So then, after my prattling about Bleach I started thinking about the most thought provoking anime series ever...the very series that prompted dear limemenkui to say "but it's not like I'm expecting a head screw of the Hideaki Anno school of anime or anything"...Hideaki Anno being the writer of aforementioned series; and the series is? Evangelion of course 
I could waffle on for a *very* long time about the depths, meanings, symbolism and, as we've established, headfucks of this series...but I'll refrain from doing so as, frankly, i'm not clever enough :/. I will say however that if you haven't seen this series then you owe it to yourself to watch it! If you don't see this series you're missing out on one of the finest, most thoughful pieces of modern popular culture...really.
One of my favourite exchanges in this series is when one of the characters has an introspective conversation with herself...trying to explain and validate her own existence
makes for fantastic television I can tell you! Here's a wee snippet:
I am I.
I've become me in the instrumentality of the links between me and others.
I've been formed by the interaction with others.
The interaction with people and the flow of time change the shape of my mind.
-
Those are bonds?
-
Yes. They've formed me so far, the thing called Ayanami Rei. And, those will form me from now on.
-
Those are bonds?
-
But, there's someone else who is the true you. You don't know her. Because you don't want to see that, you are trying to run away.
-
Because of fear.
-
Because she might not have a human shape. Because the present me might disappear.
-
Fear
-
One fears that the self disappears.
Fear?That doesn't make sense.
The Self's world will disappear.
-
Don't you fear?
-
After watching the series and reading up a bit about Hideaki Anno it came as no great surprise that he wrote Evangelion after going through extreme problems with depression...a lot of the themes in there, questioning his existence, self-loathing and inadequacy obviously came directly from what was going on in his head...which, coupled with the metaphysical aspects of the story, makes it even *more* interesting to watch!
I obviously don't want to spoil anything for the people who've not seen it but I will say that my 2 favourite theories about Evangelion regard who Shinji, Asuka and Rei really are, and another one regarding what Shinji is always listening to.
I can not possibly enthuse enough about Evangelion...although I know someone who could take over from me
I could waffle on for a *very* long time about the depths, meanings, symbolism and, as we've established, headfucks of this series...but I'll refrain from doing so as, frankly, i'm not clever enough :/. I will say however that if you haven't seen this series then you owe it to yourself to watch it! If you don't see this series you're missing out on one of the finest, most thoughful pieces of modern popular culture...really.
One of my favourite exchanges in this series is when one of the characters has an introspective conversation with herself...trying to explain and validate her own existence
makes for fantastic television I can tell you! Here's a wee snippet:
I am I.
I've become me in the instrumentality of the links between me and others.
I've been formed by the interaction with others.
The interaction with people and the flow of time change the shape of my mind.
-
Those are bonds?
-
Yes. They've formed me so far, the thing called Ayanami Rei. And, those will form me from now on.
-
Those are bonds?
-
But, there's someone else who is the true you. You don't know her. Because you don't want to see that, you are trying to run away.
-
Because of fear.
-
Because she might not have a human shape. Because the present me might disappear.
-
Fear
-
One fears that the self disappears.
Fear?That doesn't make sense.
The Self's world will disappear.
-
Don't you fear?
-
After watching the series and reading up a bit about Hideaki Anno it came as no great surprise that he wrote Evangelion after going through extreme problems with depression...a lot of the themes in there, questioning his existence, self-loathing and inadequacy obviously came directly from what was going on in his head...which, coupled with the metaphysical aspects of the story, makes it even *more* interesting to watch!
I obviously don't want to spoil anything for the people who've not seen it but I will say that my 2 favourite theories about Evangelion regard who Shinji, Asuka and Rei really are, and another one regarding what Shinji is always listening to.
I can not possibly enthuse enough about Evangelion...although I know someone who could take over from me
How's life?
Gomenasai ne Tokage-dono!!!
YES I can enthuse endlessly about Eva, for it sits atop the lofty spot of my most favoured series, Japanese, animated or otherwise.
The theories circling Eva range in their interest but the ones tied to psychoanalysis are certainly the most fun.
I am told that to read Jaques Lacans Freud Papers as an accompaniment to the series also goes a long way in illuminating the inspirational sources for the series (another of which can also, apparently, be accredited to Go Nagais Devil Man). SO, that is a project that I must get into this year for the sake of psychoanalytical shits & giggles.
As Tokage has enthused for Evas narrative and thematic depths, I shall enthuse, as the Menkui is prone to, about its various visual design qualities.
For me the Evangelions are the finest ever mechs, period. Theres nothing better for both aesthetics or for a culturally reflexive series. The relationship between pilot and Eva is incredible for those reasons and it the. Read anything Takashi Murakami has ever written about otaku culture and youll know what I mean But I digress
Eva has something about it design wise, a je ne se qua that hoists it from the generic to the incomparable. Chief character designer for the series Yoshiyuki Sadamoto in collaboration with Anno produced a cast of characters that remain some of the most memorable figures in anime ever. Ritsuko, Gendo, Misato and Kaworu were my personal favourites but this is to say nothing of the enduring figures created in underdog Shinji Ikari or the otakus culturally immortalised poster girls Asuka & Rei.
In short, Evangelion is, without a doubt the one of most enterprising, beautiful and intellectual series ever produced and is, for that reason the thing that got me addicted to the whole Japanese cultural theory gig.
Oh and Kaworu is Su-te-kiiiiiiiiiiii da yo!