Anime to Watch: Neon Genesis Evangelion

Oh boy. This is an interesting one. Neon Genesis Evangelion is a show every anime fan has at least heard of, and with good reason. There’s nothing else like it out there to this day. That's saying a lot since this came out in 1995. Sure it has mechas, monsters, and your classic timid anime boy protagonist, but there is just so much going on with this show…where do you even start?

Something I find interesting about it is that I’ve rarely found anyone who has a neutral feeling about this show. It tends to be love it or hate it, and I can see why. I have to admit this show isn’t for everyone, but I’d still recommend at least watching two episodes to see what you think.

Evangelion is all about survival. Humans have been driven underground by the arrival of giant monsters called Angels. The humans have developed Evas, equally giant mechas, to fight the Angels and prevent the end of the world as we know it. High stakes, right? What’s more, the Evas can only be piloted by children. Enter an iconic cast, timid and lost Shinji, cool and mysterious Rei, and outspoken and confident Asuka.

Where to even begin. I’ll go with the characters since I’ve just mentioned them. For a show with an insane end of the world plot, the actually focuses more on the internal journeys of the characters more than the big battles. Shinji is the main character, and it’s his journey that gets the most focus. When I say he’s timid, I mean it takes the whole first episode just to get in the Eva and fight (cue the “Shinji, get in the robot” memes). The series revolves around Shinji’s mental struggles about being afraid and running from his problems instead of facing them and being brave. Fighting the Angels becomes a way for him to start taking charge of things in his life and to literally face his enemies.

Characters like Rei and Asuka are great opposites to him. Rei has a quiet resignation to her duty of piloting her Eva, while Asuka has a very loud approach to the way she pilots. The two are opposites, but both are clearly the most comfortable in their Evas. They inspire different types of emotions in Shinji, and experience their own hardships throughout the series as well. Asuka is a particular favorite for me, and the more cracks start to appear in her outward demeanor, the more my heart breaks, no matter how many times I watch it. Overall, the characters are compelling, even minor ones. They all have distinct motivations and histories, and they get established personalities in a short amount of time.

I’ve kept specifics of the characters’ actions vague on purpose. This show is a doozy. Part of the reason it’s so polarizing is because of how metaphorical and philosophical it gets. What starts as a “giant robots fight giant creatures” plot quickly becomes much more. From the naming of the Angels, to crosses all over the place, the amount of biblical imagery is staggering. It makes for a fascinating watch though. I know I'll be doing another re-watch at some point to try and work through all the bible references. I've got to put that Catholic upbringing to use somehow. I love trying to piece everything together and figure out what all the symbolism means. If you like analyzing things, you’ll have a blast with Eva, even if it can seem confusing at times. I thought of the show like a puzzle, and to be honest I still haven’t put everything together. The open-endedness to it all might either infuriate or delight you, it’s hard to predict which.

Evangelion also deserves a ton of praise for its animation. The creature designs in particular are awesome. The Evas are these skinny robots that look cool, but also a little scary. As the series goes on, that little twinge of fear you get when you see them starts to make sense, and you start to feel a little more unsettled the more you see them. In particular, the first Berserker scene (and no I won’t explain what that means, you have to find out yourself!) still gives me chills every time I watch it. The Angels also have some of the most distinct designs around as well. While some are actual creatures that walk and physically fight with the Evas, some are unseen, and one is even a big floating diamond. Every episode brings a new Angel, and it’s fun to see what wild designs and abilities they come up with next. Because each Angel is so different, the fights are all just as varied, giving tons of new fighting styles and tactics to feast your eyes on. One fight is a choreographed sequence that you'll want to watch over and over again. You won’t be bored, that’s for sure.

Oh, and did I mention that opening? You may have heard it before, it’s only one of the most iconic openings in anime history. It's so 90s, and so catchy. See what I mean down below.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a classic for a reason. It’s unique, has some unforgettable action, tense mental battles, and everything in between. Not to mention with all the different spinoffs and continuations out there, you can find tons more to watch if you like it. I would recommend going to End of Evangelion afterwards. Evangelion is one you have to experience to have an opinion on; it’ll drive you crazy in either a good way or a bad. In the very least, you can enjoy the opening.