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samasmith23 · 8 months

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Evangelion: You Can (Not) Marathon — (Part 12)

Neon Genesis Evangelion, “Episode 12: The Value of a Miracle is.../She Said, 'Don’t Make Others Suffer for Your Personal Hatred.'”

Continuing my Evangelion re-watch marathon with NGE, “Episode 12: The Value of a Miracle is…/She Said, ‘Don’t Make Others Suffer for Your Personal Hatred..’” For my thoughts on the previous episode, click the link to the post below:

With that out of the way, let's dig in!

Dang! What a perfect way to start this episode! After the theme song we immediately cut to a flashback set 15-years prior to the start of the series, going back to the year 2000 where we witness the first-hand experiences and memories of a young Misato Katsuragi, who was in Antarctica during the events of the Second Impact! There’s just so much to unpack with this opening prologue!

For starters, the cinematography on display here is FREAKING phenomenal! For instance, following a series of time-stamp cards (utilizing white text in the center of an otherwise empty black background; which is a reoccurring visual motif throughout NGE), the camera then cuts to a view of the planet Earth from outer space. As the camera slowly pans across the surface of the moon, we quickly see a tiny white flash of light emitting from the Earth’s South Pole. This effectively communicates the sheer size and destructive scale of the Second Impact, since even though it appears to be a tiny speck of light when viewed faraway on the moon, it shows that the energy generated by the awakening of the 1st Angel, Adam, was so massive that it was visible from space.

Additionally, this prologue also provides crucial context to both Misato’s backstory as well as her motivations in the present-day which will be heavily explored throughout the rest of the episode. We see Misato’s father, completely battered & bloodied, desperately carrying his similarly injured daughter as he limps towards a capsule which bears a striking resemblance to the Entry-Plugs that the EVA Units use. Once young Misato is placed within the Entry-Plug, she regains consciousness and can’t help appear confused as she looks up to see her father standing over her before he closes the capsule and shields it with his body as Adam generates the massive Anti-A.T. Field which completely obliterates the entire Antarctic Continent.

The fact that Misato seems to question the idea of her father saving her helps convey to the viewer that these two have some kind of strained relationship. It’s not explicitly stated outright, but the implication is effectively communicated through both Misato’s dazed and confused facial expressions, as well as her line, “Is that you, Dad?”

It’s once again a perfect example of how Evangelion is able to communicate so much through so little! Master-class storytelling and characterization!

This flashback not only allows us to witness the sheer scale & terror of the Second Impact from both an orbital and ground-level perspective, seeing the Adam’s gigantic Angel wings spreading out wide and breaking through Earth’s stratosphere as well as Misato looking up towards said-wings as her Entry-Plug aimlessly floats across the lifeless ocean where Antarctica was once located, but also portrays how this traumatic event completely reshapes Misato’s life in the present-day.

Immediately after the prologue, the scene then cuts to a now adult Misato putting on her bra as she stands in front of her closet mirror, allowing the viewer to see the massive scar which stretches across her chest (which was previously revealed during the hot springs scene back in Episode 10). This visually communicates the lasting physical damage that the near-apocalypse left on Misato, whereas the deep-seated psychological scares are audibly conveyed through the sound of a thunderstorm outside her bedroom, as Misato sternly stares at the mirror while a flash of lighting disappeared over her cross necklace that’s resting the nearby nightstand, further symbolizing the conflicted relationship that Misato has with her dead father (whom we now know was the one who gave her that necklace during the Second Impact).

Overall, these two opening scenes do an incredibly effective job at setting up the main conflict for this episode, which centers around Misato’s childhood trauma associated with both her deceased father and the Angels!

I’m curious as to why Toji & Kensuke came over to Misato’s apartment during the middle of a rainstorm? Maybe they were coming over to accompany Shinji as they walk to school together like in previous episodes? If so… I hope at least one of them has an umbrella…

Yeesh! Asuka might be an obnoxious brat, but Toji insulting her by comparing her changing clothes behind a curtain to “a snake changing its skin” is just dickish and rather sexist on his part!

Huh… Misato exited her bedroom wearing her NERV Uniform instead of her casual tank-top and short-shorts, and is acting much more serious than she usually does within the confines of her own home. This honestly reminds me a lot of when she first appeared to Shinji wearing a military uniform before attending the “Old Tokyo” conference back in Episode 7.

I love how Kensuke is the first person to notice the new pin on Misato’s neck-collar which indicates her recent promotion from captain to major. It’s perfectly in-line with Kensuke’s characterization as a geeky military otaku!

Also, while I do rightfully rag on Kensuke and (especially) Toji’s sexist behavior towards Asuka, I can’t help but admire that Kensuke is frequently portrayed as being more observant than most people give him credit for. Just how he pointed out to Shinji in Episode 7 that Misato acted more slobbish in front of him than others because she considered him to be a part of her family, Kensuke here notes that Misato is placing a heavily workload on herself, struggling to balance her duties as a commanding officer at NERV and being a surrogate guardian to Shinji & Asuka, and even chastises the latter two for failing to notice.

Kensuke’s observation here is also reflective of the show’s overarching themes about the struggles of human connections, and how when we fail to pay attention to and understand each other’s thoughts and desires, it’s therefore difficult to form meaningful bonds with other people. A self-perpetuating cycle of isolation and loneliness. A true Hedgehog’s Dilemma…

I love the interaction between Misato, Ritsuko, Maya and this one nameless NERV employee as they’re conducting harmonics synchronization ratio tests for the three EVA Pilots. Ritsuko & Maya notice that Shinji’s synch ratio is increasing at a faster rate than normal, which leads to the aforementioned nameless scientist stating that, “It’s almost like Shinji was born to be an EVA Pilot.” And Misato can’t help but object to that statement, proclaiming, “But that’s not what Shinji wants. I know he’s not really happy here.”

While this again illustrates Misato’s legitimate concern for the physical and mental well-being of Shinji that was heavily explored in previous episodes, it also neatly contrasts with Misato’s willingness to put the EVA Pilot’s lives at risks in order to destroy the Angels by any means necessary. An opposing desire which was previously alluded to during Asuka’s fight with Sandalphon inside the middle of volcano during Episode 10, but will serve as the primary thematic focus here in Episode 12!

Also, I like how when Ristuko specifies that Shinji’s synch-ratio is rapidly catching up with Asuka’s, Asuka puts on her usual smug demeanor of talking down by stating, “Enjoy your victory while it lasts Third Child,” and condescendingly calls him a jerk-face when Shinji’s clearly not moved by her previous comment. Even though it’s all a facade to mask her own internalized sense of inferiority, Asuka is able to present herself as being cool & collected while also acting smug & condescending.

