Something that only just now occurred to me: Gendo's glasses are often shown as having red lenses, so he literally sees the world through the lens of pain.
Anno not having much to do with episode 4 just shows that you always need other people, whether it’s family, friends, or a team in a work environment, it’s almost like Anno’s own hedgehogs dilemma, from start to finish.
10:56, Rei's non-expression to Shinji can be interpreted as her simply being indifferent towards him and anyone who isn't Gendo. Instead of being rewarded for his attempts to protect her, the story subverts expectations by having Shinji lose the battle, his Eva being revealed to be to some degree not only autonomous, but alive, creating an even more horrific situation for Shinji, and instead of having multiple people be there to praise and thank him (cue the cast saying "Congratulations") he is abandoned at a hospital and receives a emotionless look of acknowledgement from the very person he risked his life for. It also casts an even bigger amount of mystique onto Rei, as she is portrayed as this figure Shinji seemed almost destined to meet and has already is shown to be something more than what she seems (her apparent astral projection to Shinji before he even meets her physically within the grander context of the series can be attributed to Rei's fusion with Lilith allowing her to project her form across time, as was demonstrated when Rei's projection was present at Ritsuko and Misato's deaths before she had even merged with Lilith, at least from the perspective of End of Evangelion and viewing all versions of Evangelion’s story as meta-textually all part of a cohesive whole). 12:42, One more obvious interpretations for the "Beast" is Unit 1 in it's Berserk State, which reveals to Shinji that he is not alone inside this "giant robot", after discovering more of its true nature as a cybernetic creature (which he has yet to discover also contains the soul of his mother, who willing donated it) , and just like his new uncomfortable proximity to his father, Misato and Rei, he is not even safe from his anxieties inside his Eva, the thing that is specifically designed to protect him.
SDAT recorder: Notice Shinji only listens to tracks 25 and 26, pointing out to the pivotal series ending episodes. I will never for the life of me understand how people can be so shallow as to dismiss the BY FAR best episodes in the series as "badly animated". They're not only wondrously visually speaking (just showing how budgetary constraints can drive creativity), but the amount of depth packed into them is mind boggling!
Fully agree! The creativity on display is staggering! I'm excited to get around to analyzing those sequences, as they're such a cinematic pleasure to experience.
what's so frustrating and sad and tragic about this part to me is that Shinji knows that he shouldn't run away, but he doesn't know what he shouldn't be running from. he believes that he shouldn't be running away from things like his Father and piloting the eva, when what he really needs to stop running from is decisions and address the passivity that dominates his life. he wants to reconnect with his father, but he doesn't know how to be assertive, so he just does whatever his father wants so that maybe Gendo will acknowledge him, which leads to Gendo Psychologically Manipulating and Abusing him pretty awfully throughout the series and remaining virtually unchallenged in his methods. I know people mention Gendo's speech in EOE for why he wasn't that bad, but I always saw that as another instance of him deluding everyone, including him, into believing he was a far better and smarter person than he actually was. If you couldn't tell, I really hate Gendo
I’m so glad this isn’t just another “generic psychoanalysis of Evangelion” video. Completely disregarding how amazing it is to get an analysis of the design choices, (I.e, red and green’s significance) Your editing, scriptwriting, and witty dialogue kept me intrigued the entire span of the video. I’m very exciting to see what videos you make in the future. Keep up the good work!
Extremely impressive interpretation of the first act, it's very easy to overlook these episodes as filler since there isn't much action but looking back at how important they are, im glad the studio put so much effort and thought into establishing character connections. My only complaint with this video is that there is one major spoiler about how unit 01 is his mother, I would much rather you just say "if you know, you know" But that's it! The video is amazing :)
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed and appreciated my take on this! The choice to include the detail about Unit 01 as Shinji's mother was carefully thought out. I do hate giving away spoilers for those who haven't seen the series, but I figured the vast majority of people watching this essay have seen the show in its entirety at least once. The original script left it at "if you know, you know," but the problem with the internet is I wasn't sure most people would know, and it felt more cohesive to say it outright, especially since future essays on this series will be even more referential to past and future happenings. I appreciate this feedback! It helps future essays and my thought process going into them. Thank you for sharing, and supporting! It means the world!
The cross thing at the beginning reminds me of something. You shouldn't always rely on how the artist interprets their own work. They didn't tell us what they were thinking, they made the art. If they could have just said it they wouldn't have bothered making the art. P.S. the longshots in this show are one of the best artistic choices ever made by any show.
I'm very bummed thinking about Gendo sending Shinji a letter that says, "You are special and the entire world needs you to protect them." And then having it all redacted without Shinji ever seeing it.
As a filmmaker who grew back into anime during the pandemic through evangelion, thank you for this. Eva is so special and so different for so many reasons, and these deep analysis just further demonstrate why that is. Great work!
This did not disappoint. I had this video open in another tab four minutes after publication and waited until I was able to sit down and digest the next step into Eva analysis here on the channel. I think what strikes me as most impressive about your videos, (specifically the Eva ones) is your sense of presence. The video essay itself has been moved beyond simply analyzing entertainment to being entertainment itself, and the author of the essay has become a performer. And what a performance this is. Just like the last video, this analysis is excellent at using visual motifs to examine the inner workings of the show and its themes. The plot is never dwelt upon too long or exposed as if the viewer had never seen the show like I have seen in so many other videos tackling Eva. I never felt unable to grasp the importance of the first four episodes of Eva, (they had always felt like the most significant and meaningful part of the show save for a few moments near the end, and I never understood people thinking it was boring) but this analysis, with such clarity and focus, constructs a solid interpretation of the themes and ideas of the show in a way that made me feel like my own understanding of the show is not nearly sophisticated enough to appreciate all there is to offer. A small nitpick, or perhaps just a question: the shot at 3:19 is described as showing Shinji, but in the shot of Shinji at the telephone, he is wearing a backpack and has a duffel bag. Now, I can't claim to make out if the figure in the shot at 3:20 is wearing a backpack, but it certainly doesn't look like he's carrying a duffel bag. I never interpreted that shot as being of Shinji, although I admit that your interpretation is cinematically and narratively satisfying. Perhaps I am reading it wrong, but you might want to reconsider the interpretation. This video was excellent and I cannot express how excited I am for the continuation and finalizing of the dissection of one of my favorite works of all time. Great stuff.
Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed the video and my approach to it. I figure a show this interesting deserves to have interesting analyses, and if I'm ever boring then I'm doing something wrong. I'm glad you appreciate the essay as well as the performance. As for your nitpick, it is totally valid. I hadn't come across anyone interpreting the train yard figure as Shinji, but aside from the small, hazy figure not having a duffle bag, I also couldn't find anyone saying it wasn't. In my mind, the connection between Shinji and trains in this first act, and him really being the only person we see in Atami except for Misato, cemented in my mind that it likely is him. Of course, I could be as wrong as I think I am right, and that's totally fine. Thank you again for the feedback and support! It means the world to me. I've loved doing these Eva essays so far, and I'm excited to keep doing them!
I was 14 when I found Eva (bought the first 4 episodes as a DVD then used Limewire). Looking back on it as an adult is strange, it definitely steered me towards philosophy. Whether that is a good thing or not is ironically, a philosophical dead end. Excellent video, keep on keeping on!
Thank you so much for sharing, and for the encouragement! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and I'm excited to release more soon! I'll keep on keeping on!
The “because it looked cool” quote about the Christian imagery is commonly misinterpreted because of language barrier baloney. Tsurumaki was just trying to say that they weren’t trying to make a statement about Christianity or religion in general. He said they chose to use Christian symbols of all things to assist the story because Christianity was unpopular in Japan at the time so they felt it would add an element of mystery to the series to pull in more Japanese watchers. Then he said that they didn’t expect Eva to get so popular world wide and they probably wouldn’t have chosen to work with Christian symbolism had they known since it’s not mysterious to basically the entire rest of the world. He made this statement when Eva was first getting mass produced on DVD with an English dub. He was worried it wouldn’t stand out enough to gain popularity in the west but obviously he was wrong lol
You're spot on! Tsurumaki and Gainax added the cross shapes because they were relatively mysterious and thought it would help the series stand out. The Wikipedia page for "The Beast" says: "The director of 'The Beast', Kazuya Tsurumaki, said in an interview that Christian graphic symbols were used for artistic reasons by the main staff, because they were considered "cool" for the Japanese audience..."
