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it is mother fucking hot as fuck outside and we are going to watch some Evangelion to cool off and replace the discomfort of heat with existential dread
so I've heard that Evangelion's second cour is really where it kicks off properly and things get weird and depressing and hey is this a recap episod
okay so I guess more of an....explain-y episode
definitely a recap episode. Kind of almost like a documentary about the prior events of the series, which is an interesting approach. Also it's nice to see some of these shots again
*whispers* am I supposed to know who these people talking actually are
well *here's* a term I've heard before.
"instrumentality" is an interesting word, ja know?
"instrumentality" is an interesting word, ja know?
I feel like I'm not really supposed to know anything about the Instrumentality Project Council but boy are these guys so generic Villain looking
hey sorry Gendo *the mcfucking what*
first appearance of the term "Seele" in-series I think. I know *of* Seele in a broad sense from general nerd culture osmosis, don't remember what it/they is/are or what it/they does/do though. Identified as "the throne of souls" in the chapter title immediately after this, hmm!
okay we're just gonna dive right into it, eh?
"what did your face look like before your parents were born?"
Hmm. Yes, I know what matching is.
how it feels to chew 5 Gum
well this is the face of someone who knows they're doing something that morally speaking they probably shouldn't be doing but feels like they have no real choice in the matter.
I don't see Eva's very expressive character shots brought up very often? but they're really good
I don't see Eva's very expressive character shots brought up very often? but they're really good
haha....uh, why?
hmm.
hmm.
this is another thing I've heard about via osmosis but don't actually know what it, like, is. Though I can kind of sorta guess from context
also, important conversation between side characters just kinda happening here whoop
also, important conversation between side characters just kinda happening here whoop
hey Asuka this is much less the grand slam dunk you think it is and much more "giving fanfic writers really questionable ideas"
hey, what the fuck does "mollycoddle" mean?
okay wow, homerun pick by the translator I guess is what it means
mental pegging (I'm sorry)
well here's a ghost from my past I didn't expect to run into today
(if you know you know)
(if you know you know)
well none of this seems particularly great
everybody's got their own theories, you know!
the subs on this are legendary for also subtitling the stupid bullshit TV show playing in the next room over also hey apparently Phi Brain exists in the universe of Neon Genesis Evangelion
Many Thoughts
*shogi* symbolism, you don't see that much.
hmm
there's not a lot of internal voiceover in this show, so they clearly *really want* us to know that he's thinking this, but why?
hmmm.
hmmm.
so I sort of expected that the mentioned "Lance of Longinus" here would be like, metaphorical somehow
nope! that appears to be just, a literal polearm. Giant robot sized, even.
nope! that appears to be just, a literal polearm. Giant robot sized, even.
there WILL be more eva this evening I'm just
eatang dinner
eatang dinner
I think "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" might just actually be the best anime OP ever.
Commander Ikari, I keep trying to pilot the robot, but I'm dummy plugg, and the ??????? of my ??????? keeps alerting the Angels
a striking image!
black on white title card instead of the usual white on black? Hm.
oh we're learning ALL about the mysterious shadow organizations today
shinji be like:
jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
can we get an F for our boy
man, I've been very awkward in my day, but I'm not sure I've ever been "you wring washcloths like a mom" awkward
the single frame of Gendo that pops up here and yells "LEAVE!" (it happens so quick I couldn't get a screenshot of it) is kinda brilliant as far as visualizations of intrusive thoughts go
well that's just kinda the whole game right there, huh?
I love how the episode just BARRELS through the wedding scene and we immediately come to this
for all of the other much worse and less grounded things he is Gendo is also a pretty realistic depiction of a dad who knows fuck all about how to help his kid deal with anything
honestly kinda wonder if Anno didn't also have a shitty dad cuz this whole scene is some primo Shitty Dad Sayings
like I know there's other shit going on with Gendo, but put that away for a moment. His child is still reeling from the loss of his mother, and what he has to say boils down to "well, *I* remember her just fine", and then this.
even if this didn't take place in the story of Evangelion Shinji would *still* be fucked up just because Gendo's a bad parent.
Not that I'm revealing anything new to anyone here, I know, but still. It's kind of stark!
Not that I'm revealing anything new to anyone here, I know, but still. It's kind of stark!
violin!
fundamentally Neon Genesis Evangelion is a series where everyone has really unhealthy views on gender roles
bar scene is losing me a bit, I kinda don't care as much about this section of the cast as I do the children (or even Gendo, for that matter)
also I think this is the first time I've heard the word "transistasis" in an anime
also I think this is the first time I've heard the word "transistasis" in an anime
well Iiiii've seen better days
I really have seen better days
Iiiii've seen better days
(guitar riff)
at the bottom of a bottle
I really have seen better days
Iiiii've seen better days
(guitar riff)
at the bottom of a bottle
what a pretty shot of a very dirty thing happening
(she's puking, if you can't tell!)