The car-ride scene which immediately proceeds the synch-ratio test is incredibly fascinating. Not only does Misato state that she’s, “Not too thrilled,” about her promotion to Major, but when Shinji states that he feels the same way for the praise he received earlier for his high synch scores due to being insulted by Asuka as a result. This leads to Misato stating that Asuka’s insults bother him simply because, “[He] cares too much about what others think of him.”

I’m of two minds when it comes to Misato’s comment here. On the one hand it feels like a rather condescending retort to Shinji’s feelings of discomfort. But on the other hand Misato’s words are pretty insightful in regards to how people can sometimes obsess and worry too much about how they are perceived by others. While it’s perfectly rational, and even necessary, to care about what other people think of you since it can improve your own behavior and interactions with others, dwelling too much about said-concerns can generate so much anxiety that it results in stunted relationships and personal growth.

It’s honestly something that I can personally relate to as an individual with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder who struggles with anxiety…

Lol! Kensuke once again continues to be such a military otaku, secretly arranging a surprise party at Misato’s apartment to celebrate her promotion.

However, despite what I said earlier Kensuke still has his shortcomings when it comes to keenly observing the behavior of others, as he didn’t seem to notice that Misato is trying to suppress her feelings of discomfort and embarrassment while feigning excitement, something that Shinji immediately detects given that he feels the exact same way she does when being praised by others. They really are two peas in a pod!

I love this quiet interaction between Shinji & Misato at the party while everyone else is laughing and arguing over each other, as it nicely juxtaposes the previous car-ride conversation. While Misato is a lot older and wiser than Shinji in many respects, she simultaneously struggles with the same feelings of self-loathing and loneliness that he does. Even though Misato tries to present herself as being all put together and having the answers to Shinji’s problems, said-display is also partially a performance to mask her own insecurities in front him. This kind of behavior is reflective of how parents sometimes interact with their children, trying to present themselves as perfect role models who can provide all the answers for their kids, when in reality parents are still human beings with flaws and limitations.

Misato’s display of parental strength and masking of human weakness is further conveyed through her response to Shinji asking her why she joined NERV, replying that, “It’s been so long I can’t remember.” Shinji’s smart enough to know that’s a lie and that Misato is clearly hiding the true reason.

Also, this scene briefly fleshes out Asuka & Hikari’s friendship, as not only did Asuka invite her to the party without Kensuke or Toji’s knowledge, but Hikari is shown to harbor a similar crush towards Kaji just like Asuka.

Also also, the way Asuka refers to Kaji as a “real man” in contrast to Shinji, Kensuke, & Toji further highlights how Asuka places herself on this false pedestal of maturity and emasculates the three boys as mere children who are beneath her.

Also also also, we get a little bit more of Kaji’s problematic behavior towards women (though thankfully far less skevy than the elevator scene from Episode 9), as he makes a kind of misogynistic micro-aggressive comment that’s supposed to come off as playful and flirty, stating that he now, “needs to show [Misato] respect,” due to both her promotion and being left in charge of NERV HQ while Gendo & Fuyutski are out of the country.

Speaking of which… oh boy, the scene where Gendo & Fuyutski are commanding a UN naval fleet to retrieve a certain object from the desolate and lifeless red sea where the continent of Antarctica was previously located!

I’ve always loved the ominous and chilling (accidental pun, lol!) tone of this scene! Not only do we see the direct and immediate results of Second Impact on full-display here at Ground Zero of the event, with nothing but giant icicles emerging from the depths of the ocean that has been transformed into a pink/blood-red hue which Fuyutski describes as being, “A true Dead Sea where no life can exist,” but it also provides some keen insight into Gendo’s true motivations.

Although Fuyutski despairs at the sight of this post-apocalyptic wasteland and it being the result of humanity’s folly and hubris, Gendo boasts about how its thanks to humanity’s scientific knowledge and advancements that they are able to return to this desolate Hellscape triumphantly.

This exchange between the two presents an opposing dichotomy in Fuyutski & Gendo’s respective ideologies. On the one hand, Fuyutski rightfully lambasts humanity’s over-reliance on technology & pursuit of power being the direct cause of the Second Impact, stating that he’d rather have other people around him than all of this scientific progress. This functions as a brilliant continuation of the themes proposed by the previous Episode during the Tokyo-3 blackout, directly connecting humanity’s current depressing and authoritarian status to the near-apocalypse that was caused by the reckless pursuit of power under the vein of scientific progress.

But on the other hand, Gendo continues to dismiss Fuyutsuki’s arguments by elevating said-scientific power as the ultimate savior of humanity despite it nearly causing their extinction 15-years ago, even going as far as to describe the Second Impact as, “the cleansing of the original sin.”

Not only does this line foreshadow the true nature behind Adam & Lilith’s origins as well as the Third Impact & Human Instrumentality during The End of Evangelion, but it also conveys Gendo’s god-complex and desire to be the one who ultimately leads the course of humanity’s future in order to fulfill his own selfish desires that become the major driving force of his conflict with SEELE for the rest of the series!

Also, Gendo’s theocratic doomsday rhetoric here is sadly perfectly in-line with the kinds of beliefs held by the Republican Party and the Evangelical Right who are currently trying to actively transform the United Stares into a Christian fascist theocracy.

Maybe that’s another reason why I hate Gendo Ikari so much… ya know, aside from, him being both the WORST father in the history of fiction and a total sleaze-bag. It’s because he’s such a human villain who could sadly easily exist here in the real world…

On a much more lightheaded and snarkier note though, if the ruins of Antarctica are the “real Dead Sea” like Fuyutsuki describes, does that therefore mean that the water here is even more salty than the actual real-life Dead Sea in Jordan (whose water is already much saltier than the ocean)?

And just as Gendo & Fuyutsuki their philosophical debate over humanity’s right to exist, the UN fleet gets a radio transmission from NERV HQ back in Japan detecting the largest Angel ever depicted in all of NGE, the 10th Angel, Sahaquiel!

Like seriously… Sahaquiel completely dwarfs all the other Angels seen so far and since throughout the course of this series! Appearing high above Earth’s orbit, this gargantuan monstrosity is to be massively large. Despite having a somewhat bizarre orange and gooey amoeba appearance, Sahaquiel not only spouts this gigantic cyclops eye in its center that’s about the height of a single Evangelion Unit, but also has a surface width that’s wide enough to cover multiple city blocks!