@@timberw0lfstudios yep. It’s easy to quickly glance at that quote and think “oh so I guess the Christian imagery doesn’t actually hold any narrative importance to the story”, and I’ve seen many people make this claim which unfortunately adds to the false rumors about Eva even more lol. Another common one is that they ran out of budget towards the end of the show’s run (thus, all the drawings in episode 26). But this one is also not true. Gainax provided the team more than enough funding, the biggest issue they ran into was the scheduling. The End of Evangelion was the originally planned finale that would take place after the events of episode 24, but all the story up to then took up more episodes than they thought so they left themselves with only 2 episodes to make the entire end of eva. So instead of rushing it, the team chose to have episodes 25 and 26 which kind of act as a supplement to the film, then they started working on EoE as soon as they could (two weeks after episode 26 aired) once the success of the show gave them the green light to do so. So this leads to another common misconception that the “two endings” are alternate endings when, really, they were supposed to be the same one. But the show becomes so abstract by the end that everyone is supposed to see it differently anyway. So I personally don’t think it matters much if some people do choose to treat them as alternative endings. I’m on the boat that they’re the same ending because I absolutely love those two episodes and the movie and I’d like the show less of either “ending” didn’t exist.
Yes, I'm aware of the rumor that they ran out of budget and how that's not true. I'm still doing some production research into how the series and End of Evangelion were constructed, so I appreciate your input and feedback on this! I like you're take that the two endings are actually one and the same, and it's easy to understand why others wouldn't see it that way. I'm excited to deep dive into both "endings" and see what I uncover.
You know, though, I think it actually IS mysterious. The cross does a TON of symbolic work that, quite frankly, most American Christians don't have a clue about. There are mystic themes about sacrifice, one becoming many, intra-action of different forces, and choice... I never got it when I was actually Christian. Anime that diffracts Christianity with Buddhism really helped me get the subtext of Christianity, and then diffracting the cross with like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Genesis, and then with Yggdrasil, where Odin sacrifices himself to himself to learn the runes... I'm in an ex-Christian community, and a lot of people there hate the cross because they say it's sick to glorify an instrument of torture. Maybe, but... It's so simple and elegant, but it says SO MANY complex things! I love it!
The three shots at 11:00 were to highlight how Shinji is unscathed after a no-joke Angel attack relative to Rei who is bandaged up. A clear distinction of two different outcomes stemming from a similar experience (piloting EVAs). We don't know what injured Rei at that point of the series so we assume, as the audience, it was probably from fighting an Angel like Shinji was forced to do. A nice contrast... not even a scar on Shinji after his first time in a real combat situation and untrained too. This is great by the way! Excellent stuff.
11:03 I could refine my answer, but roughly: Shinji now understands rei's wounds &bandages after also piloting the eva. You understand someone's pain after suffering a similar experience. If red is asuka and pain, I think the white -moon-rei equals an equivalent meaning of possibly understanding.
I’ve seen countless essay videos on this, and yours really was the one to make me realize i need to re watch evangelion all over again after 10 years 😭😭😭
Aww thank you! It means a lot to know I can have that kind of impact! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video, and if you do rewatch the series I hope you enjoy it even more!
I will have to watch this one again, so many details! But one thing that always felt weird about these first episodes, as I feel it deviates from what Evangelion does later on, was not addressed - Shinji wanders the countryside and walks into a Van Gogh painting? I did look into Van Gogh's sunflower works and found nothing like the frame where its literally just wall to wall sunflowers and Shinji. Such vivid lively colours! Such calm unspoiled nature! This piece just doesn't fit! It fits with Shinji not being okay in his head, but this is a happy orange and such a surreal turn from the City of Science and the Unreal Invaders, just so many sunflowers! It was probably just somebody's random moment of inspiration, but it weirded me out lol
I can totally understand that field of sunflowers weirding you out, lol. I can't even say I myself was spared from a moment of "whoa" when they first came on screen. What's even more bizarre, however, is when they bring that imagery back in later episodes when Rei syncs with Shinji's memories. I'm not entirely sure what the connection or symbolism means, but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who had a chord struck at the image.
Btw, SDAT is what that "recorder" plays. I remember people used to call that a walkman or a cassette player. "Walkman" was what sony called their particular version of that device, but it became synonymous with cassette players. Think "kleenex"
I watched nge for the first time 23 years ago, and i still remember how episode 4 is where i went from liking the show to absolutely loving it. Great analysis!
I really appreciate this video - not only was it super interesting to listen to, but the way you interpret and explain all of the artistic decisions has really helped me to get a greater understanding of how to think deeper and implement these sorts of things myself in my work. I'm really looking forward to trying out some of the things I've learned about visual storytelling with colours, framing and shot composition, thank you very much for the great video :- )
You're so very welcome! I'm glad I could reveal new details and help you appreciate the show a little more! The video was a ton of fun to put together, and I'm glad you found it valuable.
I feel like the three shots conveyed understanding of pain… all at once. pain of living, pain of having nothing to live for either way, pain of hating and pain of being “okay”.
Regarding your question at 11:30, notice the close up in time- it's emotional anchoring. One thing that is important to notice about Eva is that it is not as much symbolic as allegoric- the meaning of symbols (such as the "strange" ceiling which becomes more and more familiar as the series continues) isn't determined in advance but keeps evolving. In this case I would attach the meaning of signification to Rei and Shinji's relationship with her. Anyway, great vid!
Love this answer! You're definitely right: the shot is an emotional anchor, but emotions being subjective as they are, I wasn't sure what other viewers felt or interpreted this sequence as. Thank you also for pointing out the show is more allegoric than symbolic: I agree with that too. Thank you for the feedback! I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
That scene at the train station was absolutely perfect and did so much for me when I was going through some things Great video, please keep this series going!
Thank you for putting your heart and soul into this project. Seeing all these different angles of film and color make me think there was a lot more to eva than I thought. This is why I love eva and your series helps me understand more and to reinforce my love for it.
i love this, because even though it is a deep dive it still uses common sense with things that propably are not symbolism (like animation errors or even just random shots)
I literally just finished latest rewatch of Evangelion this past week and your analysis blew my mind away with how much i missed! I might have to do another rewatch soon, after I'm done watching your series.
Glad I was able to help you enjoy those details you missed! Eva really is a show that keeps on giving. Thank you so much for your feedback and support!
11:02 I noticed that the framing of Shinji's face looked weird. Then I realized that his right eye is out of frame. The same eye was stabbed by Sacheal. Rei's right eye is also injured. I think this scene is supposed to convey that Shinji has gained Rei's perspective and can empathize with her. He understands what it's like to pilot an Eva.
I'm only seven minutes in, but a small detail you didn't mention: Gendo's "letter" has two different handwritting. The first one, with thick strokes, only says "come". It seems he wrote that immediatly after redacting his son's file. The other part of the letter says "please". The penmanship is very different, and it appears to have been written with another marker. So that little sense of politeness was most likely added by Fuyutsuki.
Never noticed this detail and I love it! Not currently fluent in Japanese or kanji, I'm at the mercy of those who are to discover these nuances. Thank you so much for sharing!
So a note on the idea of tracks 25 and 26 being a reference to the last two episodes and TimberW0lf casting doubt on that idea. It's important to point out that in the Rebuild film Evangelion 2.22, the track jumps from 26 to 27 when Mari collides with Shinji, marking the beginning of a new narrative arc and indicating that the Rebuild films are a proper sequel and not a straightforward remake. So even if Anno didn't originally have those tracks cycling back from 25 to 26 as a reference/foreshadowing to the series' last two episodes, it becomes the de facto meaning behind the SDAT track numbers in the Rebuild films. (It also progresses further until the tape deck eventually shuts down at the end of Thrice Upon a Time.
I haven't seen the Rebuild films yet, but from what I've read, that all lines up. I simply wasn't sure at the time of writing what the relevancy within the series was, but as I've done more research I've grown more confident in that interpretation. Thank you for sharing!
The cinematography knowledge and the understanding of editing give unique and useful deep dives that provide a quite cool translation of the the serie's emotional complexity which is known for leaving its audience and occasional viewers out of their minds 🎉❤😊 #congratulations
This was a great video, can't wait to see you cover more and I love the talk about shot compositions, especially the scene with Misato wanting to be a mother figure for Shinji, in front of his literal mother. Nice stuff and will definitely be back for more haha.
