Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV series) 21711 226175664 2008-07-17T04:26:04Z 216.36.27.203 /* Fiction and Philosophy */ {{Infobox animanga/Header | name = Neon Genesis Evangelion | image = [[Image:Neon Genesis Evangelion Logo.PNG|230px]] | caption = The ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' logo. | ja_name = 新世紀エヴァンゲリオン | ja_name_trans = Shin Seiki Evangelion <!-- Please discuss additions of anime genre (specifically, seinen/shonen etc. on the talk page. --> | genre = [[Mecha]], [[Psychological thriller]], [[Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic]] }} {{Infobox animanga/Anime | title = | director = [[Hideaki Anno]] | studio = [[Gainax]]<br />[[Tatsunoko Productions]]<br />[[Production I.G]]<br />MOVIC<br />Star Child | licensor = [[A.D. Vision|ADV Films]] (TV series)<br />[[Manga Entertainment]] (movies) | network = {{flagicon|Japan}} [[TV Tokyo]], [[Animax]] | network_other = {{flagicon|Taiwan}} [[China Television|CTV]]、[[STAR Chinese Channel]]<br /> {{flagicon|South Korea}} [[AniOne TV]]<br /> {{flagicon|United States}} [[Cartoon Network]] ([[Adult Swim]]), [[Anime Network]]<br /> {{flagicon|Poland}} Hyper<br /> {{flagicon|Brazil}} [[Locomotion (TV channel)|Locomotion]]<br /> {{flagicon|Peru}} [[Panamericana Televisión]]<br /> {{flagicon|Philippines}} [[ABS-CBN]] (1999) <br /> {{flagicon|Italy}} [[MTV Italia]]<br /> {{flagicon|Finland}} [[Subtv]] (2005)<br /> {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Chilevisión]] (2002)<br /> {{flagicon|Galicia}} [[Televisión de Galicia|TVG]] (2006)<br /> {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]]<br /> {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Sci Fi Channel (United Kingdom)|Sci Fi]], [[Propeller TV]]<br /> {{flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Trans TV]]<br /> {{flagicon|Germany}} [[Vox (TV channel)|VOX]] (1998)<br /> {{flagicon|Mexico}} [[XEIMT-TV|Canal 22]] [[Animax]] <br /> {{flagicon|Portugal}} [[Sociedade Independente de Comunicação|SIC]], [[SIC Radical]] <br /> {{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Televen]]<br /> | first = [[October 4]], [[1995]] | last = [[March 27]], [[1996]] | episodes = 26 | episode_list = List of Neon Genesis Evangelion episodes }} {{Infobox animanga/Manga | title = | author = [[Yoshiyuki Sadamoto]] | publisher = [[Kadokawa Shoten]] | publisher_other = | demographic = | magazine = [[Shōnen Ace]] | demographic = [[Seinen]] | first = February 1995 | last = ongoing | volumes = 11 | OEM = }} {{Infobox animanga/Other | title = Movies | content = * ''[[Evangelion: Death and Rebirth]]'' (1997) * ''[[The End of Evangelion]]'' (1997) * ''[[Revival of Evangelion]]'' (1998) * ''[[Rebuild of Evangelion]]'' (2007&ndash;2008) }} {{Infobox animanga/Footer}} {{nihongo|'''''Neon Genesis Evangelion'''''|新世紀エヴァンゲリオン|Shin Seiki Evangerion}}, commonly referred to as ''NGE'', ''Eva'', or ''Evangelion'', is a commercially<ref>''Evangelion'' has reportedly grossed over 150 billion [[yen]], or approximately 1.2 billion USD[http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2007/02/12/02.html]<!-- Link is currently dead. Any replacements or mirrors appreciated. -->. In a discussion at the 2006 [[Tekkoshocon]], [[Matt Greenfield]] claimed ''Evangelion'' has grossed over 2 billion USD[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4303537030524950783]; Takeda 2002 reiterates that "It sold record numbers of [[laserdisc]]s in Japan, and the DVD is still selling well today." (pg 166).</ref> and critically<ref>"Considered by many scholars to be an anime masterpiece, the series is credited by some critics with singlehandedly reviving the genre from what they saw as its creative doldrums in the early 1990s (Azuma 4). While I would not go quite so far, it is certainly true that ''Evangelion'' is one of the most important and groundbreaking anime series ever created." pg 424 of Napier 2002; see also "Not exactly the kind of words you'd expect from director Hideaki Anno about his 1995 production 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'. Taking him by surprise, it's been hailed by critics in Japan (and later in America and Europe) as the landmark Japanese animated TV series of the 90's. The modestly budgeted production has also become a commercial success, grossing over 800 million dollars in video sales and 400 million in merchandise in Japan alone." Wong 1996</ref> successful, influential, and popular Japanese [[anime]] that began in October 1995; the series launched the [[Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise]]. It is commonly[http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/hundred/bumon_anime.html] regarded as one of the greatest anime of all time. The anime was created by [[Gainax]], written and directed by [[Hideaki Anno]], and co-produced by [[TV Tokyo]] and [[Nihon Ad Systems]] (NAS). ''Evangelion'' is an [[Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|apocalyptic]] [[mecha]] <!-- Eva is apocalyptic and not post-apocalyptic. The 2nd Impact was not the end of the world, but merely an accident, a byproduct of a partially failed experiment. The eschatology of Eva looks forward to the 3rd Impact, which will destroy the old world, and bring forth something different. So, perhaps the last episode of the TV series and the last scene of EoE are post-apocalyptic, but those are vanishing small portions of Eva material. --> action series which centers around the efforts by the paramilitary organization [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#NERV|NERV]] to fight monstrous beings called Angels, primarily using giant mecha called Evangelions which are piloted by select teenagers, one of whom is the primary [[protagonist]]. It follows those teenagers and other NERV members until the defeat of the Angels and the eventual apocalyptic ending. Events in the series refer to [[Judeo-Christian]] symbols from the book of [[Genesis]] and Biblical [[apocrypha]] among others.<ref>"Constructing a mythic universe that is almost Blakean both in its complex and mythic vision and in its dizzying array of Christian and Judaic religious symbols, the series questions the construction of human identity, not only in relation to the technology that the series' plot and imagery insistently privilege, but also in relation to the nature of reality itself." pg 424 of Napier 2002</ref> Later episodes shift focus to [[Psychoanalytic Theory|psychoanalysis]] of the main characters, who display various [[emotional]] problems and [[mental illnesses]];<ref name="azuma-somethinglikeit">Azuma 4</ref><ref>"I didn't have any interest in studying human psychology in the past. I only took a course about it in University, but I suppose I always had something in my mind to analyse human psyche. I thought I wasn't interested in humans very much, but then when I started talking about myself, I needed words to explain. So I started reading books on psychology. From Episode #16, EVANGELION'S story went into the direction to ask just what the human mind is all about inside. I wrote about myself. My friend lent me a book on human psychological illness and this gave me a shock, as if I finally found what I needed to say." Anno, ''Protoculture Addicts'' 43.</ref> the nature of existence and reality are questioned in a way that lets ''Evangelion'' be characterized as "postmodern fantasy".<ref name="machines-stop1">"The narratives, the characters, and the ''[[mise en scene]]'' of these works evoke the disturbing postmodern fantasy … Sconce suggests that, "where there were once whole human subjects, there are now only fragmented and decentered subjectivities, metaphors of 'simulation and 'schizophrenia'" and he finds that, "in postmodernism's fascination with the evacuation of the reference and an ungrounded play of signification and surface, we can see another vision of beings who, like ghosts and psychotics, are no longer anchored in reality instead wander through a hallucinatory world where the material real is forever lost"". (Sconce quote from Jeffrey Sconce's ''Haunted Media''). pg 419 of Napier 2002</ref> Hideaki Anno, the director of the anime series, had suffered from [[clinical depression]] prior to creating the series, and the psychological aspects of the show are based on the director's own experiences with overcoming this illness.<ref name="What-were-we-making">{{cite book | last = Sadamoto | first = Yoshiyuki | authorlink = Yoshiyuki Sadamoto | others = Essay by [[Hideaki Anno]]; translated by Mari Morimoto, English adaptation by Fred Burke | title = Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 1 | year = 1998 | month = December | origyear = 1995 | origmonth = July | publisher = VIZ Media LLC | location = San Francisco | id = ISBN 1-56931-294-X | pages = 170–171 | chapter = What were we trying to make here? }}</ref> In the original Japanese, the word "Evangelion" is pronounced with a [[Hard and soft g|hard g]] per its Greek roots (''see [[#Translation notes on the title|Translation notes on the title]] below''). ==Plot== {{seealso|List of Neon Genesis Evangelion episodes|Neon Genesis Evangelion timeline}} ===TV=== The story of ''Evangelion'' primarily begins in 2000 with the [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#Second Impact|"Second Impact"]], a global cataclysm which almost completely destroyed [[Antarctica]] and led to the deaths of half the human population of Earth. The Impact is believed by the public at large and even most of NERV to have been the impact of a [[meteorite]] landing in Antarctica, causing devastating [[tsunami]]s and a change in the Earth's [[axial tilt]] (leading to global [[climate change]]) and subsequent geopolitical unrest, [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear war]] (such as the nuking of [[Tokyo]]), and general economic distress. Later, Second Impact is revealed to be the result of contact with and experimentation on the first of what are collectively dubbed the [[Angel (Neon Genesis Evangelion)|Angels]]: [[Angel (Neon Genesis Evangelion)#Adam|Adam]]. The experiments were sponsored by the mysterious organization [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#SEELE|SEELE]], and carried out by the research organization [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#GEHIRN|GEHIRN]]. In the year 2010, GEHIRN had accomplished a number of its scientific and engineering goals and corporately changed into the paramilitary organization NERV which is headquartered in [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#Tokyo-3|Tokyo-3]], a militarized civilian city located on one of the last dry sections of [[Japan]]; NERV's central mission is to locate the remaining Angels predicted by SEELE, and to destroy them. However, NERV has its own secret agenda, as directed by its Machiavellian commander [[Gendo Ikari]]: the [[Human Instrumentality Project]], which, according to Gendo in episode 25, is the task of uniting all human minds into one global spiritual entity. Associated with NERV is the Marduk Institute, which has the task of selecting the pilots for the Evas, the most capable being children conceived after the Second Impact (14 year olds). The institute consists of Commander Ikari, and NERV's chief scientist [[Ritsuko Akagi]]; supporting the two are 108 companies which are all revealed to be [[Shell (corporation)|ghost companies]]. As the first episode opens in the year [[2015]], Tokyo-3 is being attacked by the third Angel. Conventional weapons prove ineffective, largely due to its projected force field called an [[AT Field]]. NERV takes command of the battles, and is able to intercept and defeat the Angels using the [[Evangelion (mecha)|Evangelions]] (Evas), biomechanical [[mecha]] previously developed in secret by GEHIRN inside the underground [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#GeoFront (NERV HQ)|Geofront]]; the Geofront is located underground and underneath Tokyo-3. [[Image:Secondimpact.png|thumb|right|A history textbook shows the public story about the Second Impact.]] Not knowing why his father summoned him, [[Shinji Ikari]], a 14 year old boy who chronically suffers from [[anxiety]], [[Depression (mood)|depression]], lack of [[self confidence]] and [[loneliness]], arrives to Tokyo-3 just as the Third Angel attacks the city. Shinji [[Reluctant hero|reluctantly agrees]] to join NERV to pilot Evangelion Unit 01, and begins living with Captain (later Major) [[Misato Katsuragi]]. He and [[Rei Ayanami]] battle the successive advances of the Angels together and are later joined by [[Asuka Langley Soryu]], the pilot of Unit 02. Each Eva has its own designated pilot (Unit 00 – Rei, Unit 01–Shinji, Unit 02–Asuka, and subsequently Unit 03–[[Toji Suzuhara]]), and operates by synchronizing the pilot's soul and the human soul inside the Eva via the enigmatic liquid substance known as [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#LCL|LCL]]. (In the context of ''Evangelion'', a "soul" refers to an individual's conscious existence, mental structure and identity, rather than a more conventional "supernatural" entity.) Surrounded by LCL, the pilot's nervous system, mind and body join with the Eva's controls, allowing the Eva to be controlled by the pilot's thoughts and actions. The higher a pilot's synchronization ratio, the better the pilot can control the Eva and fight more adeptly. For example, Shinji had a hard time making his Eva walk with 41.83% synchronization, but with higher synchronization (up to 100%, and even 400% at one point) he could perform acrobatic feats of hand-to-hand combat. The drawback of LCL control is that the pilot experiences physical and mental pain proportionate to that experienced by the Eva; at a high enough synch ratio, injuries to the Eva may even be mimicked within the body of the pilot, potentially leading to severe injury and/or death. Almost all of the known pilots are hospitalized multiple times throughout the series as a result of injuries suffered through synchronization with an Eva. While Ritsuko mentions at the series' beginning that the Evas do have some biological components to them, the extent to which the Evas are biological is not immediately apparent. Unit 01 is connected to [[Yui Ikari]], Gendo's wife and Shinji's mother, since it absorbed her body and soul in a failed experiment, as shown in episodes 16 and 20. Rei herself is suspected to be a partial clone of Yui, and is known to harbor the soul of [[Lilith]], the second Angel.