Neon Genesis Evangelion

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I thought I'd start a thread on Neon Genesis Evangelion, an ultra-popular anime that I just finished watching about a month ago, and I feel that it would be appropriate to start a new thread, since I haven't found any others here, at least, not on top, although I must confess I didn't search this forum thoroughly, since I feel that would be just a little too time consuming.

Anyhow, here's what I feel about Evangelion. I feel I can relate to a lot of the characters, their impulses, and what they ahve to go through, although not for the same reasons as they. I especially feel for the main character, Shinji Ikari, and his struggles with everyday life and his very troubled past. It also doesn't help Shinji that as an Evangelion pilot he has to deal with very difficult situations that are hard to begin with, and are even more difficult for him because of all he's had to deal with in life. As an Aspie, I know I have lots of similar trouble knowing what to do and what to do when a difficult situation comes up, and life is harder than usual because of the world being worked by neurotypicals for neurotypicals. I can also relate with Shinji's trouble interacting with those whom he lives and works with, especially since they're not always nice to him, and they have their own problems, essentially something they all have in common, yet it makes them all depend on everyone else to be sturdy and reliable, which is hard for them, especially for Shinji. It's especially difficult, I find, that Asuka Langley Soryu, one of Shinji's fellow Eva pilots and arguably one of his love interests, is very mean to him. Although the viewer does find out late in the series that there are real reasons why she is that mean to him. In the interest of those who haven't seen the series, or still have yet to see all of it, I'll spare the details here, but there are real reasons why she behaves this way, just like Shinji has trouble relating to people and difficulty dealing with issues and problems because his mom died when he was so young, and his dad abandonded him right after his mom's death.

This is my basic take on the show. It's a show that I feel I as an Aspie can relate to, yet a show that I as an Aspie also find very depressing at times. I thought I'd start this thread in case anyone has any other views or opinions on the show, and especially is anyone wants to discuss it further, now's your chance.

I like it, although I like it less and less as the series goes on. When it starts shifting away from the giant robot punch-ups and starts wittering on about how people are really just puddles of orange goo held together by their own personal forcefields (or something like that), I found myself scratching my head and thinking "when are they going to get to the next giant robot beatdown?!"

The final two movies bent my mind into the shape of a croissant, too.

Yeah, I agree. Evangelion was entertaining at first, always keeping me on the edge and keeping me eager for what eas going to happen next. But it kept getting just more and more psychological and philosophical, with less and less actual action and events, and more and more what the characters felt and believed, and what went on and had been going on in their minds. I agree, both the original ending, save for maybe the very last part of it, and the end of the End of Evangelion were both just too unusual for my tastes.

I like Neon Genesis Evangelion as well!

Lilliputian Hitcher is my favorite episode, especially the cleansing scene at the beginning.

Tim

Is this a show that one really needs to see a version different than the cartoon network version of it to enjoy it? I understand its popularity and I like anime but this one just doesn't do it for me, or at least as shown on the cartoon network.

Yeah, I think the Cartoon Network version has some cut scenes in it, and lat I heard they took it off the air. There's a Platinum DVD version available, with all the cut scenes restored as far as I know, and there's new director's cuts of some of the last episodes, to help clarify and explain things a little better.

pretty cool but can I ask why there are so many Evangalion statues on the market compared to other animes?

I also have the Platinum Series collection, and I think it really starts to get good when it moves away from the battles. It's almost a horror, because you are never allowed to forget that these are still children, forced into horribly complex and frightening situations by adults, and used in the worst possible way for reasons they are not allowed to know. I admit, I hated Shinjii for a long time, because I saw too much of myself there.
I still dislike him, but it's more like an understanding pity now. I have always loved Asuka, the German child. She also goes through her own purgatory, and yet arises with a burning joy and selfless bravery born from reclaimed love, it always hurts me to see her last battle. Rei is a mystery, until she rebels against her masters and allows one broken soul to choose his fate. This is THE anime to see, but it can get a little tedious in parts. I love the movies, especially END. There is a massive load of Esoteric and psychological reference here and all throughout the series, but if one is patient, one can unlock layers of meaning hidden to most. Whatever you do, NEVER watch it with the English dubbing. The voice actors are horrible, they lose almost all the true inflections, and it comes out all wrong. It may be a bit more work to read the subtitles, but the emotions will be correct, and that is the crux of the entire series. Prepare to have your brain warped in a direction you never knew existed.

im a huge fan of it. but i read the manga version..it's quite different to the anime. i like it more than the anime actually.
Rei is the character that i associate myself with the most...i like the eva design and the references to religeon *such as the tree of sephiroth in the openinig credits* are interesting...what i hate is how they have written a new manga called "angelic days" about the characters if their lives were not "warped". indicating the franchise has become a bit of a cash cow.

I like the anime both for the mecha fights and the pshyology/philosophy. I've never bothered with the manga though, since usually even if a manga or anime is superior, they're still essentially the same story and buying a whole series of either for minor differences is rarely worth it.

I used to watch it with my sister when they showed the original version with subtitles here. It was pretty cool, but we never figured out what exactly the whole thing was about