(she's puking, if you can't tell!)
Dad Discussion 2
fundamentally, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a series where no one has any idea how to solve their problems in a productive fashion. In this way, it is much like life.
haha
ew.
Man I don't understand straight people at all.
ew.
Man I don't understand straight people at all.
how did we get here
norns in heaven these kids need therapy
this looks like the cover of a really mediocre soft rock album from the 70s
this scene is SO awkward. Obviously it's on purpose, but like, the weird overly-aggressive way Asuka approaches it (pinching Shinji's nose!) combined with the tinny city pop playing in the distance. Oh yeah, that's real teenage herkyjerkery
an important lesson was learned that day
alright cutting from the teacher in their classroom asking "oh is Ayanami absent again today?" to
WHATEVER T H I S IS
is further evidence to my theory that Hideaki Anno, director of Evangelion, was a known funny motherfucker
WHATEVER T H I S IS
is further evidence to my theory that Hideaki Anno, director of Evangelion, was a known funny motherfucker
bruh can't you read
uhhhhh. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?
uhhhhhhh....hhh....uh....hm..
uhh.
huh.
uhhhhhhh....hhh....uh....hm..
uhh.
huh.
OH IS THAT ALL?
ooh wow. Somebody from DAC (I think it was @mattdotgif ?) mentioned to me that episode 16 looks really washed out and such because the masters were lost / accidentally destroyed, and you can *immediately* tell.
it does give things a certain period-accurate VHS charm I suppose
either something is amiss or Asuka has come down with a terminal case of sarcasm poisoning
UPDATE: it's the second thing
yeah ok like this is the show trying to demonstrate how fickle Shinji's self-confidence is and I get that but I don't care who you are small children snickering at you always feels bad
everybody loves Zebra Ball! the mysterious Ball with Zebra stripe patterns!
haha, yeah.
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh no
none of this seems particularly great
yeah wow I gotta say, the fact that I know how this story ends makes this whole sequence *very strange*. I feel like I'm watching historical footage of a disaster in progress, like the Hindenburg going up. I can 100% trace the line from here to how fucked over Shinji gets.
this will not be a popular opinion, but even considering the infamous "demon Asuka" frame (which does look bad)...I actually kinda think the shitty copying quality almost enhances the mood of dread here
I had always assumed the Rei/Asuka dichotomy was played up by the fandom but nope they just actually do not like or understand each other
BLUE HIS HOUSE WITH HIS BLUE LITTLE WINDOWS AND HIS BLUE CORVETTE AND EVERYTHING HE SEES IS JUST BLUE LIKE HIM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE
poor kid :(
well she has equations so she's probably right
alright so full-blown freakout now. Not that I blame him
under the gun
these shows are always like "actually; the shadowy organization doesn't care if the protagonists live or die" and every time I'm like "oh shit, the shadowy organization doesn't care if the protagonists live or die!"
me rn
well this is quite a lot!
also genuinely uncomfortable and thought provoking which is something I can say of little art in general. (Not that art can't have a plurality of other merits, but those are particularly rare ones.)
also genuinely uncomfortable and thought provoking which is something I can say of little art in general. (Not that art can't have a plurality of other merits, but those are particularly rare ones.)
I will say, maybe other stuff happens later, but, I'm kind of shocked at how little sympathy Shinji seemed to get for years and years from the anime-watching public at large. The trauma and hostile self-inquisition here is stuff *lots of people* struggle with.
even me, to a point. Though thankfully my life is devoid of....whatever the Angels are.
(knock on wood)
(knock on wood)
:(
so Shinji, on the verge of death, is embraced by the spirit(?) of his mother, and Unit 01 emerges, screaming and bloody, from a giant sphere.
Kids, you could cut yourself on the sharpness of the imagery, here.
Kids, you could cut yourself on the sharpness of the imagery, here.
the most reasonable reaction anyone has had to anything in this show goes to: Asuka
and oof, that ending.
The color palette in the last bit of this episode is interesting, possibly also a result of the bad transfer? but it kinda looks almost early shojo-y.
The color palette in the last bit of this episode is interesting, possibly also a result of the bad transfer? but it kinda looks almost early shojo-y.
anyway I'm gonna take a shower and watch another episode when I get back. Maybe more after that, maybe not, who knows!
Goodness this show is sad! I'm kind of dreading the fact that I have ten more of these episodes and then four movies to watch!
Goodness this show is sad! I'm kind of dreading the fact that I have ten more of these episodes and then four movies to watch!
alright well that didn't work out for various reasons! on with the dreadfest
just as another reminder, if you're enjoying this whole business consider dropping a few dollars in my Ko-Fi. It helps a lot and I basically always need money https://ko-fi.com/planetjane
LMAO preserving this in this thread thank you @SciFiNerd
"you see, sir, the reason Eva is so great is that unlike OTHER giant mecha anime, THIS one is about the CHARACTERS, not the robots"
