Neon Genesis Evangelion. Now this is a series that definately goes down in the books of anime as being... unique. While it does have some of the usual trends (large mechs, reluctant main character...) its definately one of the more different, and best anime series you will come across. Here's the lowdown on the series. The year is 2025, and world has been through two caticlysmic disasters, known as the First and Second Impact. The world has recovered, and is now preparing for the foretold arrival of 13 Angels. These aren't the peaceloving spirits mind you, these are large, disaster wrecking monsters, intent on destroying everything. So, Japan set up an agency known as NERV, which is in charge of mechanical giants known as EVAs. These EVAs can only be piloted by the 5 Children, who have been raised so that they will have the brain patterns needed for piloting an EVA. Below, you'll find the profiles of 3 of the 5 Children. The other 2 I'll leave for those who want to watch the series to find out. If you're dying to know though, just E-mail me and I'll be happy to fill you in.
Now, for the beginning plot info on Neon Genesis Evangelion. The story starts off with a boy named Shinji Ikari arriving in New Tokyo. He's picked up by a woman named Misato and taken to the NERV base. He's informed by his father, Dr. Ikari, who left him and his mom some time ago, that he will pilot EVA Unit 01. What follows is Shinji's first battle. He doesn't do too well, since he hasn't had much training in the EVA. The battle results in the destruction of a section of New Tokyo, (which is actually designed to be a battle ground for EVAs. It goes through a cool transformation before a battle starts) and the destruction of the First Angel. The rest of the series is about the rest of the EVA Children, mainly Shinji, and the intricate plot that unfolds about them, the Angels, and NERV. This series really goes into the emotions, relations, and personalities of the characters. It really goes into a sort of psychological thing in the last episodes. It can also be kind if depressing at times, but it can be humorous as well. However, be warned. The ending to Neon Genesis Evangelion makes very little sense. In fact, an Evangelion movie called Death and Rebirth was made to give a better ending. But unfortunately, no one really understood the ending to the movie either. I hear a second movie is in the works. Below, you will find the Evangelion charcter descriptions, and the gallery. This gallery contains absolutely no spoilers! Neither do the character descriptions.
Shinji Ikari - Definately what you would call shy. He
finds it hard to approach people, and even harder to be thrust
into the forefront of a war between man and Angel. He's the son
of the director of NERV, Dr. Ikari, and the pilot of EVA Unit 01.
He's the Third Child of the 5. Shinji usually keeps to himself,
and sometimes will go into a world of his own. However, he
occasionally gets a burst of confidence and energy, and his
confidence builds gradually as the series goes along. The later
part of the series, as it will with all the characters, start to
turn his world upside down, and that's when the real Shinji will
emerge.
Asuka Langley Soiyu - The Second Child, Asuka
(pronounced Ahs-kah) was raised in Germany, who plays a major
part in the Japenese NERV's operations. Germany seems to be the
production center for the EVAs. Anyway, Asuka is a girl who is
full of energy, and full of herself. She is definately a good
pilot of EVA Unit 02, but she thinks she is the best around. She
can't stand Shinji's shyness and Rei's quietness, and she tends
to tease them about it. Her name for Rei is Wondergirl. She's
also a self-proclaimed feminist, and will take any small social
faux-pas as sexual harassment.
Rei Ayanami - The First Child, Rei is one of the
stranger characters of the series. She's very quiet, and the only
person she ever talks to in the beginning is Dr. Ikari. She was
in an accident before the series started up, and Dr. Ikari saved
her. She keeps a pair of his glasses from that day on her dresser
drawer. Rei begins to lighten up a tiny bit through the series,
and she soon becomes a major character. The past of Rei and her
true purpose in NERV is a big twist in the plot, so I won't ruin
it. Rei is the pilot of EVA Unit 00. (Note: The pictures of Rei
in the Gallery can be misleading. Some tend to show her in a
happy and a elated mood. Please remember that some of these
pictures are not directly from the series, but can also be fanart
or sideart done my animators)
Captain Misato - The commander of the EVA's, Misato is a
very upbeat an energetic person. She takes Shinji in as her
roommate when he joins NERV. Shinji's growth in personality and
openness during the series is due largely to the efforts of
Misato. She also has a very messy and crude living style. Her
part of the apartment is always a mess. One of the parts of an
episode shows her morning routine. Get up, scratches her side,
goes to the frig, gets a beer, takes a drink, and lets out a
"WHOOO HOOOO". She's also the target of the hormones of
many of the boys in Shinji's class.
Head Scientist Ritsuko - The head of the scientific team of NERV, Ritsuko is probably one of the more normal characters in the series. At least at the beginning. Her mother was the head of NERV in its beginning, and responsible for the creation of the three supercomputers that help decide NERV's course of action. Ritsuko is close to Misato, and they usually have to go to functions and meetings together. Most of Ritsuko's character is explained later in the series, so we won't talk about that here.
Dr. Ikari - The head of NERV. Dr. Ikari is the father of Shinji Ikari. He is a very cold and calculating man. When he sees Shinji for the first time, he shows very little love for his son, but instead, instructs him on his duties in NERV. The only person he seems to show any compassion at all for is Rei Ayanami, for reasons which we won't talk about here. Dr. Ikari is the kind of man who cares very little for the methods used to achieve a goal, as long as the goal is reached.
The Angels - The Angels are the large monsters that are sent to destroy (or test?) NERV and the rest of humanity. There are 13 of them, and they're arrival was predicted by something called the Dead Sea Scrolls. The purpose of NERV is to battle and destroy, using the EVAs. Each is extremelyd difficult to defeat, and tests the pilots of EVA and the people at NERV to their limits.
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