Is Neon Genesis Evangelion A Good Anime
Gainax
On Friday, Neon Genesis Evangelion, i of the biggest, weirdest, and nigh influential TV serial ever made, is dropping on Netflix. If you lot've heard about the show, you've probably noticed its weird, long name, or maybe did enough Google searches to find out that it's an anime near giant robots fighting behemothic monsters called "Angels," and likewise crying children in cool outfits, and as well Jesus? What? The catastrophe is likewise bad? Or maybe it's good now? Or does it depend on which catastrophe we're talking most??? (Yes, there are a few.)
Don't worry, it all makes sense (well, most of it makes sense), and if you need any more convincing to sentry earlier diving into the show, here'due south your run a risk. Or possibly you started and got kinda lost; that'due south cool also. There's a lot crammed into those 26 half-hour episodes, and we accept the unenviable job of explaining what it's all about.
What is a 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'?
You tin directly interpret the title of the show to "The Gospel of a New Century," which is apt since Evangelion uses a ton of themes and names and events from the Kabbalah, the Bible, and Judaism to mankind out its story. It's nigh fighting Angels who were put on this earth by Lilith (sort of) and i of the weapons used against them is the Lance of Longinus (for you Bible-heads, the spear that pierced the torso of Jesus). The first Angel's name is Adam, the task force fighting the Angels uses a trio of supercomputers chosen the Magi, the robots are called Evangelions or EVAs (or Eve... you lot go it).
But, the show uses those themes to tell a story nigh people using giant robots to fight monsters, a type of story that had been large in anime for decades before Evangelion hitting everyone'southward TV sets. Basically, the entire thing is a deconstruction of the mecha genre, which led to some contention with fans on its initial release back in October of 1995.
What is 'mecha'?
Mecha is a genre of anime (which has at present spread to Hollywood blockbusters) that incorporates giant robots (usually, but not always, humanoid) into a sci-fi narrative near how dope it is to utilise giant robots to fight stuff and save people. Gundam is mecha, Transformers is mecha, Voltron is mecha. What Evangelion did that pissed a lot of people off was it took the mecha genre and all its conceits and turned them on its head, creating a claustrophobic, sometimes downright horrific meditation on what information technology means to be human and why people suffer and whether expiry and oblivion is better than the constant struggle to survive in a world that wants to impale yous.
What is 'anime'?
Okay, you might be… in the wrong place.
Why is it such a big deal that Evangelion is on Netflix?
Neon Genesis Evangelion has never been streamable earlier. It came out in the mid-1990s, which was manner earlier streaming, manifestly, and had a few runs on Television receiver on American channels, like the Anime Network and Drawing Network, but unless yous were lucky enough to grab it there or have enough money to spend on the pricey DVD and Blu-ray versions, you're pretty much out of luck when information technology comes to watching information technology online legally. (There are, of course, enough of sketchy anime streaming sites with those horny sidebar ads that yous tin can effort, as well as the requisite trophy of pirates, but I can't in proficient conscience recommend that.) It existence on probably the biggest streaming service known to man means it's readily available to everyone, fans also every bit newbies, and we won't have to go through any complicated backchannels anymore to get at it. Non to mention it's on Netflix worldwide, so we can all go on this journeying together!
What'southward information technology all about?
It'southward the extremely futuristic year of 2015 (this came out in 1995, retrieve), a semi-surreptitious organization called NERV has congenital giant battle robots in order to fight off a very scary and very powerful forcefulness of beasts called Angels, who announced from an unknown source. Fifteen-year-old Shinji Ikari arrives at Tokyo-iii on the summons from his estranged father, and it'southward explained to him that he'south the only person who can pilot one of these robots, a huge majestic and green EVA called Unit-01. Over the course of the season, Shinji meets fellow pilots Rei Ayanami, a tranquility, resigned girl who is nonetheless very skillful at fighting in her robot, Unit of measurement-00, and the fiery and overconfident Asuka Langley Soryu manning Unit 0-2, as well as his commanding officeholder Misato Katsuragi, scientist Ritsuko Akagi, and very hot and rugged detective Ryoji Kaji. Merely all is not as it seems at NERV, presided over by Shinji's male parent Gendo, who seems to have a secret understanding virtually the Angels, where they come up from, and what it's all leading to.
Okay, at present I'grand set up for some of the real deets. What's an EVA?
That's a can of worms for which you should click over this fashion to figure it out. Fair warning: Knowing exactly what'due south going on with the EVAs is a pretty major plot spoiler.
What are Angels?
Angels are giant beasts that come up from some unknown identify (which you lot find out about later in the series, along with a whooooooole lot of other, increasingly weird revelations) to terrorize humanity. It all started with something chosen the "Second Impact" on September 13, 2000, which the United Nations claims was a meteorite crashing to Earth in Antarctica at lite speed. It altered Earth's centrality and caused a global cataclysm, changing weather patterns and launching devastating tsunamis. The survivors rebuilt the world in the ensuing 15 years subsequently enduring more conditions catastrophes and civil wars, but nevertheless endure from the trauma of the years in between.