Furthermore, Sahaquiel immediately demonstrates that despite Yoda’s famous words of wisdom from The Empire Strikes Back, sometimes size truly does matter considering that this Angel not only generates an A.T. Field large enough to completely obliterate nearby satellites in a single burst, but that it’s also able to detach and drop smaller pieces of itself which rapidly descend into Earth’s atmosphere and create enormous nuclear-level explosions and tidal waves upon impact!

And to make matters even worse, Sahaquiel also conveys how each successive Angel is smarter than its predecessors, as NERV HQ determined that Sahaquiel is testing and improving its trajectory as it continues to drop a trail of bombs from the Indian Ocean closer and closer to land as it makes its way over Tokyo-3. And according to Ritsuko & the Magi, the explosion generated by Sahaquiel’s bombs would be powerful enough to completely submerge all of Tokyo-3 back into the depths of the Pacific!

Also, in relation to this Angel’s name, according to Wikipedia, “Sahaquiel is listed as one of the seven great archangels in the Third Book of Enoch from the Apocrypha of the Hebrew Bible, described as, ‘the guardian of the fourth heaven ... prince of a heavenly host... attended by 496,000 myriads of minstering angels.’ Sahaquiel literally means Ingenuity of God.”

So in addition to Sahaquiel’s arrival and approach providing a real sense of peril and suspense, this particular Angel’s presence is also serves an important role in developing Misato’s character, since this is where her aforementioned opposing dichotomy between her roles as a surrogate-mother and duties as a military officer come into play! Despite the MAGI supercomputer system declaring an almost 0% chance of success for the EVA’s to defeat Sahaquiel, Misato uses her newfound promotion to not only order a full evacuation of Tokyo-3’s civilian population, but orders all 3 EVA Units to directly engage Sahaquiel as both its bombs and the Angel itself descend upon the city!

While Misato tries to justify her actions as being both within her authority as Major and her having “trust in the EVAs,” Ritsuko criticizes the former’s recklessness and seeming lack of concern for the pilot’s safety in this situation, even responding to Misato’s claims that she’s doing what she has to do and that destroying the Angels is her duty with, “Your duty? You must be kidding! This is to satisfy yourself, isn’t it? This is just your revenge against the Angels!”

Also, this heated exchange between Ritsuko & Misato shows the beginnings of he growing rift in their friendship which will only continue to increase as the series progresses!

Oh boy! It’s time for another insane yet creative battle strategy to defeat the Angels, and I’ve got to say this new strategy that Misato has devised might be the craziest and most risky one yet! And considering that we’ve previously seen the Evangelions fire a sniper rifle that’s powered by Japan’s entire power grid, going fishing with an EVA while deliberately sinking two battleships to aim missiles into an Angel’s mouth, using Dance Dance Revolution to train for a fight against asexually-reproducing Angel, and even scuba-diving into an active volcano to retrieve an unmatched Angel egg, that’s really saying something!

So get this… in order to defeat Sahaquiel, all 3 EVA Units will be forced to run towards the designated drop-zone in Tokyo-3 and combine their A.T. Field’s together in order to halt Sahaquiel’s fall and pierce through the Angel’s own A.T. Field, essentially catching the Angel with the EVA’s barehands and destroying its core through direct contact.

Like… this plan is riddled with so many variables that can go wrong and has such a nano-margin of success, that Asuka & Shinji can’t help but accurately point out how easily this plan could fail and result in their deaths.

Also… geez! I know that Misato is trying to remain calm and stay optimistic in a stressful situation in order to not raise a panic, but it’s honestly a little creepy just how cheerful and unwatered she’s acting when the kids are understandably concerned about dying in this mission. She even mentions how the EVA Pilots are supposed to write a will for themselves, and she says it all with a smile on her face. There’s being hopeful in a stressful situation, but this is really pushing it!

Misato took Batman’s words of being “positively grim” from Justice League International way too literally…

Still though, I love how even though the kids act excited over the prospect of a steak dinner if they do manage succeed, as soon as Misato leaves the room Shinji & Asuka immediately shift gears are unimpressed with the idea of going out for steak as a reward. Asuka’s line mocking the standards of the Second Impact generation is absolutely hilarious!

And while this scene does provide some lighthearted humor in the face of impending destruction, it also reveals some more insight into Rei’s character, who declines to attend said-dinner because she hates eating meat. While Rei being a vegetarian might seem like a tangential detail, it’s actually another example of subtle foreshadowing to her true identity as the reincarnated soul of humanity’s progenitor Lilith (from whom animals also spawned from, which explains why Rei would not eat meat because that’d be like cannibalizing her own children).

Lol! The plan to defeat Sahaquiel is becoming even more outrageous since due to just how massive the Angel’s A.T. Field is, the 3 EVA-Units are going to be dispersed at 3 random points outside of the drop-zone area, based not on any data but a mere guess on Misato’s part!

Double lol! Shinji’s comment about Misato not being good at the lottery! Does he think that she’s “the Legendary Loser” Tsunade from Naruto or something?

Dang! This elevator ride scene is so iconic! Not only the visual imagery of the three EVA Pilots standing side-by-side to each other as they view their respective units also lined-up together outside the window, but also for the conversation between Shinji & Asuka questioning each other’s respective reasons for becoming an EVA Pilot, which as I said previously in my coverage of Episode 6 is a reoccurring motif throughout NGE!

When Shinji asks Asuka’s motivations for becoming a pilot, she responds that it’s, “To show the world how great I am,” to which Shinji deduces as her wanting to prove her own existence to others. Not only does this reaffirm Asuka’s superiority complex, but it also highlights that she and Shinji are two sides of the same coin, as both pilots utilize the Evangelions in order to validate their own self-worth and and gain recognition from the eyes of others. This was a conclusion that Misato pointed out in relation to Shinji back in Episodes 3 & 4, and something that Shinji himself previously questioned when he asked Rei why she piloted her EVA back in Episode 6, which she stated was because it was representative to her bond with all of humanity.

Speaking of which, when Asuka discovers that Shinji previously asked Rei the exact same question, she in-turn questions why Shinji pilots his EVA, to which he states that he, “doesn’t know,” inferring that he’s indecisive and still trying to discover what exactly his true purpose is for existing. Very insightful!

Also, that smug head-tilt and smile of Asuka’s! Classic!