Thank you so much! Analyzing the shot composition for this series has definitely yielded some surprising results, and I'm glad you enjoyed them! I'm excited to release more soon.
i’m absolutely loving these videos and i am so excited to see you dive further. i’ve seen eva once and nothing has urged me to rewatch it again until now to really analyze all of these elements!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and that I've sparked such renewed interest! There's definitely a lot to study, especially in those first few episodes.
these are notes taken through-out the video as i watched it, 4:26, you could also see Misato (and NERV by proxy) going to the left as showing that she's (and NERV) going to drag Shinji towards the right, into progression, even if it's the worst form of progression anyone could ask for. at 7:50 while it might have been what you're referring to, i think the close up could be showing the pressure Shinji is being put under to get in the EVA, creating a feeling of claustrophobia that can show the pressure Shinji is feeling. and at 8:00, if being to the left means a lack of progression then Shinji being on the left means he hasn't made progress, and if we continue this dissection then Gendo being in the middle might also show that he has made progress but hasn't finished or got put back, this might ether refer to his work on NERV, or the love he felt with Yui which is sorta a small look at what human instrumentality is meant to bring 13:42 to my knowledge it might be a walkman also looking through the footage of episode 2 shown he is ether on the right or the center meaning, if the ideas of positioning apply here, he has made progress. looking at the class room, i immediately noticed that it's a shade of pale green, and so it the female uniform, potentially showing a light, but presence, sense of connection, hell the school and the phones are green, it's all a shade of bloody green, . and in the scene where he's being swarmed by class-members, he's on the left, and surrounded in green. and the inside of Toji's jacket is purple, now i watched the video on "interjection" before this one so i know that purple is power, showing Toji has power, at least inside of him. 22:37, of course there both in green. and is Misato's room (and apartment) tinted green or is it just me, and Misato herself is usually in at least 1 piece of red clothing.
Thank you so much! Glad you found it so insightful and enjoyable! Love all your notes, and I think you're spot on with most if not all of them. Thank you so much for watching; I hope you'll find future videos just as exciting!
Tiny thing, you know how the first instance of Shinji in NERV? Going up the escalator with the Eva's hand in the back? That might actually be Unit Zero. The flashback in episode 5 where Unit Zero goes berserk the last punch it throws goes through the wall. Right arm and everything.
Very intriguing theory! Hard to say for sure, given we don't know the layout of the headquarters, and the coloration does nothing to indicate either way, but that's definitely a fun possibility to consider!
Hey brother, your Eva essays are fantastic. You've quickly become one of my favorite channels and I can't believe you only have 2.66k subs. Your videos are of the highest quality and I hope you blow up soon.
Hey man, thank you so much! I'm glad you've enjoyed the content so far, and I'm happy you could join us so early in the journey! I have no idea where things will go, but regardless of where we end up, I'll keep doing my best. Thank you for all the support and encouragement!
this is like peak youtube. whenever i'm doom scrolling to find a video essay that seems interesting this is what i dream to find, and it's only the first part of hopefully 5? i will gleefully watch all of these videos. great original breakdown and interpretation like wow
Oh my goodness, thank you so much! My honest dream and hope is to put out videos everyone wants to come across when doom scrolling, so knowing I did that for you makes my heart happy. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! The original plan was to make 5 videos for this series, but at this time it looks like there will be even more. Thank you again for the support and feedback! It means the world!
im super happy to have your insight about this show. youre able to point out, contextualize, and process everything i felt while watching the show. and to have it laid out in a more understandable view is really amazing. it makes me love the show even more
"Ritsuku" "It's Ritsuko goddamn it, say it ri--" "Did I just say Ritsuku? Ritsuko." I swear you put that take in the video specifically to fuck with me, haha. Solid work, as ever.
So glad I found you got dang. The way you disect the show is so detailed and unlike others I've seen who, as you pointed out in your previous Eva vid, focus mostly on characters. Here you go indepth about the technical things which you clearly have a ton of knowledge of, instead of the normal Shinji hate or disdain for the show's unique elements, and we're all for it, keep it up my guy!
Aww thank you so much! I'm just sharing what I've noticed and helping others see it through my eyes, but I'm glad it's proved useful and valuable to so many! I definitely intend to keep it up, especially with the Eva content; thank you for all the feedback and encouragement!
Thank you so much! Yeah, I think color is one of the many tools Evangelion uses well to tell its narrative. I'm excited to keep exploring the concept in future videos.
I like the color and L to R or R to L movement analysis. I haven't seen that yet in NGE video essays, so that was cool! NGE is my fav anime series so I love whenever anyone is taking a crack at it since there's millions of things one can discuss
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! There are a ton of things I noticed during my latest watch-through that elevated NGE to my favorite anime as well. I definitely can't cover everything there is to know, but I'm excited to discuss that which others haven't noticed or mentioned.
I don't know if you already pointed this out either in the video or somewhere else but you had the two Masami Okui songs mixed up. The one that plays after Shinji punches is "Bay Side Love Story", while the final scene at the station is "Face." At least, that's according to the subbed versions I saw. Fun fact: There's actually another version of Face meant for the All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku OVA. So far, I don't know if it shows up in the OVA itself or if it's part of an image album.
Good to know, thank you! My information said otherwise, and since I don't speak Japanese I'm now wondering which is which. Ah well, just another mix up and the road of content creation. Thank you for the feedback!
@@timberw0lfstudios No problem, I wasn't expecting a reply so soon, honestly! I guess it helped that I was listening to the Nuku Nuku version before I found out about it in NGE (despite having seen it many times before). Then again, I must have had it on low to where I never noticed. I mainly knew about the SDAT songs that were playing (The ones sang by Misato's Jp VA for an album related to the RPG series Ys.)
Thank you so much! I wasn't sure if making a video on the topic would interest anyone, so to know that you and others are enjoying and finding value in it warms my heart. I'm glad you like it!
While I think you look WAYYYY too far into certain scenes, you also pointed out a ton of concepts and messaging I missed in the few times I have watched the series. Great work!
Thank you so much! I definitely fall into the trap of overanalyzing media (I've gotten better about it, I promise!); and I'm glad to know I still managed to reveal some cool techniques and messages for you! Thank you so much for your feedback and support, I really appreciate it!
This video is fantastic. I must have watched days worth of Eva analysis, along with the series itself multiple times, and you still surprised me with details I'd never noticed or had pointed out! The analysis of so many shots in the first few episodes must have taken an eternity, but I'd love to see more of this for the rest of the series. It's a work of genius.
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed! While I'm still learning new things about the series myself, I've got the outlines for the next four videos already written down, so hopefully it's not too long before I can release more! Thank you again for the feedback and support, it means the world!
Your EVA commentary and retrospect caught me. I'm gonna stick around for your insight and opinions on other anime. I expect great things, and I think you'll deliver.
Now I understand why I am so paradoxical in my desires and beliefs (thank you Gendo, thank you Asuka). Because true connection is to try and connect in all posdible ways, and destroy and monumentalize those who would not fall into any of the potential designs. And then, those designs should fight amongst them (just like all our truths do), leaving only the best standing for later cooperation ! And the best part is, only natural selection can define that ! Just like in "Kakegurui" ! I had to watch "Kakegurui" before this, because then I wouldn't be able to laugh at the tragedy that this anime is ! I wouldn't be able to seek the long term pleasure in it ! I may not have the brain, but I do have the heart of a scientist ! For me, knowledge is pleasure. And if pleasure is beneficial in the long term, then I must search it and those who would accompany me somehow. My way of integrating is by being an idea ! Leaving behind q legacy once my body is gone ! Gendo lost his need for pleasure... He lost the shine all gamblers such as him must have ! He seeks permanent status-quo ! That's not benefitial in any way, much less the long term ! That's why he'll never be more than the street trash he was ! The only good things he added to this world were the EVAs, Rei and Shinji, but nothing more. His nose should have ceased working after that.
Back in the 90's Sony's DAT (Digital Audio Tape) was pretty popular in Japan. The S prefix is akin to S-VHS, etc, where the "Super" just means is a generation forward.
Jesus, lord, I am so glad I found you. You give just the right amount of analysis for the act. I really hope to see more videos on EVA by you and more videos by you in general.
7:23 i have an evangelion poster on my wall. on it is ritsuko, asuka, rei, and misato, top to bottom. they’re all unaligned, except for ritsuko and rei. i always wondered why until i watched this.
