Neon Genesis Evangelion is, without a doubt, one of the biggest and most popular and influential anime programs in history. And it's for good reason - it dared to do what other shows in the mid-90s didn't. It pushed a lot of boundaries and it dared to explore new grounds. And it also didn't hurt that it was due to the show's director and writer, Hideaki Anno, being greatly depressed.
Well... it kinda did, actually. But I'll get to that later.
The series, set in a post-apocalyptic Japan, circa 2015 A.D., is the story of 14-year-old Shinji Ikari, a boy who is brought to an underground organization called NERV by his estranged father and NERV commander, Gendo Ikari, to pilot a giant mecha called an Evangelion, his being labeled the EVA-01 (Unit 1), all to fight and fend off beings called Angels, who are hell-bent on destroying what's left of the world, after the Second Impact, in the year 2000, nearly killed off all of mankind.
As the story progresses, NERV brings in two more pilots, both female and 14 years of age: Rei Ayanami (EVA-00) and Asuka Langley Soryu (EVA-02), and as the story unfolds, more and more secrets are revealed that bring into question the integrity of NERV, and brings into question the true existance of the Evangelions.
Halfway through the show, though, the series becomes less and less about the mecha action, but more about deconstructing the mecha genre itself, and focusing more on psychoanalysis of the main characters, and to a very dark and disturbing level. As mentioned earlier, the show's creator, Hideaki Anno, was very depressed throughout the series' run in Japan (1995-1996), which was a major factor of the show's swift 180-degree shift, halfway through, and especially with the last two episodes.
Really, this is a show that, for over 15 years, has been riddled in controversy. Not just for its... shall we say, interesting use of religious iconography, or for its dark take on adolescent psychoanalysis, but for the sheer fact that a lot of people love it, and a lot of people hate it. A lot may not get the show, a lot may think too much about it, but it's definitely a show that will get talked about by everyone.
Its three main protagonists deserve praise and/or criticizing, as well – for my review, I'll stick with praise. Watching through this series, I actually had no idea how relatable a character Shinji was, to me. In middle school and high school, I was just like Shinji – isolated, depressed, not wanting to interact with people, longing for acceptance. It's almost eerie, how close it gets. (Then there's his father, Gendo. Well, from someone who witnessed his own father get sent to jail in 2002, and has not seen him since (and never plans to, ever), I have no comment.)
Asuka... oh, boy, Asuka. The bench mark of b*tchiness in anime. As much as I hate her attitude, I do find her to be a very deep and interesting character, always putting up a sheild to mask her true emotions. As for Rei, I find her to be another interesting character, but what really disturbs me about her, is that she's aware that NERV finds her to be expendible, and that she'd be willing to end her life, if NERV asked her to.
As I mentioned earlier, about its halfway-shift, many can immediately view this series in two identifiable halves: the first, being action-packed and adventurous, and the second, being dark and emotional, a shining example of the “It Got Worse” trope. (TVTropes, look it up)
With that said, though, this show isn't really about giant mecha action, but instead, it's about witnessing the downfall of these emotionally-insane characters. Much like the stage productions of ancient Greece, Evangelion is a tragedy. The characters all have fatal flaws, which lead to their eventual demise and breakdown.
Three main episodes that definitely stand out in the series, at least to me, are the last 3 episodes of the series.
(I'll keep it as spoiler-free as possible)
Episode 24 introduces a character named Kaworu, who immediately takes a liking to Shinji, offering him a much-needed friendship. That being said, that's all I can say without revealing spoilers, but I will say... it got worse. WAY worse.
Episodes 25 and 26 introduces the Human Instrumentality Project, and that's all I can say about it without revealing a MAJOR spoiler. What i can reveal, though, is that these episodes, at least to me, are the shining examples of this show's psychoanalysis theme. And the ending... again, spoilers, but you'll either hate it or you'll be like me and like it.
Yes, I actually did like the ending of the series, for one reason: I understood the intent of the last episode. Its intent being that life is all about perception, it's all about what you do and how you go about in life that makes you who you are, and you can make it to be whatever you want it to be. One little thing can change your whole life, and the best thing to do is to take it in stride and make the best situation possible out of it.
But with that being said... part of me feels dissatisfied with the closing scenes of the series. Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but there could've been... more, you know?
Then I watched The End Of Evangelion. That, alone, requires a separate review.
Anyway, before I start another tangent, let me get back on track.
How would I rank this series, as a whole? Well, I will say that it is amazingly good – great, even – but can I consider it a favorite of mine, like shows such as Inuyasha, Eureka 7, and Cowboy Bebop?
...I can't. At least, not yet.
I do give it a solid 9 out of 10, though, but from analyzing just how dark this story really is, I can't rank it to be a favorite of mine. At least, not a general favorite of mine.
That being said, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a very important staple in anime history, and a very influential series, as well, albeit a controversial one. It started a franchise, after all, that continues to this day, with the Rebuild of EVA movie series, and even the manga series, and manga spinoffs, and so on.
It may not be a perfect series, but it's a required viewing for any and all anime fans out there. If you want to know just what anime is capable of, watch this series.