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.evaotaku.com/html/glossary2.html#L | title = The End of Evangelion – Theatrical Program: Glossary | accessdate = 2006-09-03 | publisher = EvaOtaku.com | date = [[1998-02-20]] }} </ref> [[Image:EvaUnit02Still.jpg|thumb|right|The Eva Unit 02 (piloted by Asuka Langley Soryu, accompanied by Shinji Ikari inside the plug) landing on the missile destroyer [[USS Ramage (DDG-61)|USS ''Ramage'']], while fighting the sixth Angel Gaghiel at sea.]] It is finally revealed, towards the end of the series, that the Evas are not really "robots" but are actually cloned Angels (Units 00, 02, 03, and 04 are made from Adam, and 01 is made from Lilith) onto which mechanical components are incorporated as a means of restraint and control. This control is not perfect, as various units are shown over the course of the series driving into "berserker" mode, in which they can act of their own will, independent of any artificial power input. Along with the battles against the Angels, the central characters struggle to overcome their personal issues and personality conflicts, which factor heavily into the events of the series and its eventual conclusion. Throughout the series, many of the main characters constantly have to cope with several social and emotional problems; characters are unwillingly forced to confront socially complex and challenging situations, unresolved sexual tensions grow between numerous characters, injuries, deaths, and defeats cause blows to their psyches, and previously steady relationships begin to falter. Over the final months of 2015, the characters begin to learn of the true plan of NERV and [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#SEELE|SEELE]], the [[Human Instrumentality Project]]. Its purpose is to force the completion of human evolution, and thereby save it from destroying itself. To do so, they plan to break down the [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#AT Field|AT fields]] that separate individual humans, and in doing so, reducing all humans to [[Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary#LCL|LCL]], which is revealed to be the "[[primordial soup]]," the fundamental composite of human beings. All LCL would then be united into a supreme being, the next stage of humanity, ending all conflict, loneliness and pain brought about by individual existence. At the end of the series, SEELE and NERV come into direct conflict over the implementation of Instrumentality. In the last two episodes (the second set in 2016), Gendo and Rei initiate the Human Instrumentality Project, forcing several characters (especially Shinji<ref>[[Take care of yourself.|episode 26]]</ref>) to face their doubts and fears and examine their self-worth. This ending was made up of flashbacks, strange, sketchy artwork, and flashing text "over a montage of bleak visuals, that include black and white photos of desolate urban motifs such as a riderless bicycle or vacant park benches interspersed with graphic stills of the devastated NERV headquarters in which Shinji's colleagues are seen as bloodstained bodies",<ref>pg 427 of Napier 2002</ref> and a brief interlude depicting an "alternate" Evangelion universe with the same characters but apparently in the highschool comedy genre (and not the apocalyptic mecha genre; this alternative universe was explored in greater depth in ''[[Girlfriend of Steel 2]]''), eventually seems to depict Shinji concluding that life could be worth living and that he did not need to pilot an Eva to justify his existence; he is then surrounded by most of the cast, clapping and congratulating him. The introduction implies that this same process took place for everyone. The ambiguous and unclear meaning of this ending left many fans confused and unsatisfied. The final two episodes were possibly the most controversial segments of a controversial series<ref>"The stunning originality of these final episodes cannot be overstated … the series deals with these elements in breathtakingly creative ways to create a unique and memorable vision of inner and outer collapse, and, perhaps, renewal. It should be noted that many viewers were outraged by the two final episodes. Expecting a more conventional end-of-the-world scenario, fans were baffled and indignant that, instead of outward explosions and satisfying combat, the cataclysmic struggle occurred wholly in the character's mind." "In these last two episodes the machines have literally stopped, and both characters and viewers are left with no recourse but to confront their/our own flawed humanity in all its desperation and insecurities without the technological armor of the typical sf text." pg 427 and pg 428 respectively of Napier 2002</ref> and were received as flawed and incomplete by many.<ref>"… This became a major issue as the final episode of the TV series could be considered incomplete. The voice of the fans grew stronger as they demanded a proper ending to the drama, explanations of the mysteries, or even a new story. Thus, in order to meet these demands, it was decided to remake episodes 25 and 26." From the Commentary of the ''[[Red Cross Book]]''[http://www.evaotaku.com/html/rcb-commentary.html]</ref> However, Anno and deputy director Kazuya Tsurumaki defended the artistic integrity of the finale.<ref>"Lately due to the ending of episodes #25 and #26, some people started watching ''Evangelion''. They were not anime fans. In fact many of them are females and they tell me that they really enjoyed episode #25, objectively. Most anime fans are furious. I understand their anger. I can't help laughing when hard-core anime fans say that we did a very lousy job, with intentional negligence. No we didn't. No staff members did a lousy job. In fact every member at Gainax gave more energy than anybody can imagine. I feel sad that those fans couldn't see our efforts. Personally I think the original TV ending we showed ended up beautifully." Hideaki Anno, ''Protoculture Addicts'' 43</ref><ref> "My opinion was, 'Why don't we show them the entire process including our breakdown." You know — make it a work that shows everything including our inability to create a satisfactory product. I figured that, "In 10 years or so, if we look back on something that we made while we were drunk out of our minds, we wouldn't feel bad even if the quality wasn't so good.'<br /> Q: Really?" "KT – So, no matter what the final form, I feel it was great just being able to make it to the end of the TV series. " Tsurumaki interview, RCB</ref> ===The End of Evangelion=== {{Main|The End of Evangelion}} The film ''The End of Evangelion'' begins shortly after the end of episode 24. SEELE has realized Gendo's treachery and commanded the JSSDF's forces to launch an all-out attack on NERV headquarters. During the battle, Asuka realizes that she has a bond with Unit 02 and is not just its master, and this bond gives her the strength to battle the "mass-production" Evas sent by SEELE; she is ultimately defeated. Misato battles her way past SEELE's soldiers to get Shinji to his Eva but is mortally wounded in the process. While NERV is collapsing, Gendo attempts to implement Instrumentality by merging the embryonic Adam (bonded to his right hand) with Rei. However, Rei takes over the process and reunites with Lilith, who finally regains her soul, and creates an anti-AT Field. This causes the AT Fields of every human on Earth to break down, causing their bodies to dissolve into pools of LCL. Instrumentality proceeds largely as planned; the LCL of all human beings is absorbed into Lilith/Rei's body, causing her to grow into a supreme being of size comparable to the Earth itself. Rei gives control of the process to Shinji. His emotional suffering and loneliness prompts Shinji to accept this new form, believing that there could never be happiness in the real world. He goes through a series of mental journeys and monologue, eventually realizing that without pain there can be no joy, and to live with others is to experience joy as well as pain. This constitutes a rejection of the goal of Instrumentality – a world without the pain or joy of being a separate being. The giant Lilith/Rei rots and falls apart, releasing the Anti-AT Field and allowing separate beings to come back into existence. Amidst the devastation, Asuka and Shinji are shown to have rematerialized from the sea of LCL – possibly separately and at long-staggered intervals – and in the last scene find each other somewhere by the ruins of Tokyo-3. The meaning of ''The End of Evangelion'' is debated, and it is not agreed upon whether it is intended to enlarge and retell the TV episodes 25 and 26–meaning that those episodes reflected Shinji's point of view while inside the merged being – or instead to completely replace the TV ending with a different one. Some believe that ''The End of Evangelion'' is an alternate ending to the series, perhaps created to please those fans who were displeased with the TV series' ending. Deputy Director Kazuya Tsurumaki said he felt the series was complete as it was.<ref name="tsurumaki">{{cite web | url = http://www.evaotaku.com/html/rcb-tsurumaki.html | title = A Story of Communication: The Kazuya Tsurumaki Interview | accessdate = 2006-08-15 | publisher = EvaOtaku.com | date = [[1998-02-20]] }} </ref> However, there are several hints indicating that the movie portrays the physical aspects of the end of the series, while the episodes deal with the interior, or emotional aspects, and the two form a whole. In movie episode 26', when Instrumentality is finally launched, Shinji questions himself about his life and what he really wishes through Instrumentality; Shinji's lines and reflection process in this sequence are almost identical to what they were in TV episode 26, however in a much more condensed form. Similar reflections on the part of Asuka and Misato are also reflected (if briefly) in the film. Watching both thus allows a fuller understanding of the series. There were serious budget and schedule restraints in the later episodes of the series, and the film allowed for a more complete ending to be realized. During the TV series ending, a number of sketches from scenes that were later included in the movie are shown, hinting that the film, or something like the final production, was the intended finale all along. Indeed, the original script for episode 25 (which included, among others, a bloody fight between Asuka and the [[Evangelion (mecha)#Mass Production Evangelions|Eva Series]]) was abandoned due to censorship, budget and time restraints, yet the actual TV episode still featured some remnants of the first script (Misato and Ritsuko dead, Asuka inside her Eva in the water). Later, the original script was re-used for ''Episode 25: Air'', a part of the ''End of Evangelion'' movie. Also, in the opening animation for the series, there are shots of Unit 01 with the angelic wings that it sprouts in ''Episode 26: A Pure Heart For You''.<ref> {{cite web | url = http://web.archive.org/web/20060422213932sh_re_/www.evaotaku.com/html/production.html | title = The End of Evangelion: Production | accessdate = 2006-09-03 | publisher = EvaOtaku.com | date = [[1998-02-20]] }} </ref> {{-}} ==Characters== [[Image:Characters of Evangelion.jpg|250px|right|thumb|The cast of ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' shortly after the TV series finale]] {{main|List of characters in Neon Genesis Evangelion}} {{cquote|It's strange that 'Evangelion' has become such a hit - all the characters are so sick!|30px|30px|Hideaki Anno, quoted in Wong 1996}} The characters of ''Evangelion'' are continuously struggling with their interpersonal relationships, their inner demons, and traumatic events in their pasts, creating a complex pattern of relationships. Anno described the hero, Shinji Ikari, as a boy who "shrinks from human contact", and has "convinced himself that he is a completely unnecessary person, so much so that he cannot even commit suicide." He describes Shinji and [[Misato Katsuragi]] as "extremely afraid of being hurt" and "unsuitable — lacking the positive attitude — for what people call heroes of an adventure."<ref name="What-were-we-making" /> When compared to the stereotypical hero, Shinji is characterized more by lack of energy and [[emotion]] than by any sort of heroism or bravery.