I’m 4 minutes in. That’s crazy how much work goes into visual storytelling like this. Edit: I like color stuff. This is neat. There’s no reason I should be scared. Edit2: Idk if this matches the discussion but I really like how all the students crowd around Shinji when they learn he’s the Eva pilot but none of them actually bother to learn about him. They don’t actually care, MAN! UGH! There’s a lot of vapidity in adolescence. It’s interesting to me that the two guys that stayed behind are the ones he’d become chums with. Edit3: 27:40 I don’t remember all this happy stuff. This is happy. I think rewatching the tv show may heal my EoE anxieties and depression. That movie is so edgy man. What’s the deal with it? Edit4: 29:33 Haha! Take that anno. You aren’t perfect! This show is Anno’s voice but he also trusted a lot of other talented people which is the greatest thing about it. I should probably forgive Hideaki Anno for making The End of Evangelion. It’s hard to because I feel like watching that movie ruined my life. I’m trying to get healthier and happier, but I’m just so sluggish after watching that film. I watched the loneliest anime and had a lonely experience that I can’t find anyone else having. Well actually there were one or two people. They got made fun of by Evangelion fans :( Don’t be afraid to think about something you like. That’s what those traumatized people did and that’s what I’m doing. I’m respecting Evangelion by thinking about it. Edit5: Awesome video, man. Gets a like from me if that matters at all. I think I will rewatch Evangelion some time. Your videos make me feel less scared. Thank you. I’m not sure what to do about that cursed film we all love. I can pretty definitively say I like Neon Genesis Evangelion the tv show, though. That’s rad. It’s not my favorite but that may be because I like shows about angry men that go “bureagh…” Speaking of those…what you describe in this video about Shinji’s character reminds me of all that cool character stuff I like in something like Better Call Saul. I know all about Jimmy McGill because of that show. BCS is 63 hours long. NGE is like 13 hours long and I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of Shinji Ikari as well. It’s insane how they did that in such short time. It sort of reflects on the origins of anime being arbitrarily forced into low budgets, forcing creatives to, well, get creative in order to tell their stories. If anything, I am super impressed and proud of the Gainax Gang (This also explains to me why it should be okay to miss a lot on a first watch. They stuffed a LOT into a LITTLE. It’s a very tightly packed show. There’s little, tiny, seemingly insignificant things in this show that actually end up being very important. They may not have designed NGE with the intention that you watch it over and over again, but because of the limitations they faced, rewatching is the best way to experience the show.). Idk what I think of the episodes following episode 4 because I have trauma amnesia from watching EoE. If I recall correctly, things get less focused and more scary. I hope not. I really like the character-focused and intimate stuff you showcased in this video. It’s probably my brain painting benevolent memories is a painful red hue due to my traumas with the movie. The episodes probably aren’t all that bad. I’ll never know unless I take the plunge. I’m going to watch all of your videos eventually cause I think you are great. From David, with love.
In 1997, in NA at least, we wouldve called that tape-playing device a Walkman, in reference to the Sony Walkman tape deck (like how we say Kleenix to mean tissue, or Band-aid to mean bandage). Hopefully this alleviates your mouth from having to say "ESS-DAT" which may be one of the most cumbersome acronyms ever said out loud, or "recorder" which only makes me think of plastic flutes.
Yes indeed, it is quite an acronym. XD Glad you enjoyed the gag! Not sure I'll let it rest quite yet, but I'll practice my pronunciation of this so-called "Walkman."
Exceptionally enjoyable. While analysis is no replacement for experience, this enhances revisits to the series by shedding light on it from a less-explored angle of the mechanics and intentions of the art. Great job!
Thank you so much! You're absolutely right that analysis is no substitute for experience, but I'm glad you found my take on it valuable and informative! Thank you again for the feedback and support!
11:10 i think this sequence is to show shinji what his future might be like piloting the eva and that he's gonna feel even worse pain than he did the previous night if he continues to pilot the eva
The elevator scene with Gendo and shinji after the hospital is a lot of things. It's short and has no word but says many things. My interpretation of this is like this. Elevator door open, Gendo and shinji lock eyes and without saying a thing, the message gets delivered. Shinji: Father, I saved the world just like you wanted. Gendo: We do that all the time and what you want a medal!?, spoil shat. Shinji breaks eye contact. Shinji: oh, of course, it's not enough it's never enough. Elevator door closed, and so does the opportunity to be a better father and son.
3:29 I've always interpreted this running figure as a parallel to the universal "emergency escape" Pictogram, (picking up on the running away theme) probably a civilian running towards a nearby shelter. This being shinji would be clever af
In all likelihood, it's just a random citizen running away. But the idea that it's Shinji is a fun one, as well as thematically relevant. I figured I'd share the headcanon and see who else likes it; glad you enjoyed!
![ตีสิบเดย์ [FULL] | นางเอกหมอลำเงินล้าน "อุ๋งอิ๋ง เพชรบ้านแพง" & ไฮโซสาวสุดฮอต "ลิลลี่ เหงียน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jPxQS_EgrJ4/mqdefault.jpg)
Something that only just now occurred to me: Gendo's glasses are often shown as having red lenses, so he literally sees the world through the lens of pain.
Ooooh, good one! I hadn't thought of that, but I'm gonna say you're absolutely right. Great catch!
Bro wtf
Red is not pain....
@@not_averge you might want to watch the video before parading around some real considerable dingbat behavior lol 10:18
@@DarlingMissDarling what is a dingbat
@@DarlingMissDarling idk if that was an insult
This is the sort of deep dive I've been craving about the show.
I'm glad you enjoyed! I'm hoping to release more soon!
MMMMMMHM!
Anno not having much to do with episode 4 just shows that you always need other people, whether it’s family, friends, or a team in a work environment, it’s almost like Anno’s own hedgehogs dilemma, from start to finish.
Well said, and you couldn't be any more correct. Rarely is anything great achieved alone.
I think the underlying conclusion to this fact is, that most references to Annos interviews are flawed.
10:56, Rei's non-expression to Shinji can be interpreted as her simply being indifferent towards him and anyone who isn't Gendo. Instead of being rewarded for his attempts to protect her, the story subverts expectations by having Shinji lose the battle, his Eva being revealed to be to some degree not only autonomous, but alive, creating an even more horrific situation for Shinji, and instead of having multiple people be there to praise and thank him (cue the cast saying "Congratulations") he is abandoned at a hospital and receives a emotionless look of acknowledgement from the very person he risked his life for. It also casts an even bigger amount of mystique onto Rei, as she is portrayed as this figure Shinji seemed almost destined to meet and has already is shown to be something more than what she seems (her apparent astral projection to Shinji before he even meets her physically within the grander context of the series can be attributed to Rei's fusion with Lilith allowing her to project her form across time, as was demonstrated when Rei's projection was present at Ritsuko and Misato's deaths before she had even merged with Lilith, at least from the perspective of End of Evangelion and viewing all versions of Evangelion’s story as meta-textually all part of a cohesive whole).
12:42, One more obvious interpretations for the "Beast" is Unit 1 in it's Berserk State, which reveals to Shinji that he is not alone inside this "giant robot", after discovering more of its true nature as a cybernetic creature (which he has yet to discover also contains the soul of his mother, who willing donated it) , and just like his new uncomfortable proximity to his father, Misato and Rei, he is not even safe from his anxieties inside his Eva, the thing that is specifically designed to protect him.
Insane analysis bro omggg
SDAT recorder: Notice Shinji only listens to tracks 25 and 26, pointing out to the pivotal series ending episodes. I will never for the life of me understand how people can be so shallow as to dismiss the BY FAR best episodes in the series as "badly animated". They're not only wondrously visually speaking (just showing how budgetary constraints can drive creativity), but the amount of depth packed into them is mind boggling!
Fully agree! The creativity on display is staggering! I'm excited to get around to analyzing those sequences, as they're such a cinematic pleasure to experience.
I only agree with those words when watching ep 25 while ep 26 is one of my favs
what's so frustrating and sad and tragic about this part to me is that Shinji knows that he shouldn't run away, but he doesn't know what he shouldn't be running from. he believes that he shouldn't be running away from things like his Father and piloting the eva, when what he really needs to stop running from is decisions and address the passivity that dominates his life. he wants to reconnect with his father, but he doesn't know how to be assertive, so he just does whatever his father wants so that maybe Gendo will acknowledge him, which leads to Gendo Psychologically Manipulating and Abusing him pretty awfully throughout the series and remaining virtually unchallenged in his methods. I know people mention Gendo's speech in EOE for why he wasn't that bad, but I always saw that as another instance of him deluding everyone, including him, into believing he was a far better and smarter person than he actually was. If you couldn't tell, I really hate Gendo
Gendo is a pretty hate-able character--I don't blame you! He's designed as a worthy roadblock to Shinji's future and potential.
