Review of Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion stands as a rather contentious work in the annals of anime history, rebuffed by some and garnering the unwavering devotion of others. It is perhaps the discourse surrounding its content through which its influence persists in the modern era of animation. It was a novel and eccentric presentation of the mecha genre, and nearly 30 years later, it still retains its sense of novelty. Despite this, NGE falls flat in my perception, its most intriguing concepts overshadowed by its most glaring flaws. The idea of Evangelion’s story is pretty stimulating in and of itself. Sure, the idea of superpowered alien creatures threateningall life on Earth is no reinvention of the wheel, but the idea of the Angels themselves are appealing. In a superficial sense, seeing massive mechas the size of skyscrapers fighting existential threats against humanity is inherently enjoyable. However, competent action can only propel a series so far.

From the outset, we are shown an unequivocal display of the Angels' strength. It is made abundantly clear that conventional weaponry, even to the tune of nuclear weapons, do not suffice in eliminating such creatures. How is it that an Eva wielding what seems to be the equivalent of a Swiss army knife can even pierce the core of such a being, much less shatter it? How is it possible that an Eva wielding an automatic assault rifle, seemingly a conventional weapon, would be able to destroy its brethren? The story offers no answers to these questions and leaves you to assume that the technology must have advanced to such a degree that such outcomes were possible. It goes without saying that this assumption is inadequate, and the product of the insufficiency of Evangelion's writing. Furthermore, almost each episode of Evangelion involves some sort of Deus ex Machina to this order. It doesn’t help that the story often spells out the probability of success for these strategies. In one instance, Dr. Akagi literally informs us that the chance of success is .00001%. I guess they forgot to inform us that Dr. Akagi is also Dr. Strange in disguise.

Furthermore, the story is riddled with plot holes and unanswered questions. Asuka’s Evangelion fights an Angel in lava under immense pressure at the depths of Earth’s crust presumedly. We are shown that she must wear a specialized inflated suit herself, and her Evangelion must be encased in a metallic suit capable of withstanding the pressure and heat. So how is it possible that Shinji’s Evangelion is able to lower itself into the lava without any significant damages? Would it not just immediately melt?

Evangelion also has a frustrating tendency to play a still frame for 30 seconds to a minute straight on your screen. Maybe this is to let the scene marinate in the minds of the audience, but it doesn't work. If you needed time to digest the scene, 60 seconds is far too long; if you were confused and needed to understand what the hell is going on with the story, 60 seconds is far too little; either way, I don’t buy the opinion that this was an ‘artistic choice,’ but rather it was just another annoyance in my viewing experience. Worst of all, this show also loves to include scenes where one character repeats a line, the background music crescendos, and once it starts to feel like a Salvia trip, there is a climactic moment which closes the loop. It is a mere pretense for constructing tension, not actual tension-building.

Overall, these are rather minor issues. Perhaps if I left them undescribed, you would have had a better perception of the show.
Evangelion’s Achilles’ heel is its protagonist. Simply stated, I would have preferred any other character in the show as the primary lead over Shinji Ikari. For the first few episodes, I can sympathize with his character. His father is a clear sociopath with no regard for his son. Forcing a 13-year-old into a mecha for the first time and propping him up as the last bastion of human survival is undoubtedly cruel. But why should Shinji feel any obligation to return to pilot the Eva after his first time? The experience is self-admittedly uncomfortable, his father refuses to acknowledge him regardless, and Katsuragi even assures him that Nerv will simply find another person or have Rei pilot Unit 01. By all accounts, Shinji should have left Nerv after episode 1. Instead, the events of the first episode propel Shinji’s character "motivations," and he becomes our frustratingly reluctant protagonist, solely driven by the inertia of plot exposition. But humans are hardly Newtonian objects. They have volition and autonomy. Shinji Ikari ultimately has neither.

