Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a Japanese anime series that ran for a single season on television, had three movie releases, and is an ongoing series of manga comics. It is sci-fi themed, involving mechas—or giant robots— in a story line that heavily incorporates Judeo-Christian imagery and themes drawn from both canonical Biblical sources as well as Biblical apocrypha. It centers around an emotionally fragile teenage boy named Shinji Ikari who pilots one of a handful of advanced robots called EVAs.
Fast Facts
- TV Series: October 1995 - March 1996
- Total episodes: 26
- Neon Genesis Evangelion films: 3
- Manga series: February 1994 - Present
- Manga written and drawn by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Giant Robots AND It Makes You Think
Though the series would appear similar to traditional mecha anime like the classic Robotech, the story line in Neon Genesis Evangelion incorporates not just elements of social commentary, but also religion and psychology. Like many anime series, the characters are teenagers whose interactions reflect the problems of contemporary childhood. The plot is also centered around religious imagery and symbols, like the enemy Angels, and includes numerous apocryphal icons like the Lance of Longinus (also known as the "Spear of Destiny"). And finally, the script refers heavily to key terms from Freudian psychology.
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