<ref>"This, the opening episode is constructed around all the conventions of the classic "saving the world" narrative, only to undermine them by showing IKARI <nowiki>[sic]</nowiki> Shinji, its fourteen-year-old ostensible hero, in a far from heroic light … In a more conventional anime sf narrative, Shinji would climb into the EVA with gusto and proceed to save the world. In fact he does pilot the EVA and succeeds in destroying the Angel – who turns out to be the third of seventeen – but only with the greatest reluctance and after a display of temper, fear, and vulnerability that seems less than conventionally heroic." pg 424–425 of Napier 2002</ref> Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu, the other major protagonists, have similar flaws and difficulty relating to other people. According to Anno, ''Evangelion'' was an attempt to make all perspectives into one, creating characters that represent different things to different viewers to make it impossible for everyone to arrive at a single theory. To some viewers, the characters are psychological representations, while to others, they are philosophical, religious, historical, and even themselves.<ref name="Eng-DVD-commentary">{{cite video | people = | year = | title = Evangelion: Death and Rebirth; End of Evangelion | medium = DVD commentary track | location = | publisher = Manga Entertainment }}</ref> It seems the main goal was to present characters who reflected the deep depression and eventual recovery that Anno experienced before beginning work on ''Evangelion''<ref name="What-were-we-making" /><ref>"Evangelion is my life, and I have put everything I know into this work. This is my entire life. My life itself." Hideaki Anno, ''Protoculture Addicts'' 43</ref><ref>"Anno often deconstructs the main casts' mental states, via abstractly presented interrogations within each character's mind. Re-opening hidden emotional wounds from the past and uncompromisingly addressing their personality flaws, 'Evangelion' offers a fascinatingly complex character study that is rare indeed, especially in popular animated entertainment. Returning to write and direct the series after an extended hiatus – reportedly due to depression – there is an acute sense that 'Evangelion' is a very personal statement." Wong 1996</ref>; the characters all reflect at least a little of Anno<ref>"In the September 1996 issue of the Quick Japan information magazine, Hideaki Anno, the director of Evangelion, described Eva as a 'personal film,' each character reflecting part of his own personality. Anno, born in 1960, told the magazine that Japanese in his age group have nothing but TV, unlike their parents who worked furiously to help Japan rise from the ashes of World War II." Japan Economic Newswire MAY 8, 1997, THURSDAY "Cartoon 'Eva' captures sense of void among Japanese youth". by Yoichi Kosukegawa. TOKYO, May 8 Kyodo</ref>. Assistant Director Kazuya Tsurumaki said of the series, "But when all is said and done, Hideaki Anno's comments on 'Evangelion' + 'Evangelion' are that it is a message aimed at anime fans including himself, and of course, me too. If a person who can already live and communicate normally watches it, they won't learn anything."<ref name="tsurumaki">{{cite web | author = Gainax | url = http://www.evaotaku.com/html/rcb-tsurumaki.html | title = A Story of Communication: The Kazuya Tsurumaki Interview | accessdate = 2006-08-15 | publisher = | work= [[Red Cross Book]] | date = [[1998-02-20]] }}</ref> The character designs by [[Yoshiyuki Sadamoto]] have also contributed to the popularity of ''Evangelion''. Sadamoto's attractive designs of the three main female leads, Asuka, Rei and Misato, led to extremely high sales of merchandise<ref>"The release in October 1995 of ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' on Japanese TV ignited a boom in merchandise unprecedented in a country already awash with such goods. As if overnight, well over 600 different items were made to commemorate the event. Figures were the most popular, with the inimitable bandaged Rei outselling all else. The Eva girls, kitted out in swimwear and striking suggestive poses, were, overall, a huge success, and things went a bit too far…" pg 126 of Fujie 2004. See also: "Arguably, it is because of Anno's dictates on design that few Evangelion toys were initially made. But figures of Rei, in all her bandaged beauty, sold like wild fire. This is probably the first and only example of an animated <nowiki>[mecha]</nowiki><!-- Added by me – he obviously must be thinking of mecha series, since this makes no sense for series with no robots… --> series where reproductions of the human characters outsold those of the robots." pg 98.</ref> (especially of Rei, the "Premium Girl"<ref>"Rei's popularity soared in Japan, with books featuring her image on the cover selling like [[hot cakes]]. She was christened by the media, "The girl who manipulates magazine sales at will", "The fastest route to the sold-out sign!" And even, "The Premium Girl."" pg 39 of Fujie 2004</ref>), and they have been immortalized in the [[dōjinshi]] community,<ref name="azuma">{{cite web | url = http://www.nettime.org/Lists-Archives/nettime-l-9802/msg00101.html | title = Towards a Cartography of Japanese Anime - Interview with Azuma Hiroki | accessdate = 2006-08-15 | last = Woznicki | first = Krystian | date = [[1998-02-20]] }}</ref> [[garage kit]] models, and in subsequent anime (such as ''[[Burst Angel]]''). ==Origin and production== <!-- It's only logical to have a section on the beginnings and development of Eva, right? Such matters don't seem to fit anywhere else. --> In March 1992, Gainax had begun planning and production of an anime movie called ''Aoki Uru'', which was to be a sequel to ''[[Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise|Oritsu Uchugun]]'' set 50 years later (so as to be easier to pitch to investors<ref>pg 155, Takeda 2002</ref>) which, like ''Oritsu'', would follow a group of fighter pilots. Production would eventually cease in July 1993: a full-length anime movie was just beyond Gainax's financial ability – many of its core businesses were shutting down or producing minimal amounts of money: <blockquote>"General Products had closed shop. We'd pulled out of Wonder Festival <nowiki>[a "flea market for garage kits"]</nowiki> and [[garage kit]] making altogether. We weren't taking on any subcontracting work for anime production. We did continue to make PC games – [[Takami Akai|Akai]] had seen to that – but there wasn't a lot of work tossed our way. With mere pennies coming in, we were having a hard enough time just paying everyone's salaries. Finally the order came down for us to halt production on ''Aoki Uru''. We were simply incapable of taking the project any further."<ref>pg 157–158 of Takeda 2002</ref></blockquote> With the failure of the project, Anno who had been slated from the beginning to direct ''Aoki Uru'' was freed up. Legendarily, he would soon agree to a collaboration between [[King Records]] and Gainax while drinking with [[Toshimichi Ōtsuki]], a representative at King;<ref>"Anno knew a guy from King Records named Otsuki, and as the story goes, the two were out drinking one day when Otsuki suggested to Anno that they work on a TV anime project together. Anno agreed on the spot, came back to the office and promptly announced it to everyone. Nobody even batted an eyelash. We just accepted it without further thought." pg 164 of Takeda 2002</ref> with King Records guaranteeing a time slot, Anno set about actually making the anime. Unsurprisingly, elements of ''Aoki Uru'' were incorporated into the nascent ''Evangelion'': <blockquote>"One of the key themes in ''Aoki Uru'' had been "not running away." In the story, the main character is faced with the daunting task of saving the heroine … He ran away from something in the past, so he decides that this time he will stand his ground. The same theme was carried over into ''Evangelion'', but I think it was something more than just transposing one show's theme onto another …"<ref>pg 165 of Takeda 2002</ref></blockquote> The original early plot line for ''Evangelion'' remained relatively stable through development, although later episodes appear to have changed dramatically from the fluid and uncertain<ref name="What-were-we-making"/> early conceptions; for example, originally there were 28 angels and not 17, and the climax would deal with the defeat of the final 12 angels and not with the operation of the Human Instrumentality Project. As well, Kaworu Nagisa's appearance was changed from being a school boy – who could switch to an "Angel form" – accompanied by a pet cat, to his eventual actual design, etc.<ref>''NEWTYPE 100% COLLECTION: NEON GENESIS EVANGELION''. 1997 Kadokawashoten. ISBN 4-04-852700-2. [http://eva.onegeek.org/pipermail/oldeva/1998-April/013136.html Partial translation].</ref> Production was by no means placid. Sadamoto's authorship of the manga (''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion (manga)|Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'') caused problems as multiple publishers felt "that he was too passé to be bankable";<ref>pg 167 of Takeda 2002</ref> the stylized mecha design that ''Evangelion'' would later be praised for was initially deprecated by some of the possible sponsors of a mecha anime (toy companies) as being too difficult to manufacture (possibly on purpose),<ref>"At the planning stage, director Hideaki Anno is reported to have said, "With recent robot anime series there have been too many instances of toy makers sticking their big noses in from the design stage so they can get a spec that is easy to turn into a toy. I don't want any interference from toy makers, so I'm going to design a robot that just cannot be turned into a toy." pg 97 of Fujie 2004</ref> and that models of the Evangelions "would never sell."<ref>Takeda continues: "He said the legs were too skinny, and then proceeded to give Otsuki a lecture on the principles of robot design. Otsuki is bitter about the incident to this day." pg 166–167 of Takeda 2002</ref> Eventually, [[Sega]] agreed to license all toy and video game sales. Eventually, ''Evangelion'' began to be shown: the first episode aired [[4 October]] [[1995]], long after it was originally planned to air. Initially ignored (although received positively by those Gainax fans invited to early screenings<!-- This is mentioned somewhere in Notenki Memoirs -->), viewership grew slowly and largely by word of mouth. [[Splitting of the Breast|Episode 16]] marked a distinct shift that would characterize the second half of ''Evangelion'' as being more psychological than action or adventure<ref>"Fans liked the concept, praising it for a psychoanalytical look at anime that had never been attempted before. Sato sees Episode 16 was of particular importance. A spherical black Angel called Ririeru (Leliel in English) appears and Shinji's Eva Unit 01 is absorbed into it. Normally, such close contact between an Evangelion and an Angel would have resulted in combat. Instead, in this episode, Shinji is confronted by another version of himself. The two Shinjis engage in conversation as the young boy probes "himself" about who he really is and the meaning of "self." The episode clearly shows how Shinji explores his inner self as he continues asking why it is that he has been selected to pilot the Eva. The series continues in this way with a strong focus on Shinji's internal struggles until Evangelion draws toward its climax." "Evangelion Special: From phenomenon to legacy"</ref>. This change in emphasis was partly due to the development of the story, but also partly because by this point, production had begun running out of funding and failing to meet the schedule<!-- I have removed the following because it uses weasel words, and has not been verified. After all, the same thing happened in Episode 4 of the series. a general collapse of standards reflected in such infamous moments as a single cel shown for an entire minute-->; this collapse has been identified by at least one Gainax employee as the impetus for ''Evangelion''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s turn into metafiction: <blockquote>I didn't mind it. The schedule was an utter disaster and the number of cels plummeted, so there were some places where unfortunately the quality suffered. However, the tension of the staff as we all became more desperate and frenzied certainly showed up in the film … About the time that the production system was completely falling apart, there were some opinions to the effect that, "If we can't do satisfactory work, then what's the point of continuing?" However, I didn't feel that way. My opinion was, "Why don't we show them the entire process including our breakdown."<ref>"A STORY OF COMMUNICATION: The Kazuya Tsurumaki Interview"</ref></blockquote> But nevertheless, by the [[AMBIVALENCE (Neon Genesis Evangelion episode)|18th episode]], it had become enough of a sensation that Eva-01's violent rampage "is criticized as being unsuitable on an anime show that is viewed by children", and [[WEAVING A STORY 2: oral stage|episode 20]] would be similarly criticized for the offscreen depiction of Misato and [[Ryoji Kaji]] having sex<ref name="fujie162">pg 162, Fujie 2004</ref> With this popularity came the first merchandise, "Genesis 0:1" (containing the first two episodes). Beginning a trend, it sells out. As the series concluded on [[27 March]] [[1996]] with [[Take care of yourself.]], the story apparently remained unresolved: Third Impact and the Human Complementation Project are implied to have begun or even finished, but the episodes focus largely on the psychology of the characters, leaving deeply unclear what actually happens. The radically different and experimental style of the final two episodes alienated many fans and spawned debate and analysis, both scholarly and informal<!