Neon Genesis Evangelion
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| Neon Genesis Evangelion
<tr><td colspan="2" style="background: #fff; text-align: center;">Image:Neon Genesis Evangelion Logo.PNG</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="background: #ccf; text-align: center;">新世紀エヴァンゲリオン | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama Mecha Post-apocalyptic Psychological Science Fiction |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Hideaki Anno |
| Studio | Tatsunoko Productions |
| Network | Image:Flag of Japan (bordered).svg TV Tokyo
Other networks:
|
| Original run | October 4, 1995 – March 27, 1996 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Manga | |
| Authored by | Yoshiyuki Sadamoto |
| Publisher | Image:Flag of Japan (bordered).svg Kadokawa Shoten
Other publishers:
|
| Serialized in | Shonen Ace |
| Original run | 1995 – 1996 |
| No. of volumes | 10 (currently) |
| Movies | |
Neon Genesis Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン Shin Seiki Evangerion?) is a popular Japanese anime that began in 1995. The anime was written and directed by Hideaki Anno, and produced by Gainax. It is a post-apocalyptic mecha action series, and references a number of Judeo-Christian symbols from the book of Genesis and biblical apocrypha. Later episodes shift focus to psychoanalysis of the main characters, who display various emotional problems and mental illnesses.<ref name="azuma-somethinglikeit">AZUMA, Hiroki. Animé or Something Like it: Neon Genesis Evangelion. Retrieved on August 16, 2006.</ref> Hideaki Anno, the director of the anime series, had suffered from depression prior to creating the series, and the psychological aspects of the show are based on the director's own experiences in dealing with depression and psychotherapy.[citation needed]
Neon Genesis Evangelion consists of 26 television episodes which were first aired on the terrestrial TV Tokyo network from October 4, 1995 to March 27, 1996. It was also later aired across Japan by the anime satellite television network, Animax. The series was followed by three movies: Death and Rebirth, The End of Evangelion and Revival of Evangelion. The first two movies were introduced in 1997. Death and Rebirth is a highly condensed re-edit of the series (Death) plus the first half of The End of Evangelion (Rebirth). The End of Evangelion is an alternate version of the series ending, which either supplements or replaces episodes 25 and 26, depending on how they are viewed. The two movies were re-edited and re-released as a single movie, Revival of Evangelion in 1998.
In 2003, the US distributor of the series, ADV Films, announced their intention to create a live action Evangelion film which has been partly financed,<ref>Roth, Daniel (2005-12-12). It's... Profitmón!. Fortune Magazine. Retrieved on 2006-09-12. </ref> but a director or production date is yet to be announced.
On September 9, 2006, Gainax confirmed a new animated film series called Rebuild of Evangelion, consisting of four movies to be released in 2007 and 2008. The first three movies will be an alternate retelling of the TV series (including many new scenes, settings, backgrounds, characters), and the fourth movie will be a completely new conclusion to the story. <ref>Rebuild of Evangelion. Gainax (2006-09-10). Retrieved on 2006-09-12. </ref>
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The series begins with Shinji Ikari arriving in Tokyo-3, a city located on one of the last remaining dry spots in Japan, only to find that he's been asked to come by his father to pilot an Evangelion unit, or Eva, as the city is coming under attack by Angels. He agrees reluctantly, after he sees that Rei Ayanami, the only other person able to pilot the Eva, is injured too badly to do so in his place.
Over time, Shinji and the other characters learn the true purpose and intentions of NERV and its associates, GEHIRN, SEELE, and the Marduk institute.
[edit] Characters
The characters of Neon Genesis Evangelion are continuously struggling with their relationships with those around them, their inner demons, and traumatic events in their pasts. The pattern of relationships between the characters is complex.
The director Hideaki Anno described the hero, Shinji Ikari, as a boy who "shrinks from human contact," and has "convinced himself that he is a completely unnecessary person, so much so that he cannot even commit suicide." He describes Shinji and Misato Katsuragi, as "extremely afraid of being hurt" and "unsuitable—lacking the positive attitude—for what people call heroes of an adventure.<ref name="What-were-we-making">Anno, Hideaki [July 1995] (December 1998). “What were we trying to make here?”, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 1, translated by Mari Morimoto, English adaptation by Fred Burke, San Francisco: VIZ Media LLC, 170–171. ISBN 1-56931-294-X.</ref> Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu, the other major protagonists, have similar flaws and difficulty relating to other people.
