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Very few anime has had an impact quite like Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's gone on to inspire countless other storytellers, it's still seen in ads everywhere in Japan, and so much of it has long been in the cultural imagination. I first watched it in 2015, the year NGE takes place, and was lucky enough to visit the region around Mt. Fuji where it's set. Both the anime and its movie, The End of Evangelion, were brain-melting in the best way.
I try to encourage everyone to watch it. NGE is now 25 years old, and yet its messaging and exploration of the human condition are still as relevant as ever. It addresses loneliness, isolation, the struggles of human connection, power imbalances, and the meaning of life. If you haven't considered watching NGE because it's too old or, worse, decided to watch the more modern but flattened to nothing Rebuild movies instead, take this as a sign to take a chance on it.
The Beautiful Animation
Old-School Holds Up
Animation and art style are often confused, so I'll clarify: while the art style is also gorgeous, I want to specifically call out the animation, namely how things move.
NGE's animation has a weight that just isn't seen today. You can feel the mass of the EVAs when they fight and run, and understand their scale just by how they move. Asuka's introduction episode where she leaps from ship to ship shows off the mass of Unit-02, but it's also a clever way to show its scale when compared to the navy ships. One of my favorite shots in the series is Unit-01 leaping off a cliff, where the ground suddenly gives way to dizzying heights. There's so much attention to detail here, and it's a feast for the eyes.
The Insane Endings
They Melt Your Brain But You'll Thank Them
NGE's endings are notorious. There are actually two, and both are canon. The studio ran out of money near the end of production, which became more and more obvious as there were more still frames than ever to use up screen time. The last two episodes are akin to a psychedelic trip, with frames that look like they're drawn by children floating in a white space.
The other ending, a movie called The End of Evangelion, is only slightly more coherent. It's a masterwork of animation with some of the most impressive set pieces put to screen, but it's also disturbing in many ways. Both endings are a harrowing depiction of mental illness and the struggles of being alive but, ultimately, it has a message of hope.
Its Depiction of Mental Health
The Ugly Reality
Mental illness is notoriously tricky to put on the screen. Depictions often move between cringe and downright insulting, triggering for those who suffer from it or an excuse for those who have never experienced it to feel cathartic pity. NGE is one of the rare examples that gets it right. Mental illness is depicted with all the ugliness that comes with it: the filthy house, the toxic relationships, the quick temper, the unwillingness to connect to others, all while feeling like your own brain is trying to kill you.
There are so many moments in NGE that may be confusing but are a visual depiction of how mental illness feels. It's also depicted in more subtle ways, such as the seasons never changing and having the characters stuck in a perpetual summer. For anyone who's experienced the height of summer in the Chubu region of Japan, where NGE is set, you'll understand how that would be actual torture, but it also shows a world where people are stuck and unable to change.
The Source of Bad Fathers
The One That Started a Trend
Evil fathers is a proud, longstanding trope in anime, and NGE's Gendo Ikari is the one that started it all. He's also probably the worst one—he's sympathetic, yet still reprehensible as a father and as a person. He treats the people around him like tools, and discards them when he thinks they've outlived their use.
The depiction of Gendo, and the warning that Shinji will likely end up the same as him if he doesn't change, is harsh but also very relevant. Men like this exist, who use other people, and most will get away with it. Gendo lies as the center of NGE as everything and everyone moves around him, and he's a fascinating study of a monster of the worst kind.
Experimental Anime at its Best
This is Arthouse
I think one of the main reasons many find NGE to be off-putting is that it's very different to its depiction in popular culture. You go in expecting a whiny protagonist and epic kaiju and mecha fights, and instead are given an experimental exploration of the human condition and the fragility that comes with it.
If anything, NGE shouldn't be thought of as mainstream, and instead should be approached as if you're watching experimental cinema. It's very weird, painfully slow in places, and is uncomfortable to watch. Prepare to watch something that wouldn't be out of place in an art house, as it gets very weird very quickly.
It's an Inspiration to Some of the Best Storytellers
NGE Changed Storytelling Forever
NGE went on to shape the imaginations of many creators. Storytellers from all over the world, including Makoto Shinkai, Guillermo Del Toro, and Jordan Peele have all cited the influence that NGE had on their ideas, while Disco Elysium, Final Fantasy VII, NieR: Automata, and Avatar: The Last Airbender were all influenced by NGE to some degree.
The stories we have today would likely still be around, but they wouldn't be as complex and captivating without the influence from NGE. NGE's monster designs, bravery in exploring the psychology of people and our relationships with each other, and unflinching depiction of the dangers of falling too deeply into these stories that we forget to live has influenced generations of storytellers, and will likely continue to inspire generations more.
The Fantastic Sci-Fi
A Foundation of the Genre
NGE is a must-watch if you're a fan of sci-fi. Aside from the influence it had on the genre, which alone makes it worth watching in the first place, it's just an enjoyable show, especially in the lighter earlier episodes. It has some of the best set pieces in the genre, including some truly incredible fight scenes, fascinating characters, and an earworm of a score.
The mechas, science, and post-apocalyptic worldbuilding are fascinating to see as each of them are unveiled as the story progresses. The challenges the characters face, and seeing the characters navigate them, makes it one of the most compelling anime series out there. As far as foundational sci-fi, it's far more entertaining than something like 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The Entertainment Value
NGE is Fun to Watch
NGE's main plot is a bit all over the place and can be very confusing. I'd go as far as to say the plot isn't really the point, and it could give you a headache if you think about it for too long as it's very inconsistent. Despite this, it has some of the highest highs in anime. It goes all out with its moments of victory, before crushing the characters back to their lowest point lest they forget what show they're in.
And you'll feel every one of those highs and lows. I became invested in the characters very quickly, even as the series began to unravel, and their nastier sides began to show. The thing is, people are messy, and I appreciate how NGE shows how ugly fear and desperation can be. Amidst it all are the good moments, which serves to give a break from the angst, but also shows us that there's something good to live for.
The Characters Feel Alive
A Cast with a Purpose
Every character in NGE is there for a reason. The characters can be separated into distinct groups: the EVA pilots, NERV seniors, and NERV juniors. The EVA pilots are the lead protagonists of NGE, but the NERV seniors also play a large role. Misato Katsuragi is an iconic character who is competent and put together at work, while she's a mess at home. Ritsuko appears to be a more mild-mannered, logical character, but beneath her calm exterior she's in an even worse place than Misato.
The EVA pilots are all children, but there's a very good justification for this. Shinji is often panned by viewers for being whiny and apathetic, but this is a simplification to the point of absurdity and misses the point entirely. Asuka is introduced as a loud and brash brat, but you learn she's just a kid trying to fit in a world that doesn't want her. Rei is the quiet, unassuming one, and the way she is used by everyone around her, and Gendo in particular, is a damning message to certain fans.
It's Unapologetic
Don't Look Away
On that note, NGE is unapologetic in criticizing the very audience it was made for, made literal when it included footage of the audience attending the premier of End of Evangelion. It's also unflinching in its analysis of loneliness and fear, their causes, and how they can turn people into monsters. NGE, and The End of Evangelion in particular, is hard to watch, but it's worth it.
Shows that know what stories they want to tell, rather than just being a sequence of cool moments, are both more entertaining and more meaningful. Every moment informs NGE's themes, and it doesn't handle them with kid skin gloves. It's a series that is raw and emotional, and shows both the ugly and beautiful parts of humanity. At the end of it all, there's always hope for growth and happiness as long as we're alive.