-- Kind of clumsy. I don't like my phrasing "led to years…" Improvements welcome. -->; even mainstream publications like the ''[[Mainichi Times]]'' would remark that "When Episode 25 first aired the following week, nearly all viewers felt betrayed...when commentator [[Eiji Otsuka]] sent a letter to the [[Yomiuri Shimbun]], complaining about the end of the Evangelion series, the debate went nationwide."<ref>"Evangelion Special: From phenomenon to legacy"</ref> (It's worth noting that the ending received such coverage in part because Evangelion had attracted viewers not typically interested in such fare; the TV series was extremely popular<ref>"Miyadai categorizes young Japanese into three groups. One is what he calls the 'street' group who seek only to enjoy the fads of the moment, such as those who crave for Tamagotchi 'virtual pet' toys and exchange tiny self-portrait photo seals taken from 'Print Club' machines with their friends. Another group is the 'otaku,' the rough equivalent of computer nerds -- people who withdraw into the world of video games and animation, rejecting communication with the outside world. The third is a middle group of the so-called 'good boys, good girls' who do well in school in line with the expectations of their parents. Miyadai says the middle group is now at a 'critical' stage. Like Ikari, who questions the reasons he has to fight, middle-group people have doubts about why they have to go to school to satisfy their families' expectations. 'It should be noted that Evangelion is attracting such middle-group people in addition to the otaku group,' Miyadai says." from "Cartoon 'Eva' captures sense of void among Japanese youth"</ref> Anno commented in various interviews after the conclusion of the series that "anime fans need to have more self-respect" and to "come back to reality"; in a Newtype interview [[10 May]], after the announcement on [[26 April]] of a new movie and re-edited versions of the TV series, he also stated that "computer networking is graffiti on toilet walls."<ref name="fujie162"/> These statements were even more controversial. ==Re-Releases== After the Series ended, Hideaki Anno wasn´t satisfied in all terms. Many things couldn´t be realized due to Time problems and financial trouble and the network´s censorship. So, when the series was to be released on VHS and Laserdisc, it was enhanced. Each Episode was remastered and things that have been cut were reincorporated.This went on until Tape Genesis 0:10. Then it was decided to drastically enhance Episodes 21-24 and remake Episodes 25-26, which should be released as a double-feature: "Death & Rebirth", with the first one being a recap of the TV-Show. However due to time and budget constraints the remastering and reanimating of Episodes 21-24 was put to a hold in favor for the movie. But the Rebirth animation wasn´t finished at all and it was decided to release a third movie "Rebirth II" as a stand alone release. As a treat for the fans "Death" included some of the scenes, that were already completed for the remastered Episodes 21-24. It was then decided that "Evangelion: Rebirth II" should also include the previous animation and was then renamed "The End of Evangelion". After that, Genesis 011 and 0:12 where released and contained the redone Episodes 21-24. Genesis0:13 and 0:14 contained both Endings each containing both Episodes 25 and 26. In 1998 the Evangelion Films where released in their original intended Form, without the extra scenes in the recap movie (Death(true)²) and with the full new ending. In 2000 The "Second Impact Box" was released in 3 parts, containing the 26 Video-Version Episodes and the 2 Movies (also including "Rebirth"). In 2003 The "Renewal of Evangelion" DVDs where released. These remastered the series´ sound and picture for [[High-definition_video|HD]] and 5.1 technology. New background sounds where recorded. On top of that, Episodes 21-24 where contained in 2 versions: the Video Version and a reconstruction of the TV-Version. The set consisted of 8 Volumes, covering the 26 TV-Episoeds and the 4 recut Episodes. Also Part of the set was a ninth volume, containing of 2 discs, named "Evangelion: The Movie", which contained "Death(true)² on disc 1 and "End of Evangelion" on disc 2. The nine Volumes where collected in a box, which added an 11th bonus disc. The Renewal release also formed the basis for the western "Platinum Edition" (which didn't´t include the movies, due to legal difficulties) From 2007-2009 the Series is being remade for the cinema as "Rebuild of Evangelion", which consists of 4 Movies, retelling and reimagining the TV-Series and giving it an entirely new Ending. So far only "Evangelion 1.0: You are (not) alone" has been released, retelling the series first 6 episodes quite exactly the way, they used to be, just technically refitted. However the trailer of "Evangelion 2.0" shows more changes, such as Eva-Units beyond Eva-05, that are not mass-produced and a mysterious girl. ==Inspiration and symbolism== <!--If there is "original" research, it must either be removed or backed up by references to other works or parts of Wikipedia. And with a series as potentially deep as Evangelion, it may even become necessary to except a certain level of this--> {{seealso|Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary}} ''Evangelion'' is dense with allusions to biological, military, religious, and psychological concepts, as well as numerous references or homages to older anime series (for example, the basic plot is seen in earlier anime like ''[[Space Battleship Yamato]]''<ref>"Although it draws upon earlier classic anime such as the ''Yamato'' series in terms of the ostensible narrative – alien invaders, in this case known as Angels, are attacking the Earth and only a small group of young people can save it, using impressive giant robots with which they synergize – the narrative's actual execution defamiliarizes this rather hackneyed story line." pg 424 of Napier 2002</ref>) – a tendency which inspired the nickname for the series, the "remixed anime"<ref>"Evangelion carries a large number of quotes from and references to other anime productions, such as the mecha designs of ''[[Ultraman]]'', ''Space Battleship Yamato'', and ''[[Gundam]]''. The works of [[Go Nagai]] – such as ''[[Mazinga Z]]'' – and even the novelist Ryu Murakami are also referred to; in particular, ''[[Devilman]]'' is seen as a major source for the overall plot. This was so apparent that Evangelion became known as "the remixed anime". pg 9 of Fujie 2004</ref> Anno's use of [[Freudian]] jargon and psychoanalytical theory as well as his allusions to religion and biology are often idiosyncratically used and redefined to carry his message. This tendency of Anno's has been criticized as "Total plagiarism!" and "just more mindgames from the animation crew".<ref>pg 75 of Fujie 2004</ref> However, Anno has defended himself by denying the possibility of really original work without borrowing in anime: <blockquote>"There is no longer room for absolute originality in the field of anime, especially given that our generation was brought up on mass-produced anime. All stories and techniques inevitably bring with them a sense of ''déjà vu''. The only avenue of expression left open to us is to produce a collage-like effect based on a sampling of existing works."<ref name="devilman"/></blockquote> <blockquote>"The people who make anime and the people who watch it always want the same things. The creators have been making the same story for about 10 years; the viewers seem to be satisfied and there's no sense of urgency. There's no future in that."<ref>Anno, as quoted in Wong 1996</ref></blockquote> Regardless, Anno seems to have hoped to reinvigorated the genre of anime – seen as lifeless and moribund in the early 1990s – and restore originality: to create a new anime. This desire is also the reason Anno cited for creating the ''Rebuild of Evangelion'' movies: <blockquote>"Many different desires are motivating us to create the new "Evangelion" film … The desire to fight the continuing trend of stagnation in anime.<br /> The desire to support the strength of heart that exists in the world…<br /> Many times we wondered, "It's a title that's more than 10 years old. Why now?"<br /> "Eva is too old", we felt.<br /> However, over the past 12 years, there has been no anime newer than Eva.<ref>From [[17 February]] [[2007]] [http://eva.yahoo.co.jp/gekijou/big_message.html movie theater poster] by Anno; translation from "[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-02-20/hideaki-anno-releases-statement-about-new-evangelion-movies Hideaki Anno Releases Statement About New Evangelion Movies: EVA creator posts message in theatres across Japan, hopes to lure new audiences to Evangelion films]", 2007-02-20, [[Anime News Network]].</ref></blockquote> The interpretation of the symbols and concepts varies from individual to individual,<ref>"It should be clear by now that ''Evangelion'' is a text that can be read on many levels. On the one hand, as Kotani and other critics point out, it can be seen as a coming-of-age story, expressed through the narrative of a young boy's growth vis-a-vis others, in particular the patriarchy represented by his father and the feminine presence represented by not only his colleagues but, as Kotani argues, by the EVA itself." "… a moment that suggests that Shinji's endeavor to develop a cohesive form of subjectivity has been successful. Or has it?" pg 429 of Napier 2002</ref> and it is not clear how many are intentional or meaningful, nor which were merely design elements or coincidences. Anno himself said, "It might be fun if someone with free time could research them."<ref name="What-were-we-making" /> <!-- To followup: in Sadamoto's ''Der Mond'' artbook, he mentions in the afterword that he is unhappy with his Eva-related artwork and that he has failed to grow. Does it make sense to tie this in with Anno's various communications on the Rebuild and anime's failure to grow since Eva? --> A number of these symbols were noted on the English DVD commentary for ''Death and Rebirth'' and ''End of Evangelion''. Many of the characters share their names with Japanese warships from [[World War II]] (such as the ''[[Japanese aircraft carrier Sōryū|Sōryū]]'', ''[[Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi|Akagi]]'', and ''[[List of ships of the Japanese Navy#Aircraft carriers|Katsuragi]]'', though the ship names and character names are written with different kanji, they share the same pronunciations.) Other characters' names refer to other works of fiction, such as the two characters named after the protagonists of [[Ryu Murakami]]'s ''Ai to Genso no Fascism'' ("[[Fascism in Love and Fantasy]]"; the two main characters are named Aida Kensuke and Suzuhara Toji). ===Psychology and psychoanalytic theory=== {{details|Psychoanalysis}} From the start, ''Evangelion'' invokes many psychological themes. Phrases used in episodes, their titles, and the names of the background music frequently derive from [[Sigmund Freud|Sigmund Freud's]] works<ref>"Aside from Old Testament quotes, there are numerous cases in Evangelion of far-reaching references to such Freudian concepts as the Libido and death wish…", "Going off on a tangent, the choice of theme songs, "Thanatos – If I can't be yours" and "[[Komm, süßer Tod (anime)|Come Sweet Death]]" both illustrate the importance of the death wish to the movie." pg 147, 150 of Fujie 2004</ref> in addition to perhaps some [[Lacanian]] influences in general<ref>"In the final episode, Anno is clearly referencing Freud and perhaps Lacan as the unseen voice inside Shinji's head explains to him that he creates his personality first through disassociating with the mother and then through distinguishing himself from others." pg 234 of Napier 2002</ref> Examples include "[[Death instinct|Thanatos]]", "[[Oral stage]]", "[[Separation Anxiety]]", and "Mother Is The First Other" (the mother as the first object of a child's love is the basis of the [[Oedipus complex]]). The scenery and buildings in Tokyo-3 often seem laden with psychological import, even in the first episode<ref>"Shinji and Misato's descent into the seemingly bottomless depths of NERV headquarters can be read, as critic Endo Toru suggests, as a descent into the unconsciousness, metonymically reinforced by the profusion of downward escalators and elevators from which the protagonists emerge into a disorienting maze of long empty corridors and bizarre machinery (84). It is surely no coincidence that, in the first episode, Misato and Shinji enter NERV only to become hopelessly lost, a situation that recurs symbolically and concretely throughout the series until the final episode explicitly displays Shinji as "lost" in his own subconscious." pg 428 of Napier 2002</ref> The connection between the Evas and their pilots, as well as the ultimate goal of the Human Instrumentality Project, bear a strong resemblance to Freud's theories on internal conflict and interpersonal communication.