Neon Genesis Evangelion premieres on TV Tokyo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fshlvhcfhig

On this day 30 years ago, The Gospel of the Origin of Neon Lights It was broadcast on Tokyo TV for the first time. Directed by Hideaki Anno, the groundbreaking series revolves around sentient biomechanical weapons (EVAS) (EVA) and mysterious and powerful creatures called Angels. Unlike typical mecha anime, it explores the themes of the existence struggles of trauma, depression, and the world’s meaning. In the so-called “Lost Decade”, this story resonates with Japanese audiences when the country is difficult.

Introduction to the protagonist Shinji Ikari

Several characters in the story resonate with the audience, especially the protagonist Shinji Ikari, published by Megumi Ogata. Subverting the typical hero archetype, he is an introverted and flawed person who strives to create meaningful relationships with others and escape confrontation. After the sudden death of his mother Yui, Shinji is abandoned by her father Gendo, who works on a project called the “Human Tools”. A few years later, his father asked Shinki to drive a giant mecha called “Evangelical” to protect the three cities of Tokyo from angels.

Originally considered a modern version of Victor Frankenstein, Gendo is an emotionally transcendent Japanese father who presided over the special Agency Nev dedicated to the study and annihilation of angels. Shinji desperately wanted to please him and then acquiesced to his needs despite suffering from deep psychological problems. Anno antenna Magazine Naji does reflect my character, both conscious and unconscious. “But, he smiled, “I was not abandoned by my father or anything else. ”

According to character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Anno initially asked the protagonist to be a female. However, after Anno’s first two series, Cannonball and Nadia: The Secret of Blue Waterhe felt a little boycotted about making the protagonist a girl again. “I mean, a robot should be driven by a trained person, and if that person happens to be a girl, that’s fine, but I can’t see why a young girl drives a robot.” explain Sadamatto. Finally, they went to a frustrated 14-year-old boy with abandonment issues.

Evangelical Pilot

“The reason the main character is 14 is that he is no longer a child, but an adult.” explain Anno in an interview with magazine newtype In 1996. “He lives alone, but is closely related to others. Over the past few centuries, he will soon celebrate his next year. At that time, life expectancy was 50 years, so people have to grow up in 14 years. Today, we are living in our 70s… Given that “age 14 years old” and because my mind starts independence, I find the rightness of this work.”

The other two main pilots in the series – Rei Ayanami (Unit -00) and Asuka Langley Soryu (Unit -02) – are the same age as Shinji. Anno initially proposed that the female character as the protagonist is said to be the latter, or at least a very similar person to her. She was a fiery and highly competitive pilot of childhood trauma and was designated as her second child. Asuka’s Yuko Miyamura expression in the series, Asuka was greatly welcomed by the audience due to her dynamics and complex personality. She was named after two World War II airlines: the USS Langley and Soriu.

Meanwhile, Rei’s surname comes from the Fubuki-class destroyer IJN Ayanami, a Japanese Navy ship in World War II. Express Megumi Hayashibarashe was initially an introvert and timid character, but her personality develops as she makes more connections with those around her. This means that the pilots in the series are motherless, as the mother’s soul is embedded in the evangelical evangelical unit to establish the psychological connections needed to control. One exception is REI. Later, we learn that she is a hybrid clone, which is genetics from the second mother of True II and DNA from the second Angel Lilith.

Controversial ending

The show has been a huge success. The original ending of airing in March 1996 is Report More than 10% of all Japanese TVs are called. However, the last two episodes caused controversy and disagreement among fans. Many viewers expect a decisive mecha battle to draw the end of the world. Instead, they get a psychological and ambiguous ending, focusing on Makiji’s internal struggle and his journey towards self-acceptance. He eventually rejected the Human Tools Project, which merges all human souls into a unified consciousness.

Anno spoke to NHK’s top runners in 2001 explain“My goal will never provide an answer or a solution. Ambiguity becomes part of the service I provide.” He added: “The fact is that I don’t really know myself or the world around me. So instead of writing a story based on clear logic or structure, I use this confusion and uncertainty as the core of the narrative. One of the services I can offer to the audience is to show this confusion. I feel like if people can relate to it, then it’s a valuable experience.”

While some believe episodes 25 and 26 convey a strong message about the importance of self-acceptance and relationships, others are disappointed and somewhat confused by the ending of the series. Some unsatisfied fans decided to disrupt the office of production studio Gainax. Anno was even sent to death threats. The End of Evangelical The film was subsequently released in July 1997, giving viewers another ending. Explained as a criticism of otaku culture, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest anime movies of all time.

Neon Origin Gospel: One of the most influential and successful anime franchises ever

That movie is part of the original trilogy of the film, which also includes Neon Genesis Evangelicals: Death and Rebirth (1997), reviewing the first 24 episodes and previews The End of Evangelicalism and Gospel Revival (1998), a compilation of the first two translations. The Evangelical Film Series was rebuilt in 2007, from Evangelical: 1.0 You are not alone. The most successful part of the movie is the last part. Evangelical: 3.0+1.0 three timeswhich broke the 10 billion yen mark and became Toei’s first film to reach a box office milestone.

Neon Genesis Evangelical is one of the highest box office anime franchises of all time. In addition to the original series and seven movies, there are several video games and many Pacheco slot machines with evangelical themes. Various comic series and simple novels based on anime have also been released. Eight months before the show started, the first comic appeared eight months ago. This interest remains good and alive for the 30 years since its debut, and continues to sell well in the case of evangelical merchandise, including clothes and figurines.

In Japan, huge influence The Gospel of the Origin of Neon Lights Like an anime show Serial experiment disappears and Revolutionary girl Uttenna. It also influenced overseas directors such as Jordan Peele (No) and Wes Anderson (Dog Island), WHO Tell Gwyneth Paltrow is his five favorite movies and series.

So, will you come back in the future? Ask X in 2022 if it was really over (called Twitter then) answer“This is my third time finishing, so I think that’s enough.” asahi shimbunBut, he said there might be plans to create more.

More of this series