According to Anno, Evangelion was an attempt to make all perspectives into one, creating characters that represent different things to different viewers to make it impossible for everyone to arrive at a single theory. To some viewers, the characters are psychological representations, while to others, they are philosophical, religious or even historical.<ref name="Eng-DVD-commentary">. Evangelion: Death and Rebirth; End of Evangelion [DVD commentary track]. Manga Entertainment. </ref> It seems the main goal was to present characters who reflected the deep depression and eventual recovery that Anno experienced before beginning work on Evangelion.<ref name="What-were-we-making" /> Deputy Director Kazuya Tsurumaki said of the series, "If a person who can already live and communicate normally watches it, they won't learn anything."<ref name="tsurumaki">A Story of Communication: The Kazuya Tsurumaki Interview. EvaOtaku.com (1998-02-20). Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref>
The character designs have also contributed to the popularity of Evangelion. The attractive designs of the three main female leads, Asuka, Rei and Misato, have been immortalized in the dōjinshi community,<ref name="azuma">Woznicki, Krystian (1998-02-20). Towards a Cartography of Japanese Anime - Interview with Azuma Hiroki. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref> garage kit models, and in subsequent anime (such as Burst Angel).
[edit] Response
Image:NGEscreenshot02.jpg Gainax launched the project to create a movie ending for the series in 1997. They first released Death and Rebirth, consisting of a character-based recap of the entire series (Death) and the first half of the new ending (Rebirth). The project was completed later in the year, and released as The End of Evangelion.
The two endings are somewhat similar in plot, but while in the film Shinji clearly rejects instrumentality, in the television series his decision is left ambiguous. In still frames in episodes 25 and 26, Unit 01 is depicted with wings and the deaths of Misato and Ritsuko are shown, hinting that these had all been planned. In the English-language Director's Cut version of episode 24, the preview of the next episode shows concept frames from the fight between Asuka and the mass-produced Evas, and the title of the next episode is presented as "Air", which is the title of the first chapter from The End of Evangelion, rather than showing scenes from the TV series ending as it does in the original cut. Image:NGEscreenshot03.jpg There was a sudden shift in tone around episode 16 of the series. Partly it was due to scheduling restraints, which drastically reduced the number of frames that could be drawn for each episode.<ref name="tsurumaki">A Story of Communication: The Kazuya Tsurumaki Interview. EvaOtaku.com (1998-02-20). Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref> Partly it was due to the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway on March 20, 1995, which occurred while series was under production; Anno decided to remove elements of the series plot that he felt were too similar to the real-life attack.<ref name="azuma">Woznicki, Krystian (1998-02-20). Interview with Azuma Hiroki. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref> Anno stated before production that he did not know the show would end, nor what would become of the characters."<ref name="What-were-we-making">Anno, Hideaki [July 1995] (December 1998). “What were we trying to make here?”, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 1, translated by Mari Morimoto, English adaptation by Fred Burke, San Francisco: VIZ Media LLC, 170–171. ISBN 1-56931-294-X.</ref>
[edit] Influence
From the period from 1984 to the release of Evangelion, most highly acclaimed anime had a style somehow distanced from the usual styles of anime. For example, Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro (1988), and Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) were both low-key works, and Akira (1988) took most of its influence from American comic books.<ref name="azuma-somethinglikeit" /> Acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii had said that, in the words of Hiroki Azuma, nobody wanted to watch "simple anime-like works" anymore.<ref name="azuma-somethinglikeit" /> Evangelion, however, shows the reversal of this trend. It fully embraced the style of mecha anime, and in particular shows a large influence from Yoshiyuki Tomino's Space Runaway Ideon; particularly, there are scenes in End of Evangelion which are clear homages to the last movie for the Ideon series.<ref name="azuma-somethinglikeit" />
