Review of Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion is the type of anime that stays with you, even to this day. At first glance, it appears to be a run-of-the-mill mecha series involving teenagers piloting huge robots to fight supernatural beings known as Angels, but things turn out to be much deeper than that. The show is ambitious, heavy with psychological and philosophical overtones, and at times it's too much so for its own good. The narrative often slows down to focus on the inner turmoil of the characters, which I did enjoy, but the ending goes so far into experimentation and abstraction that it leaves me dazed. Like mostviewers, I wasn’t a fan of the final two episodes as the best means of wrapping up the series, but I do have to respect how aggressively they tried to do something so different.
What really makes Evangelion special is the characters. Shinji is a hard character to support because you can’t help but feel sorry for him. He’s thrown into a situation that would break anyone, and nobody really seems to care about his well-being, but at the same time, he spends so much of the show wallowing in self-pity that it gets frustrating. His father is one of the coldest, most manipulative characters I’ve ever seen, and he feels like he’ll sacrifice anyone for his own plans, which makes their relationship painful to watch. Misato is also imperfect, but she does love Shinji and tries to give him some stability, so she’s one of the more human and lovable characters. The rest of the supporting cast is just as memorable. Rei is cool and mysterious, Asuka is fiery and abrasive, but deep down, she’s also experiencing pain. Kaworu appears later and, in a brief amount of time, has a powerful impression. The one thing that struck me most was how every character has some sort of trauma attached to them, which makes them amazingly interesting and, at times, cringe-inducing to watch due to the realism.
In terms of production, Evangelion is top-notch. The animation is excellent for a mid-’90s show, with action sequences still exciting to watch today. Toward the end, it’s obvious that money had run out or the creators let loose in experimental form, and while it does add to the otherworldly feel, at times it can be unsettling. The music is great all the way through. The opening, A Cruel Angel’s Thesis, is hands down one of the best anime openings ever made, and it never got old, regardless of how many times I heard it. The background music complements both the rapid-fire action scenes and the slower, emotional moments to absolute perfection. The voice acting must also be commended since even in the longer, psychological episodes, the cast really sells the emotions their characters are feeling. And for all how dark the story does get, the series actually maintains an unanticipated amount of humor throughout that works to keep things balanced.
Overall, I’d give Neon Genesis Evangelion an 8 out of 10. It’s not a perfect show, and it definitely isn’t for everyone, but it’s one of the most unique anime I’ve ever seen. The story is fantastic, even if it’s a bit convoluted; the characters feel painfully real, and the combination of animation, music, and voice work is top-tier. Even with all its flaws and confusing ending, I can understand very well why this anime is still debated and discussed all these years later. It gets under your skin, makes you think, and stays with you—and that’s more than I can say about most anime I’ve watched.