Review of Neon Genesis Evangelion
I'm not going to structure this review as is custom here, since I'm sure many people have done that already with an anime like NGE. I'm simply going to say what I felt about the show. I watched this show when I was in middle school and I loved it from the first time I saw it, I actually still watch it from time to time. What makes NGE such a good anime for me is that it destroyed the mainstream attributes of mecha anime. The protagonist is not heroic, brave or cool but rather he is a colossal coward. His fellow pilot, Ayanami Rei feelsalmost lifeless as she hardly talks and even when she does you can hardly hear her. The third pilot, Asuka, is just a cocky brat who lives off own her ego, but perhaps the most dynamic out of them all. None of them have any trait that is admirable, but that is why I like the show, because it shows mankind for who he is: the imperfect, greedy and a selfish creature that would sacrifice everything at his disposal to achieve its goal.
The nerve synchronization theory to pilot the EVA's provides a more understandable explanation than most other mecha anime which almost always uses 2 joysticks. The action scenes are quite gory and brutal (maybe even badass) and it left me with a rather... dirty feeling after every battle. It emphasizes the emptiness of the battles they fight and actually makes the task of protecting mankind look somewhat evil. I also liked this because it was so different from what I expected, different from other series which tries to put hope in mankind and his good nature through those dramatic battles etc. I mean, it was really refreshing to see NGE do this. (ironically enough)
The psychological instability of the pilots are quite severe and is explored in detail in the series, which is understandable given that the pilots are kids who experience the pain of a limb being ripped off or getting a hole in their head as they fight the angels.
I mean, if one had to go through all that every time they fight with the chances of success of about 1%, I wonder how many of us would remain sane or willing to go on fighting.
Thus most of the episodes are dominated by a somewhat peaceful but despairing atmosphere. Together with all the depth and symbolism in the plot, the conspiracies, religious references and the hints of hidden motives of individual characters, it creates one of the most accurate depictions of mankind and this world. It represents the ugly side of man and displays a future that fits that image.
Weirdly enough, that was what was made this show enjoyable to me. But that is not to say that other elements such as depth, symbolism etc mentioned earlier does not deserve equal attention and study. I'm sure there are tons of reviews commenting on those so fill yourself in there for more.
In conclusion I loved this anime and although it is highly controversial, it is a classic and a must-watch for any anime fan.