However, as much as Evangelion has been impacted by other works, the series itself has also become a staple in Japanese fiction. The psychological nature of the show influenced later works such as Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) and Serial Experiments Lain (1998), both of which, like Evangelion, center on an ambiguous world-changing event to come. The show His and Her Circumstances (1999), which was also directed by Hideaki Anno, shares many of the techniques (the experimental 'ripping-apart' of the animation and use of real photographs) and portrayed psychological conflicts in much the same way. The video game Xenogears (1998) bears a resemblance to Evangelion, though its creators (Xenogears co-creator/co-writer Soraya Saga in particular) have denied the speculated influences vehemently. Evangelion also dramatically changed the design of giant robots in many animated works. Previously, almost all mecha or giant robot shows took their "mechanical suit" designs from Gundam, Mazinger, and other similar shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Evangelion however changed this with its fast and sleek Evas, making a noticeable contrast to the comparatively bulky and cumbersome looking Patlabors and Transformers of the past. Indeed, the style set and created by Evangelion has become more common since its release, yet series like Gaogaigar have continued to use the classic "mecha" style. RahXephon, a show with designs inspired by 1970s mecha shows,<ref name="ntusabuchi">Wong, Amos (February 2003). "Interview with Yutaka Izubuchi". Newtype USA 2 (2): 14-15. ISSN 1541-4817.</ref> was compared to Evangelion by many English language reviewers.<ref name="damngophers">Hong, En (September 2002). "Feature: Animefringe Coverage: RahXephon". Animefringe. ISSN 17053692. Retrieved on 2006-10-13.</ref><ref name="rah_ann_7">Bertschy, Zac (2004-01-12). Review: RahXephon DVD 7: Crescendo. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2006-10-13.</ref><ref>Oppliger, John (2002-08-20). Is RahXephon an Evangelion Rip Off?. Ask John. Retrieved on 2006-10-13.</ref>
Evangelion is generally viewed to be a part of the soft science fiction genre, by avoiding the technical hard S.F. approach of Gundam and other popular mecha anime in favor of psychology and metaphysical symbolism [citation needed].
Evangelion has also been explicitly referenced and parodied. In the Digimon Tamers series, a lot of Evangelion elements were used in the back stories for the three main children, their friends, and D-Reaper. The same can be said for both WarGrowlmon and Gallantmon Crimson Mode, as they bear a resemblance to unit EVA-01. Gainax's own His and Her Circumstances and FLCL had a few Eva parodies, as did Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. Invader Zim's Christmas episode had a cameo parody of Evangelion (a reference to when Shinji was assimilated inside Unit 01). Also, in the episode with Ultra-Pipi (the class hamster that Zim accidentally mutates into a giant monster), Pipi rushes at Zim's War Cruiser in a manner that is admittedly (by the director of the episode in the commentaries) a rip from the blitz that Unit-01 makes at the Third Angel, Sachiel.
Evangelion has been referenced in American media as well. In the 2002 movie "One Hour Photo" starring Robin Williams. Jake (Dylan Smith) begs his mother to buy him the "Eva" 05 action figure, and Williams' character later offers it to him for free. However, Jake rejects the offer after telling him that his parents do not allow him to accept gifts. Unusually, the series name Neon Genesis Evangelion and that the graphics on the blister card are left untouched; many movies and shows rename or repackage existing products with a generic name and graphic logo.
In the game Final Fantasy VII, a suit of armor is located in the Battle Arena of the Golden Saucer. It is the same armor that Asuka used in the episode "Magma Diver," and when searched it shows that it is "Type D" armor, the same name as Asuka's in that episode.
Even Anno himself decided to poke fun at his work. In the Eva soundtrack Addition, a twenty minute audio drama was included that reunited the entire voice acting cast, titled "After the End." The drama is set after episode 26 and has the characters discussing a sequel to the show, clearly breaking the fourth wall. Anno is believed to be featured as a guest voice in the piece[citation needed], taking on the roles of the "Space God" and "Black Space God."
A fandub parody was also made, Evangelion: ReDeath, during the wait for Manga to release the films. The film features Gendo Ikari as a pimp with his own theme song, and Shinji is just oblivious.
In the online community, Eva is a common source of parody. English image board 4chan has a meme ("zOMG! Teh Rei!") based on the character Rei Ayanami. Numerous webcomics, such as Tsunami Channel and Punks and Nerds, have featured Evangelion tributes.
[edit] Inspiration and symbolism
- See also: Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary
Evangelion is thick with allusions to biological, military, religious, and psychological concepts. Though the religious and biological concepts are sometimes (perhaps intentionally) used differently from how contemporary Christianity or biology use them, Anno's use of Freudian jargon and psychoanalytical theory is fairly accurate.