Huh… even though Misato in this episode is portrayed as being far more reckless than before in relation to putting the pilot’s lives at risk, she not only suggests that the other NERV personnel evacuate HQ so that they’re not similarly burdened by her vendetta against the Angels, but Misato also points out that Evangelion’s A.T. Fields actually make the units the safest location for the pilots to be.

One could interpret this as either blind excuses or excessive optimism on Misato’s part, but it can also be read as Misato genuinely having faith in her plan and the pilot’s ability to successfully defeat the Angel. It once again brilliantly underscores that dichotomy between parental figure and military officer which heavily defines Misato’s character!

And it’s here, right before the impending fight with Sahaquiel, that we reach the apex of Misato’s arc in this episode! As Shinji’s sitting in Unit-01’s Entry-Plug awaiting orders, he thinks back to a previous conversation between him and Misato that occurred shortly after the celebration party. Overlooking the Tokyo-3 skyline, Misato finally answered Shinji’s question about why she joined NERV, revealing that as a child she always hated her father since he was a total workaholic who constantly obsessed over his career and avoided interacting with or getting too close his wife and daughter. Despite Misato’s negative feelings about her father being set in stone, she experienced a severe feeling of whiplash and confusion when her father sacrificed himself to save her during the Second Impact. Now conflicted over whether or not she hates or loves her father, Misato has made it her life’s goal to destroy all of the Angel’s in order either avenge her father’s death or to put her conflicted feelings about him to rest.

This flashback is incredibly important in regards to Misato’s overall characterization, as we are not only provided the first major details about her childhood and love/hate relationship with her father, but backstory also serves as the foundation for her present-day motivations as a major for NERV, explaining why she’s willing to go to such great lengths in order to destroy the Angels. Similar to the reoccurring question of, “Why do the kids pilot the EVAs,” Misato’s motivation for why she joined NERV plays a similar role in exposing how these characters seek to validate and find meaning in their own empty existences rather than for altruistic purposes like preventing humanity’s extinction at the hands of the Angels.

I also love how similar to Shinji, Misato is also indecisive in her motivations for wanting to destroy the Angels, as she is conflicted on whether or not she’s doing so because she now loves her father and wants to avenge his death, or if it’s because she still hates him and simply wants to absolve herself of this confusing burden.

Furthermore, Misato’s hatred for her father not only perfectly parallels Shinji’s strained relationship with his own father, but Misato’s description of her father as, “A weak person who didn’t want to to face reality and that avoiding his family was easier than dealing with it,” is also reflective of Gendo’s reasons for abandoning Shinji which will later be revealed in The End of Evangelion.

I also really appreciate Shinji’s responses to Misato’s confession during the flashback, as he not only realizes just how similar the two of them truly are, but because they are the same Shinji back in the present-day states with calm determination that he won’t fail in his mission. Similar to Rei back in Episode 6, Shinji is demonstrating that he is capable of putting aside his own selfish motivations for piloting the EVA if it means validating the existence of another person with experiences similar to his own.

And I especially love how the shot of Shinji’s determination is perfectly mirrors the animation from the “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” opening!

Man oh man is the battle with Sahaquiel another phenomenal banger of an Angel fight! For starters, sequence of each of the 3 EVA Units rapidly sprinting across the Tokyo-3 and Japanese countryside provide some of the most iconic & gorgeous animation and scenery presented in the series so far (seriously, I absolutely adore the shot of EVA Unit-01 jumping over the mountainside). The sheer weight and speed of the Evangelions as they each rush towards Sahaquiel’s drop-zone is simultaneously breathtaking and exhilarating, aided by triumphant yet foreboding soundtrack which increases the tension of reaching the Angel before it drops itself onto Tokyo-3!

And once Unit-01 reaches the drop-zone, the tension only continues to increase as the sky begins to glow purple and pink due to the rapidly increasing proximity of Sahaquiel’s A.T. Field, and the Angel’s cyclops eye eerily looming directly above as Shinji begins extending Unit-01’s own A.T. Field in order to counteract Sahaquiel’s field and halt it’s decent. And seeing Rei & Asuka’s units quickly come to Shinji’s aid as he rips open he Angel’s A.T. Field, allowing his and Rei’s Units to grab onto the Sahaquiel with their barehands while Asuka plunges her progressive-knife straight into the Angel’s core, killing it!

I absolutely love it! Yet another testament to Evangelion’s ability to create such uniquely inventive & thrilling mecha-on-kaju action scenes!

And seeing the plan actually succeed despite all odds going against them, I guess Misato truly is like Naruto’s Tsunade in that the only time she’s actually good at gambling is whenever she places her life on the line (or in this case, Shinji, Rei & Asuka’s lives)…

I do love how Misato not only shows a sincere heartfelt smile when she sees that Shinji. Rei & Asuka all survived their encounter with the Angel, but even accepts full accountability for her irresponsible behavior during this mission when NERV HQ is contacted by Gendo & Fuyutsuki.

And this “Sound Only” (EPIC FORESHADOWING!) transmission leads to another important scene where Gendo for the first time ever not only requests Shinji’s presence during the call, but even tells him, “Good work Shinji.”

In addition to being one of the rare moments where Gendo displays genuine recognition and appreciation towards his son, those three simple words also instill Shinji with the false sense of hope that he might someday be able to truly reconcile with his father, therefore confirming his true reason for piloting the Evangelion.

That true reason being: to receive praise from others and in particular, from his father.

While Shinji describes this as the “positive aspect of being praised” which Misato referenced earlier in the episode, I still can’t help but think back to her previous words about Shinji caring too much about being praised since… well… the idea that he and his father might reconcile is a false hope… at least in the original NGE and The End of Evangelion timeline…

Also, that was a nice gesture of Asuka’s for once (if a bit condescending), to surprise Misato with a ramen shop instead of a fancy steak dinner to celebrate defeating Sahaquiel. Not only is she following Kensuke’s previous advice by paying attention to Misato’s workload and limited finances, but she even takes Rei’s vegetarianism into consideration! Some rare generosity on Asuka’s part!

So that was NGE “Episode 12: The Value of a Miracle is.../She Said, “Don’t Make Others Suffer for Your Personal Hatred,” and… holy FREAKING crap!

