Review of Neon Genesis Evangelion
Warning. This has spoilers. This is a full explanation of the meaning behind NGE. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Neon Genesis takes on the task of illustrating the greater idea of humanity, pain, aversion, and sadness. It portrays a dismal world through the eyes of the main character, Shinji-kun. Shinji’s world is bleak, lonely, and just pointless. He blocks everyone out based on the idea that if you don’t let anyone close, you can’t get hurt. Do not use knives if you do not want to cut yourself. Do not bond with other people, and there will not be any bonds able to be broken. In theory, this might be great; butas a result, you are left completely alone. This loneliness is painful. There is no way to escape pain. Existence is pain.
This is what explains the Hedgehog dilemma. Even though two hedgehogs may want to become close to one another, the closer they become, the more they will hurt each another. People tend to reject the things that may be the source of their pain. Gendou rejected the world so he wouldn’t feel pain. Shinji rejected Gendou so he wouldn’t feel pain. The issue here is ambivalence. Ambivalence is how one can love and hate someone at the same time; like how Shinji hates his father, but also loves him. He will always be vulnerable to being hurt by his father.
The overarching feeling that is being conveyed throughout the series is melancholic pain; when you have no idea what is missing, only that it causes deep sadness. Just complete hopelessness and despair connected to your mere existence. This raises a need for psychotherapy; depicted within the last two episodes. Just one, very long, psychotherapy session.
Individuality and separation from one another is what enables pain to exist. Individuality is the cause of suffering. Complete unity is how peace will be achieved. That is why the death drive exists. The drive to want to die in order to reside back into the peace and tranquility of the womb. The end of everything is where pain can no longer exist.
Kowaru shows us that this is not the only solution. He shows that accepting vulnerability is a way to defeat pain and suffering, without death. By keeping others at a distance, you avoid a betrayal of your trust. For a while, you may not be hurt in that way, but we must learn to endure this loneliness. We cannot erase this sadness, because humans are all fundamentally alone. Pain is something we must endure in our hearts; and since the heart feels pain so easily, some may believe that life itself is pain.
Your self-image is restrained by having to observe the barriers between yourself and others; and yet, you cannot see yourself without the presence of others. Due to the fact that there are others, we may perceive ourselves as individuals. If I am alone, I would be the same without others; for if this world is just me, there will be no difference between me and nothing.
This whole film depicts the issue of lack. We are always lacking something. That is why, if we only focus on what we are lacking, we will be sad, lonely, and miserable. We need to embrace our vulnerabilities and focus upon the positives of our lives. The very final scene shows that this world is one of violence and pain; but also love.
In conclusion, the human’s reaction to the hedgehog dilemma is to seek tranquility and return to the womb. But this is simply a desire for death; a drive to run away from the pain. The sad truth is that without suffering, there cannot be happiness. Without long there is not short. Without day, there is no night. The entire universe is relative. If everything was the same, there would be nothing. Pain is essential. It’s up to each of us as individuals to find the hope and happiness though our suffering.