The interpretation of the symbols and concepts varies from individual to individual, and it is not clear how many are intentional or meaningful, nor which were merely design elements or coincidences. Anno himself said, "It might be fun if someone with free time could research them."<ref name="What-were-we-making" />
A number of these symbols were noted on the English DVD commentary for Death and Rebirth and End of Evangelion.
Many of the characters share their names with Japanese warships from World War II.
[edit] Psychology and psychoanalytic theory
- For more details on this topic, see Psychoanalysis.
Several phrases used in titles of episodes and background songs come from Sigmund Freud's works, such as "Thanatos," "Oral stage," "Separation Anxiety," and "Mother Is The First Other" (the mother as the first object of a child's love is the basis of the Oedipus complex). The connection between the Evas and their pilots, as well as the ultimate goal of the Human Instrumentality Project, bear a strong resemblance to Freud's theories on internal conflict and interpersonal communication.<ref name="burgin">Quote: "In the terms of the thermodynamic model which informs Freud's concept of the death drive, what is feared is the entropy' at work at the heart of all organization, all differentiation. By this same token, however, the woman also signifies precisely that desired 'state where everything is the same': the pre-Oedipal bliss of the fusion of bodies in which infant and mother are "'nextricably mixed', that absence of the pain of differing, condition of identity and meaning, whose extinction is deferred until death." ―Victor Burgin
Fletcher, John [April 1990]. Andrew Benjamin (Ed.): Abjection, Melancholia, and Love: The Work of Julia Kristeva. New York: Routledge, 104–123. ISBN 0-415-04155-4. </ref>
The hedgehog's dilemma is a concept described by philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and later adopted by Freud. It is the subtitle of episode 4 and mentioned by Misato Katsuragi as descriptive of her relationship with Shinji.
[edit] Religion
The most prominent symbolism takes its inspiration from Judeo-Christian sources and frequently uses iconography and themes from Judaism, Christianity, Gnosticism and in some cases Freemasonry.
Assistant director Kazuya Tsurumaki said that they originally used Christian symbolism only to give the project a unique edge against other giant robot shows, and that it had no particular meaning.<ref name="evaotakufaq-christianity">Quote: "There are a lot of giant robot shows in Japan, and we did want our story to have a religious theme to help distinguish us. Because Christianity is an uncommon religion in Japan we thought it would be mysterious. None of the staff who worked on Eva are Christians. There is no actual Christian meaning to the show, we just thought the visual symbols of Christianity look cool. If we had known the show would get distributed in the US and Europe we might have rethought that choice." ― Kazuya Tsurumaki
Evaotaku.com FAQ</ref> Whether this mindset changed over the course of the series' production, or has any relation to creator/director Hideaki Anno's symbolic intentions, is still a point of contention among fans.[citation needed]
The list of references goes on and on, with multiple equally plausible interpretations existing.
- Adam and Eve (known in many other languages as Eva) are a direct reference to the first human beings from the book of Genesis.
- The Christian cross is often shown, frequently represented by energy beams shooting up skyward.
- The second angel Lilith is shown being held on a cross. In Jewish folklore, Lilith is the first wife of Adam, and the first vampire.
- Lilith is impaled with a spear named the "Lance of Longinus", after that used to pierce the side of Jesus during his crucifixion.
- The Angels could be a reference to the angels of God from the Old Testament, although, in Japanese, the word used is the same one used for apostle (or messenger), as in the New Testament, however, eyecatches during the series aswell as the introduction sequence display their names in english as "Angels". In addition, their origin is vaguely explained in the series as descending from "Adam" (yet another Judeo-Christian refference) and being "different evolutionary paths humanity could have taken".
- The Magi supercomputers are named Melchior, Balthazar and Caspar after the names traditionally given for the Magi who were mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew as having visited Jesus in Bethlehem (often called "the three wise men," though the number of visitors is not recorded in the gospel).
- The Tree of Sephiroth (Tree of Life)—an illustration of ten orbs showing the relationship between heaven and earth—is also mentioned.
- The Marduk Institute is named for Marduk, the chief Babylonian deity and patron god of the city of Babylon.
- In episode 9, Asuka compares the door between her and Shinji as the "Wall of Jericho" which, in the Book of Joshua, fell after being circled 7 times by the army and priests of Israel.