For the next 25 episodes, Shinji approaches what appears to be character development. I believe this phenomenon occurs when one acquires friends, so this should be expected. However, his ‘character development’ is essentially a long-winded pump-fake: Shinji always returns to the same original position. The stagnation of Shinji’s character stands in stark contrast with the remaining ensemble of characters within the show. Misato, Asuka, and Rei change and evolve, but Shinji remains in cryostasis. His character becomes the focal point of my dissatisfaction, especially considering that the deuteragonists seem like much more appealing protagonists. Either Rei or Asuka would have been more than suitable leads for the story, yet the viewer is forced to reconcile with the anime equivalent of Debbie Downer.

It also logically stands that Shinji’s indecision and lack of agency would be incompatible with the high-stakes nature of the world of Evangelion. Almost every episode involves an Avengers-level threat, and it is hard to believe that a character as internally fallible as Shinji would be able to resolve every one of them. This incongruity further bolsters the Deus ex Machina trope, and undermines the remaining credibility of the show.

Moreover, from an objective standpoint, regardless of Shinji’s inherent affinity or compatibility with Unit 01, why would a pragmatic organization such as Nerv ever proceed with allowing Shinji to pilot an Evangelion, knowing his mental instability and nihilist tendencies? It is already expressed rather clearly that they would find no issue in acquiring a substitute pilot, so why the infatuation with Shinji? It certainly isn’t due to Gendo’s paternal fondness, nor is it an issue of necessity beyond episode 1.

Die-hard fans of the show would have you believe that these are purposeful decisions. The irrationalities of Evangelion reflect the author's depressive state of mind at the time of conceiving its narrative. This is his state of mind, digitized and animated. A thoughtful sentiment. But, it does not make this story objectively sound. It does not magically explain away the logical incongruities and shortcomings which preclude my greater 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 of the show. It does not absolve Shinji Ikari of his insufferable character. Perhaps, the making of Evangelion was a fulfilling exercise for Hideaki Anno, but it certainly was not a fulfilling viewing experience. Some fans would even further rationalize, "Oh, you have to be in a certain state of mind to enjoy Evangelion!" If the idea is that I would have to be depressed to enjoy Evangelion, I would simply rather not enjoy Evangelion. Maybe it would be easier to convince someone else that depression is an important prerequisite for the enjoyment of anime, but I'm not there yet.

In summation, Evangelion transforms from a tale of interesting philosophies, complex characters, and action to a journey of one character’s learned helplessness. My initial sympathy for Shinji is converted to antipathy, and what boundless potential that Evangelion’s narrative offered is mostly squandered.

NGE still has a number of redeeming qualities, although not nearly enough to offset its abhorrent flaws. Firstly, its side characters are fantastic. Misato, Asuka, and Rei are pleasantly well-written and compelling. Asuka’s berating of Shinji actually becomes a sort of reprieve because it feels like an honest reaction to his attitude and constant cries for pity. Additionally, Evangelion has a robust foundational narrative. What an Evangelion is, the backstory, Nerv’s goals, these are all the makings of an excellent story (too bad it takes you 18 episodes to get there!). Evangelion’s animation and sound are also worthy of note. The design of the Eva’s is an eye-catching novelty and the overall animation quality is excellent for a 1995 production. Action sequences are well-blended and are eye candy. There are several scenes in the show in which the art style directly contributes to some sort of underlying philosophical commentary, which is rather appreciated. On sound, ‘The Cruel Angel’s Thesis’ is obviously one of the most renowned openings in anime history, and for good reason. It's catchy, lyrical, and above all, iconic. Paired with its theme tracks are robust background sounds and noises which complete the auditory component of the show.

Evangelion becomes a metaphorical tree stump. Its roots and foundation sound and refined, but its trunk cut down by the lumberjack Shinji Ikari. I appreciate the show not off its holistic merits, but its compelling individual ideas, in the hopes that I can escape its protagonist and lackluster plot. It is not a terrible show; perhaps my perceived notions of its mediocrity are overexaggerated by my expectations of what this show could have and should have been. However, Evangelion certainly does not stand out to me as one of the greatest shows in the medium’s history, as others would put it. For all it’s worth, I did derive some enjoyment from the show. I just needed to turn my brain off, ignore the superfluous technojargon, and just enjoy Evangelion for what it is: an action-packed, unconventional take on the mecha genre, with a modest, but welcome, side of philosophy.