<ref name="burgin">"In the terms of the thermodynamic model which informs Freud's concept of the [[Death instinct|death drive]], what is feared is the entropy' at work at the heart of all organization, all differentiation. By this same token the woman also signifies precisely that desired 'state where everything is the same': the pre-Oedipal bliss of the fusion of bodies in which infant and mother are "'inextricably mixed', that absence of the pain of differing, condition of identity and meaning, whose extinction is deferred until death." ―Victor Burgin<br /> {{cite book | last = Fletcher | first = John | authorlink = | editor = Andrew Benjamin (Ed.) | title = Abjection, Melancholia, and Love: The Work of [[Julia Kristeva]] | origyear = 1990 | origmonth = April | publisher = Routledge | location = New York | id = ISBN 0-415-04155-4 | pages = 104–123 | quote =}}</ref> The [[hedgehog's dilemma]] is a concept described by philosopher [[Arthur Schopenhauer]] and later adopted by Freud. It is the subtitle of episode 4 and is mentioned in that episode by Misato Katsuragi as descriptive of her relationship with Shinji.<ref>"The hedgehog's dilemma… The nearer we get, the deeper we hurt each other… I see."</ref> Many of the characters have deep psychological traumas in relation to their parents. Shinji's introversion and [[social anxiety]] stem from the death of his mother at an early age and his abandonment by his father. Asuka was the target of her mother's insanity, and discovered her mother's body after she hanged herself; her tough, bullying personality is a means of distracting herself from her pain, and she has made piloting Unit 02 her only source of pride and satisfaction. Misato's father neglected her when she was a child; after he was killed in the Second Impact, she stopped talking for a couple of years. In [[Do you love me?|episode 25]], Misato states that she was both attracted to and afraid of Ryoji Kaji because he reminded her of her father. Ritsuko saw her mother having an affair with Gendo Ikari; after her mother's suicide she felt both attraction and hate towards Gendo. Indeed, the last two episodes are "stripped of the high-tech gadgetry and the colorful visuals that characterize the earlier episodes in the series, these last two episodes take place largely in muted tones… a form of interrogation proceeds to be carried out as he <nowiki>[Shinji]</nowiki> asks himself – or is asked by an unseen voice – probing psychological questions."<ref name="p426">pg 426 of Napier 2002</ref> The questions elicit unexpected answers, particularly the ones dealing with Shinji's motivation for piloting the Eva – he feels worthless and afraid of others (especially his father) if he is not piloting the Eva.<ref>"At first he insists that he does so to "save mankind." But when that answer is met with the response "Liar", he shifts to a more complex self-analysis… he admits to piloting the Eva because of his own need for the liking and respect of others, and finally acknowledges that he feels "worthless" unless he is joined with the Eva." pg 426 of Napier 2002</ref> Asuka and Rei are also depicted in deep introspection and consideration of their psyches. Asuka comes to the realization that her entire being is caught up in being a competent Eva pilot and that without it, she has no personal identity: "I'm the junk… I'm worthless. Nobody needs a pilot who can't control her own Eva."<ref name="quote426">As quoted in pg 426 of Napier 2002</ref> Rei, who throughout the series has displayed minimal emotion, reveals that she does have one impulse; it is ''Thanatos'', an inclination to death: "I am Happy. Because I want to die, I want to despair, I want to return to nothing."<ref name="quote426"/> In episode 25 Shinji and Asuka both show that they in fact suffered similar pasts and found different ways of dealing with it. This is further established in Shinji when he claims he has no life without Eva and this is disproven by the world shown in Episode 26 followed by the famous "Congratulations" scene.[http://www.animanga.com/scripts/textesgb/eva26.html] ===Religion=== <!-- It makes little sense to have so many different religious religious points be written as prose, when they have little do to with one another and little has really been written to my knowledge on the significance of all of them --> [[Image:Nervlogo.jpg|thumb|right|NERV's logo featuring half a [[fig leaf]]; "God's In His Heaven, All's Right With The World" is a quote from a song from [[Robert Browning]]'s ''[[Pippa Passes]]''.]] [[Image:Eva cross explosion.png|thumb|right|The destruction of an [[Angel (Neon Genesis Evangelion)|Angel]] causes an explosion which is [[Christian cross|cross]] shaped: one example of Christian [[icon]]s being used in ''Evangelion''.]] The most prominent symbolism takes its inspiration from [[Judeo-Christian]] sources and frequently uses iconography and themes from [[Judaism]], [[Christianity]], [[Gnosticism]],<ref name="gnosticism"/> and [[Kabbalism]], in the series's examination of religious ideas and themes.<ref>"Anno says the new offering from Gainax will consider some of the ultimate questions posed by science fiction, and, indeed, philosophy, such as: What is the nature of evolution? What is humanity's relationship to his or her god? Does god, in fact, exist? What does it mean for the human race if that question can be answered definitively?" From "Gainax Returns to Anime with ''Shinseiki Evangelion''", published in the February 1995 edition of ''[[Animerica]]'', and as quoted in ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion, volume 10]]''.</ref> Assistant director [[Kazuya Tsurumaki]] said that they originally used Christian symbolism only to give the project a unique edge against other [[giant robot]] shows, and that it had no particular meaning,<ref name="evaotakufaq-christianity">"''There are a lot of giant robot shows in Japan, and we did want our story to have a religious theme to help distinguish us. Because Christianity is an uncommon religion in Japan we thought it would be mysterious. None of the staff who worked on Eva are Christians. There is no actual Christian meaning to the show, we just thought the visual symbols of Christianity look cool. If we had known the show would get distributed in the US and Europe we might have rethought that choice.''" ― Kazuya Tsurumaki<br /> [http://www.evaotaku.com/html/evafaq.html EvaOtaku.com FAQ]; see also an interview with Tsurumaki which contains the same quote[http://www.akadot.com/article.php?a=181]</ref> and that it was meant to be susceptible to multiple interpretations.<ref>"Evangelion is like a puzzle, you know. Any person can see it and give his/her own answer. In other words, we're offering viewers to think by themselves, so that each person can imagine his/her own world. We will never offer the answers, even in the theatrical version. As for any Evangelion viewers, they may expect us to provide the 'all-about Eva' manuals, but there is no such thing. Don't expect to get answers by someone. Don't expect to be catered to all the time. We all have to find our own answers." from Hideaki Anno's Anime Expo '96 interview, pp20–3 in the November 1996 ''[[Newtype]]'', as translated by Miyako Graham in issue 43, pages 40–41 of ''[[Protoculture Addicts]]'' and as quoted by Lawrence Eng[http://www.evaotaku.com/omake/anno.html]<!-- Just to clear things up here: Anno was interviewed at the expo, the interview was published in Newtype, the Newtype publication was translated and published in PA, and then I copied over excerpts of the PA article from Eng's page and some mailing lists-->[http://lists.onegeek.org/pipermail/evangelion/2004-December/002034.html] [http://lists.onegeek.org/pipermail/evangelion/2004-December/002032.html]</ref> Hiroki Sato, head of Gainax's PR department, has made similar statements<ref>"But Hiroki Sato, 32, head of the public relations department of GAINAX, the company that produced the animation, says various devices included in Evangelion are only elements of the product and are not directly linked to its theme. 'Anno made a soul-searching journey in producing Evangelion by including his daily sufferings and thinking about them,' Sato says." 'Cartoon 'Eva' captures sense of void among Japanese youth'</ref> References, with multiple equally plausible interpretations which exist, include: * Adam and Eve (known in other languages as ''Eva'') refer to the [[Adam and Eve|first human beings]] from the book of [[Genesis]]. Eve comes from Adam's rib. Similarly, the Eva models come from the Angel first identified as Adam<ref>In episode 23,''Tear/Rei III'', Ritsuko states that "These are dummies. And nothing but parts for Rei. Humans found a god, and thus, tried to obtain it. As a result, humanity was punished. That was 15 years ago. The god that they found vanished. However, they tried to revive the god themselves. It was Adam. A human was made from Adam to be close to the god. That is Eva." See also Fujie 2004: "Elsewhere, we learn, "That which was born of Adam is the Eva", effectively proving that Adam was the model for the Evangelions." (pg 48).</ref> * The [[Christian cross]] is often shown, frequently represented by energy beams shooting up skyward. * The second Angel, [[Lilith]] is shown [[crucifixion|crucified]]. In Jewish folklore, Lilith is the first wife of Adam, and in some works of popular culture, the first [[vampire]]. Lilith is impaled with a spear named the "[[spear of destiny|Lance of Longinus]]", used to pierce the side of [[Jesus]] during his crucifixion. Lilith represents the first woman and mother of humanity; traditionally she is identified as being the mother of all demons (who are called in general the "[[Lilin]]" or "Lilim"). In ''Evangelion'', she may even be the source humanity itself, as Kaworu says; he identifies Lilith as the source of the Lilim (humanity) in episode 24, "The Final Angel".<ref>"Adam, that from which we came. Must one who is born from Adam return to Adam, even though it would destroy man. Wait this isn't. Lilith! I see, I understand now. The Lilim, Lilith."[http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/nge/scripts/eva24.txt]</ref> * The [[Angel (Neon Genesis Evangelion)|Angels]] could be a reference to the [[angels]] of God from the [[Old Testament]] in Japanese, the word used is the same one used for apostle (or messenger), as in the [[New Testament]] [[eyecatch]]es during the series as well as the introduction sequence flashes "Angels" at a point. In addition, their origin is vaguely explained in the series as descending from "Adam" (yet another Judeo-Christian reference) and being "different evolutionary paths humanity could have taken". <!-- I believe Misato said this, in ''End of Evangelion'', when she and Shinji are going through the Eva graveyard, right? --> * The Magi supercomputers are named Melchior, Balthasar and Casper after the names traditionally given for the [[Biblical Magi|Magi]] who were mentioned in the [[Gospel of Matthew]] as having visited Jesus in [[Bethlehem]]<ref>pg 60 of Fujie 2004</ref> (often called "the three wise men", though the number of visitors is not recorded in the Gospel). * The [[Tree of life (Kabbalah)|Tree of Sephiroth (Tree of Life)]] is mentioned, as well as shown in the opening title sequence and on the ceiling of Gendo's office, with [[Hebrew]] inscriptions on it (the terms written there are mostly Kabbalic). * The Marduk Institute is a front organization for NERV, tasked with finding the teenagers suitable for piloting Evangelion units. [[Marduk]] was the name of the [[Babylonian mythology|chief Babylonian deity]] and patron god of the city of [[Babylon]]. * In episode 9, Asuka describes the door between her and Shinji as the "Wall of Jericho" which, in the [[Book of Joshua]], was an impenetrable wall, though it eventually fell after being circled seven times by the army and priests of Israel. <!-- No citation is needed here. Sheesh, watch the episode or look at a transcript of ep9: http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/nge/scripts/eva09.txt --> * Reference is made to the "[[Guf|Room of Gaff]]" (spelling taken from the English subtitles; correct spelling/transliteration is "Guf") and its being "empty";<ref>"However the vessel which truly contains a soul is Rei. Only she has a soul. None of the other vessels have a soul. There was nothing within the room of Gaff. These Rei-like things here do not have a soul." from Episode 23, [[Rei III]]. Ritsuko's statement may also be translated as "These things are empty husks, they have no souls, no right to live. The room of Gaff, is empty."</ref> in Jewish lore, when the Room of Gaff is emptied of souls waiting to be born, the end of the world, and with it the coming of the Messiah, is nigh. The Room of Gaff is further referenced in ''Death and Rebirth'' & ''End of Evangelion'', where it is given greater importance than the one mention in the television series; one analysis of the ''End of Evangelion'' has it being "the door to both the beginning and the end of the world, and the hall of souls. When exposed to the power of the Hall of Gaff all living forms lose their ability to maintain themselves as individual lifeforms, reverting to LCL. At the Second Impact the door to the Hall of Gaff is opened by Adam, and everything changes into a sea of LCL. At the Third Impact the portal is opened once again by Rei, who has assimilated with Lilith, and all life-forms revert to LCL."