Not only had I forgotten how phenomenal and tightly written this episode was, but upon rewatch and careful analysis, this might actually join the ranks of my personal favorite episodes from the series, right alongside Episodes 4, 10, 18, 19, 22 & 24! I originally thought of this episode exclusively as “the Misato-centric episode” since it focuses heavily on fleshing out her backstory and motivations. And while that is definitely true, I was incredibly impressed by how much care and attention was given to Shinji’s character development as well! In addition to further illustrating how Shinji is essentially a younger version of Misato, this episode further delves heavily into the reoccurring theme of the kids questioning their reasons for piloting the EVAs as a metaphor for self-discovery, while also highlighting some small glimmers of light in the otherwise nonexistent relationship between Shinji and his father Gendo. Additionally, Hideaki Anno and Studio GAINAX are on their absolute A-game in this episode, as the cinematography and animation for scenes like the Second Impact flashback prologue and the fight with Sahaquiel are breathtakingly top-notch!

Overall, I adore the heck out of Episode 12 for both its deeply interwoven plotting and theming, as well as its character-driven storytelling focused primarily on two of the series best characters, Misato & Shinji! Next time it’s Episode 13!

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asrisgratitudejournal · 3 months

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Nggak Bisa Kerja (Part 2)

2. Termasuk salah satunya juga saya…. Minggu ini sudah sampai hari Kamis tapi progres addressing komen spv lambat banget busettttt. Minta doanya aja ya kawan, semoga by sore ini udah bisa di-forward itu draft ke co-author. Bismillah.

3. Sabtu kemarin betulan di rumah aja seharian, buka puzzle baru nemu di common room castle mill, sampai sekarang kira-kira progressnya 60% lah. Terus tidur siang. Terus lagi mulai nonton Killer Paradox juga di Netflix 1 episode per night. Kemarin makan Ji Chicken sama Deva, makan siang di Tse sama Hanif, ngopi sore juga ke Knoops sama Hanif dan Dita. Dinner kemarin diajakin Abid di fusion house tapi kepalang udah janji duluan sama Deva yaudahdeh. Tadi pagi juga ngopi sama Hanif, dan lalu siangnya makan di Reuben ramean sama anak PPI.

4. Senin di rumah aja karena kecapean di London seharian pas Minggunya. Ku betul-betul berangkat dari rumah jam 07.30 dan sampai rumah jam 20 kan, jadi memang it was a LONG dayyyy. Beres nyoblos tuh ngopi sama Deva dan teman PK-nya yang adalah temannya temanku juga. Intinya dunia kecil. Terus ke Tate Modern tapi nggak lihat apa-apa, terus lanjut ngobrol di London dan makan Chipotle sama Diny dan Deva. Selasa lupa ngapain yah… Di rumah aja juga kah? Minggu lalu Jumat kayanya ngelab sempet nge-run ekstraksi, belum ke lab lagi sejak itu. Sebetulnya banyak banget sih yang harus (dan bisa) dikerjain TAPI MALES BANGET GIMANADONG HUHU.

5. KU JUGA SUDAH MENDAPATKAN TIKET BST LONDON MENONTON STRAY KIDS JULY NANTI WOOHOOO!!! Sangat senang, dan sepertinya akan nonton bareng Dea adiknya Arum (yey punya teman nonton konser sekarang!!!).

6. Kemarin lusa dapet email abstrak keterima di EGU 2024 jadi harus mulai mikirin urus visa ke Austria (DUH ASLI JUJUR MALES BANGET SESUNGGUHNYA).

7. Lagi minjem buku dari Bodleian juga si Topik 1 prep (which reminded me to perpanjang karena cuma dikasih seminggu) berujung dari bosan/malas kerja dan malah cari-cari postdoc di Korsel. OH! Sama karena abis nge-proofread Personal Statement anak mahasiswa buat ke GKS itu kemarin, makanya ku jadi termotivasi. Sekarang ku usahakan setiap pagi sambil ngopi, duduk ngerjain/baca si buku Topik 1 itu. Kemarin hari Jumat ku udah coba try-out sih, dapetnya 165/200 which was not bad for first try. Tapi nanti mau nargetin sampai minimal 190-an terus lanjut moveon ke Topik 2.

8. OH aku ingat kemarin Selasa ngapain: malah ngeproofread-in essay aplikasi Manaaki NZ Scholarship punya teman. Betul-betul sakit deh emang nih si Noni, bukannya ngerjain kerjaan sendiri, malah bisa-bisanya mengerjakan kerjaan pro-bono lainnya!! (ya karena passionate aja sih)

Udah kayanya itu dulu. Kalau kebanyakan menulis di sini, malah nggak jadi kerja-kerja. Intinya, doanya adalah: semoga kita semua bisa menjadi golongan orang-orang yang bisa kerja, dan mau kerja. Dan juga semoga kita dihindari dari harus bekerja sama/segrup/sekantor/kerja bareng dengan orang-orang yang gabisa kerja ini. Dijauh-jauhi deh lah ya. AAMIIN. Sekian. Wassalamualaikum Wr. Wb.

VHL, 15/02/2024, 15:22

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phosphophy11ite · 1 year

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Neon Genesis Evangelion Ep 1 "Angel Attack" -> Review/analysis ^_^

i want to start off by saying nge is probably my favorite show of all time. however, it can be hard to understand, especially near the end, so i would like to offer some guidance/commentary on it! but my main point in writing these is to share my thoughts on characters' complexities, parallels, and symbolism!! there will be spoilers for the show, as my writing's intended audience is people who have already seen it.

in my opinion, "angel attack" has to be one of the best first episodes ever. it sucks the viewer right in, sending them straight to a futuristic tokyo: buildings are sinking, the city seems to be empty, and there's a giant alien of course. several clips are shown of scenes from the around the city, they introduce the setting but also feel quite eerie to me as they are paired with an emergency broadcast.

and then our protagonist, shinji ikari, is introduced. he's trying to get ahold of his father's organization, as he's been dumped into the middle of a disaster with an angel on the loose. shinji gets no response, which is our first little example that neither nerv or shinji's father care very much about his safety. then misato katsuragi pulls up in a bright blue sports car and whisks shinji away, saving him from an explosion caused by the government fighting with the angel.

misato drives away with shinji, and when they're a good distance away she stops her car and pulls out her binoculars to observe the angel. despite the dangerous situation, misato is curious. after all, humanity hasn't seen an angel for 15 years, and the appearance of one is even more important for misato as this is the first of the creatures she's vowed to destroy. and then...

yup, the government sets off a bomb. incredibly dangerous, and it nearly kills shinji and misato. another example of the government's disregard for peoples' safety (though civilians are supposed to be evacuated by now). the responses from civilians and the government to the angel could represent humans' primal reactions to danger: fight or flight. people run away and hide, and the government gets ready to attack. this could also represent humans' reactions to problems: face them head on, or avoid them (escapism, which is a HUGE theme in nge). or it could represent literally nothing.