I’m so glad this isn’t just another “generic psychoanalysis of Evangelion” video. Completely disregarding how amazing it is to get an analysis of the design choices, (I.e, red and green’s significance) Your editing, scriptwriting, and witty dialogue kept me intrigued the entire span of the video. I’m very exciting to see what videos you make in the future. Keep up the good work!
Aww, thank you so much! I really appreciate the feedback and support! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video, and I'm excited to release more soon!
Extremely impressive interpretation of the first act, it's very easy to overlook these episodes as filler since there isn't much action but looking back at how important they are, im glad the studio put so much effort and thought into establishing character connections.
My only complaint with this video is that there is one major spoiler about how unit 01 is his mother, I would much rather you just say "if you know, you know"
But that's it! The video is amazing :)
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed and appreciated my take on this!
The choice to include the detail about Unit 01 as Shinji's mother was carefully thought out. I do hate giving away spoilers for those who haven't seen the series, but I figured the vast majority of people watching this essay have seen the show in its entirety at least once. The original script left it at "if you know, you know," but the problem with the internet is I wasn't sure most people would know, and it felt more cohesive to say it outright, especially since future essays on this series will be even more referential to past and future happenings.
I appreciate this feedback! It helps future essays and my thought process going into them. Thank you for sharing, and supporting! It means the world!
The cross thing at the beginning reminds me of something. You shouldn't always rely on how the artist interprets their own work. They didn't tell us what they were thinking, they made the art. If they could have just said it they wouldn't have bothered making the art. P.S. the longshots in this show are one of the best artistic choices ever made by any show.
Absolutely. I agree on both points. The art should speak for itself, and it's wonderful when it's articulate.
I'm so happy to see you keeping up the momentum after your first eva video! great work as always
Aww thank you so much! I'll keep doing my best!
I'm very bummed thinking about Gendo sending Shinji a letter that says, "You are special and the entire world needs you to protect them." And then having it all redacted without Shinji ever seeing it.
Seriously. I want to know what that original letter said.
As a filmmaker who grew back into anime during the pandemic through evangelion, thank you for this. Eva is so special and so different for so many reasons, and these deep analysis just further demonstrate why that is. Great work!
Thank you so much! I'm so glad the videos have proved to be useful and insightful!
bro you're videos are insanely good quality keep it up you're for sure gonna blow up soon
Thank you so much! Your encouragement and support means the world!
*your
This did not disappoint. I had this video open in another tab four minutes after publication and waited until I was able to sit down and digest the next step into Eva analysis here on the channel. I think what strikes me as most impressive about your videos, (specifically the Eva ones) is your sense of presence. The video essay itself has been moved beyond simply analyzing entertainment to being entertainment itself, and the author of the essay has become a performer. And what a performance this is.
Just like the last video, this analysis is excellent at using visual motifs to examine the inner workings of the show and its themes. The plot is never dwelt upon too long or exposed as if the viewer had never seen the show like I have seen in so many other videos tackling Eva. I never felt unable to grasp the importance of the first four episodes of Eva, (they had always felt like the most significant and meaningful part of the show save for a few moments near the end, and I never understood people thinking it was boring) but this analysis, with such clarity and focus, constructs a solid interpretation of the themes and ideas of the show in a way that made me feel like my own understanding of the show is not nearly sophisticated enough to appreciate all there is to offer.
A small nitpick, or perhaps just a question: the shot at 3:19 is described as showing Shinji, but in the shot of Shinji at the telephone, he is wearing a backpack and has a duffel bag. Now, I can't claim to make out if the figure in the shot at 3:20 is wearing a backpack, but it certainly doesn't look like he's carrying a duffel bag. I never interpreted that shot as being of Shinji, although I admit that your interpretation is cinematically and narratively satisfying. Perhaps I am reading it wrong, but you might want to reconsider the interpretation.
This video was excellent and I cannot express how excited I am for the continuation and finalizing of the dissection of one of my favorite works of all time. Great stuff.
Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed the video and my approach to it. I figure a show this interesting deserves to have interesting analyses, and if I'm ever boring then I'm doing something wrong. I'm glad you appreciate the essay as well as the performance.
As for your nitpick, it is totally valid. I hadn't come across anyone interpreting the train yard figure as Shinji, but aside from the small, hazy figure not having a duffle bag, I also couldn't find anyone saying it wasn't. In my mind, the connection between Shinji and trains in this first act, and him really being the only person we see in Atami except for Misato, cemented in my mind that it likely is him. Of course, I could be as wrong as I think I am right, and that's totally fine.
Thank you again for the feedback and support! It means the world to me. I've loved doing these Eva essays so far, and I'm excited to keep doing them!
I was 14 when I found Eva (bought the first 4 episodes as a DVD then used Limewire). Looking back on it as an adult is strange, it definitely steered me towards philosophy. Whether that is a good thing or not is ironically, a philosophical dead end. Excellent video, keep on keeping on!
Thank you so much for sharing, and for the encouragement! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and I'm excited to release more soon! I'll keep on keeping on!
The “because it looked cool” quote about the Christian imagery is commonly misinterpreted because of language barrier baloney. Tsurumaki was just trying to say that they weren’t trying to make a statement about Christianity or religion in general. He said they chose to use Christian symbols of all things to assist the story because Christianity was unpopular in Japan at the time so they felt it would add an element of mystery to the series to pull in more Japanese watchers. Then he said that they didn’t expect Eva to get so popular world wide and they probably wouldn’t have chosen to work with Christian symbolism had they known since it’s not mysterious to basically the entire rest of the world. He made this statement when Eva was first getting mass produced on DVD with an English dub. He was worried it wouldn’t stand out enough to gain popularity in the west but obviously he was wrong lol
You're spot on! Tsurumaki and Gainax added the cross shapes because they were relatively mysterious and thought it would help the series stand out.
The Wikipedia page for "The Beast" says: "The director of 'The Beast', Kazuya Tsurumaki, said in an interview that Christian graphic symbols were used for artistic reasons by the main staff, because they were considered "cool" for the Japanese audience..."
@@timberw0lfstudios yep. It’s easy to quickly glance at that quote and think “oh so I guess the Christian imagery doesn’t actually hold any narrative importance to the story”, and I’ve seen many people make this claim which unfortunately adds to the false rumors about Eva even more lol.
Another common one is that they ran out of budget towards the end of the show’s run (thus, all the drawings in episode 26). But this one is also not true. Gainax provided the team more than enough funding, the biggest issue they ran into was the scheduling. The End of Evangelion was the originally planned finale that would take place after the events of episode 24, but all the story up to then took up more episodes than they thought so they left themselves with only 2 episodes to make the entire end of eva. So instead of rushing it, the team chose to have episodes 25 and 26 which kind of act as a supplement to the film, then they started working on EoE as soon as they could (two weeks after episode 26 aired) once the success of the show gave them the green light to do so.
So this leads to another common misconception that the “two endings” are alternate endings when, really, they were supposed to be the same one. But the show becomes so abstract by the end that everyone is supposed to see it differently anyway. So I personally don’t think it matters much if some people do choose to treat them as alternative endings. I’m on the boat that they’re the same ending because I absolutely love those two episodes and the movie and I’d like the show less of either “ending” didn’t exist.
Yes, I'm aware of the rumor that they ran out of budget and how that's not true. I'm still doing some production research into how the series and End of Evangelion were constructed, so I appreciate your input and feedback on this! I like you're take that the two endings are actually one and the same, and it's easy to understand why others wouldn't see it that way. I'm excited to deep dive into both "endings" and see what I uncover.
You know, though, I think it actually IS mysterious. The cross does a TON of symbolic work that, quite frankly, most American Christians don't have a clue about. There are mystic themes about sacrifice, one becoming many, intra-action of different forces, and choice... I never got it when I was actually Christian. Anime that diffracts Christianity with Buddhism really helped me get the subtext of Christianity, and then diffracting the cross with like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Genesis, and then with Yggdrasil, where Odin sacrifices himself to himself to learn the runes... I'm in an ex-Christian community, and a lot of people there hate the cross because they say it's sick to glorify an instrument of torture. Maybe, but... It's so simple and elegant, but it says SO MANY complex things! I love it!
"Every story has to start, even if it doesn't end" HEY BANGER LINE
Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
The three shots at 11:00 were to highlight how Shinji is unscathed after a no-joke Angel attack relative to Rei who is bandaged up. A clear distinction of two different outcomes stemming from a similar experience (piloting EVAs). We don't know what injured Rei at that point of the series so we assume, as the audience, it was probably from fighting an Angel like Shinji was forced to do. A nice contrast... not even a scar on Shinji after his first time in a real combat situation and untrained too. This is great by the way! Excellent stuff.
