Review of Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yeah, this show messed me up. I guess I'm going to write about pretty much anything that comes to mind from everything across the series just so that I can put into words what I'm trying process right now. So spoiler warning I guess. I started watching the series because I wanted something to play in the background while animating. I recognized it because my cousin had been talking about it when he came over for the 4th of July, so I decided to give it a try. I ended up being a lot more engrossed in the story than I was expecting. The onething this show does a lot better than a lot of shows made in the U.S. is how it crafts its characters. Just from the first couple of episodes there is more depth to some of the main characters than most U.S. shows will give characters throughout an entire season. For example, the show almost immediately starts to give the audience a glimpse into Shinji's psyche, giving us an explanation to his actions and a basis for the things he does later on in the show. It makes the show much more engaging to be given an opportunity to understand what is going on in the character's head.
The characters are also very complex and we learn more about each of the main three children and their backstories as the show goes on. Each of their backstories are disturbing and really kind of sad. Each one of them is messed up in a different way and the show gradually reveals why throughout its course. The character arcs and interactions are probably what messed me up the most. Each character is extremely scarred and watching them deal with themselves and their past is almost heartbreaking.
The show is developed in a very interesting way. Although the first couple of episodes take time to explore Shinji's mind, some of the middle parts of the series fall very close to being regular saturday morning cartoons where it almost becomes routine to defeat an Angel each episode with not much else in the episode. It it not bad, but some of the complexity is lost for one or two episodes. Once the show starts approaching the end it gets more and more complex. I'll talk more about the end of the T.V. show and The End of Evangelion later.
Although the complexity of the show fluctuates between episodes, the show never stops its world building. I definitely got lost as the lore kept growing. I had to read a bunch of Wiki articles to understand what was happening, but that may be partly due to the fact that I was animating while I was watching the series. I was not expecting the amount of lore the creators put into this show. I honestly enjoyed it. I bet if I paid 100% attention to the series I'd understand most of what was happening. (Maybe not the ending though).
From what I've heard, the creator wouldn't start any work on a new episode until the current one he was working on was finished, so he really didn't know where the show would go episode to episode. Honestly, I'm really impressed that he was able to work like that, but still succeed in creating an extremely solid show. I do think that having a plan would have benefited the show and especially the ending. The ending could've probably been clearer and not have upset as many fans as it did.
On a side note, I really did love the score throughout the show. It's not iconic or extremely memorable, but it is solid and works well in context. Most of it is laid back and fun to listen. What is really iconic though is the theme song. A Cruel Angel's Thesis really slaps and I love listening to it even though I have no idea what the song is about.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series, but I definitely see why the ending is so controversial. Both endings leave something to be desire for, which sucks, but I do appreciate both endings. They're both heartbreaking, but for different reasons. I don't know if I'll ever rewatch the series again. I love it, but I don't know if I'd be able to sit through the whole thing again. I do love this show though in a melancholy kind of way, (if that makes any sense).