[edit] Fiction and Philosophy
- See also: Human Instrumentality Project
Neon Genesis Evangelion and particularly the Human Instrumentality Project show a strong influence from Arthur C. Clarke's novel Childhood's End, an influence Anno aknowledged.<ref name="horn">Horn, Carl G. Speaking Once as They Return: Gainax's Neon Genesis Evangelion. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref> Both the larger theme of humanity's evolution to a higher plane of existence, and lesser details such as the declining birth rate after the Second Impact, were gleaned from this work.
Evangelion also shows influences from the science fiction author Dr. Paul Linebarger, better known by his pseudonym, Cordwainer Smith. Linebarger was raised in China, became the god-son of the nationalistic leader Sun Yat-sen, and during World War II, worked in psychological warfare on behalf of the U.S. Army, including propaganda efforts by the U.S. against the Japanese. Linebarger's work included strong influences from both East Asian culture and Christianity. His science fiction novels revolve around his own concept of the Instrumentality of Mankind, an all-powerful central government of humanity.<ref name="yoko_smithref">References to: Cordwainer Smith and the Instrumentality Project. Yoko NGE All-In-One FAQ. Yoko NGE InfoCenter (2004). Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref> Like SEELE, the Instrumentality of Mankind see themselves "to be shapers of the true destiny of mankind."<ref name="strickland_smithref">Galen Strickland. Cordwainer Smith Profile. The Templeton Gate. Retrieved on 2006-08-19.</ref> Anno insisted that Hokan (補完? complementation, completion) be translated as "Instrumentality" in English, perhaps as a way to pay homage to Linebarger, although the two authors' conceptions of "instrumentality" are extremely different.<ref name="horn">Horn, Carl G. Speaking Once as They Return: Gainax's Neon Genesis Evangelion. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref>
Existential themes are heavily relied upon throughout the entire series, particularly the philosophies of Jean Paul Sartre and Søren Kierkegaard, focusing on individuality and consciousness, and especially, freedom, choice, and responsibility. For Sartre, humans ultimately exist in an abandoned and free state. There is no essential truth about what human beings want to be or ought to be- instead each person must find their own identity and their own purposes. This incredible freedom, in a way, makes us "condemned to be free," because our actions and choices are our own and no one else's, which makes us responsible for them. We are constantly making decisions and choices, whether to continue doing something or to stop and do something else. Being aware of this fact, can bring on despair or anguish; and typically we try to avoid the consciousness of our own freedom.<ref>Sartre, Jean-Paul [1943] (1980). Being and Nothingness: An Essay on Phenomenological Ontology, translated by Hazel E Barnes, 86–112, 712–734.</ref> These themes are manifest from the first episode. Shinji was abandoned by his father until his father told Shinji he "had a use" for him. But this purpose is freely rejected by Shinji. However, when he is confronted with his responsibility in the matter (that if he does not pilot the Eva, Rei will be forced to), Shinji famously tells himself that he must not run away.