the land mine doesn't do anything, so nerv is permitted to use their 'special weapon' which we find out shortly... mwahahaha. misato somehow manages to patch up her car with some stolen batteries, and starts driving back to nerv. shinji is pretty skeptical about it all, which leads misato to call him a hard-ass, to which shinji (fairly) calls her childish. in a very shinji way:

once they arrive at nerv, misato asks shinji if he knows what his dad does here. shinji does not:

he's disconnected from his father, he knows very little about him, he feels uneasy about being invited to nerv yet he goes. he goes because a) shinji is a people pleaser to avoid additional problems for himself b) he is a 14yo boy, he yearns for his father's approval whether he'll admit it or not. this little comment here is one of the first hints that shinji and gendo don't have a good relationship.

once inside nerv, misato is lost (another example of her immaturity) and pages ritsuko to help her find her way. as soon as ritsuko is introduced, the viewer can see that she and misato contrast each other: misato is extroverted and bubbly while ritsuko is more quiet and reserved. but they seem to know each other, and ritsuko pokes fun at misato for not knowing her way around.

and here comes my favorite scene from the episode! ritsuko, misato, and shinji board an elevator-type-thingy, and have a conversation about the odds of unit 1 working:

misato: is that thing really going to work? it hasn't worked once, right? ritsuko: the odds of a successful activation are 0.000000001%. misato: doesn't that mean it won't work? ritsuko: don't be rude. it's not 0%.

this conversation obviously sticks with misato, as throughout the series she creates some pretty wild plans to defeat the angels, and when met with "hey how is that possibly going to work" she replies with something along the lines of "well that chances of success aren't 0". also, these shots are super cool with the silhouettes and the eva's hand reaching out menacingly. it's important to note that throughout misato and ritsuko's conversation (which if i overheard it would definitely make me a bit concerned) and while an evil looking hand looms in the background, shinji isn't paying attention at all, he's ignoring any potential problems ... smells like escapism.

after this, shinji meets unit 1 and it's revealed that the reason he was called here by gendo was to pilot the eva. shinji had expected that his father only wanted to see him because he needed him for something, but he certainly didn't expect it would be for something this big or scary. unsurprisingly, shinji refuses to pilot unit 1. many will call this a sign of cowardice, but i actually think it was pretty brave of shinji. he's in a room surrounded by adults (including his father) who want something absurd from him and he has the guts to say no. go shinji! not being a people pleaser!

misato tries to convince him to pilot by delivering this line that pretty much sums up shinji's internal conflict. but he's not so swayed by this. he's got his mind made up until he sees rei ayanami being rushed down in a hospital bead so she can pilot the eva. she looks sickly and she's covered in bandages. shinji defies his father, but once he realizes that gendo's going to put that poor girl in the robot he decides he'll do it. he's piloting it for rei's sake, not gendo's. this was also a pretty brave decision from shinji, and certainly a selfless one.

so shinji gets in the robot. he's scared and overwhelmed, but he'll do it. he mutters to himself "don't run away", echoing misato. unit 1 is sent up to fight the angel, and it looks rather menacing and very similar to the monster it's trying to fight:

and so the episode ends!!! dundundunnnnnn what's gonna happen to shinji? stay tuned to find out.

this first angel is named sachiel, so i tried to do a little research on where this name comes from. some consider sachiel to be an archangel, and others a cherubim angel. apparently the essenes, an early mystic jewish sect, thought sachiel to be 'the angel of water'. in nge, sachiel is seen swimming through flooded tokyo. there's lots of debate over how much christian imagery and symbolism in nge is any more than surface deep so who knows if any of this means anything but i think it's still fun and worthwhile to look into it.

#my writing #this is so bad lol but i had fun writing it :')#neon genesis evangelion

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valenshawke · 1 year

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Gasaraki - Final Thoughts

For a show that other reviewers and viewers say is a flagrant ripoff of Neon Genesis Evangelion. No.

Yeah, they have a bunch of similar beats and maybe it went to production because of the popularity of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Whereas NGE is a deliberate middle-finger to the mech genre, Gasaraki is not typical to anime in general.

It's a lot more philosophical and introspective on motives, geopolitics, and globalization. And for a show that came out in 1999, oddly prescient about what actually happened globally after 9/11.

Honestly, if you substitute China for Japan, you pretty much have 66% of the current geopolitical competition.

My actual problems are the pacing after episode 5 to about episode 15 is slow at times, and not because of the discussion between characters about what to do, why things are being done, and why society sucks. It's actually because of what Yusiro is doing. Second problem is this show could have easily used double the amount of episodes because it needed points where we needed to breathe or get deeper insight as to what was going on because it was doing about 4 different things with the story. Third, Miharu being a Rei Ayanami expy, she becomes entirely too passive for about 5 episodes.

But overall? Well, anyone that knows me probably isn't surprised that I really liked this. It has a relatively low score on MyAnimeList, but I gave it an 8.

#Gasaraki #Anime #Val writes a review #Guess that's a new tag

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magicalgirlpenny · 1 year

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I posted 23,573 times in 2022

341 posts created (1%)

23,232 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@sp1c3-r4ck-synd1c4t3

@littlemisspipebomb

@catgirldick

@dapper-lil-penguin

@magicalgirlmindcrank

I tagged 2,996 of my posts in 2022

#homestuck - 387 posts

#my angel - 233 posts

#rwby - 158 posts

#chiro - 157 posts

#deltarune - 143 posts

#my bias - 94 posts

#that me - 54 posts

#mlp - 50 posts

#nge - 46 posts

#undertale - 33 posts

Longest Tag: 122 characters

#love 😍🥰❤💝❤💗🥰😘🥰😘💘💘💝💖💖❤🥰❤🥰💖💞💘💓💖❤🥰😘🥰💗💖💝💖❤💘😘💘🥰💓💞❤💞💗💓❤💞💗💖💓🥰😍💗❤💞💕💖🥰💘💝❤💘💘💓💞❤

My Top Posts in 2022:

i should... probably empty this out more often huh

68 notes - Posted July 3, 2022

how the fuck does youtube not remember videos that i watched like two days ago but it remembers the freeman’s mind episode i watched in 2020

88 notes - Posted March 17, 2022

when are they gonna release a shadowrun book about the state of the 2075 greater seattle polycule

104 notes - Posted May 26, 2022

all i know about soulsborne games is that all the men are sad wet rags and all the women are queens

136 notes - Posted May 15, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

if you kiss a robot with a screen face you get to feel the screen static on your lips and that’s them kissing u back

7,477 notes - Posted March 28, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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sturmovik · 2 years

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rambling about the End of Evangelion (1997)

[imported from twitter before deletion, for posterity] (also spoilers for EoE, obviously)

After watching EoE, I read a whole bunch of takes on the film, and thought I'd share mine:

It was clear that Third Impact was going to happen whether Shinji got involved or not. They didn't need him, only EVA 01 (Yui) and Rei/Lilith. What makes Shinji's presence significant is that it opened the possibility for a different outcome, provided he had the will to make it happen. Ofc bec of his mental state he at first allowed the Third Impact to happen, but in the end he was able to find his will to live, providing humanity an opportunity to try again.

