Review of Neon Genesis Evangelion

Oh wow, I hesitate to even write this since it's been reviewed to death and so many YouTube Analysis' exist for Evangelion. The only thing I have to offer here is the perspective of someone watching this 25 years too late. Unlike most people, I didn't grow up watching Eva or praising it. I definitely heard about it and didn't quite understand the hype...although I never gave it a chance really. I'm not going to waste your time or mine with a synopsis. All I have to say is, if you haven't seen Evangelion...wtf are you still doing here?! Just kidding, took me awhile towatch it too, but I do HIGHLY recommend it. To clarify, I may throw in some context but to try and pin this show down with a short summary not only feels wrong, but practically impossible. Please read on if you like but beware of spoilers.

To reiterate my introduction to Eva (So much easier than saying Neon Genesis Evangelion lol), I used to get recommendations from friends as to what shows I should watch back in school. Unfortunately I didn't see the merits of anime back then and never gave it a chance. Trust me, if I could go back in time to smack myself I would. Anyways, the main shows consistently recommended were Sword Art Online (early 2010), Death Note (Because duh, why not?), and of course Eva. There may have been a couple I'm forgetting, but those were the most commonly recommended. Honestly, I've watched all these by now and they've changed my life moderately speaking.

When I first decided to at least try and watch Eva, it was on Toonami/Adult Swim. I remember liking the giant mecha aspect, but being completely deterred by the whiny kid inside. Even then I thought Shinji was whiny as hell. It's not until we age a bit, or are going through our own personal issues, that we're able to empathize with others plight.

Evangelion surprised me with the massive switch it takes from young boy takes on humanity's evils via mecha, to deep drama exposing the inner psyche of the human mind when it's exposed to certain conditions. Unless your told, there's no way of preparing yourself for what Eva has in store. The scene that stood out to me most, and what let me in on the secret of Eva's brilliance, was when Shinji and Ms.Misato Katsuragi are at the train station, staring at each other in silence for around two minutes straight. At first I thought, "God this show's budget must've been atrocious!", but I realized as I watched, that so much was being said without words. It's a clear indication of words not always being necessary to get your point across. It was literally there that I realized this show had an intent and a message. It had beauty and despair wrapped in a package waiting to be seen. It was the perfect assimilation of ignorance and understanding. And it was all from one still image in an anime! I knew a picture was worth a thousand words, but Eva takes that to a new level, and is able to keep it on the same artistic path throughout the entire series. Especially in "The End of Evangelion" movie.

Speaking of the Eva movie, I wanted to convey my experience for the series that built my appreciation for the property to begin with. I may write a review on "End of Evangelion" as well, who knows. Honestly, I felt conveying my message for the TV series was more relevant and less poignant anyways (End of Evangelion is mostly sadness and despair, up until the final scenes). That being said, the movie spoke to my interests more in terms of the finale, even though I typically like to think positive. I realize there is an obvious intent behind Eva's ending, being able to understand yourself and move forward regardless of what may hinder you, but it still felt slightly too ambiguous for me. Thus I prefer the movie's ending.

For me at my age now, it wasn't difficult to see what kind of head space Eva's creator, Hideaki Anno, was in. I'm no psychologist, biologist, or have any degree to better understand the concept of depression and loneliness, however, by the time you get to be around 25, you've most likely experienced some sort of mental anguish by this point...and if you haven't, I pray you never do. It's because of Shinji that we're able to connect with Eva's characters on a personal level. Yes he's weak, whiny, and consistently running away, however that doesn't make him a pointless character. To be perfectly honest, I'm not so sure I wouldn't do the same thing if I was in his position and the same age. I think it's when we have Rei and Asuka to compare him with, that we notice the great divide in their abilities and attributes.

Though Shinji is consistently messing up and has many flaws, one thing I have to credit him for is his bravery. Before you question my sanity, think about what it is to be brave in the first place. I've grown up believing that almost all of humanity is scared of something, and it's how we respond to those fears that define us. It's actually facing that which scares us most that makes us brave, and grants us courage. If you're not afraid in the first place, is it as courageous? Maybe... too big a question for this review.

