Review of Neon Genesis Evangelion
NO SPOILERS! Neon Genesis Evangelion is -- in my opinion -- the greatest anime that's ever been written. It's a near perfect exploration into the dynamic of hopelessness and hope inside the human condition. As a character toward the end of the series says, "Humans constantly feel pain in their hearts. Because the heart is so sensitive to pain, humans also feel that to live is to suffer." That's what Evangelion is ultimately about, and its how we proceed with that and treat others, and most importantly ourselves, that defines us as people. Though, it isn't without its downsides. If youspend just an hour researching Evangelion, you'll find that people call it "complicated." This is a half-truth. The story's centered around Shinji Ikari, a fourteen year old Japanese boy who's been asked by his absent father, Gendo Ikari, to pilot a giant mech, known simply as, "Eva Unit-01," in order to defeat creatures dubbed "Angels." Within this story is a mountain of conspiracies, fictional science, religious symbolism, and lore that's explained without much emphasis.
Imagine if we were eating bread together, and I was telling you a childhood story of mine. And in the middle of me talking, I said that your bread was moldy, and then continued talking about my story. Keep in mind, I don't put emphasis on my warning, nor do I tell you to quit eating it, nor did I bother to tell you before you've already eaten half of the loaf. You'd probably think to yourself that I'm a horrible communicator, or at least not a very skilled one. That's what Evangelion does approximately... eight thousand times?
It technically tells you everything you need to understand the show, but it's hidden behind a bunch of technical and religious jargon that means nothing, therefore, it's impossible to tell when dialogue's important and when it's nonsense that's just meant to add to the mystique of the show and its themes. Thankfully it's been out for thirty years, giving fans more than enough time to dissect each and every single line in order to come to the "correct conclusion." Everything I've said up to this point is true, so why did I call the criticism a half-truth?
Because it doesn't matter. The science behind X doing Y and how it was actually Z's plan the entire time isn't what the show's about. The Eva Units and the mysteries surrounding them are fascinating, but that isn't what the director was exclusively writing about. Evangelion is an anime about our relationships with others and how we must first love ourselves before we begin loving others. That part isn't complicated in the slightest. It's extremely human and relatable, even down to the motivations of the morally worst characters. When you watch the anime for that, you understand what it's actually about.
Once again, that isn't to say the "plot" of the show isn't important. It's arguably just as important as the characters and their relationships with each other due to how they work together. The plot is inseparable from the characters. It's extremely important and it's extremely cool as well. It's awesome. And it isn't even like it's only cool BECAUSE of the characters. No, by itself, the plot is awesome. But painstakingly figuring out the "why" of X, Y, and Z is only gonna distract you from what the show's trying to tell you.
Because of that, the show is still a masterpiece in my eyes. It can be seriously life changing for others. It's so short, everyone should watch it.