I think you're totally right, thank you for the feedback! I'm glad you're enjoying the content so far!
11:03 I could refine my answer, but roughly: Shinji now understands rei's wounds &bandages after also piloting the eva. You understand someone's pain after suffering a similar experience. If red is asuka and pain, I think the white -moon-rei equals an equivalent meaning of possibly understanding.
You came to the same conclusion as me. When I noticed that Shinji's right eye was out of frame, I knew it was about empathy.
I’ve seen countless essay videos on this, and yours really was the one to make me realize i need to re watch evangelion all over again after 10 years 😭😭😭
Aww thank you! It means a lot to know I can have that kind of impact! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video, and if you do rewatch the series I hope you enjoy it even more!
I will have to watch this one again, so many details! But one thing that always felt weird about these first episodes, as I feel it deviates from what Evangelion does later on, was not addressed - Shinji wanders the countryside and walks into a Van Gogh painting? I did look into Van Gogh's sunflower works and found nothing like the frame where its literally just wall to wall sunflowers and Shinji. Such vivid lively colours! Such calm unspoiled nature! This piece just doesn't fit! It fits with Shinji not being okay in his head, but this is a happy orange and such a surreal turn from the City of Science and the Unreal Invaders, just so many sunflowers! It was probably just somebody's random moment of inspiration, but it weirded me out lol
I can totally understand that field of sunflowers weirding you out, lol. I can't even say I myself was spared from a moment of "whoa" when they first came on screen. What's even more bizarre, however, is when they bring that imagery back in later episodes when Rei syncs with Shinji's memories. I'm not entirely sure what the connection or symbolism means, but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who had a chord struck at the image.
Btw, SDAT is what that "recorder" plays. I remember people used to call that a walkman or a cassette player. "Walkman" was what sony called their particular version of that device, but it became synonymous with cassette players. Think "kleenex"
Precisely.
I watched nge for the first time 23 years ago, and i still remember how episode 4 is where i went from liking the show to absolutely loving it. Great analysis!
Thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed!
I really appreciate this video - not only was it super interesting to listen to, but the way you interpret and explain all of the artistic decisions has really helped me to get a greater understanding of how to think deeper and implement these sorts of things myself in my work. I'm really looking forward to trying out some of the things I've learned about visual storytelling with colours, framing and shot composition, thank you very much for the great video :- )
You're so very welcome! I'm glad I could reveal new details and help you appreciate the show a little more! The video was a ton of fun to put together, and I'm glad you found it valuable.
I feel like the three shots conveyed understanding of pain… all at once. pain of living, pain of having nothing to live for either way, pain of hating and pain of being “okay”.
I like your interpretation!
That train stop long shot was the first shot in the show that made me realize this was going to be wayyyy more than just a mech anime from the 90s
Absolutely
Regarding your question at 11:30, notice the close up in time- it's emotional anchoring. One thing that is important to notice about Eva is that it is not as much symbolic as allegoric- the meaning of symbols (such as the "strange" ceiling which becomes more and more familiar as the series continues) isn't determined in advance but keeps evolving. In this case I would attach the meaning of signification to Rei and Shinji's relationship with her. Anyway, great vid!
Love this answer! You're definitely right: the shot is an emotional anchor, but emotions being subjective as they are, I wasn't sure what other viewers felt or interpreted this sequence as. Thank you also for pointing out the show is more allegoric than symbolic: I agree with that too.
Thank you for the feedback! I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
That scene at the train station was absolutely perfect and did so much for me when I was going through some things
Great video, please keep this series going!
I know exactly what you mean.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed and I'm excited to release more soon!
Thank you for putting your heart and soul into this project. Seeing all these different angles of film and color make me think there was a lot more to eva than I thought. This is why I love eva and your series helps me understand more and to reinforce my love for it.
Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the series, and that I'm able to help you love it all the more!
i love this, because even though it is a deep dive it still uses common sense with things that propably are not symbolism (like animation errors or even just random shots)
I try to keep it balanced across the board. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it; thank you so much!
I literally just finished latest rewatch of Evangelion this past week and your analysis blew my mind away with how much i missed! I might have to do another rewatch soon, after I'm done watching your series.
Glad I was able to help you enjoy those details you missed! Eva really is a show that keeps on giving. Thank you so much for your feedback and support!
The pronunciation of Ritsuko as Ritskuuu. lol
I knowww. My tongue had a mind of its own. XD
13:30 i was bracing myself for you to bust out the "My heart will go on (terrible recorder meme)" as a musical sting for this gag
That would've been amazing; I'm so sorry to disappoint XD
11:02 I noticed that the framing of Shinji's face looked weird. Then I realized that his right eye is out of frame. The same eye was stabbed by Sacheal. Rei's right eye is also injured. I think this scene is supposed to convey that Shinji has gained Rei's perspective and can empathize with her. He understands what it's like to pilot an Eva.
Oooh, fantastic catch! I hadn't noticed before, and I love your interpretation. Thanks for sharing!
I've watched this show ten times in 20 years, and I half of this stuff I never noticed. Incredible work.
Thank you so much! I'm glad I was able to reveal some new details!
I would have never saw the importance of color without this video. Green and red.
I'm glad you found it insightful!
I'm only seven minutes in, but a small detail you didn't mention:
Gendo's "letter" has two different handwritting. The first one, with thick strokes, only says "come". It seems he wrote that immediatly after redacting his son's file. The other part of the letter says "please". The penmanship is very different, and it appears to have been written with another marker. So that little sense of politeness was most likely added by Fuyutsuki.
Never noticed this detail and I love it! Not currently fluent in Japanese or kanji, I'm at the mercy of those who are to discover these nuances. Thank you so much for sharing!
12:24 "Don't worry, I won't be making any passes at him"................."That was a grown up kiss,.........".
So a note on the idea of tracks 25 and 26 being a reference to the last two episodes and TimberW0lf casting doubt on that idea.
It's important to point out that in the Rebuild film Evangelion 2.22, the track jumps from 26 to 27 when Mari collides with Shinji, marking the beginning of a new narrative arc and indicating that the Rebuild films are a proper sequel and not a straightforward remake. So even if Anno didn't originally have those tracks cycling back from 25 to 26 as a reference/foreshadowing to the series' last two episodes, it becomes the de facto meaning behind the SDAT track numbers in the Rebuild films. (It also progresses further until the tape deck eventually shuts down at the end of Thrice Upon a Time.
I haven't seen the Rebuild films yet, but from what I've read, that all lines up. I simply wasn't sure at the time of writing what the relevancy within the series was, but as I've done more research I've grown more confident in that interpretation. Thank you for sharing!
The cinematography knowledge and the understanding of editing give unique and useful deep dives that provide a quite cool translation of the the serie's emotional complexity which is known for leaving its audience and occasional viewers out of their minds 🎉❤😊
#congratulations
#thankyou! I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you enjoyed!
This was a great video, can't wait to see you cover more and I love the talk about shot compositions, especially the scene with Misato wanting to be a mother figure for Shinji, in front of his literal mother. Nice stuff and will definitely be back for more haha.
Thank you so much! Analyzing the shot composition for this series has definitely yielded some surprising results, and I'm glad you enjoyed them! I'm excited to release more soon.
I remember getting addicted to the first episodes, i couldnt wait to watch them
They are a solid opening to a thoroughly fantastic series.
@@timberw0lfstudios no doubt, maybe the best opening to a series ever
I'm certainly not going to argue with that
"beginings are a funny thing" ironnically I watched just this part
The video I mean
i’m absolutely loving these videos and i am so excited to see you dive further. i’ve seen eva once and nothing has urged me to rewatch it again until now to really analyze all of these elements!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and that I've sparked such renewed interest! There's definitely a lot to study, especially in those first few episodes.
