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Neon Genesis Evangelion


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Neon Genesis Evangelion could be the most polarising anime series of all time. It's a show that begins like any other mecha series with an interesting setup and some vague hints of symbolism thrown in. Indeed, supposedly the images of crucifixes were only incorporated because they were visually interesting despite their immediate suggestive nature.


But let’s not talk about what the imagery tells us about the deeper root of the story. After a recent re-watch, I reaffirmed what I find to be the strongest aspect of the narrative, and that is its characters.


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The main cast of Shinji, Misato, Asuka, and Rei are puzzles as complex as the plot of the whole series. It’s easy to enjoy the fun interactions between them: the drunkenness, the slapstick comedy, the humorous arguments and the shouting. But dig deeper and these are some of the most socially inept characters put to paper.


Asuka especially begins unlikeable but as she weakens and lets her guard down to the other characters we learn that she is, in fact, a bearer of the many defects that young people face growing up. Her struggles with her self-worth, her complex relationship with her mother and her interactions with the opposite sex evolve her characterisation beyond the arrogant, aggressive young girl she at first appears to be.


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Watching these characters grow, change and reach their personal goals amidst the overarching and underlying story makes Evangelion engaging. It's the representation of human nature through that thrown-together, mixed-up family that has found itself in Misato's home, an accident in desperate circumstances, like so many friendships in reality.


Even when the fantastical otherworld elements are shattering their lives, the human tensions festering even before the series' timeline begins come out dramatically. Watching their interactions in moments of calm and danger, and how they live and breathe in this world is fascinating. They say what they think with hidden meaning behind their words. They say the wrong thing and express their feelings awkwardly, causing arguments and uncomfortable situations. They assess their existence, purpose, and needs. Sometimes these facets are selfish and subjective, irrelevant to the feelings of others.


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These characters are so human that they can be as likeable or dislikeable as any other human beings we, in reality, interact with. The most powerful art splits opinion harshly and Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters do not deserve a lukewarm response.


At its center is Shinji, not your typical shonen, anime hero. Instead of leaping into action, he is scared, fearful, and seemingly unwilling. Instead of discovering the brand new power that enables him to overcome each villain, he scrapes through, his emotions taking such a battering that the concept of mech synchronisation is used to represent his gradually disintegrating state of mind. The fact that his father and mother are so intrinsically tied into the narrative of Neon Genesis Evangelion despite interacting more often with his surrogate family, is most fitting. Consider also that when he is brought into action through the call to arms trope, he does not so willingly, with excitement, or even dread. He is indifferent, following orders because he feels like he almost has to, at least on the surface. The want of his father Gendo's approval is buried deep within him and he hardly shows evidence of it until much later in the series. Instead, he is fearful and timid and struggles to meet the hard stare of his father as he looks down at him from a disapproving distance. He is worthless and coldly accepts the orders given to him like a bullied child, his ego a shred of what it should be.


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Misato too, the alcoholic, is a weak, lonely creature. She is unable to have meaningful, deep relationships with adults and instead, forges relationships with children because that's all her broken psyche can manage. At work she is professional, serious, and harsh, and considering her position in NERV, that's to be accepted. At home with her surrogate family, she is light, fun and bouncy. However, said home, like her emotions, is in a permanent state of mess and chaos. This carefree, fun-loving demeanour is a clear facade as she hides her inability to truly connect on an emotional level with other beings, something that over time, she does overcome through her friendship with Shinji and her acceptance of her relationship with not only her father but her past loves.


So many other characters have weaknesses and flaws that affect their actions and this is what makes these characters so believable, This is the show’s greatest achievement. 

In reality, Neon Genesis Evangelion is less of a mecha show and more of a psychological drama. In my writing and podcast, I have mentioned how important it is for me to relate to characters in a story. If the characters are realistic and believable and their motives are clear and relatable then I can emotionally react to them (good, or bad) and involve myself in whatever greater conflict they face, otherworldly or not.


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Storytelling began with humanity and conflict. Too often have I encountered narratives that lack drive or an understandable, or even present, conflict, instead acting as an excuse for the author to present his lofty ideas and worldbuilding with a loosely constructed plot to tie it all together that frankly, hardly matters at all. I would rather read a Wikipedia entry about the world's details than put myself through a story where I have no emotional investment.


Perhaps Evangellion's greatest mistake is how it tonally swerves viewers despite suggesting that it was never to be your typical shonen or mecha anime early on. Much has been said of how Hideki Anno appeared to turn on his fans, especially regarding the content of the sequel/reimagining of The End of Evangelion. Maybe the foreshadowing should have been more obvious. Maybe, the plan was to ensnare fans into thinking that what they were watching was something akin in tone to the overly joyous intro theme, Cruel Angel's Thesis. Spend some time on message boards, Reddit, YouTube, and it becomes apparent that many viewers were turned off by the unlikable protagonist, shifts into melodrama and the way that many of the characters analyse their feelings. Ironically, all of these aspects have made the original series my favourite anime of all time.


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In reference to less serious, more 'fun' stories, there is always a place. There is nothing wrong with any kind of medium wishing to 'only' entertain. However, Neon Genesis Evangelion is not a story for heroic fantasy and escapism. It is like the greatest art, a reflection of its creator and therefore, of humanity. Because of how deeply Hideko Anno has bared his soul to imbue this creation with life I am honoured and grateful to be given the chance to experience this most potent example of high art in animated form.


 
 
 

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