![]() While it's impossible to tell for certain whether or not it actually influenced the creators of Evangelion, there are a number of similarities that are worth noticing, even if they are entirely coincidental: The cast of Oniisama E also includes characters named "Rei Asaka" aka "Hana no Saint Juste" (Saint Juste of the Flowers), and "Kaworu Orihara" aka "Kaworu no Kimi" (Prince Kaworu).Ī shot of a nearby sandbox, with pail and shovelĭetonator Orgun is a three-episode OAV from 1991. and then a shot of a nearby sandbox including a pail and shovel. Then there is a lingering shot of their feet.First they establish that two close friends are chatting in a park.In Episode 18, a scene from the Shoujo classic Oniisama E aka Brother Dear Brother is reconstructed almost shot-by-shot: Other anime and manga Brother, Dear Brother (おにいさまへ.) 2.6 The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World.1.10 Visual Motif: Blue Octahedrons (Nadia, Laputa and 2001).1.9 The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (超時空要塞マクロス).1.7 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ).What makes Neon Genesis Evangelion important? I asked myself this as I researched for this article. ![]() The fact the series and movies are still some of the most discussed stories suggests just how much of an impact the anime made in 1995. The anime is 20 years old and still being talked about. Okay, I will admit that I don’t like Shinji in the series. He is a little wrist cutter that often made me want him to go up the street and be done with it. It is rare for me to have such a reaction to a character. That alone told me that Evangelion has something that resonates with people. I won’t be picking apart the endless layers this anime has. Whether you think Evangelion is an overrated mess or a masterpiece, the anime was a seismic shift in storytelling. Otherwise, we still wouldn’t be talking about it.Įvangelion is difficult, to put it mildly. It has layers of symbolism and philosophy. These layers are what make Evangelion the touchstone for any new anime that tries to be densely psychological (Ballus & Torrents, 2014). There are many other articles floating around about Evangelion’s philosophy. I am concerned about why the series is important. There are four major reasons behind the series importance. Subversive Mecha Storytelling.Īnno Hideaki is a mecha fan (Plata, 2014). His interest in the genre allowed him to turn its tropes inside out. Anno and two of his friends founded Gainax Studios in 1981 and worked on several intellectual films (Redmond, 2007). The experiences led the small studio to create a subversive storyline that changed how we consider mecha and anime in general. Many consider Evangelion’s story to be one of the most subversive in film. Evangelion is also thought to revive interest in both anime and mecha during the 1990s. (Napier, 2002 ’ Redmond, 2007).Įvangelion begins by playing on what people think of as mecha. Big robots, teen heroes, fan service, and similar conventions and references to mecha shows before (Ballus and Torrents, 2014). Typically, mecha refight some type of World War II scenario where Japan gets to win. There are tyrants and evil aliens to shoot with giant robots! And of course these tyrants and aliens often represent ideas like consumerism, neonationalism. and other -isms that came out of World War II. Anno plays this up by naming characters after warships from World War II – Langley, Akagi, Ayanami and Katsuragi (Redmond, 2007 Plata, 2014).Įven the bikini clad fan service shots of mecha women reference World War II’s influence. ![]() The bikini was designed in honor of Bikini Atoll – the third atomic attack on Japan. In 1954, the US tested a hydrogen bomb on the atoll. The bomb blew up, and the fallout landed on the Japanese fishing ship called The Lucky Dragon. The incident inspired the famous monster movie Godzilla and become a stable in skimpy female fanservice ever since (Redmond, 2007). those of use who watched Gundam and other mecha know the male hero is an idealistic go-getter. Sometimes a little reluctant, but he steps up in the end of his own accord. The characters in Evangelion are messed up. Sure, many other mecha characters were too, but not on the same level as these children. The hero, Shinji, is a hikikomori that with obsessive compulsive disorder. He plays tracks 25 and 26 endlessly to shut out the world (Plata, 2014). ![]() Asuka Langley is just as messed up as Shinji (perhaps more so) but shows it differently. She places her entire sense of self on her abilities to pilot an EVA to be useful for adults. Shinji is depressed, naive, and shut off. I expect a hero to grow into adulthood and his role. That is a twist on storytelling that shatters typical idea of how a hero should be. ![]()
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