<ref>pg 172 of Fujie 2002</ref> Note that in the movies, human souls come from and return to the Hall of Gaff.<ref>"Fuyutsuki: "The doors of the Hall of Gaff are opening. So, the door to the beginning and the end of life has opened, then?" Ibuki: "The AT Field… Everyone's AT Field is disappearing." Keel: "The beginning and the end are at the same point. Right. This is the way it should be."" Quoted dialogue quoted on pg 154–155 of Fujie 2002</ref> There seems to be two separate Rooms of Gaff in the movies: one for the humans, openable through Lilith in the Japanese GeoFront; and a different one, presumably for the Angels in the Antarctic GeoFront, which was opened on the same day the Second Impact occurred (presumably all the Angels produced, except for Kaworu who was born that day, were destroyed as part of the process, explaining why Kaworu is the last Angel to be born while humans continued to be born – the Angel Hall of Gaff was empty after him<ref>Fujie 2002 takes the following dialogue as being particularly significant: ""Commence heat-extinguishing process at the same time as the portal of the Hall of Gaff opens." …In Japan we have, "The Egg of Lilith, the source of all life." It is from here that the soul of mankind is born and returns. As opposed to this, in Antarctica, while there is no specific, "Egg of Adam", when Misato says, "They did manage to keep the damage down to a minimum by having Adam revert to the egg before the other Angels awoke", we can understand that this is the source from which the Angels are born and return … What that means in concrete terms is that Kaworu Nagisa, born on the day of the Second Impact, is the last of the Angels with roots in Adam, and no more are born … Also, "She was the only girl who had a soul." As well as, "The Hall of Gaff was empty." And finally, "None of the Rei clones you see here have souls."… From all this we can see that there were in fact two Halls of Gaff serving as the source of souls, and that one of these was the Egg of Lilith inteded for human souls and stored in GeoFront in Japan." pg 144–146</ref> * The angels themselves are named after angels from angelology, including Sachiel, Shamshel, and Arael. ===Fiction and Philosophy=== {{seealso|Human Instrumentality Project}} ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' and particularly the Human Instrumentality Project show a strong influence from [[Arthur C. Clarke]]'s novel ''[[Childhood's End]]'', an influence Anno acknowledged.<ref name="horn">{{cite web | url = http://www.stanford.edu/~fenn/eva/eva1.html | title = Speaking Once as They Return: Gainax's ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' | accessdate = 2006-08-15 | last = Horn | first = Carl G }}</ref> Similarities between the works, such as the larger theme of humanity's evolution to a higher plane of existence, or lesser details such as the declining birth rate after the Second Impact, were gleaned from this work.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Evangelion shows influences from the [[science fiction]] author Dr. Paul Linebarger,<ref name="horn"/> better known by his [[pseudonym]], [[Cordwainer Smith]]. Linebarger was raised in [[China]], became the god-son of the nationalistic leader [[Sun Yat-sen]], and during [[World War II]], worked in [[psychological warfare]] on behalf of the [[U.S. Army]], including [[propaganda]] efforts by the U.S. against the Japanese. Linebarger's work included strong influences from both [[East Asian]] culture and Christianity. His science fiction novels revolve around his own concept of the [[Instrumentality of Mankind]], an all-powerful central government of humanity.<ref name="yoko_smithref">{{cite web | url = http://eva.netroof.net/faq/faqansw.php?mode=full&t=403 | title = References to: Cordwainer Smith and the Instrumentality Project | accessdate = 2006-08-15 | year = 2004 | work = Yoko NGE All-In-One FAQ | publisher = Yoko NGE InfoCenter }}</ref> Like SEELE, the Instrumentality of Mankind see themselves "to be shapers of the true destiny of mankind."<ref name="strickland_smithref">{{cite web | url = http://members.tripod.com/templetongate/csmith.htm | title = Cordwainer Smith Profile | author = Galen Strickland | accessdate = 2006-08-19 | year = | work = The Templeton Gate | publisher = }}</ref> Although Anno insisted that {{nihongo|''Hokan''|補完||complementation, completion}} be translated as "Instrumentality" in English, perhaps as a way to pay homage to Linebarger, the two authors' conceptions of "instrumentality" are extremely different.<ref name="horn"/> [[Existential]] themes of individuality, consciousness, freedom, choice, and responsibility are heavily relied upon throughout the entire series, particularly through the philosophies of [[Jean Paul Sartre]] and [[Søren Kierkegaard]]. For Sartre, humans ultimately exist in an abandoned and free state. There is no essential truth about what human beings want to be or ought to be- instead, each person must find their own identity and their own purposes. This incredible freedom, in a way, makes us "condemned to be free", because our actions and choices are our own and no one else's, which makes us responsible for them. We are constantly making decisions and choices, whether to continue doing something or to stop and do something else. Being aware of this fact, can bring on despair or anguish; and typically we try to avoid the consciousness of our own freedom.<ref>{{cite book | last = Sartre | first = Jean-Paul | authorlink = Jean-Paul Sartre | others = translated by Hazel E Barnes | title = [[Being and Nothingness: An Essay on Phenomenological Ontology]] | origyear = 1943 | origmonth = | edition = | year = 1980 | month = | publisher = | location = | id = | chapter = | pages = 86–112, 712–734 }}</ref> Sartre's position can be seen as standing in opposition to the theories of Freud, which held that we are not in control of ourselves, but are more at the mercy of primordial unconscious mechanisms which drive us. Sartre found such theories [[existential therapy|dangerous]], since he believed that human passions arise not from the animal element of human nature, but from the fact that human beings are not merely animals or objects, and not merely minds or free subjects either, but always both. In the series, even the mecha Evangelion units turn out not to be machines, with Unit 01 moving without a pilot to protect Shinji and fighting even without the aid of an external power source when it goes berserk. Eventually, it is learned that the Evas' external armor is actually to restrain its freedom and to bind it to the control of NERV, and that they are not just simply machines or animals, but have souls of their own. To act as if one is merely an object or label or to use outwards perceptions and actions to change their inner thoughts and feelings is what Sartre called [[bad faith (existentialism)|bad faith]], which was an a sense an individual rejecting their ability towards free choice and definition. Examples of this include Rei's single-minded allegiance to Gendo and NERV's agenda, Ritsuko's dying her hair blonde to hide her similarity to her mother (even as it is hinted throughout the series, particularly in her relationship to Gendo), and Shinji calling himself a coward as if that is an excuse that makes it impossible for him to act differently. This sort of self deception was also addressed by Kierkegaard in a paradox he called [[The Sickness Unto Death|"the sickness unto death,"]] someone who goes on pretending in life as though he has no soul, and as a result, is in danger of losing his "self." Episode 16's title, {{nihongo|"The Sickness Unto Death, And…"|死に至る病、そして|Shi ni itaru yamai, soshite}} is a reference to this work.<ref>{{cite book | last = Kierkegaard | first = Søren | authorlink = Søren Kierkegaard | others = translated by Howard V Honh and Edna H Hong | title = The Sickness Unto Death | origyear = 1849 | origmonth = | edition = | year = 1980 | month = | publisher = Princeton University Press | location = | language = | id = | pages = 1–67 }}</ref> Sartre in [[Being and Nothingness]] calls the conditions that bring about consciousness (ourselves, the world, others) "instrumentalities." [[Martin Heidegger]], another existentialist, wrote an essay describing technology as an instrumentality that reveals "truth." Philosophically, the Human Instrumentality Project is a representation of the idealism developed by [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]]: a unification of all conflicts and tensions between societies, knowledge, and consciousness through a sort of historical evolution. Earlier philosophers such as Fichte had proposed that the human ego had come about through the instrumentality of freedom; it was Hegel's theory that this consciousness was not separated from the world, but was a part of it and would eventually evolve into an Absolute spirit or mind, a sort of God-like being with absolute freedom. In the movie End of Evangelion, Shinji literally becomes such an absolute being, dissolving all other conscious beings and merging with them.<ref> {{cite web | url = http://www.evamonkey.com/writings_tsuribe01.php | title = Prison of Self-Consciousness: an Essay on Evangelion | accessdate = 2006-08-19 | last = Tsuribe | first = Manabu | publisher = [http://www.evamonkey.com Eva Monkey] }} </ref> Søren Kierkegaard criticized Hegel's theory, not only because it was arrogant for a mere human to claim such a unity, but because such a system negates the importance of the individual in favor of the whole unity. He writes: <blockquote> So-called systems have often been characterized and challenged in the assertion that they abrogate the distinction between good and evil, and destroy freedom. Perhaps one would express oneself quite as definitely, if one said that every such system fantastically dissipates the concept existence. … Being an individual man is a thing that has been abolished, and every speculative philosopher confuses himself with humanity at large; whereby he becomes something infinitely great, and at the same time nothing at all. </blockquote> As illustrated in episodes 25 and 26, part of what shapes us as individuals are limitations: gravity, the horizon, a body, and other people. Misato tells Shinji in the first episode, he has to learn how to deal with his anxiety and how to deal with others. Sartre in his earlier works went so far as to say that [[No Exit|"hell is other people"]]. Other people limit our freedoms, or may tell us things we do not like to hear, and they may see aspects of our personality we do not. Shinji later reflects upon the fact that everyone he knows has their own impression of him that may be different from his own. But in his later work, Sartre said he felt that both Hegel and Kierkegaard had a point. Individuality is important, but because part of who we are is shaped by the way others see us, we can have an effect on others too, and must work together with others in our collective struggle for existence. During the period Kierkegaard wrote ''The Sickness Unto Death'' he wrote in his journal a poem listing seven discourses. He wrote: "Let not the heart in sorrow sin" so you abandon faith in God, so you abandon faith in men, so you abandon hope of eternity, so you abandon hope for this life, so you abandon love to God, so you abandon love to men, and finally, let not the heart in sorrow sin so you abandon love ''to yourself''. The last episode of the series is fittingly subtitled "Take Care of Yourself." Interestingly, some Eastern philosophies, such as [[Brahmanism]] and its derivatives, teach that enlightenment involves liberation from individuality through the re-absorption of the soul into a great All-Soul of creation. SEELE attempts to engineer such enlightenment for the entire human race, unifying all souls into one and causing all pain and misunderstanding to end. If one wants a separate existence from others, one must be limited and opposed to others, causing pain and suffering (the Hedgehog's Dilemma inevitably arises); Buddhism identifies existence as inevitably bringing pain. The way to avoid pain is to extirpate desire and become formless. In the final [[Take care of yourself.|episode]], Shinji realizes how to attain his individuality, that he can come to have an identity separable from being an Evangelion pilot, a self he can perhaps come to love and not hate. Arthur Shoepenhauer, whose work is referred to in the title of The Hedgehog's Dilemma, was heavily influenced by Buddhist thought, but Friedrich Nietzsche and Sartre both came to a similar conclusion, rejecting many of his tenets. ==Influences== ===Anime=== From the period from 1984 to the release of ''Evangelion'', most highly acclaimed anime had a style somehow distanced from the usual styles of anime. For example, Miyazaki's ''[[My Neighbor Totoro]]'' (1988), and ''[[Kiki's Delivery Service]]'' (1989) were both low-key works, while ''[[Akira (film)|Akira]]'' (1988) was influenced by [[USA|American]] [[comic books]].<ref name="azuma-somethinglikeit" /> Acclaimed director [[Mamoru Oshii]] had said that, in the words of Hiroki Azuma, nobody wanted to watch "simple anime-like works" anymore.