Amazing Breakdown
Great Narration
I Love All These Beautiful Details to Appreciate
Be More Confident in Your Concept References
Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it valuable and enjoyable!
these are notes taken through-out the video as i watched it,
4:26, you could also see Misato (and NERV by proxy) going to the left as showing that she's (and NERV) going to drag Shinji towards the right, into progression, even if it's the worst form of progression anyone could ask for.
at 7:50 while it might have been what you're referring to, i think the close up could be showing the pressure Shinji is being put under to get in the EVA, creating a feeling of claustrophobia that can show the pressure Shinji is feeling.
and at 8:00, if being to the left means a lack of progression then Shinji being on the left means he hasn't made progress,
and if we continue this dissection then Gendo being in the middle might also show that he has made progress but hasn't finished or got put back, this might ether refer to his work on NERV, or the love he felt with Yui which is sorta a small look at what human instrumentality is meant to bring
13:42 to my knowledge it might be a walkman
also looking through the footage of episode 2 shown he is ether on the right or the center meaning, if the ideas of positioning apply here, he has made progress.
looking at the class room, i immediately noticed that it's a shade of pale green, and so it the female uniform, potentially showing a light, but presence, sense of connection,
hell the school and the phones are green, it's all a shade of bloody green, .
and in the scene where he's being swarmed by class-members, he's on the left, and surrounded in green.
and the inside of Toji's jacket is purple, now i watched the video on "interjection" before this one so i know that purple is power, showing Toji has power, at least inside of him.
22:37, of course there both in green. and is Misato's room (and apartment) tinted green or is it just me, and Misato herself is usually in at least 1 piece of red clothing.
also brilliant bloody video, a good in-depth analysis with good editing, 10/10 would continue watching.
Thank you so much! Glad you found it so insightful and enjoyable! Love all your notes, and I think you're spot on with most if not all of them. Thank you so much for watching; I hope you'll find future videos just as exciting!
Tiny thing, you know how the first instance of Shinji in NERV? Going up the escalator with the Eva's hand in the back? That might actually be Unit Zero. The flashback in episode 5 where Unit Zero goes berserk the last punch it throws goes through the wall. Right arm and everything.
Very intriguing theory! Hard to say for sure, given we don't know the layout of the headquarters, and the coloration does nothing to indicate either way, but that's definitely a fun possibility to consider!
Hey brother, your Eva essays are fantastic. You've quickly become one of my favorite channels and I can't believe you only have 2.66k subs. Your videos are of the highest quality and I hope you blow up soon.
Hey man, thank you so much! I'm glad you've enjoyed the content so far, and I'm happy you could join us so early in the journey! I have no idea where things will go, but regardless of where we end up, I'll keep doing my best. Thank you for all the support and encouragement!
this is like peak youtube. whenever i'm doom scrolling to find a video essay that seems interesting this is what i dream to find, and it's only the first part of hopefully 5? i will gleefully watch all of these videos. great original breakdown and interpretation like wow
Oh my goodness, thank you so much! My honest dream and hope is to put out videos everyone wants to come across when doom scrolling, so knowing I did that for you makes my heart happy. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! The original plan was to make 5 videos for this series, but at this time it looks like there will be even more.
Thank you again for the support and feedback! It means the world!
im super happy to have your insight about this show. youre able to point out, contextualize, and process everything i felt while watching the show. and to have it laid out in a more understandable view is really amazing. it makes me love the show even more
Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you're finding it valuable and enjoying it so far!
"Ritsuku"
"It's Ritsuko goddamn it, say it ri--"
"Did I just say Ritsuku? Ritsuko."
I swear you put that take in the video specifically to fuck with me, haha. Solid work, as ever.
Glad you appreciated it! XD
Hey great analysis, it was really well put together and i really enjoyed your formatting keep up the great work.
Hey, thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed, and I'll keep doing my best! Thank you again!
So glad I found you got dang. The way you disect the show is so detailed and unlike others I've seen who, as you pointed out in your previous Eva vid, focus mostly on characters. Here you go indepth about the technical things which you clearly have a ton of knowledge of, instead of the normal Shinji hate or disdain for the show's unique elements, and we're all for it, keep it up my guy!
Aww thank you so much! I'm just sharing what I've noticed and helping others see it through my eyes, but I'm glad it's proved useful and valuable to so many! I definitely intend to keep it up, especially with the Eva content; thank you for all the feedback and encouragement!
Well done! I love how you dove into colors, their meanings and how they're used in each shot.
Thank you so much! Yeah, I think color is one of the many tools Evangelion uses well to tell its narrative. I'm excited to keep exploring the concept in future videos.
I like the color and L to R or R to L movement analysis. I haven't seen that yet in NGE video essays, so that was cool! NGE is my fav anime series so I love whenever anyone is taking a crack at it since there's millions of things one can discuss
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
There are a ton of things I noticed during my latest watch-through that elevated NGE to my favorite anime as well. I definitely can't cover everything there is to know, but I'm excited to discuss that which others haven't noticed or mentioned.
I don't know if you already pointed this out either in the video or somewhere else but you had the two Masami Okui songs mixed up. The one that plays after Shinji punches is "Bay Side Love Story", while the final scene at the station is "Face." At least, that's according to the subbed versions I saw.
Fun fact: There's actually another version of Face meant for the All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku OVA. So far, I don't know if it shows up in the OVA itself or if it's part of an image album.
Good to know, thank you! My information said otherwise, and since I don't speak Japanese I'm now wondering which is which. Ah well, just another mix up and the road of content creation.
Thank you for the feedback!
@@timberw0lfstudios
No problem, I wasn't expecting a reply so soon, honestly!
I guess it helped that I was listening to the Nuku Nuku version before I found out about it in NGE (despite having seen it many times before).
Then again, I must have had it on low to where I never noticed. I mainly knew about the SDAT songs that were playing (The ones sang by Misato's Jp VA for an album related to the RPG series Ys.)
This is one of the best video essays ever! Please do more
Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed! I'm working on the next video now, and I'm excited to release it soon!
Great video dude.
Lord knows how hard it is to make an Eva vid in current year, but you nailed it editing and all. Definitely a sub from me
Thank you so much! I wasn't sure if making a video on the topic would interest anyone, so to know that you and others are enjoying and finding value in it warms my heart. I'm glad you like it!
11:37 Rei’s injuries here - broken arm and wounded eye - mirror Unit 01’s. Its a nice bit of foreshadowing re: Rei and Unit 01.
Ooooh, I never caught that before! Good one! Thank you so much for pointing that out!
While I think you look WAYYYY too far into certain scenes, you also pointed out a ton of concepts and messaging I missed in the few times I have watched the series. Great work!
Thank you so much! I definitely fall into the trap of overanalyzing media (I've gotten better about it, I promise!); and I'm glad to know I still managed to reveal some cool techniques and messages for you! Thank you so much for your feedback and support, I really appreciate it!
Nah man i refuse to believe you have only 3.3K subscribers. This was so well done im really anticipating the next part. I loved every second
Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed and found the video valuable! I'm hoping to release more soon!
This video is fantastic. I must have watched days worth of Eva analysis, along with the series itself multiple times, and you still surprised me with details I'd never noticed or had pointed out! The analysis of so many shots in the first few episodes must have taken an eternity, but I'd love to see more of this for the rest of the series. It's a work of genius.
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed!
While I'm still learning new things about the series myself, I've got the outlines for the next four videos already written down, so hopefully it's not too long before I can release more!
Thank you again for the feedback and support, it means the world!
I know people say this kind of thing all the time but the quality of this video really is insane, and especially for a channel with 3k subs
Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed, and I really appreciate it! Seriously, compliments like this make my week; thank you!
Your EVA commentary and retrospect caught me. I'm gonna stick around for your insight and opinions on other anime. I expect great things, and I think you'll deliver.
Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed! You've set a high bar, but I'll do my best! Thank you for the encouragement and support!
Now I understand why I am so paradoxical in my desires and beliefs (thank you Gendo, thank you Asuka). Because true connection is to try and connect in all posdible ways, and destroy and monumentalize those who would not fall into any of the potential designs.
And then, those designs should fight amongst them (just like all our truths do), leaving only the best standing for later cooperation ! And the best part is, only natural selection can define that ! Just like in "Kakegurui" !
I had to watch "Kakegurui" before this, because then I wouldn't be able to laugh at the tragedy that this anime is ! I wouldn't be able to seek the long term pleasure in it !
I may not have the brain, but I do have the heart of a scientist ! For me, knowledge is pleasure. And if pleasure is beneficial in the long term, then I must search it and those who would accompany me somehow. My way of integrating is by being an idea ! Leaving behind q legacy once my body is gone !
Gendo lost his need for pleasure... He lost the shine all gamblers such as him must have ! He seeks permanent status-quo ! That's not benefitial in any way, much less the long term ! That's why he'll never be more than the street trash he was ! The only good things he added to this world were the EVAs, Rei and Shinji, but nothing more. His nose should have ceased working after that.
Back in the 90's Sony's DAT (Digital Audio Tape) was pretty popular in Japan. The S prefix is akin to S-VHS, etc, where the "Super" just means is a generation forward.