Sartre's position is in direct contradiction with Freud’s. Freud believed that we are not in control of ourselves, but are rather at the mercy of primordial unconscious mechanisms which drive us. Sartre found such theories dangerous. He felt human passions arise not from the animal element of human nature, but from the fact that human beings are not merely animals or objects, and not merely minds or free subjects either, but always both. In the series, even the mecha Evangelion units turn out not to be machines at all; Unit 01 moves without a pilot to protect Shinji, and it can fight without the aid of an external power source when it goes berserk. Eventually, it is learned that its external armor is actually to restrain its freedom and to bind it to the control of Nerv, and that they are not just machines or animals, but have souls. To act as if one is only an object or a label, or that if one changes the facts about oneself that they can change who they are, is what Sartre calls bad faith. In the series for instance Ritsoku has dyed her hair blonde as if this fact changes her identity as well; Shinji calls himself a coward as if that is an excuse that makes it impossible for him to act differently. This sort of self deception had also been addressed by Kierkegaard in a paradox he called "the sickness unto death," someone who goes on pretending in life as though he has no soul, and as a result, is in danger of losing his "self." Episode 16's title, "The Sickness Unto Death, And..." (死に至る病、そして Shi ni itaru yamai, soshite?) is a reference to this work. Rei, Asuka, and Shinji may represent Kierkegaard's three categories of existential despair: Despair at not being conscious of having a self (Rei); Despair at not willing to be oneself (Shinji); and even Despair at willing to be oneself (Asuka).<ref>Kierkegaard, Søren [1849] (1980). The Sickness Unto Death, translated by Howard V Honh and Edna H Hong, Princeton University Press, 1-67.</ref>
Sartre in Being and Nothingness calls the conditions that bring about consciousness (ourselves, the world, others) "instrumentalities." Martin Heidegger, another existentialist, wrote an essay describing technology as an instrumentality that reveals "truth." Philosophically, the Human Instrumentality Project is a representation of the idealism developed by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel: a unification of all conflicts and tensions between societies, knowledge, and consciousness through a sort of historical evolution. Earlier philosophers such as Fichte had proposed that the human ego had come about through the instrumentality of freedom; it was Hegel's theory that this consciousness was not separated from the world, but was a part of it and would eventually evolve into an Absolute spirit or mind, a sort of God-like being with absolute freedom. In the movie End of Evangelion, Shinji literally becomes such an absolute being, dissolving all other conscious beings and merging with them. <ref> Tsuribe, Manabu. Prison of Self-Consciousness: an Essay on Evangelion. [http://www.evamonkey.com.+Retrieved on 2006-08-19.
</ref>; Søren Kierkegaard criticized Hegel's theory, not only because it was arrogant for a mere human to claim such a unity, but also because such a system negates the importance of the individual in favor of the whole unity. He writes:So-called systems have often been characterized and challenged in the assertion that they abrogate the distinction between good and evil, and destroy freedom. Perhaps one would express oneself quite as definitely, if one said that every such system fantastically dissipates the concept existence. ... Being an individual man is a thing that has been abolished, and every speculative philosopher confuses himself with humanity at large; whereby he becomes something infinitely great, and at the same time nothing at all.As illustrated in episodes 25 and 26, part of what shapes us as individuals are limitations: gravity, horizon, a body, and other people. Misato tells Shinji in the first episode, he has to learn how to deal with his anxiety and how to deal with others. Sartre in his earlier works went so far as to say that "hell is other people," a sentiment expressed by Gendo Ikari as well[citation needed]. Other people limit our freedoms, or may tell us things we don't like to hear, and they may see aspects of our personality we don't. Shinji later reflects upon the fact that everyone he knows has their own impression of himself that may be different from his own. Going so far as to let others completely define you is also a kind of bad faith, because it gives one an excuse not to act as an individual. But in his later work, Sartre said he felt that both Hegel and Kierkegaard had a point. Individuality is important, but because part of who we are is shaped by the way others see us, we can have an effect on others too, and must work together with others in our collective struggle for existence.
[edit] Translation notes on the title
- See also: Neon Genesis Evangelion glossary
The Japanese title for the series, Shin Seiki Evangelion, is composed of two parts: "Shin Seiki" (新世紀? new era/century) from Japanese and "Evangelion" (εὐαγγέλιον euangelion, gospel, good messenger, good news) from Ancient Greek. The decision to call the series Neon Genesis Evangelion in English was originally made by Gainax, and not by translators. It appears in the eyecatches of the original, untranslated episodes, and is used by Gainax to market the series worldwide.
The title Neon Genesis Evangelion (νέον γένεσις εὐαγγέλιον, New Beginning Gospel) appears to be wholly Greek. Genesis (γένεσις, εωσ, ἡ) means "origin, source" or "birth, race" and is also the Greek title for the first book of the Hebrew Scriptures, describing the creation of the universe and early Hebrew history. The Japanese term for the first book in the Bible is "Souseiki" (創世記? Account of the beginning of the world), perhaps a wordplay (with two different beginning and ending kanji) with "Shin Seiki" in the Japanese title. Initially, euangelion meant "good messenger", (prefix "eu" meaning "good" and "angelion" meaning "messenger", related to "angel"), and later came to mean "good news." Eventually it became most commonly associated with the Christian gospels. <ref>Station 15: The Euongaleon. The Church of Yahweh. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.</ref> It is the source of our English word "evangelist." This dual meaning (message and messenger) may be the reason both the series itself and the "mecha" are called Evangelion.
