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And there are three specific kinds of nightmares in this story that center on the adolescent transitioning into adulthood. There is always a sort of metaphorical ticking clock in the background that counts down to a lack of power (this also gives a large advantage to the enemy, whose powers can often seem both unstoppable and unlimited).īut even the nonsense tech-speak you hear from the control room works because the writers are so much more concerned with building tension and stacking obstacles in front of our heroes than in making the battles seem superficially “cool.” The second reason for the short battery life of the massive robots is that it so perfectly fits the larger metaphor. The first is that these limitations make the battles much more dramatic. This is important to the show for two reasons. On top of that, the EVAs can only operate for a very short time once those same power lines are disengaged. To wit, we often see the EVAs running around the city while connected to giant, cumbersome power cables, which inhibit their range. In fact, I’m hard-pressed to think of a show more interested in actually limiting the power of its fantastical machines than this one. To make young people feel not just grown up, but also grand and invincible.īut this is not actually the case for Shinji, nor for anything else in Evangelion. That’s because they are designed to make the viewer feel larger than life. Oh so wait this is basically Pacific Rim!?!?!?!!- Film Crit Hulk June 21, 2019 And, all the while, you creep along a path of dread, instinctively understanding that you are heading toward certain doom. You perpetrate humiliation while being a victim of it. Which means as a viewer, you both bear witness to atrocities and commit them. It places you deeply into the brainspace of its characters, and that’s rarely a comfortable place to be. One moment you’ll feel paralyzed, then embarrassed, then angry, then lonely, and all to the point that you’re feeling like you’re being turned inside out by the strength of these very emotions (or sometimes the lack thereof).
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Much like the 14-year-olds at the center of the story, you end up feeling so many different emotions as the narrative whiplashes in tone and intent. The act of watching Neon Genesis Evangelion is a deeply visceral experience. Just a quick heads up for this piece, though: There will be discussions of depression and suicide.
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So if you have not seen it, please do so immediately.Īnd if you have, let’s take a first step into the depths. Thus, the following essay is a long-form deep dive into the complex themes and meanings behind the show. There was no reaction I could have except immediately jumping to heavy analysis. Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most complex, harrowing, and altogether dense works of narrative art that I have ever seen.
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The more I sunk into what the series was trying to do, the more I felt that 2019 was a good time for it to become so accessible. But now that it has arrived on Netflix, it has provided an opportunity for more casual outsiders to come see what the fuss is all about. This rarity was part of its legendary status. Some of those had to do with the show’s erratic production, often spurred by the brilliant but vulnerable and inscrutable nature of creator Hideaki Anno (whose personal struggles with depression are written into the fabric of the narrative).īut some of it also has to do with the fact that it spent many years being difficult to see in America, from VHS to bootleg Blu-rays. This reputation was earned not just for its perceived quality, but through many intangible factors as well. Originally broadcast from 1995 to 1996, it is considered one of the seminal works of Japanese animation. There is a reason I had been hearing about Neon Genesis Evangelion for nearly 20 years.