Shin Seiki Evangelion

Evangelion is a rarity. One of the most popular series of all time (if not the most), I'm shocked that the show actually has quite a lot of substance. Let's look at the specs. It can be looked upon as three different series. The first 13 episodes serve as a dull mech show. Characters are introduced. A plot exists, but does little other than to justify the monster of the week setup. As such, it is sometimes painfully slow to sit through. I've known many a people who abandoned the show after this. Strangely enough, it's the mainstream audience that was attracted to these boring segments. Phase 2 of the series involves the next 11 episodes, which introduce you to the larger framework of the plot. Conspiracies abound, so keeping up with what's happening is a bit difficult. Nevertheless it's more than enough to propel you through, guessing at each corner. There's a lot more action and violence as well, making it far more entertaining than the first half. Yet when it's all said and done, the last segment hits, and you are thrown for a loop. See, the last two episodes focus on the psychological battle going on in the characters' heads. Although you've seen glimpses and outward expressions of this in the previous 24 episodes, they are now brought to the forefront. All of a sudden you realize that the show isn't about what you thought it was about. That the story of man fighting heavenly messengers in a battle for existence is secondary... that it's merely a backdrop to show the internal psychological struggle of the characters, and even greater - of humanity.

While the situations for Eva characters may be quite extraordinary, their fears and insecurities ring true for many of us. Director Anno asks many questions, and often gives no answers. While this may sound like a bad thing, it's actually not. Perhaps the truth is that there really are no answers. Human emotion is a fickle thing. There lies the brilliance in the series. It's philosophy disguised as a mech show. It questions the will to live, the reasons for living, and the concept of existence. It's intelligent.

That being said, I rather enjoyed the show. It's not something I thought I would like. Admittedly, I couldn't really find any enjoyment in the series for the bulk of the first half. But I stuck with it just to see what the fuss was about. Is the series overrated? Who knows. Depends on what you expect. I found it a refreshing change from most of the series out there. Not only is it different, but it's thought-provoking as well. I think everyone should watch it in its entirety, and nothing less. It is almost like three different shows combined in one, however the unity is only achieved once you've gone through the full process. Love it or hate it, it's truly something worth talking about it.