as. All he did was whine and complain and cry over and over again, and never once took the reins and said, "Motherfucker, lets do this." You may criticize that it is not part of his chracter, but if there ever was any human that did not stand up for his/herself even once, or even THINK for themselves, just HOW are they going to survive? I will regard him as being the most annoying wimpy kid I have ever seen in any show that I will ever watch, and the worst excuse for a protagonist in any show I will ever come across. Watching him cry and whine his way through 26 episodes was pure torture. (And that one part... In the movie... With a bed...)
-Rei?
Reminds me of a similar version of Yin from Darker than Black. Strange antisocial demented girl who fantasizes about Shinji's father and may or may not? develop some emotions for Shinji throughout the series. Still, I regard her as a huge mentally unstable character that may as well be replaced with a suicidal washtowel.
-Misato.
Attempts to halfheartedly lighten the mood of the series and provide parental? guidance for Shinji. Overall, she full-fills her role, albeit she does have HUGE flaws, which I will summarize in the general griefs below.
-Asuka.
Oddly enough, and to many people's suprise I am sure, was one of the ONLY characters I think that truly developed in this series, and one of the only characters that I really wanted to know more about. Idiotic, I would presume would be what is going through most people's heads when reading (Which I assume most wont) this review. However, let me state that as other characters (i.e. Shinji) still stay the same whiny kid that they started as, Asuka reverts from being a total annoying bitch (It's true, the bitch part that is) to being a human being that actually displays most human emotions. Emotions that should have been exploited more but were suddenly halted my a spear or two. However with that being said, I will summarize my main grievances with the characters almost directly below.
-Other characters, yeah they're there but you know, watch the show to find out who they are eh?
----Problems with the characters (AKA the grievances section of a rambling psycho)
The problem that bugged me most about this series, and the characters, at least to me, is that I look at things from a highly logical state. When I watch anime, I criticize not only the show as I watch it, but myself at the same time. That being said, watching this show raised so many questions such as the one that bugged me the most and that shortly follows: "Why the hell does no one care about these kids?" Truly, I can not word that any better or emphasize that any better.
These kids (14 year old kids are the only ones that can pilot giant robots apparently) have HUGE psychological problems and have serious mental breakdowns that no one considers or cares to fix. Shinji is a suicidal runway and mentally insane coward, Asuka is a way too prideful headfirst know it all, and Rei just seems like a washtowel that wants to commit suicide. If I was going to put a child into a giant mech that is going to save the universe, I would at least make sure that he is not going to cry for 20 minutes and whimper in a corner during a fight first. Remember when Asuka had that mental breakdown and they just "Threw" her back in her Eva? I just wished there was one person, just one in this entire series, just ONE that just said, "You alright man?"
Not a single person cared about the metal state of these kids nor tried to resolve their problems. Because of this, and mostly because of this, I cannot bring myself to like this series. Misato was supposed to be the parental guardian of Shinji (And really all three of them) and was supposed to be responsible for his mental and physical state, but in reality she failed in the mental department. Shinji just became a trainwreck of mental instability. Asuka tried to reach out and have someone talk to her, to discuss her feelings, yet she was abandoned for the suicidal washtowel. They, as in the characters in the show, basically tossed her aside like trash and lit her house and belongings on fire and said good riddens. Rei, sorry I mean the washtowel, was just suicidal through and through and could not think about her well being for any reason whatsoever.
The characters were so flawed and the story, especially with the movie, left so many openings and flaws and just confusion, that I actually do not know how to react to emotionally. It is like I am staring at my stove and I am getting a hard on and do not know why. In a strange way, that's how I feel about this show. It's unique. No doubt about that. And because it is so unique, you truly need to watch it and form your own opinion on if it is good or not.
That being said, the characters and their ridiculous flaws may be this series' selling point??? It spikes discussion and controversy, like my rant being posted here, and will certainly envelop people for hours discussing why they think their opinion is correct.
Strangely enough, there are enough good qualities about the show that make it a worthwhile watch, but please, if you take on thing out of my "review", please look at it in a way similar to mine. Just think about what they are doing as you watch the show.
P.S. The movie, the movie is a whole 'nother story. Be wary, Be very wary.
