Neon Genesis Evangelion is a Must-Watch for Anyone, Here’s Why
Jingwei Zhao
Neon Genesis Evangelion. This show requires no introduction, as it has been widely considered a pop culture phenomenon for the past three decades.
I watched this anime a few months ago back in April, and needless to say, I was hooked right from the start. Before I decide to watch any movie or TV show, I always make sure to read the reviews. The same can be said for Evangelion. I quickly searched it up on Google, and instantly noticed the 100% score it earned on Rotten Tomatoes. Then, I immediately went onto Netflix to watch the show.
I will try to make this review as spoiler-free as possible, but there may be some essential aspects revealed, as I cannot fully provide a review without telling parts of the story. Let’s start off this review with the show’s iconic opening. In my opinion, the opening song is incredible, and countless fans online have echoed the sentiment. The vocals are beautiful, and the mood is very uplifting. The name of the song is “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” and it is performed by Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi. The theme song is considered one of the most famous in all of anime, but enough about the introduction. Let’s move on to the actual plot itself.
The show is set in 2015, where an alien race called “Angels” is attacking Earth. The goal of the aliens is to reunite with their creator, Adam, who is trapped deep underground. However, this event would cause the destruction of Earth, which is why a secret organization called NERV was created. Their mission is to create something that can fight and destroy the angels. To do that, they created giant, sentient robots called Evas.
The mechas need pilots to operate them, and with three Evas, there are three pilots. The first pilot is a 14-year-old girl named Rei Ayanami, who is very quiet and obedient. The second pilot and main character is a 14-year-old boy named Shinji Ikari. He suffers from loneliness, constant self-loathing, and displays signs of depression and anxiety. The third and final pilot is named Asuka Langley Soryu, and although she puts on a prideful persona, her mental state deteriorates throughout the series until she deems herself worthless.
The show begins as a colorful anime with likeable characters, realistic settings that captivate the audience, and well-animated fight scenes, which are all typical for the mecha anime genre. I personally love the animation style of this anime, as the 90s aesthetic makes it appear both old and fresh all at once. The first few episodes convey Shinji’s character effortlessly. He has little confidence, does what he is told, and experiences multiple instances of self-conflict. Shinji also has a tense relationship with his father, as although Shinji wants to get close to him, he also despises his father’s lack of care or emotions towards him, leading to him feeling helpless multiple times throughout the show.
As the show continues, more angels come, but the Evas and NERV always manage to stop them. Throughout the process, we are given more character development as the true nature of each character is revealed to the audience. Eventually, the flaws of each major character are fully displayed for the viewers. From episode 20 onward, the show turned from an exhilarating and emotional mecha anime to almost a complete psychological drama.
Neon Genesis Evangelion expertly portrays loneliness and self-conflict. For example, a big part of the anime is Shinji’s thought process and problems with himself, which are shown multiple times. All of the characters’ strengths and flaws are examined in the context of the ambiguous and controversial ending. Since I don’t want to spoil the ending for you, I’ll just say that although there are multiple loose ends, I am satisfied with the outcome Shinji achieves. Since many fans were left dissatisfied with the original TV show ending, the “End of Evangelion” movie was created. Hence, if you ever choose to watch this anime, be sure to watch the movie as well, and the rebuild series if you are interested.
Evangelion is hugely popular throughout Japan, and its impact on the world is significant enough that its community remains active today. The anime has multiple fan-made pages, countless pieces of merch, and many analysis videos regarding its psychological aspects. The show was first broadcast in 1995, and three decades later, the number of fans continues to grow. This show explores themes of escapism and existentialism, and leaves you questioning yourself and what your purpose in life is; or at least that’s what it did to me. Many fans have also expressed that they were going through depression when they watched Evangelion, but the show helped comfort them or give them a sense of relatability.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and this show has its flaws as well. Sometimes, the show occasionally left some noteworthy mistakes that confused the audience. One of its main messages was that you should live life to the fullest, and that despite the world having many difficult and painful things, it is still worth living in. However, instead of successfully teaching the audience that escapism is an unsatisfying way to live, the majority of fans used the show as a means for escapism, effectively ruining its original purpose.
Still, this show is a must-watch, and I am so grateful I got to experience it. I would recommend this anime to anyone and everyone, and I’m hugely appreciative of what it has done for me. Thank you, Evangelion.