<ref name="azuma-somethinglikeit" /> ''Evangelion'', however, shows the reversal of this trend. It fully embraced the style of mecha anime, and in particular shows a large influence from [[Yoshiyuki Tomino|Yoshiyuki Tomino's]] ''[[Space Runaway Ideon]]''; particularly, there are scenes in ''The End of Evangelion'' which are clear homages to the last movie for the Ideon series.<ref name="azuma-somethinglikeit" /> As much as ''Evangelion'' has been impacted by other works like ''[[Devilman]]'',<ref name="devilman">"The overall design of Evangelion calls to mind ''Devilman'' by Go Nagai. In fact, the whole concept of the Evas, which are made from Adam, and harbor the souls of humans, can be considered borrowed from scenes from ''Devilman'', where the soul of Akira Fudo is possessed by Amon, the Lord of War. Moreover, the heavily religious undertones, the suggestion of conflict with an indigenous people, and the cosmic view that mankind may not be the ultimate being all owe something to ''Devilman''." pg 76 of Fujie 2004</ref> the series itself has become a staple in Japanese fiction. The nature of the show made it a landmark work in the more psychological and sophisticated vein of anime that would be picked up by later works such as ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena]]'' (1997) that, like ''Evangelion'', center on an ambiguous world-changing event to come. ''[[Serial Experiments Lain]]'' is a later anime which dealt with many of the same themes as ''Evangelion'',<ref>"''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' and ''Serial Experiments Lain'' have much in common. They can readily be described as postmodern in terms of their concern with a notion of identity as fluctuating, their rapid and sometimes incoherent narrative pace, and their refusal of conventional forms of closure … More importantly, they share a complex and problematic attitude toward the real. The two stories also deal with issues that are perhaps culturally specific to Japan: the increasing distrust and alienation between the generations, the complicated role of childhood, and, most significantly, a privileging of the feminine, often in the form of the young girl or ''shōjo''." "This contributes to a pervasive sense of the uncanny that imbues both narratives, linking them with the genres of horror and fantasy." pg 423–424 of Napier 2002</ref> and so is often thought to be influenced by ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', but the writer did not see any of ''Evangelion'' until he had finished the fourth episode of ''Lain''.<ref name="HK">{{cite web|url=http://www.konaka.com/alice6/lain/hkint_e.html |title=HK: Interview with Chiaki Konaka |last=Nakajima |first=Shin-suke |accessdate=2006-09-16 |year=1999}}</ref> The show ''[[His and Her Circumstances]]'' (1999), which was also directed by Hideaki Anno, shares techniques (the experimental 'ripping-apart' of the animation and use of real photographs) and portrayed psychological conflicts in much the same way (although the various cinematic devices can be traced back to works other than Eva, such as Tezuka's manga<ref>"Neon Genesis's 14 year-old protagonist, Shinji Ikari, lives in Tokyo without contact with his family, and his mood is often illustrated by the use of shooting scenes from above, animation cells washed in drab blue, and passages of extreme action interspersed with reflective passages of stillness or close-ups of Ikari's face.<br />(But, as Brophy explains, such innovation is by no means a first for Neon Genesis - in the late 1940s the Japanese cartoonist Osama Tezuka borrowed artistic techniques from German Expressionism in his four-volume cartoon version of Dostoyevsky's Crime And Punishment.)" [[The Age]] (Melbourne, Australia) January 14, 1999 Thursday Late Edition "Orient expressive". by David M. Walker GREEN GUIDE; Pg. 23</ref>). ''Evangelion'' dramatically changed the design of giant robots in animated works. Previously, mecha or giant robot shows took their "mechanical suit" designs from ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'', ''[[Mazinger]]'', and other similar shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s. ''Evangelion'' changed this with its fast and sleek Evas, making a noticeable contrast to the comparatively bulky and cumbersome looking [[Patlabor]]s and [[Transformers (comic)|Transformers]] of the past. Indeed, the style set and created by ''Evangelion'' has become more common since its release, yet series like ''[[The King of Braves GaoGaiGar]]'' have continued to use the classic "mecha" style. ''[[RahXephon]]'', a show with designs inspired by 1970s mecha shows,<ref name="ntusabuchi">{{cite journal | last = Wong | first = Amos | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2003 | month = February | title = Interview with Yutaka Izubuchi | journal = [[Newtype USA]] | volume = 2 | issue = 2 | pages = 14–15 | doi = | id = {{ISSN|1541-4817}} }}</ref> was compared to ''Evangelion'' by many English language reviewers.<ref name="damngophers">{{cite journal|url=http://www.animefringe.com/magazine/02.09/feature/4/index.php3 |title=Feature: Animefringe Coverage: RahXephon |accessdate=2006-10-13 |last=Hong |first=En |authorlink= |year=2002 |month=September |journal=Animefringe |id={{ISSN|17053692}} }}</ref><ref name="rah_ann_7">{{cite web |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/reviews/display.php?id=566 |title=Review: RahXephon DVD 7: Crescendo |accessdate=2006-10-13 |last=Bertschy |first=Zac |authorlink= |date=2004-01-12| work= [[Anime News Network]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://animenation.net/news/askjohn.php?id=549 |title=Is RahXephon an Evangelion Rip Off? |accessdate=2006-10-13 |last=Oppliger |first=John |authorlink=John Oppliger |date=2002-08-20 |work=Ask John}}</ref> ''Evangelion'' is generally viewed to be a part of the [[soft science fiction]] genre, by avoiding the technical [[hard science fiction|hard S.F.]] approach of ''Gundam'' and other popular mecha anime in favor of psychological struggle<ref name="gnosticism">"Although the scenes of combat are gripping and imaginative for the genre, what makes ''Evangelion'' truly groundbreaking are the psychic struggles in which the characters engage. These struggles are both wide-ranging and emotionally draining. They are also presented with surprising psychoanalytical sophistication as the characters try to come to grips with their own inner turmoil, their problematic relations with each other, and finally, their relation to more remote forms of Otherness – the gigantic machines that are the EVAs and with which they must synchronize, and the enigmatic Angels who present a riddle that is increasingly depicted in terms of what seems to be a Christian or perhaps Gnostic notion of apocalypse." pg 425 of Napier 2002</ref> and metaphysical symbolism.<ref>[http://www.kheper.net/topics/scifi/grading.html "Grading SF for Realism"]: "Science fantasy: … Examples include Peter Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy and the [[Shadowrun]] RPG (both of which incorporate supernatural elements into an otherwise typical medium (space opera) or very hard (cyberpunk) SF setting), and the ''Neongenesis <nowiki>[sic]</nowiki> Evangelion'' anime series."</ref> ''Evangelion'' has been frequently parodied and explicitly referenced in popular media. In the ''[[Digimon Tamers]]'' series, many ''Evangelion'' elements were used in the back stories for the three main children, their friends, and [[D-Reaper]]. The same can be said for both [[WarGrowlmon]] and [[Gallantmon|Gallantmon Crimson Mode]], as they bear a resemblance to [[Evangelion (mecha)#Evangelion Unit 01 (Shogōki: 初号機)|Unit 01]]. Gainax's own ''[[His and Her Circumstances]]'' and ''[[FLCL]]'' had ''Evangelion'' parodies, as did ''[[Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi]]''. ''[[Invader Zim|Invader Zim's]]'' Christmas episode, "The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever", had a cameo parody of ''Evangelion'' (a reference to when Shinji was assimilated inside Unit 01). In the episode "Hamstergeddon", Ultra-Pipi (the class hamster that Zim accidentally mutates into a giant monster) rushes at Zim's War Cruiser in a manner that is a rip from the blitz that Unit 01 makes at the Third Angel, [[Angel (Neon Genesis Evangelion)#Sachiel|Sachiel]] (as admitted by the episode's director in the commentaries). In the online community, ''Evangelion'' is a common source of parody. Numerous [[webcomics]], such as ''[[Tsunami Channel]]'', have featured ''Evangelion'' tributes. Some 'creatures' also appear in other works such as the ''[[manga]]'' ''[[Berserk (manga)|Berserk]]'' where a transformed demon soldier, in chapter 233, shares an uncanny resemblance with the unleashed Eva-01. Anno himself has also poked fun at his work. In the ''Evangelion'' [[soundtrack]] ''Addition'', a twenty minute [[audio drama]] (directed and written by Anno) was included that reunited the entire voice acting cast, titled "After the End." The drama is set after episode 26 and has the characters breaking the [[fourth wall]] and discussing a sequel. Anno is believed to be featured as a guest voice in the piece,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.evamonkey.com/addition_audio_drama.php |title=www.evamonkey.com/addition_audio_drama.php |accessdate=2007-03-17}}</ref> taking on the role of the "Black Space God." On a similar note, [[Spike Spencer]] made fun of the series' rather ambiguous ending by acting as Shinji throughout the ending credits in a hidden track in the Platinum re-release of the series, highlights of which include him deducting that previous advice given to him towards him not running away doesn't apply to his current predicament on the account that he's on "a big blue ball" and complaining that the animators "ran out of ink", a reference to the lowered budget to the second half of the series. ''Evangelion'' has been referenced in American media as well. In the 2002 movie ''[[One Hour Photo]]'' starring [[Robin Williams]], the character Jake begs his mother to buy him the "Eva" 05 action figure, and Williams' character later offers it to him for free. It is commonplace for movies and shows to rename or repackage existing products with a generic name and graphic logo. In this case however, the toy was from Williams' personal collection (he is said to be a fan of the show), and so the series name ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' and the graphics on the blister card are left untouched, and are clearly visible. Fan interpretations and reworking of ''Evangelion'' have ranged from various stories [http://kurogane.animeblogger.net/2006/02/07/eva-re-take/], fanfictions [http://www.evafics.org/index.php], and even screenplays [http://www.eva-r.com/] that expand or reinterpret the ending to comical fan-dubs such as ''[[Evangelion: ReDeath]]'' and even hoax posters such as that for the fictional sequel ''Reprise of Evangelion.'' [http://nge.net.ru/end/reprise.jpg] ===Music=== <!-- Possible reference: http://www.entertainmentmanchester.com/music/albumreviews/albums130306.htm <!-- References to track down in the future: "… Kerrang! magazine is reporting that high profile UK rock band Fightstar's new album "Grand Unification" will be based on concepts from Neon Genesis Evangelion (including the album art work and promo videos) …" Thu [[October 20]], [[2005]] http://forums.animeuknews.net/viewtopic.php?t=2580&highlight= --> The UK band [[Fightstar]]'s debut album, ''[[Grand Unification (album)|Grand Unification]]'' is purported to have been heavily influenced by ''Neon Genesis Evangelion''.<ref>"Now, in a remarkable turnaround, Fightstar's debut long-player, Grand Unification, has been called "stunning posthardcore" by Kerrang! magazine; it even put the boys on its cover. The record is inspired by Manga – particularly the Neon Genesis Evangelion series (act like you know). It's about time comics and metal got a pin-up." "GIG Fightstar", by Beth Pearson, from [[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]], [[March 16]], [[2006]], GOING OUT; Pg. 2</ref> The track 'Lost like tears in rain' even contains the lyric "It's Neon Genesis"<!-- How can we reference this? -->. The artwork for the record portrays vast ruined cityscapes that are reminiscent of similar scenes in ''Evangelion''. Fightstar's second album features a track called "Unfamiliar Ceilings", a reference to the Evangelion chapter "Unfamiliar Ceiling", also there is a song named "H.I.P.