Neon Genesis Evangelion Review

Note: This is a spoiler-free review.

There comes a time when one gains knowledge of a certain story or event, in any form, that boggles his or her mind beyond comprehension. You don't know how you feel about it. Do you hate it or love it? It's definitely not just 'average' if it could evoke such uncertainty and conflict within you.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is that story for me. Animated by Gainax and created by Hideaki Anno, it is the tale of a fourteen-year old boy named Shinji Ikari and the unstable world he resides in. Shinji's father is the commander of an organisation known as NERV and his mother is a lost memory. At a very young age, he was abandoned by his father. In essence, Shinji is purposeless and neglected. When mysterious creatures known as Angels start attacking Tokyo, the young boy is recruited by his father to pilot the fighting machine known as the Evangelion. This is how Shinji is thrown into a gruesome reality he is absolutely unwilling to confront.

The Evangelion requires a certain amount of nerve synchronisation with its pilot, which is why all the pain of damage served to the machine is also inflicted upon the pilot. Thus begins Shinji's fight against obscure enemies known as the Angels.

NGE is often referred to as a classic masterpiece of utmost influence by the average anime viewer for its powerful psychological implications and startling symbolism. The creator himself was victim to various psychological problems, and partially because of this, the ugly realities of the human mind were brought to life in most frightening manners on screen.

STORY (8.7/10):

While the basis of NGE is not entirely unique, its manner of execution- as convoluted as it may be- more than compensates for that. Everything has been done before, and because of this, the quality of uniqueness comes only from presentation, perspective, and execution. NGE is quite possibly one of the best deconstructions of the mecha genre to date, using the mecha aspect in a way that is not only unique, but thought-provoking and perturbing.

NGE is one of 'those' anime. Yes, 'those' that do not acknowledge the direct translation of the term storytelling. More often than not, it is entirely up to the viewer to disassemble the events taking place on screen, and then reassemble them in a comprehensible manner so as to follow the complexity that is Neon Genesis Evangelion.

CHARACTERS (9.0/10):

The characters of NGE are one of its strongest points, but also one of its major downfalls. In a nutshell, they all suffer from various types of psychological trauma. Each character has his or her own coping mechanism to carry on with his or her everyday life (be it effective or not), allowing the viewer the opportunity to both compare and contrast these methods. In this regard, NGE does not falter in retaining an unyielding and well-established sense of realism in its portrayal of how the events that a character experiences affect his or her mental state of being.

A popular interpretation of Shinji Ikari's character is that of a spineless coward. I cannot disagree more. He is a young boy victim to severe neglect, and as a result, experiences social awkwardness, the curse we call loneliness, and more tragic circumstances that I dare not reveal. For someone already so psychologically disturbed to be flung headfirst into such a stressful and nerve-wracking position warrants genuine sympathy and kindness from us viewers. Unlike most young characters in similar settings, Shinji's personality is most faithful to reality.

However, the extent of the psychological tribulations they face are difficult for most regular viewers to relate to. They are extremely 'messed up'- for lack of better term, sometimes having entire episodes dedicated to showcasing their unstable mental states towards the latter half of the series. Most of the main characters are developed to a level that hits so close to home that it's frightening. Contrarily, the side characters receive little to no attention and development, often playing meaningless roles.

Towards the end of the series, this diverse cast starts to feel more distant than realistic, and more confusing than disturbing. NGE paints pictures of the unstable mind in ways that can be difficult to understand for many. Because of this, the regular viewer cannot draw the parallels between characters as is expected of them. This is, perhaps, the fault of execution.

ANIMATION (7.8/10):

Gainax distributed its small budget very peculiarly in this series. While the fight scenes between the Evangelions and Angels were animated with incredible fluidity and detail, more dialogue-based scenes and character interactions were an array of still frames with little to no movement. Many a time, the characters even took positions in which their mouths were covered, or the camera was zoomed out far enough to 'justify' the lack of lip movement, as if to avoid animating it. It is understandable to an extent that they had budget issues, but a more balanced distribution could have accounted for a much more effective execution, most particularly at the very end of NGE.

There is a considerable amount of both visual and direct symbolism in NGE, particularly Christian (take the explosions in the shape of crosses, "Melchior", "Balthasar", "Adam", "Angels", as examples). NGE does not make the effort to conceal these symbols, and for me this was a positive point because referencing the Christian religion inadvertently leads into a deeper, more human context. It isn't excessive to the point of becoming a distraction, but it isn't ignorable either.

There isn't much more to criticise about the animation. A comparison to present day anime would be unreasonable. In its time, it was a spectacular achievement worthy of ample praise.

MUSIC AND SOUND (8.7/10):

"A Cruel Angel's Thesis" by Yoko Takahashi was the opening song of NGE. It has topped many people's lists as their favourite opening of all time, and with reason. Accompanied by visuals that match the upbeat music, "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" is undeniably one of the more memorable openings. The lyrics to this song were written with Shinji Ikari as its subject, making it extremely fitting. The same cannot be said about the generic ending. Though the music isn't terrible on its own, it's too dull to watch every time.

The soundtrack within the series is an excellent and bone-chilling compilation of various battle themes ("Decisive Battle" being one of the more memorable ones) as well as emotional and heart-wrenching music that is employed with commendable attention to tension as well as detail.

OVERALL (8.4/10):

Do I personally like Neon Genesis Evangelion? I'm not entirely sure. There are definitely select portions of it that I love dearly, but there exist others that simply leave me staring at the screen with incoherent, muddled feelings. Do I recommend this anime? Absolutely. Every person who calls themselves a fan of anime should watch the original series at least once.

I'm not going to provide an in depth discussion about the ending for two reasons. Firstly, I have mixed feelings about it. It was indeed confusing and out of place, but somehow left me with a sense of completion and satisfaction. Secondly, it is an extremely controversial topic in the anime community, so it all depends on your taste. My first thought after watching it was "a twisted ending to a twisted, but excellent, series".

Neon Genesis Evangelion is an unforgettable experience, one that cannot be appreciated by everyone, but is too influential and important to dismiss.