Of course, in stories similar this, governments prevarication. Without spoiling too much, the Second Impact actually has to do with an experiment conducted using one of the Angels -- the start one, named Adam. Afterward the 2nd Impact occurred, a mysterious global shadow arrangement called Seele could predict that, 15 years from that event, the commencement Angels would appear and endeavour to destroy humanity.
The Angels all have wildly varying shapes and sizes, some animal in nature, some modeled after insects, and some after simple geometric shapes or shapes we've never even seen before. They're all named after angels that appeared in Judeo-Christian texts: Shinji and his fellow Evangelion pilots fight off Angels with names like Ramiel, Sandalphon, Gaghiel, and Bardiel, who all possess major destructive power, as well every bit a special core that must be pierced to kill them.
What is NERV?
The serial picks upward in 2015, 15 years after Second Bear upon, when the beginning Affections, Sachiel, attacks the rebuilt Tokyo-3. Underneath Tokyo-iii is a massive hush-hush space that houses NERV Headquarters, the organization that was put together after Second Impact to discover a mode to fight the Angels. They respond directly to the United Nations. NERV -- and its commander, Gendo Ikari -- congenital the Evangelions.
What is an AT Field?
Throughout the series, you will hear the phrase "AT Field," which all the Angels and Evangelions possess. (In the title sequence, the phrase "Absolute Terror Field" flashes for one one-half of a second.) It'due south a forcefield that can be projected around an Angel or an EVA to protect information technology, varying in force, depending on how strong the Angel or the pilot-EVA synchronization is. They're usually octagonal in shape, and invisible unless making contact with a powerful strength. Some of the Angels use them to attack stuff, too, Sahaquiel using its AT Field to destroy a bunch of satellites.
Does Shinji ever become in the robot?
"Make it the fucking robot, Shinji" is a very popular EVA meme near characters being forced to practice things they don't desire to practice that is better explained here. All you need to know is that he does go far the robot in the get-go episode, and many times afterwards that. Aye, I was shocked, besides.
Is at that place a cute beast?
YES there is a PENGUIN and his name is PENPEN and he is VERY Good nosotros Honey him.
Should I employ Netflix'due south 'Skip Intro' function?
No.
Should I watch the sub or the dub?
*looks straight into photographic camera like I'm in The Office*
Yeah, okay, anime fans can be assholes nearly this sometimes, but, wait, more often than not, the sub -- that is, watching the testify with subtitles in your preferred linguistic communication if y'all don't know Japanese -- is always better. The only case I know of where this is not truthful is Cowboy Bebop, whose English-language vox actors are commonly idea to be actually, really skillful.
The show is controversial, right?
As I said before, it'due south a deconstruction of a beloved genre. Before 1995, information technology was dope to pilot huge robots and get heroes fighting kaiju and saving the world. What Evangelion posits is… what if it actually sucked? What if having the weight of saving the globe on your shoulders, every bit well as the prospect of watching your friends suffer and maybe dice every mean solar day sent you spiraling into a major depression and gave you lot nightly panic attacks? The show is tricky about this, too: when information technology starts off, it seems to follow the beats of whatever other mecha show earlier revealing its truthful intentions. A lot has been said virtually the creator, Hideaki Anno, who fell into a deep low himself after completing his previous project, an anime serial chosen Nadia: The Secret of Bluish Water(inspired by the stories of Jules Verne and a concept by Hayao Miyazaki), and after a planned sequel to some other project he worked on, Regal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise, was scrapped.
In its back half, Evangelion sheds the mecha format altogether, becoming a mind-angle, nigh psychedelic (just non in a fun style) psychological test of the minds of all of its principal characters, besides every bit all-encompassing philosophizing on the nature of humanity itself. Anno himself has said that the arc of the series reflects his 4-twelvemonth depression. Episodes 25 and 26 wait and feel completely separate from the residuum of the serial, partially due to truncated funding, which forced the animation studio to use a lot of still images and paw-drawings, and also due to the fact that Anno only couldn't decide on an ending until the eleventh hour.
As the show began to reveal its true intentions in the 2nd half of the series, some fans began to sour on its weird psychoanalytical mumbo-colossal and focus on character examinations rather than plot and cool robot-monster fights. The final two episodes angered tons of viewers, who had no idea what to do with this odd, ambiguous determination to something that started out so cut-and-dry. (You thought Game of Thrones fans were mad????) Anno responded to the fan outrage, which led him and animation studio Gainax to retool the ending a few more times in new projects after the series concluded: Finish of Evangelion and Expiry & Rebirth, which likewise hits Netflix the same fourth dimension as the core anime.
Information technology has multiple endings!?!?!???
The ending of Evangelion has been retooled twice, in response to fan demands, with a new 1 on the mode in the side by side year. (Yes, as in, like, 2020.) We have the originally broadcast Episodes 25 and 26 of the series. Then we accept 1997's Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth, the first of a number of films to come up afterward the serial, which retold the first 24 episodes in a 67-minute clip show (Decease) earlier redoing the catastrophe with 27 minutes of all new animation (Rebirth).