(enough)" in which H.I.P. means "Human Instrumentality Project". Also the words "Human Instrumentality Project" can be seen in the album insert booklet. [[Fightstar]]'s latest EP 'Deathcar' also features two Evangelion related songs. One titled 'NERV / SEELE' and the other titled 'Shinji Ikari', the back of the EP artwork also shows an image of the 'lance of longinus' visibly separating the two songs from the other tracks. The Mexican electronica/indie group [[Childs]] bears self-admitted Evangelion influences; its sole CD, "Yui", contains some subtle Evangelion sound sampling and a track titled Post: [[Seele]]. The New York noise group [[In Air]] sings about [[Rei II]] in their album "white lake on the moon", namely on the song titled "paper key twins". The anime/videogame musician [[Piano Squall]] created an extented piano instrumental of "[[Cruel Angel Thesis]]" for his release album "[[Game]]". The indie group LeetStreet Boys song "Yuri the Only One", a love song using anime and gaming reference, contains the line, "You're my [[Angel (Neon Genesis Evangelion)|Angel]] out of [[Tokyo-3]]". In the music video, an image of the Third Angel [[Sachiel]] appears. ==Translation notes on the title== {{see also|Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary}} The Japanese title for the series, ''Shin Seiki Evangelion'', is composed of two parts: ''"Shin Seiki"'' {{nihongo||新世紀||new era/century}} from Japanese and ''"Evangelion"'' (εὐαγγέλιον [[Anglicised|Anglicisation]] ''eüaggélion'', [[gospel]], good messenger, good news --etymologically unrelated to the Hebrew word [[Eva|Eva (name)]]) from [[Ancient Greek]]. The decision to call the series ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' in English was originally made by Gainax, and not by translators; the use of the word "Evangelion" in particular was chosen by Anno "because it sounds complicated"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/buried-treasure/2007-05-03 |title=Buried Treasure: Hideaki Anno Talks to Kids |accessdate=2007-05-03 |last=Sevakis |first=Justin |date=[[May 3]], [[2007]] |year=2007 |month=May |format=Web page |publisher=[[Anime News Network]] |language=English |quote="Why is that robot-thingy called Evangelion?" "It comes from a Christian word meaning 'Gospel' and it's supposed to bring blessings. It has some Greek roots. I chose the name because it sounds complicated."}}</ref> It appears in the [[eyecatch]]es of the original, untranslated episodes, and is used by Gainax to market the series worldwide. The title ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' ({{polytonic|νέον γένεσις εὐαγγέλιον}}, New Beginning Gospel) appears to be wholly Greek, except that "genesis" is not grammatically connected to the other two words. ''[[Genesis]]'' (γένεσις) means "origin, source" or "birth, race" and is the Greek title for the first book of the [[Hebrew Scriptures]], describing the creation of the universe and early Hebrew history. (If the title was to be translated to Ancient Greek it would have the form ''Νέας Γενέσεως Εὐαγγέλιον'' [néas ɡenéseɔːs ewːaŋɡélion] "New Beginning’s Gospel", where the two first words are the respective grammatically/syntactically appropriate [[allomorph]]s of ''νέον'' and ''εὐαγγέλιον'' --that is, both genitive case and feminine gender) The Japanese term for the first book in the Bible is {{nihongo|''"Souseiki"''|創世記||Account of the beginning of the world}}, perhaps a wordplay (with two different beginning and ending [[kanji]]) with "Shin Seiki" in the Japanese title. ''Euangelion'' ([[Latin]]ized ''evangelium'') originally referred to a reward offered for good news (''eu'' (εὖ) meaning "good" and ''angelos'' (ἄγγελος) meaning "messenger", and later "messenger of god; angel"), and later came to mean "good news" itself.<ref>Liddell, Henry George with Robert Scott and Henry Stuart Jones. ''A Greek-English Lexicon''. Oxford, 1940.</ref> Eventually it became most commonly associated with the Christian [[gospel]] (from Old English ''gōdspell'' "good story"). It is the source of the English word "evangelist." This dual meaning (message and messenger) may be the reason both the series itself and the "mecha" are called Evangelion. There has been debate over the correct pronunciation of "Evangelion." In the original Japanese version a [[Voiced velar plosive|hard 'g']] ({{IPA2|ɡ}}) pronunciation is used by Japanese characters, and, episode 18 of the series, a native English-speaking announcer. Official secondary dubs, including the English one, use the pronunciation {{IPA|/ˌe.vænˈgɛ.liən/}} with a hard 'g'. On the other hand, in related words in English, such as "evangelist", the 'g' is soft ({{IPA|/dʒ/}}). If the word "Evangelion" were in use in Modern English, the pronunciation would employ a soft 'g'. For the same reason, the pronunciation {{IPA|/ˌi.vænˈdʒɛ.liən/}} (with the [[Close front unrounded vowel|first vowel]] rhyming with "Eve" instead of {{IPA|/e/}}) is not uncommon. The hard 'g' and {{IPA|/e/}} is correct in the original Greek and Japanese, and are the pronunciations preferred by Gainax since ''Evangelion'' is a Greek word. In the first episode, Ritsuko names the robot with a hard 'g' {{IPA|/ˌe.vænˈgɛ.liən/}} when presenting it to Shinji. The three influential organizations, [[Gehirn]], [[NERV]] and [[Seele]], originate from German cognates. Gehirn is translated literally into the English word ''brain'' or ''mind'', referencing it as the brainchild of the EVA Project. NERV comes from the German ''Nerv'' meaning literally ''nerve'', referencing it as the nerves of the EVA Project. Seele, pronounced "Zé-lé" in German, means literally ''soul'', referencing it as the soul of the EVA Project. ==See also== {{portal|Evangelion}} * [[List of Neon Genesis Evangelion media]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} {{refbegin}} * {{cite web | last = AZUMA | first = Hiroki | authorlink = Hiroki Azuma | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.ntticc.or.jp/pub/ic_mag/ic018/intercity/higashi_E.html | title = Anime or Something Like it: Neon Genesis Evangelion | format = | work = | publisher = ''Intercommuncation'' 18 | accessmonthday = August 16 | accessyear = 2006}} <!-- Azuma 4 --> * {{cite book |last=Fujie |first=Kazuhisa |authorlink= |coauthors=Martin Foster |title=Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Unofficial Guide |year=2004 |publisher=DH Publishing, Inc. |location=Tokyo, Japan; printed in the USA |isbn=0-9745961-4-0 }} <!-- Fujie 2004 --> * {{cite journal |last=Napier |first=Susan J. |year=2002 |month=November |title=When the Machines Stop: Fantasy, Reality, and Terminal Identity in ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' and ''Serial Experiments Lain'' |journal=Science Fiction Studies |volume=29 |issue=88 |pages=418–435 |id=ISSN 00917729 |url= http://www.depauw.edu/sfs/abstracts/a88.htm#Napier|accessdate=2007-05-04}} <!-- Napier 2002 --> * {{cite book |last= Takeda |first=Yasuhiro |authorlink=Yasuhiro Takeda |coauthors=Yu Sugitani, Yasuhiro Kamimura, Takayoshi Miwa; translated by Javier Lopez, Jack Wiedrick, Brendan Frayne, Kay Bertrand, Gina Koerner, Hiroaki Fukuda, and Sheridan Jacobs |title=The Notenki memoirs: studio Gainax and the men who created Evangelion |year=2002, 2005 |publisher=ADV Manga |location= |pages=190 |isbn=1-4139-0234-0 }} <!-- Takeda 2002 --> * {{cite journal |last=Wong |first=Amos |year=1996 <!-- ? --> |month=January |title=Interview with Hideaki Anno, director of 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' |journal=Aerial Magazine |url=http://www.aoianime.hu/evangelion/index.php?page=interanno |accessdate=2007-05-04}} {{refend}} ==Further reading== <!-- These are listed in a further reading section because they deal directly with Eva, but haven't been used as references yet. --> <!-- One day go through http://www.corneredangel.com/amwess/titles/nge.html and http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=evangelion+site%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.animeresearch.com%2F&btnG=Google+Search There are a lot of good, even scholarly essays linked. --> * Broderick, Mick. "Anime's Apocalypse: ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' as Millenarian Mecha". '' ''Intersections'' 7, pg 1–11. 2002. * {{ja icon}} Endo, Toru. "Konna kitanai kirei na hi ni wa" ("On a day so beautiful and so ugly"). ''Poppu karuchaa kuritiiku'' (''Pop Culture Critique''), volume 0. 1997. * {{ja icon}} Gainax, [[Newtype (magazine)|NEW-TYPE]]. ''E-Mono: Neon Genesis Evangelion: All Goods Catalog''. ISBN4-04-852868-8 * {{ja icon}} Kotani, Mari. ''Seibo Evangelion'' (''Evangelion as the Immaculate Virgin''). Tokyo: Magajin Hausu. 1997. * {{ja icon}} Kotani, Mari. ''A New Millenialist Perspective On The Daughters Of Eve''. ISBN4-8387-0917-X[http://www.evamonkey.com/writings_horn13.php]. <!-- Possibly the same thing as ''Seibo Evangelion''? --> * June magazine, ed. ''Neon Genesis Evangelion June Tokuhon: Zankoku-Na Tenshi no These'' ("The Neon Genesis Evangelion JUNE Reader: A Cruel Angel's Thesis"). ISBN4-906011-25-X[http://www.evamonkey.com/writings_horn13.php]. * Lippit, Seiji M. ''Topographies of Japanese Modernism''. New York: Columbia UP, 2000 * Morikawa, Kaichiro (ed.). ''The Evangelion Style''. ISBN4-8074-9718-9[http://www.evamonkey.com/writings_horn13.php] * Redmond, Dennis. ''The World is Watching: Video as Multinational Aesthetics 1967–1995'', 2001. * Routt, William. "Stillness and Style in Neon Genesis Evangelion". ''Animation Journal'' 8.2 (Spring 200): 28–43 * Ruh, Brian. ''Terminal Dogma: Essays on Neon Genesis Evangelion''. (Upcoming). * Yamashita, Ikuto and Seiji, Kio. ''Sore Wo Nasumono: Neon Genesis Evangelion Concept Design Works'' ("That which enables that: Neon Genesis…"). ISBN4-04-852908-0[http://www.evamonkey.com/writings_horn13.php] <!-- Note for future editors; Horn made a typo in giving the name as 'Yamashit' and not 'Yamashita'. He uses the correct spelling elsewhere, and you can find through Google that Yamashita did the design for the Evas apparently. --> ==External links== {{wikiquote}} ===Official websites=== * [http://www.geniomax.com/ruben/EVA.html EVA] * [http://www.advfilms.com/titles/evangelion/] * [http://www.madman.com.au/nge/ Madman Entertainment's ''Evangelion'' page] * [http://www.wetaworkshop.co.nz/projects/filmography/film/neon_genesis Weta Workshop concept art] for the planned [[Untitled Evangelion Project|live action Evangelion film]] * {{ja icon}} [http://www.gainax.co.jp/anime/eva/index.html ''Neon Genesis Evangelion''] – Gainax's official ''Evangelion'' page. * {{ja icon}} [http://www.evangelion.co.jp/ 新世紀エヴァンゲリオン] – ''Evangelion'' Website of King Record. ===Articles and information=== * {{imdb title|id=0112159|title=Neon Genesis Evangelion}} * {{ann anime|id=49|title=Neon Genesis Evangelion}} * {{dmoz|Arts/Animation/Anime/Titles/N/Neon_Genesis_Evangelion/|''Neon Genesis Evangelion''}} * [http://web.archive.org/web/20060924212826/http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/features/archive/news/2006/05/20060504p2g00m0fe020000c.html "Evangelion Special: From phenomenon to legacy"] -(''[[Mainichi Daily News]]''; these three links link to [[Internet Archive]] copies) * [http://web.archive.org/web/20070706214435/http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/features/archive/news/2006/05/20060504p2g00m0fe019000c.html "Evangelion Special: Genesis of a major manga"] – (''Mainichi Daily News'') <!-- Original, dead link: http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/features/archive/news/2006/05/20060504p2g00m0fe019000c.html --> * [http://web.archive.org/web/20060831100501/http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/features/archive/news/2006/05/20060506p2g00m0fe031000c.html "Evangelion Special: For producer Otsuki, success not always a bed of roses"] – (''Mainichi Daily News'') <!-- Original, dead link: http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/features/archive/news/2006/05/20060506p2g00m0fe031000c.html --> * {{it icon}} [http://www.terrediconfine.eu/Default.aspx?tabid=594 Neon Genesis Evangelion (Anime Mundi)], detailed production information * [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/editorial/1998-09-09 'The Thin Veneer Known as "Evangelion"'] -(''Anime News Network'') * [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2002-06-11 "Understanding Evangelion"] -(''Anime News Network'') {{Neon Genesis Evangelion}} [[Category:Anime of the 1990s]] [[Category:ADV Films]] [[Category:Anime with original screenplays]] [[Category:Gainax]] [[Category:Tatsunoko Production]] [[Category:Neon Genesis Evangelion|Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[Category:Mecha anime and manga]] [[Category:Drama anime and manga]] [[Category:Viz Media manga]] [[Category:Existentialist works]] [[Category:Apocalyptic fiction]] [[Category:Featured in the Super Robot Wars Series]] [[Category:Seinen]] [[ar:العصر الجديد إيفانجيليون]] [[ca:Evangelion]] [[cv:Çĕнĕ ăру Евангелионĕ]] [[cs:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[da:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[de:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[el:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[es:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[eo:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[fa:نئون جنسیس اونگلیون]] [[fr:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[gl:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[ko:신세기 에반게리온]] [[hr:Shin Seiki Evangelion]] [[id:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[it:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[he:נאון ג'נסיס אוונגליון]] [[la:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[hu:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[nl:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[ja:新世紀エヴァンゲリオン]] [[no:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[pl:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[pt:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[ru:Евангелион]] [[simple:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[sk:Šinsejki Evangelion]] [[fi:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[sv:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[th:อีวานเกเลียน]] [[vi:Shin Seiki Evangelion]] [[tr:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[uk:Neon Genesis Evangelion]] [[zh-yue:新世紀福音戰士]] [[zh:新世纪福音战士]]