Yes indeed!
Jesus, lord, I am so glad I found you. You give just the right amount of analysis for the act. I really hope to see more videos on EVA by you and more videos by you in general.
Aww thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed, and I'm excited to release more soon!
Wow this is really really good, I actually expected you to have more subscribers. Looking foward to part 2?!
Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed, and I'm hoping to release more soon!
Wow dude , tnx for the cinematography class and etc
Subbed, more comments to follow ( I'm busy lol )
LETS GET IN THE ROBOT
Aww you're so welcome! Glad you found it entertaining and valuable!
When Ritsuko came out of the pool and walked all the way up to Misato, I thought she was going to stick her tongue in her mouth.
Is that...a Japanese thing I don't know about?
wow this video was one the best I seen about this show.
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed!
7:23 i have an evangelion poster on my wall. on it is ritsuko, asuka, rei, and misato, top to bottom. they’re all unaligned, except for ritsuko and rei. i always wondered why until i watched this.
I’m 4 minutes in. That’s crazy how much work goes into visual storytelling like this.
Edit: I like color stuff. This is neat. There’s no reason I should be scared.
Edit2: Idk if this matches the discussion but I really like how all the students crowd around Shinji when they learn he’s the Eva pilot but none of them actually bother to learn about him. They don’t actually care, MAN! UGH! There’s a lot of vapidity in adolescence. It’s interesting to me that the two guys that stayed behind are the ones he’d become chums with.
Edit3: 27:40 I don’t remember all this happy stuff. This is happy. I think rewatching the tv show may heal my EoE anxieties and depression. That movie is so edgy man. What’s the deal with it?
Edit4: 29:33 Haha! Take that anno. You aren’t perfect! This show is Anno’s voice but he also trusted a lot of other talented people which is the greatest thing about it. I should probably forgive Hideaki Anno for making The End of Evangelion. It’s hard to because I feel like watching that movie ruined my life. I’m trying to get healthier and happier, but I’m just so sluggish after watching that film. I watched the loneliest anime and had a lonely experience that I can’t find anyone else having. Well actually there were one or two people. They got made fun of by Evangelion fans
:(
Don’t be afraid to think about something you like. That’s what those traumatized people did and that’s what I’m doing. I’m respecting Evangelion by thinking about it.
Edit5: Awesome video, man. Gets a like from me if that matters at all. I think I will rewatch Evangelion some time. Your videos make me feel less scared. Thank you. I’m not sure what to do about that cursed film we all love. I can pretty definitively say I like Neon Genesis Evangelion the tv show, though. That’s rad. It’s not my favorite but that may be because I like shows about angry men that go “bureagh…” Speaking of those…what you describe in this video about Shinji’s character reminds me of all that cool character stuff I like in something like Better Call Saul. I know all about Jimmy McGill because of that show. BCS is 63 hours long. NGE is like 13 hours long and I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of Shinji Ikari as well. It’s insane how they did that in such short time. It sort of reflects on the origins of anime being arbitrarily forced into low budgets, forcing creatives to, well, get creative in order to tell their stories. If anything, I am super impressed and proud of the Gainax Gang (This also explains to me why it should be okay to miss a lot on a first watch. They stuffed a LOT into a LITTLE. It’s a very tightly packed show. There’s little, tiny, seemingly insignificant things in this show that actually end up being very important. They may not have designed NGE with the intention that you watch it over and over again, but because of the limitations they faced, rewatching is the best way to experience the show.). Idk what I think of the episodes following episode 4 because I have trauma amnesia from watching EoE. If I recall correctly, things get less focused and more scary. I hope not. I really like the character-focused and intimate stuff you showcased in this video. It’s probably my brain painting benevolent memories is a painful red hue due to my traumas with the movie. The episodes probably aren’t all that bad. I’ll never know unless I take the plunge.
I’m going to watch all of your videos eventually cause I think you are great.
From David, with love.
Man i need more haha you really have an eye for these kinda details
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed! I'm working on the next video now, and I'm hoping to release it soon!
Oh i am hyped!
How did I not realize that the phone not working in the first episode means that Shinji has problems connecting with others.
The wonderful things you notice on a rewatch!
In 1997, in NA at least, we wouldve called that tape-playing device a Walkman, in reference to the Sony Walkman tape deck (like how we say Kleenix to mean tissue, or Band-aid to mean bandage).
Hopefully this alleviates your mouth from having to say "ESS-DAT" which may be one of the most cumbersome acronyms ever said out loud, or "recorder" which only makes me think of plastic flutes.
Yes indeed, it is quite an acronym. XD
Glad you enjoyed the gag! Not sure I'll let it rest quite yet, but I'll practice my pronunciation of this so-called "Walkman."
I'm floored by the quality of this channel! Incredible work :D
Aww, thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the content!
Exceptionally enjoyable. While analysis is no replacement for experience, this enhances revisits to the series by shedding light on it from a less-explored angle of the mechanics and intentions of the art. Great job!
Thank you so much! You're absolutely right that analysis is no substitute for experience, but I'm glad you found my take on it valuable and informative! Thank you again for the feedback and support!
@@timberw0lfstudios You're more than welcome. Keep it up brother.
I'll do my best, thanks!
love your editing style, can't wait for more videos!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed, and I'm excited to release more soon!
This channel needs more attention. Keep up the good work!
Aww, thank you so much! I'll keep doing my best!
What an awesome take on these episodes, subscription well earned and I'll be binging the other episodes as they come out. Well done
Aww thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed, and thank you for the sub! I'm excited to release more soon!
Beautiful. Looking forward to the rest of your series!
Thank you so much! I'm looking forward to releasing it!
Great stuff. Very excited to see you cover the rest of the series!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed, and I'm excited to cover more soon!
Wowwww, this deserves a sub and more! Amazing video on Evangelion and the detail you go into each decision/interpretation. Wow
Aww thank you so much! I'm super glad you enjoyed it!
This is a very well-put work, I'm glad you continued on the composition analysis of the series. I'm looking forward for the next videos
Thank you so much! I'm glad you've enjoyed the continuation so far, and I'm excited to release more soon!
11:10 i think this sequence is to show shinji what his future might be like piloting the eva and that he's gonna feel even worse pain than he did the previous night if he continues to pilot the eva
I think you're right. He's beginning to realize where the path he's chosen might ultimately lead him.
im binging these, im subscribing- thank you.
No, thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying the videos; thank you for your support!
Bruh this observation slaps so hard I had to sub, like and comment. Keep them coming!
Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the series so far! Thank you for your support!
Interesting stuff. I look forward to the rest of your breakdown of the series.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it intriguing, and I'm excited to release more on this soon!
what a dope video! can't wait to watch the rest of the breakdown
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm excited to release more soon!
Fantastic breakdown! Looking forward to the next 2!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed, and I hope you find the next two just as entertaining!
Thanks for making this video! I needed it. I love these deepdive analysis videos.
You're so welcome! I'm glad you're enjoying the series so far!
Have you read goodnight punpun? Would be interested in your opinions on the manga. Great video though, looking forward to more.
I'm glad you enjoyed! I have not heard of the manga; I'll be sure to check it out! Thank you so much for the support and recommendation!
This is a beautiful video
Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it!
im subbing for your doodle shinji alone I'm sure this video will be what I've been dying for too. Some fresh EVA content
Haha, I'm glad you like the doodle! Hopefully the rest of the video lives up to your expectation!
Geez I really love this video! Hoping there’s more to come!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed, and more is on the way!
Woe, thank you so much!! Beautiful work
Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed!
Good work on these videos.
Thank you so much, I'm glad you're enjoying them!
The elevator scene with Gendo and shinji after the hospital is a lot of things. It's short and has no word but says many things.
My interpretation of this is like this.
Elevator door open, Gendo and shinji lock eyes and without saying a thing, the message gets delivered.
Shinji: Father, I saved the world just like you wanted.
Gendo: We do that all the time and what you want a medal!?, spoil shat.
Shinji breaks eye contact.
Shinji: oh, of course, it's not enough it's never enough.
Elevator door closed, and so does the opportunity to be a better father and son.
3:29 I've always interpreted this running figure as a parallel to the universal "emergency escape" Pictogram, (picking up on the running away theme) probably a civilian running towards a nearby shelter. This being shinji would be clever af
In all likelihood, it's just a random citizen running away. But the idea that it's Shinji is a fun one, as well as thematically relevant. I figured I'd share the headcanon and see who else likes it; glad you enjoyed!
@@timberw0lfstudios absolutely :)