And then came the gorgeous, bruising End of Evangelion, also in 1997, which uses the new bits of Rebirth too as more new animation to completely re-do the final two episodes of the evidence… once again. This catastrophe is more along the lines of what fans of a mecha anime would expect (i.e. big battles, sacrifices, explosions, and the hero winning in the cease… sorta), but still contains Anno'southward original themes of psychoanalysis and introspection, culminating in one extreme downer of an ending.
And and then there are the new movies, collectively referred to every bit Rebuild of Evangelion (which Netflix won't have), which totally reboot the entire original serial with new blitheness, the employ of CG animation, and new directors. (Anno is still credited every bit a full general manager and writer.) Rebuild consists of four films, the first in 2007, the second in 2009, the tertiary in 2012, and the fourth scheduled for 2020, that retell the original Evangelion story, adding new scenes and characters and by and large intended to exist more accessible to a wider international audience of new fans. And, yes, the fourth motion-picture show volition have another new ending. What did y'all await?
If information technology's so damn weird and confusing, WHY is it such a big deal?
Evangelion is notable for many, many reasons. It turned an unabridged decades-sometime genre of anime on its caput, angering many only impressing far more. It pretty much singlehandedly created worldwide otaku culture -- that is, the obsessive fan civilization surrounding anime and manga in all its forms -- bringing a subculture of Japanese fandom into the mainstream, which was actually function of Anno'southward intentions when creating the series. Mind you, things likePokemon andDragon Ball Zdidn't exist yet.Evangelion aired when anime TV shows were in a major slump after Nippon'south economical crisis in the 1990s, revitalizing the fine art form and paving the manner for countless projects that came subsequently information technology. Information technology sold -- and continues to sell -- approximately a gajillion dollars' worth of merch, from T-shirts to amiibos to $400 vinyl figurines to wigs to duvet covers to jail cell phones to laptops to pachinko machines. Characters from Evangelion tin be seen in posters in stores and on walls of buildings effectually Japan sans context. Everyone knows who they are.
Its influence can be found in a boatload of anime series and movies that came after information technology, and it'southward even seeped into some of today'southward Hollywood movies (more than on that beneath). The character design of Rei has been copied over and over, and is still one of the most popular characters in cosplay. The design of the EVAs themselves, sleeker and stealthier than mechas had looked before, influenced mecha designs in tons of subsequent series.
This sounds cool. What else out there is like it?
Evangelion both influenced and was influenced by a massive feedback loop of pop culture spanning roughly the last vi or 7 decades that is honestly too intimidating to even try to get into here. For starters, though, if you lot're at all familiar with the concept of movies, you lot've probably heard of this little indie series called Transformers, which is itself based on a number of animated Telly shows about giant robots engaged in perpetual civil war and the trivial humans who help them out. Transformers is a property of toy company Hasbro; the thing about annihilation mecha is that it you're pretty much guaranteed to sell A LOT of toys.)
If you merely want to get your grubby little paws on some of that real, real good mecha anime shit, there are a few easy places to first. Y'all can e'er go with the classics, similar 1979's Mobile Conform Gundam, the very first Gundam series that launched a similar global phenomenon about battle robot suits piloted past genetically enhanced psychics who fight in space against a colonizing force in the future. Similar Evangelion, Gundam merch continues to sell through the roof, and plastic Gundam figurines even accept their own term! (Pro-tip: A lot of the Gundamsouthward are available on Hulu.)
Netflix recently rebooted Voltron, an American mecha series from the 1980s nigh a team of people who pilot a behemothic super-robot fabricated upwardly of a bunch of smaller robot vehicles that can combine themselves together. Sometimes the vehicles are animals, like the king of beasts-robots of the first series, and sometimes they're more like the cars of Transformers. You tin can also attempt out Gunbuster, a very Ender'south Game-y mecha anime near a team of girl pilots who learn how to control giant robot suits, that was Evangelion manager Hideaki Anno's directorial debut. If you're looking for another modern serial, Hiroyuki Imaishi (an animator and animation director who worked on Fullmetal Alchemist and one of the Rebuild movies) created the hilarious, slick Gurren Lagann in 2007: an anime series near a young boy in a dystopian future who discovers a giant robot caput buried in the ground that fights with a big drill. Normal and cool! (And available on Netflix!)
Guillermo del Toro's 2013 movie Pacific Rim, almost giant robots powered by teams of humans that fight off giant alien beasts from deep in the ocean, borrowed a ton of concepts from the genre, and is said by the director himself to exist his own love letter to the stories he loved every bit a kid. I tin can't necessarily say that the 2004 reboot of classic sci-fi serial Battlestar Galactica was influenced by any anime, least of all Neon Genesis Evangelion, only that show took a similarly daring (and controversial) approach to telling a sci-fi story steeped in recognizable religious allegory and imagery. It has a cool name, though, and that's very anime.
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Emma Stefansky is a staff entertainment writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @stefabsky.
Source: https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/what-is-neon-genesis-evangelion-netflix-anime-series
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