One of the more interesting points I read was that if Shinji rejected instrumentality from the get-go, it would only stall the TI because Seele, Lilith, and the Evas would not be destroyed. I.e. they would just continue to destroy NERV, kill Shinji, and start it again w/ no obstacles.

So basically, the Third Impact and human instrumentality were inevitable. Shinji's triumph was recognizing his self-worth, allowing him to will the EVA and Lilith to open the door for himself and other people to reject instrumentality and return to their individual forms. This also ties into the significance of Rei and her development as an individual. Thanks to her friendship with Shinji, she was able to reject Gendo’s plan to dictate the terms of the Third Impact, giving the key to Shinji instead.

It's unclear how Seele planned to control the TI (perhaps they didn’t need to and just needed it to happen), but they didn't need Shinji (JSSDF were ordered to kill the pilots) and were probs overconfident that Shinji was broken enough that he would not interfere. But he did, and he gave humanity the chance to come back.

other thoughts:

-man, the whole third impact sequence is some of the most beautiful, haunting, memorable pieces of animation i've ever seen. I've never seen anything like it before, and will probably never see anything like it again. God I need to watch all this again but high with a friend

- "Komm, süsser Tod" has been stuck in my head but mostly because i'm wondering about the rumors that they made this song because they couldn't afford/get the rights to use "Hey Jude"

-my favorite character from NGE + EoE is definitely Asuka. at first I thought I wouldn't like her but it was Asuka’s arc that hit closest to home and I ended up relating to her struggles and flaws the most. Episodes 15 and 22 are my favorites mostly cuz of just how well-written Asuka is. (Misato still best girl though)

#nge #evangelion #rambling #eoe #end of evangelion #anime

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joshdachu · 1 year

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Black Friday sale loots 2022 part 2!! 💰💰 - I didn't know Neon Genesis Evangelion the Complete Series BluRay standard edition is out now. $63 from JBHIFI. 26 episodes + 3 films + many special features. Good value. I saw expensive limited edition & even overprice Ultimate Collector's Edition +$500! Keen to watch it again like watching classic anime movies on SBS channel late Saturday night back to early 2000s! 🎬📺🤖 - The World Ends With You the Animation BluRay. I used $50 Madman online voucher on it = $15! Loved it via streaming & keen to watch rewatch! Meanwhile I never played NEO TWEWY yet! ⛩⛩🌇🌆 - #nge #evangelion #evangelionneongenesis #neongenesisevangelion #theworldendswithyou #theworldendswithyoutheanimation #animebluray #anime https://www.instagram.com/p/ClVUV9mSYTN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#nge #evangelion #evangelionneongenesis #neongenesisevangelion #theworldendswithyou #theworldendswithyoutheanimation #animebluray #anime

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neurodogical · 2 years

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for ppl shitting on me in the notes of the autism girl post abt the shows i included: I'd love to tell you i only finished 1 out of the 7 anime and it's lain ok I'm not including your fucking generic blorbo #47 bc I'm not a fucking neet and i haven't watched most of the shows you're talking about. "you forgot blorbo #420!!!" no i didn't bc idk them. post was literally just for blank, bug-eyed autistic asf anime girls and the 9 photo format is the only thing that looks good on tumblr lmao.

sm1 accused me of putting in "3 perv anime" bc they were salty that i didn't include a character from a show I've never watched. tbh creature, lain, and espurr are excluded bc no sexual content in their sources.

-chobits i completely get, the show is objectively shit. i just like the character

-nge i can understand but simply labeling it as "perv anime" is reductive as hell.

- haven't seen chunnibyo since I was 11 so idk about that one.

-havent seen haruhi since i was 14 but i remember there being distasteful jokes. not anywhere close to chobits level gross

-havent seen azumanga daioh at all, just read the manga when i was 14, and there were off-color jokes as well but nobody in the notes had issues w that

-literally haven't seen clannad since i was 15 and only got 10 episodes in lol. no i don't remember any of it

#idk might delete this later im just salty asf #ok like youre gonna imply im a perv for a shitpost on tumblr?#i tagged all the shows and characters #if you hated any of those shows or characters that much you couldve blacklisted them and not seen my post #or just ignore it instead of reblog it??? because people reblog things they like????#why would you leave a mean comment in a reblog

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ceteradesunt · 2 years

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Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995–96) — 1×15 “Lies and Silence”

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zephyrthejester · 7 years

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Let’s talk at length about NGE episode 15′s final minute

After Episode 15 of Neon Genesis Evangelion, everything changed. Everything! And the idea of moving straight on from it with such little fanfare didn't sit right with me. Not when nearly all my theories were tossed out the window, not when many past events got re-contextualized. Not when I've obtained some entirely new theories...! So today, in an effort to gather all my thoughts in one place so you readers are on the same page as I am as we move forward, I'm going to write an essay on the final minute of NGE's fifteenth episode... and also some other details I haven't talked about yet.

Ready for some words? Click "Keep Reading" to continue.

Part 1: Adam and...?

We need to talk about the big, white, seven-eyed elephant in the room first thing. Adam, the First Human. Adam, the First Angel. Adam, the Enemy. Crucified and skewered by the Lance of Longinus, as I've been informed, in the exact same manner that Christ himself suffered. So what is his deal?

My first thought here was that the Angel attacks on Tokyo-3 haven't been to destroy the city and Nerv HQ, but to rescue Adam and bring him home. Or maybe to trigger Third Impact... But then I remembered that there were multiple Angel attacks on the city well before Adam was delivered to it, which greatly complicates that theory. I've nothing to continue with concerning this matter, so I guess I'll have to move on to talking about his origin.

