Initially appearing as a typical mecha anime with angst-ridden teenage pilots, colossal robots, and apocalyptic battles, Neon Genesis Evangelion might deceive you. However, if you were expecting something along the lines of Gundam, but with an unexpected intensity, by episode 25 you may have found yourself questioning, “Hold on, did I just enter an alternate reality?
That’s precisely how creator Hideaki Anno intended it to be. “Evangelion” isn’t merely a series about battling monsters; rather, it mirrors your own experiences, your anxieties, your buried traumas, and the emotions you tirelessly strive to hide. Anno didn’t craft it as a means of amusement. Instead, he fashioned it as a wake-up call.
“I wanted people who watched it to feel encouragement”: Hideaki Anno on Neon Genesis Evangelion
During an interview with The New York Times, Hideaki Anno challenged the common perception that ‘Evangelion’ is a deeply sad series. In fact, Anno shared insights suggesting that the popular understanding of the show as depressing might need to be reconsidered altogether.
In my role as a creative mind, I strive to produce pieces that offer enjoyment alongside substance. I aimed for our series not to serve as an avoidance of reality, but rather to inspire viewers to embrace and live their own lives with conviction.
Surprisingly, the creator behind those heart-stopping dilemmas, devastating plot turns, and the unforgettable elevator scene aimed to offer words of encouragement rather than mere entertainment? That’s correct. Anno wasn’t just about producing run-of-the-mill anime that helped you unwind after work; he aspired to create something authentic, something that stirred you and made you feel enlightened.
Anno designed Neon Genesis Evangelion not as a place for us to hide, but as a tool to help us face our challenges. Instead of providing a safe haven, it serves as a light, giving us a reason to persevere in the face of struggle and fear.
Instead of depicting ideal anime protagonists with impressive power-ups and determined attitudes, Evangelion presented us with flawed, vulnerable characters who, in their humanity, frequently exacerbated situations merely by being present.
That’s why it stung so deeply. He imbued his characters with his personal battles against depression and self-identity. This wasn’t a typical ‘superheroes saving the world’ narrative. Instead, it was about ‘ordinary people clinging to sanity while trying to salvage what remains of themselves.’
The Rebuild movies: Anno’s final goodbye (with bonus closure!)
Initially, the TV series ending left spectators utterly bewildered. However, Anno took things to another level with End of Evangelion, a film that was just as confounding, if not more so, and incredibly emotionally taxing. Yet, the Rebuild films presented a stark contrast. As Anno himself put it: “The original ending left viewers puzzled; the Rebuild series offers a different perspective.
Regarding the “Rebuild of Evangelion” series, my intention was for the first movie to closely follow the TV series, but subsequent films would progressively alter the narrative. The third and fourth movies were planned to be entirely distinct from the TV series. In other words, I didn’t plan on repeating the same story as the TV series in the first film.
In a different phrasing, he wasn’t just rehashing old matters, but rather, he was tackling his own issues (once more), albeit with a touch of optimism and a substantial amount of healing. As the story in Thrice Upon a Time comes to a close, Shinji takes a definitive step. He matures. He leaves behind the past. And so does Anno.
Neon Genesis Evangelion shares a similar genre with other renowned sci-fi series, boasting impressive visuals, apocalyptic atmosphere, and large-scale conflicts. However, unlike many shows designed for pure entertainment, it challenges its viewers to contemplate their own lives. It provokes thought-provoking questions, creates moments of intense emotional resonance, and may even inspire a call to one’s therapist.
What makes it remarkable is that Evangelion didn’t strive to be entertaining (although its opening sequence packs a punch). Instead, it aimed to portray genuine experiences, encompassing the raw, uncomfortable, complex aspects of existing. Ultimately, Evangelion isn’t about surviving an apocalypse; it’s about overcoming personal struggles and challenges.
You’re figuring out how to cope with the turmoil inside your mind, the wounds from your past, and the apprehension of forming connections. If Shinji Ikari managed to get through it, so can you – and maybe even all of us. After all, we’re not so different.
At the moment, you can stream “Neon Genesis Evangelion” on Netflix, while “The Rebuild” movies such as “Thrice Upon a Time” and “Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion” are accessible on Amazon Prime Video.
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2025-04-25 16:34