I'll admit, at first I questioned Hideaki's reasoning for making Shinji the main focal point. I thought, there has to be a better protagonist. One with conviction and an obvious goal. One that's worked hard or has accomplished something. To my surprise, Shinji has nothing that makes him particularly special other than his connection to the Eva. What could be the purpose of such a character? Then I thought, he must have some kind of arc, and by the end he'll be a different person or have saved the world. But again, Shinji does not fit this type of mold. What could be the purpose of such a character?

I didn't realize until after I had finished End of Evangelion, that Shinji, regardless of his character arc or abilities, is the most human character I've ever seen in entertainment. We often describe characters as human, but Shinji wears his humanity on his sleeve. This is where the creators vision is revealed. By allowing us to fully understand this characters personality, we're able to care, hope, and learn more from the actions he takes. This goes for others in the series as well, but it especially applies to Shinji. With this in mind, I understood why I was able to empathize with him so well, and know what he was thinking whether he revealed it or not. This was why his anger felt so personal and why I was so reactionary to it. Though Shinji is not a character in which people should aspire, he is a character we all should empathize with. He represents humanity's delicate nature, what we can all be in our lowest, and how a simple revelation as feeling wanted can lead to acceptance.

Each individual pilot of the Eva's, to me, is a representation of loneliness (or some sort of mental anguish). Setting aside Hideaki's personal emotions at the time, we learn the events behind what makes a character the way they are. This show does a superb job in helping the audience understand a characters motivation. Asuka is afraid to get close to anyone because she's afraid of getting hurt herself, and is jealous of those who live their lives accepting others. Shinji is similar, but is lonely because he's afraid of disappointing others, and believes he's not wanted. Rei doesn't even know what it means to not be lonely, and struggles to understand what it even means to have purpose. Misato is hiding in her work, Ryoji plays so many different roles he doesn't know who he actually is, Ritsuko is also work driven and doesn't know what it means to be a woman or wife (yet yearns for it), Gendo Ikari has isolated himself from Shinji (his only living family) in hopes of being reunited with his dead wife Yuuki, and even Kaworu realizes his only purpose is as a catalyst for something bigger than himself. We're able to see just how desperate these character's lives are, thus we're able to understand everyone's deepest despair.

I believe the series is an attempt to take the viewer outside of themselves to understand how low we can get in in our lives. Shinji appears so disappointing as a person because he is how we see ourselves at our lowest. When Asuka talks down to Shinji, we understand her frustration just being in his presence. Like when she talks to herself in the bathroom, disgusted at the thought of having any contact with anyone other than herself, we're similarly disgusted at exposing ourselves to something that would reveal our true nature...such as humans at their lowest. I learned so much about myself by just watching Eva play out and seeing the character's responses.

After all the despair and tragedy each character goes through, the series attempts to show us the possibility for happiness and friendship. The ending is dedicated solely to gaining an understanding. It's almost too dedicated to this idea, but after 24 episodes of showing a person fall into despair over time, it's only right to help ease that suffering by just a little. And though the true ending is much different with a particularly convoluted message, I believe it was Hideaki's intention to get us on our feet and show that life has more to offer than just depression and loneliness. It ends on the most positive note possible actually, with Shinji surrounded by friends and family smiling. Never alone again, working toward a better life together.

After that analysis I realized I didn't even talk about the events of the show, the angels, or even the Eva's... Honestly, I think the Eva's purpose was to mirror Evangelion's humanity. Even if you only look at surface level events, it's clear the pilots are able to learn about themselves just by piloting the Eva's. The angels similarly show what humanity could have been while also showing humanity's capabilities, since they're consistently reacting to what the humans do throughout the show. Each angel becomes more capable, evolving to their environment in order to survive. It's so poetic thinking of humans as the 18th angel. We're one of many survivors, thus the most capable of surviving anything that could arise. I appreciate the meaning behind every step and action. I appreciate the shows positive message by the end. I enjoyed every character and loved the conceptualization of the future with Tokyo 3 (such a beautiful environment to have the events play out). I particularly loved the visceral imagery of the Antarctic's red ocean. This show truly covered all of it's bases and I've barely scratched the surface of it's deepest meanings. You'd be forgiven for thinking the show is trying too hard to have substance where there is none, but the fact is there are so many indicators of Neon Genesis Evangelion being as much of a masterpiece as everyone claims it to be. It's a show I will never forget and will carry with me for the rest of my life.