Misato identified Adam as being the cause of Second Impact. There was the briefest flash of the roof of a building being torn apart by the winds of the incoming explosion, which I remember from the flashback to Second Impact we had a few episodes ago. That's proof enough for me. It is very reasonable to assume that Adam is indeed the First Angel that was discovered and experimented on by a team of scientists, Misato's father among them. And as we'd recall, it was specifically human meddling that incited Second Impact.

But what happened to Adam immediately afterwards? When Kaji handed him off to Gendo, he was encased in an amber-like substance and in the form of a fetus. The fetus form, I'm guessing, being a default state that all Angels are born/created in before emerging from their Chrysalis and taking their true shape. Remember Clusthulhu's initial similarity to Adam? I can only assume that Adam reverted to fetus form and was flash frozen following Second Impact. I think that the folk at Nerv let Adam take his true shape, then crucified him.

And now Gendo wants to kill him. But is that all? Kill him with the Lance of Longinus, and no more Angels appear? Humanity is saved? Is he slowly dying after being stabbed with the Lance, or are further plans in store? Is the Lance even killing him, or doing something else entirely? Is this the Human Instrumentality Project? I guess time will have to tell. Right now, all I can do is speculate.

Moving on, I'd like to note that Adam is probably very, very special among Angels. He bleeds golden blood, for one thing. I know that the other Angels are identified as having "blue blood type," even though they bleed red. Weird. Furthermore, he is probably the progenitor of Humanity, if the humanoid growths on its lower half are any indication. They aren't moving, so maybe the Lance put a stop to that... Oh yeah! Remember how Angels share 99.89% matching DNA with humans? Now we know why! In a sense, is the being called “Adam” closer to “God?”

Finally, we need to talk about something really big. Like, really important. 'Cause man, there's still one Angel unaccounted for. The Second Angel. And you know it, man, you just know it... Where there's an Adam, there has to be an Eve.

And I speculate that "Eve" is none other than Evangelion Unit 01.

Why else would Gendo place extreme importance on the safety of Unit 01, even beyond the other two Evangelions? Why else would the intro of this show prominently depict Unit 01 sprouting golden wings that strongly resemble those that Adam sprouted during Second Impact? And you just know it'd be the juiciest drama for the show's main character to one day discover.

Following this theory, I'm going to have to assume that the other two Eva units are purely artificial. After the Simulation Bodies were shown to us, it seems likely. Or, just maybe, Eve was really flipping huge and all three Evas are made of her flesh, too.

Part 2: Gendo and Seele

I'm grateful to have been informed that the HIPC is really just Seele. Those other bigwigs at the council in the dark room? They're Seele. At least, that's what I've gathered. I get the sense that Gendo is sort of lone-wolfing it... Though the others speak down to him like they're his superiors, Gendo is self-assured because he holds all the cards. And that is true. Something tells me that if it came down to it, Gendo would be willing to totally screw over Seele just to do what he thinks is right. But for now, it seems they're all working towards fulfilling the Human Instrumentality Project. Though there's no telling if Gendo and Seele's vision of the HIP are identical.

One big mystery is what Gendo was doing in the Antarctic a few episode ago. It was well after Adam was delivered, so it couldn't have been related to that, right? For some reason, Gendo personally payed a visit to the site of Second Impact... But to do what, exactly? Why did he need to be there?

I'd also like to mention the strange long, thin object covered by a tarp in the Moby Dick episode. Looking back on it, that was probably the Lance of Longinus, yeah? That really confuses me. Is the Lance man-made, then? What's so special about it that it's apparently needed to kill Adam? Was it picked up from Germany along with Asuka and Kaji, or did it come from somewhere else? Still a lot of mysteries here.

Part 3: Rei and Shinji

It's pretty clear that Rei is indeed genetically engineered now. To pilot an Evangelion, certainly. To wield the Lance of Longinus and stab Adam, most probably. But what comes next for Rei? Does she have more business with Adam in the future? Why is it that she and Gendo are so close? Rei is definitely intentionally keeping secrets from Shinji, not that the boy asks any questions anyway.

If it comes down to it, I won't be surprised if Rei sides with Gendo over Shinji and Asuka if some sort of conflict arises.

Furthermore, the vat Rei was floating in was hooked up to a giant machine that looked a lot like the Magi. Did the Magi help create her, then? (Does that mean Rei is technically Ritsuko's sister?) And furthermore, what was Rei doing in that vat, anyway? Regenerating, or something? Undergoing further DNA modifications? It's really weird!

Part 4: Misato and Kaji

I haven't said this yet, but Misato is my favorite character on the show. I really admire her calculating, razor-sharp decisiveness during Angel attacks, and outside of those situations, she's truly the only person who shows Shinji any true kindness and warmth. I've only just realized it, but her conflicted feelings for her father really does make her like Shinji. The two are far more similar than I've given them credit for. And the thing is, because Misato sees so much of herself in Shinji, she can really offer just the right words of encouragement to help him out. She’s a great character.

Then there's Kaji. I didn't mention it at the time, but we learned who he's really working for: Japan's Ministry of Home Affairs. So he's working for just some standard-fare government thing? How boring. Still, I guess I should be grateful that the scale of wackiness doesn't go beyond Seele.

When it comes to Misato and Kaji's relationship, well... If Misato loves him, knowing full well the sort of man he is, I guess it's kinda okay? I just hope the nature of their jobs don't land them in deep trouble down the line. Things could really turn dangerous and nasty if stuff hit the fan, y'know?

Part 5: Asuka and Shinji

Let's end this on a happy note, shall we? I can't believe I'm only now realizing it, but Asuka is just a straight up tsundere. I've even noticed her many attempts at showing off for Shinji's benefit and her many gripes that Shinji isn't more interesting. Heck, there was even the synchronization training! But it's only now clicked...

So what prompted the kiss? I'd wager that spending a day out with some boy from school on an arranged blind date was what did it. She probably spent all that time thinking about a certain someone she'd much rather be with! Claiming to be bored, that she did it just for fun, is her way of making an excuse so she could back out of it and maintain her self-perceived dignity.

Shinji being a lonely, horny teenager who was already attracted to her, yeah, I'd guess that he'd be more than willing to pursue Asuka. He almost passed out holding his breath for the kiss, after all. If Asuka said "Shinji, we're dating now," I guarantee you he'd say "O-okay." Though I can imagine that the shipping wars in this fandom must have been... intense... during its heyday.

So yeah, guess that's all the thoughts in my head vomited out. Not sure how to end this, so... See you with more Evangelion tomorrow!

#Neon Genesis Evangelion #NGE episode 15 #Neon Genesis Evangelion Liveblog #Liveblogging #Liveblog

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