Neon Genesis Evangelion

There are many Mecha anime out there, but almost all of them can be traced back to a common root. A root so iconic and memorable that nobody can deny its place amidst the entirety of Anime too. Its uncanny mix of Action, Sci-Fi, Psychological, and Mecha genres took audiences by surprise and took them all for a ride they could never forget. By now, most can guess this title without much hassle; it can be none other than Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Shinseiki Evangelion is a 26 episode TV anime series that aired from the 4th of October 1995 until the 27th of March 1996 as a Fall 1995 title. It was produced by TV Tokyo, Kadokawa Shoten, Nihon Ad Systems, and Audio Tanaka, licensed by ADV Films, GKIDS, and Netflix and brought to life by Studios Gainax and Tatsunoko Production.

The main staff behind its creation includes Anno Hideaki as Producer, Director, Script, Storyboard, Mechanical Design, Creator and Key Animation, Kobayashi Noriko as Producer, Yamaga Hiroyuki as Producer and Takahashi Tomoko as Assistant Producer. Featuring the dynamic genres of Action, Sci-Fi, Dementia, Psychological, Drama, and Mecha, the series is nothing short of ambitious and received a rating of PG-13 for teens 13 years or older.

Director Hideaki Anno was essential in the production; thus, the dark themes of Neon Genesis Evangelion stemmed from his depression at the time. But of course, this led to many budgetary issues and even complaints from parents regarding the sensitive content. This ultimately led to the original ending getting scrapped and replaced by an extremely limited-animation ending that breaks from the main plot. Later a movie titled End of Evangelion was spawned based partly on the initially planned conclusion and partly on Anno's increasing frustration with the whole otaku fanbase owing to their feedback.

This peculiar series of his mixes in psychoanalysis, religious symbolism, and even genre deconstruction, all of which proved highly influential on mature audiences back in the late '90s and even today. In acknowledgment of this, the Japan Media Arts Festival of 2006 ranked NGE as the most popular anime of all time!

The NGE anime was adapted from the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” 14 Volume Manga series by Author and Artist Sadamoto Yoshiyuki. This manga ran from December 26th, 1994, until June 4th, 2013. A movie titled “Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth” was also released as a Summary in March 1997.

A sequel movie by the title “Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion” was released in July 1997 as well. A number of alternative versions were released: the “Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone” movie of 2007, the “Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance” film of 2009, the “Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo” movie of 2012 and the “Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time” movie of 2021.

A spin-off ONA series by the title “Petit Eva: Evangelion@School” ran for 24 episodes from 2007 to 2009. Other related works included the “Peaceful Times (F02) Petit Film” movie, the “Nihon Animator Mihonichi” ONA series, the “Evangelion: Another Impact (VR)” movie, the ”Evangelion Shito, Hakata Shuurai” movie, the “Shin Gengou Nyankogelion” promotional music video, the “Schick x Evangelion” Special, the “Attack Zero x Evangelion” ONA and the “Ayanami Rei, Hajimete no Kuchibeni” ONA.

The story of NGE is set in the year 2015 when the human world lies at the very brink of sheer destruction. Humanity has one last hope, though, a special agency named Nerv under the United Nations and their Evangelions, which are giant machines (mechas) capable of battling the very Angels that bring forth Earth's ruin. Gendou Ikari is the head of this fateful organization and is looking for compatible pilots who can synchronize with the Evangelions, bringing forth their true potential.

He is not alone in this defensive endeavor as he is aided by other talented personnel, including Misato Katsuragi, the Head of Tactical Operations, and Ritsuko Akagi, the Chief Scientist. Protagonist Shinji Ikari is made to face his father for the first time in many years, and this 14-year-old boy’s average life takes a complete twist once he is whisked away into the depths of Nerv. Now faced with a harrowing new destiny, he is tasked with becoming the pilot of the Evangelion Unit-01 and now carries the heavy burden of humanity’s fate on his shoulders.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is the heroic tale of Shinji, who is destined to become a legend like no other. Even then, this psychological drama has so much more in store for unsuspecting fans as it unfolds ancient secrets hidden beneath the bigger picture, bubbling to the surface one by one…..

Shinji’s father is shown to be somewhat estranged, cold, and calculating. He simply orders him to pilot the titular Evangelion and fend off the monster attacking Tokyo-3. This city is under NERV and hosts its headquarters.

The attacking Angel monsters seem to be almost unbeatable, with humanity’s weapons having little to no effect on them. Only the Evangelion Biomechs piloted by selected 14-year-olds can ever hope to stop them. As simple as the initial premise is, everything gets very complicated as the story progresses.

An unprecedented amount of mystery, suspense, twists, and turns are scattered throughout the plot, almost all of which are brain-cell-intensive and exceedingly interesting.

NGE is all about its key characters. Shinji is relatable, believable, and sympathetic, while the downsides are that he can be overly emotional and annoying at times. No viewer would want Shinji to become a typical hero and save the day while smiling, which would be humanly impossible.

This aspect is integrated perfectly into the series. Shinji's mental struggle is portrayed masterfully via complex monologues and a number of cinematic techniques. On the other hand, Asuka and Rei are shown to be polar opposites and ingenious characters. All of their character development is immense and very interesting consistently. The very core of NGE lies in deep character exploration and growth.

The Art and Animation of NGE are unique. The Evangelions are colorful and sharp, while the Angels are striking and memorable. The Angels take on diverse forms as well, avoiding the “repetitive” bullet. The action is consistently exciting, fresh, and enjoyable. Judeo-Christian references are all over NGE, and despite the harsh criticism, the symbolism is legendary, evocative, and visually mind-blowing.

These references nudge at the deeper meanings of the series very subtly. The Animation seldom fails to be crisp and clear, the visuals are stunning, and the scenes are ever so memorable. The somewhat provocative imagery in NGE comes off as both shocking and awe-inspiring too. The first episode gives viewers a warning for what they are in for while providing occasional visual gags.

The Sounds and Music do not fall short either, being extremely memorable. It does a great job setting the right mood and tone, whether inspirational trumpets or nuanced, reflective tunes. The OSts go with each of the characters as well. The sound effects are on point too. The Opening theme is "Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis (A Cruel Angel's Thesis)" by Yoko Takahashi is a fan favorite viewers would not tire of experiencing over and over again. The ending theme is "Fly Me to the Moon" by Claire, presented in many different versions throughout the series.

Overall, NGE is the masterpiece it is hyped up to be. Just be sure to watch the movie “End of Evangelion” after finishing this series for an extraordinary conclusion. It is definitely one of the best and most iconic anime series ever spawned. Each episode is immensely entertaining. NGE is a must-watch for all anime fans, even those not interested in the Mecha genre. We highly recommend it!