Genre: Mecha Action/Psychological Thriller?

Creator: Hideaki Anno

No of Episodes/Volumes of Manga: 26 episodes, 2 Movies (EoE and Death and Rebirth)

Reviewer: Gobi

Review:

Neon Genesis Evangelion is set in the year 2015, 15 years after the devestation of Second Impact, which wiped out half of the worlds population. Since Second Impact, a special agency known as NERV has created mans only defence against a mysterious enemy, known only as Angels. This defence was Evangelion, giant biological creations born from Adam and created in mans own image. And only a select few 14 yr old children can pilot them.

The focus character of NGE is Shinji Ikari, one of the 14 yr old school students selected to pilot an Eva (in this case Unit 01). The series starts off with his arrival in Tokyo-3, where the headquarters of the Japanese branch of NERV is located. Upon arrival at his destination train terminal, he is aware of a distinct lack of commuters and padestrians... and his ride. It's not until after he is almost crushed by the first Angel of the series that Misato Katsuragi, NERV Major and Shinji's housemate, finally shows up and rescues him. From there, Shinji is introduced to his estranged father, Gendo Ikari (who also "happens" to be the head of NERV Japan), Rei Ayanami (a fellow pilot with a mysterious background) and finally pilots Eva Unit-01 in order to defeat Sachiel, the Angel that is attacking Tokyo-3. And all in one episode...

NGE is, as anime series' go, a weird, fantastical and thoroughly entertaining one. But it is unlike any mecha anime you have ever seen before. Hideaki Anno (Director and Mecha Design) has created a masterpiece, heavily laden with Biblical references and mid-bendingly complex threads, side-plots and twists. The series is based on, and incorporates, events that occured in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and uses many "facts" and scenarios in the Bible. Watch the series once and you find an entertaining but confusing anime, watch it a few more times and you will find deeper meaning and understand it more thoroughly. Join an Eva site or chat room, and be prepared to be blown away by the detail you missed, but which makes complete sense amidst the chaos of the series. This is the total Eva experience.

If there is a downside to this series, it's that it does not end more conclusively. Many important questions are still not answered by the time the credits roll on the last episode. This leaves the viewer both confused and, in some cases, a little angry. A large outcry from fans about this fact prompted Anno to create another ending, this time in movie form. In 1998, NGE: End of Evangelion rolled into cinemas as the final conclusion to the NGE series. EoE is set just after Episode 24, so it is basically Episodes 25 and 26 from a different point of view. It is an absolute masterpiece, and answers some questions in the series, but unfortunately creates a few new unanswered ones. Nevertheless, it is a fitting way to end one of the most popular and controversial anime's ever created.

It's impossible to gain an understanding of the greatness of this series by reading a review like this, if you haven't seen Eva, then go out and do so... you won't regret it.

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