#evangelion 2.22

[cptrs]

[grailfigure]

Nagisa Kaworu (Plugsuit Ver.) // Neon Genesis Evangelion

1/6 Scale by Kotobukiya

[ryoki-ph]

Theres a 16-page booklet in the Australian DVD release of Evangelion 2.22 with a lot of interesting production information in it, so I scanned it! publicly available on the internet archive.

[cruelangel94]

アスカ

[kenma-cuddles]

The only difference is Johnny actually wants to kill things and shinji does not

[s-engetsu]

[esichime]

My ★★★★ review of Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance on Letterboxd

[veiledfox]

} There really is something to good music making things memorable

[lostwillowtree]

evangalion desperately trying not to end a movie with the entirety of japan fucking exploding (they failed)

[shodansbabygirl]

Screaming and crying and throwing up

[rassilon-imprimatur]

Ultraseven, Episode 26: Super Weapon R-1 (1967) 

Neon Genesis Evangelion, Episode 18: A Choice Of Life/Ambivalence (1996)

Rebuild of Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance (2009)

[topknotstrunk]

Review Everything 23 - Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance.

I think the thing I'm actually enjoying the most from the Rebuild movies is that the characters are much more fleshed out.

Asuka has always been my favorite pilot, for example. In Advance we actually get to see the reason she's a cocky little jerk. She's already graduated collage, takes her time off to actually train so she can fight in and out of an Eva, and is a Polyglot who speaks at least 4 languages. It's very clear that she is the best Eva pilot, which she demonstrates more than once, because she's worked the hardest, there's no nepotism involved in her selection like there was for Shinji and Rey.

I’m really enjoying this iteration of the story. I don’t even really have any deep thoughts or critiques so far because I’m just having too much fun.

Getting to see the new pilot, Mari, in action was cool. I knew she existed but not what her deal was, and had decided to like her before watching this. If they’re gonna stretch the original story out into four movies we would either need a lot more about these kids [not super possible, given that they’re only so old and we learn all the most important things about their back stories in the OG series] or they’d have to add another one to change the dynamic. And I like a confident character who knows what they want, Mari is that to a T. It’s interesting to see that they, in the same scene, where like, “Mari can do stuff none of other other pilots can.” And then, “OH YEAH WELL SO CAN SHNJI.”

The animation remains gorgeous, watching the Eva flop around after going beast/berserker mode is particularly fun. There’s also a lot of really nice color grading in scenes where we’re not at NERVE HQ, like the cool blue tones of the ocean restoration plant. I’m also a sucker for world building that a character in the show doesn’t explain to me, which we get a lot of here. A better understanding of what a geofront is, how the shelters work, what the kids get up to when they’re not at school, how this version of Japan differences from the one usually shown to us in Anime. Lots of yummy little world building tidbits. I also like that we had time for the kids to go and be kids, get to know each other more outside of school and NERVE, without it making the pacing any less enjoyable.

I am also greedily gobbling up the hints that Kaworu is a Roland from The Dark Tower like figure, where he has some understanding that this has all happened before, but differently, in ways he wants to change. Curious to know if the red eyes are gonna pan out to mean anything. Used to be that just Rey and Kaworu had them, but Shinji does when using his new powers in this anime, as does Mari.

In Summery: Power creep is fun in a series were the bad guys are trying to remake God.

Overall: 8/10

[greatcheshire]

Thoughts on each Eva thing (from NGE to 3.0+1.11)

NGE - very very good show, especially on rewatches. Both English dubs are good.

End of Evangelion - one of the best films I’ve ever seen. ADV dub or nothin

1.11 - bad stinky no good on its own. Just an abridged retread of the first six episodes with worse pacing. Only worth watching if you’re watching all the rebuilds

2.22 - good balance of old and new, doesn’t work for me as much as it does others but a step in the right direction

3.33 - HERE WE GO. People hate this one but I love this one and for me this is when the Rebuild films started actually showing their true potential

3.0+1.0 - A masterpiece and a perfect ending to NGE as a whole. There are scenes in it that’ll stick with me forever. Justified the existence of the rebuilds and then some. Great great great movie.

[autistic-ben-tennyson]

Evangelion’s influence on Makoto Shinkai

It’s no secret that one of the most popular directors in Japanese animation, Makoto Shinkai, has won over the hearts of many. Some consider him a “new Miyazaki” yet he prefers not to be seen that way and his style and way of storytelling is different. Nor is Miyazaki the only influence on his work as Shinkai considers a huge inspiration to be Hideaki Anno and his groundbreaking series, Neon Genesis Evangelion with EoE being one of his favorites. A lot of his works delve into similar themes of loneliness, longing for connections and adolescence that NGE tackled. Note that I haven’t watched all his films so some of this is based off what others have mentioned or argued but here are some examples of similar themes, characters or references I’ve spotted.

1. The worms in Suzume dissipate in a similar fashion to the Rebuild angels. They turn into a mass of red bubbles after the doors are sealed before exploding. The difference is the angels leave damage when destroyed. Suzume, like Shinji and Asuka, is another character who has suffered trauma from their mother’s death as did Mitsuha in Your Name and Hina in WWY. Mitsuha and Hodaka also have issues with their fathers like Shinji and Asuka. Both 3.0+1.0 and Suzume were made in response to the earthquake of 2011 and reflect the trauma left on Japan from that.

2. I haven’t watched these yet but both The Place Promised in Our Early Days and 5 Centimeters Per Second are said to be create a similar feeling or reaction from the audience as NGE. The former is very psychological and while more uplifting, still examines the main character’s anxiety and depression. Like EVA, some find it confusing and a bit difficult to understand especially the ending similar to EoE.

3. Weathering with You feels very EVA inspired in its themes and characters. The main characters, Hodaka and Hina, do remind me a lot of Shinji and Rei. I’ll warn people that I am a Shinji/Rei shipper so DLDR. They’re often compared to Homura and Madoka but I see a lot Shinji/Rei parallels too. The “Grand Escape” moment is a lot like the ending of 2.22, albeit with Hodaka actually succeeding at saving Hina. The character of Natsumi is also a lot like Misato in both appearance and personality. It’s questioning of how the older generations put all the burden on the youth to make sacrifices to fix problems like climate change is comparable to NERV drafting teenagers and sending them into a warzone against the Angels.

4. Garden of Words is another I have yet to watch but the relationship between the main character and his teacher is often mischaracterized as grooming or pedophilia, a bit like how some view Misato and Shinji. It’s a story of two outcasts coming together and developing an emotional connection. A “love story” but not a romance as one commenter describes. Yukino never returns Takao’s feelings due to their age gap yet the two save each other from falling into depression and their relationship is beyond sexual attraction.

Feel free to add more references or ways you think NGE or the Rebuilds have influenced Shinkai’s films. Disagree with some of these if you want since I know Reishin is a controversial ship, especially with Kawoshin being popular on Tumblr but that’s what I picked up while watching WWY. Both Anno and Shinkai’s works speak a lot to me as someone who’s struggles with depression. Suzume hit hard for me as an adoptee and Your Name showed me anime could be far more than a cheesy cartoon. Seeing people call Shinkai an “eco fascist” is baffling as that’s not what these stories are about. Both are groundbreaking directors in anime and have inspired a lot people, including me.

[xbuster]

Evangelion watch order is Otaku no Video > Evangelion TV > Death (True)² > End of Evangelion > Cutie Honey toku > Re: Cutie Honey > Evangelion: 1.11 > 2.22 > Evangelion: 3.0 (-46h) > 3.333’ > Evangelion manga > 3.0 + 1.11 > Shin Ultraman