There has been some debate over the correct pronunciation of "Evangelion." In the original Japanese version a hard 'g' (IPA: /g/) pronunciation is used by all Japanese characters, and, episode 18 of the series, a native English-speaking announcer. All official secondary dubs, including the English one, use the pronunciation /ˌe.vænˈgɛ.liən/ with a hard 'g'. On the other hand, in related words in English, such as "evangelist", the 'g' is soft (/dʒ/). The film One Hour Photo and numerous other parties prefer this reading;[citation needed] it is consistent with English spelling conventions. If the word "Evangelion" were in use in Modern English, the pronunciation would employ a soft 'g'. For the same reason, the pronunciation /ˌi.vænˈdʒɛ.liən/ (with the first vowel rhyming with "Eve" instead of /e/) is not uncommon.
However, the hard 'g' and /e/ is correct in the original Greek and Japanese, and are the pronunciations preferred by Gainax.
[edit] Other media
The popularity of the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime has ensured its longevity in other media as well. The series has also spawned numerous computer games. A manga based on the series, by series character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, has been serialized since February 1995. Two other manga based on the video games have also been created: Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days, by Fumino Hayashi and Shinji Ikari Raising Project.
[edit] Merchandising
Merchandise for Evangelion still comes out fairly regularly. A number of action figures of the Evas, the Angels, and the pilots have been released. Asuka and Rei in particular are popular subjects for garage kits and models. A great deal of the merchandise has a much lighter tone than the series, something for which Hideaki Anno has expressed considerable discontent. Unlike many of the other "big names" of the show, he has not been involved in production for any of the merchandise.[citation needed]
[edit] References
<references />
[edit] External links
[edit] Official websites
- ADV Films' Evangelion page
- Madman Entertainment's Evangelion page
- Weta Workshop concept art for planned live action Evangelion film
- 新世紀エヴァンゲリオン - Official Evangelion Website. (Japanese)
- Neon Genesis Evangelion - Gainax's Evangelion page. (Japanese)
- Wowow's Evangelion page (Japanese)
[edit] Articles and information
- Neon Genesis Evangelion at the Internet Movie Database
- Neon Genesis Evangelion (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- Neon Genesis Evangelion at the Open Directory Project
- Mainichi Daily News - Evangelion Special: Genesis of a major manga
- Mainichi Daily News - Evangelion Special: For producer Otsuki, success not always a bed of roses
Creators: Hideaki Anno | Yoshiyuki Sadamoto | GAINAX
TV Series: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Films: Death and Rebirth | The End of Evangelion | Revival of Evangelion | Rebuild of Evangelion | Untitled Evangelion live action movie
Characters: Asuka | Gendo | Kaworu | Misato | Rei | Ritsuko | Kaji | Shinji | Toji | Yui
Glossary : Eva Units | Angels | Human Instrumentality Project | Timeline
Video Games: Ayanami Raising Project | Girlfriend of Steel | Girlfriend of Steel 2 | Evangelion 64 | Shinji Ikari Raising Project | Shinji and Good Friends
Misc: List of media and episodes | "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" | Angelic Days manga | Red Cross Book | ReDeath | Topics
cs:Neon Genesis Evangelion da:Neon Genesis Evangelion de:Neon Genesis Evangelion el:Neon Genesis Evangelion es:Neon Genesis Evangelion fr:Evangelion ko:신세기 에반게리온 hr:Shin Seiki Evangelion id:Neon Genesis Evangelion it:Neon Genesis Evangelion he:נאון ג'נסיס אבנגליון hu:Neon Genesis Evangelion mo:Neon Genesis Evangelion nl:Neon Genesis Evangelion ja:新世紀エヴァンゲリオン no:Neon Genesis Evangelion pl:Neon Genesis Evangelion pt:Neon Genesis Evangelion ru:Евангелион fi:Neon Genesis Evangelion sv:Neon Genesis Evangelion th:อีวานเกเลียน zh-yue:新世紀福音戰士 zh:新世纪福音战士
Categories: Anime series | Manga series | Articles with unsourced statements | 1990s TV shows in the United States | Anime dubbed into English | Neon Genesis Evangelion | Shows on Adult Swim | Special Broadcasting Service shows | Adventure anime | Adventure manga | Drama anime | Drama manga | Mecha anime | Mecha manga | Viz Media manga | Philosophical anime
