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Just started watching Evangelion, no one told me it was funny (hexbear.net)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by Egon@hexbear.net to c/chapotraphouse@hexbear.net

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Misato has ice, snacks and 50 GALLONS OF BEER in her fridge lmao. Mood. Her car is wrecked and there's a monster that might kill her and all she can think about is car payment loans lol. She's just like me fr. Well, except for the groomer vibes she's giving off.

I'm sure it's gonna get depressing very soon, I hear all the characters suck and half of them are sexpests. Seems like you get a pretty decent understanding of why they suck though. I already dislike Shinji though, dude get in the fucking robot the world is ending. I guess sucking is hereditary, because his dad sucks too, fucking dumbass. Dude if your son is "the chosen one" when it comes to piloting these things and you're all "I must sacrifice everything for the mission" then sacrifice some free time to be with your son so your top pilot is less psychologically messed up.

NERV is in dire need of a psych team though, insane that there isn't a dedicated therapist to help the pilots deal with trauma.

Also it's so beautiful! I miss old anime like this and Akira, everything just gets to breathe. It's so pretty every frame is a painting. The women have noses and they look like women, which is also impressive. Sadly there's still only one body type women can have, but at least they can look humanoid.

Anyway, bit idea: Guy who only watches Evangelion for the fights.

Edit: Okay so Shinji managed to make two friends and they get sent away. The dude needs a support network, how incompetent can his dad be? "Huh my best pilot is getting some friends? Can't have that, we need him to be as mentally unstable as possible!"
Dude needs to be fired.

Double edit: Now on an episode where an EVA goes berserk and tries to attack the dad and he just stands there looking at it and then when it breaks thru to him he's shocked. The guy is absolutely not beating "himbo, but not actually hot, just dumb" allegations

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[-] Coolkidbozzy@hexbear.net 47 points 2 months ago

shinji is a child soldier though, the popular opinion of him sucking seems to forget that

I hope you enjoy it and eventually watch the remakes, it's all good stuff

[-] Smeagolicious@hexbear.net 37 points 2 months ago

I just don't understand why the child soldier won't just get in the giant murder blood robot he doesn't know how to control, the robot that has a traumatizing neural interface which makes the pilot feel the pain of the robot's injuries. The one that also makes the robot go berserk and kill everyone nearby if he's not focused (happens multiple times). His abusive absentee dad said he needs to! Didn't he read the script??

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 17 points 2 months ago

Yeah dude, the world is ending, get in the robot.

[-] Smeagolicious@hexbear.net 25 points 2 months ago

Tbh it seems like the world partially ended already - plus I don't think shinji really gets the scope of the potential disaster right away. It's not like NERV & Gendo are transparent about the stakes and their goals...

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[-] Egon@hexbear.net 16 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Yeah I get that he's just a kid and it seems like everything is fucked in his past and present, but dude, get in the robot please the world is ending.
He has pretty obvious PTSD and attachment issues though. Probably depression too.

Just another point for his dad sucking: Children should be easy to radicalise, but he can't even get his own son to be a fanatic. Dude is straight out of a IASIP episode, he's what would happen if Dennis were to try to become a warlord newsflash-asshole

Seems like it was a show with a lot of mocking discourse though, like a lot of people saying it was bad, but it seems like it's very good. There's so much going on

[-] Huldra@hexbear.net 21 points 2 months ago

His dad is just some asshole basically, you gotta put some effort in and have some charisma to indoctrinate a kid, Shinjis is basically a big walking billboard that he'd do anything for some verbal approval and a pat on the back and his dads too stubborn and dumb to even pick up on that being the clear play.

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 18 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Yeah the dad is honestly a fucking idiot. Oh you don't like your son? Fuck you dude, throw the baseball so we all don't have to say "fuck you shinji, get in the robot".
Shinji loves following orders it seems, he just hungers for validation, he screams "RADICALISE ME PLEASE I YEARN FOR BELONGING TO A COMMUNITY" and his dad is too busy finding his hands and seeking the angle where his glasses does that, to do the most basic psychological conditioning of his prime pilot.

Honestly incredible that the meme became "get in the fucking robot" and not "jesus christ talk to your son"

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[-] Moss@hexbear.net 42 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

God I love Evangelion. A lot of people don't like it, and frankly there is a lot not to like about it, but honestly there is no more impactful media in my life. I can personally attribute a big portion of my development to Evangelion.

spoiler for the theme of End of Evangelion, nothing plot-related. Also CW for mental health, depression and suicide.

The message of EoE, or what spoke to me, was that life comes with hardship. There is no perfect world in which everything is easy and nothing goes wrong and you don't have to grow. To wish for such a world is to wish to be a god, or to be dead. To wish that everything was easy is to wish that nothing had any meaning.

I was incredibly an incredibly depressed and suicidal teen when I found Evangelion. In the first few episodes, Shinji asks why he shouldn't run away from his problems. Why shouldn't he avoid something that makes him unhappy? I was watching this and thinking, yes, Shinji is right, do what you enjoy in the moment and nothing else matters. I was constantly skipping school so I could go home and play video games, watch anime and develop a porn addiction. I thought that by merely doing what I wanted and avoiding what was hard for me, I could make myself happy. This didnt work. I was still depressed, I just didn't recognise it.

Shinji learns the value of connection throughout the show. The "hedgehog's dilemma" is brought up - the idea that hedgehogs want to be close to each other, but will prick each other with their spines. Getting close to someone might hurt. It's hard, and it could go wrong.

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. You should try things that could go wrong. You can learn from your mistakes. You are allowed to be imperfect.

It's worth the risk of getting hurt, if it means you might be happier. It's worth trying to live a happy life, because when youre already depressed, you have nothing to lose.

I think I was 15 when I watched Eva, only one year older than Shinji. Depression was not new to me. I had tried to kill myself, and given up on living a happy life. My plan was to simply make it to 18, use up all my money on indulgances, and kill myself. Now I'm alive, as an adult, and I want things. I want to protect my friends and be loved and make a better world. I don't want to die anymore. And I attribute a lot of that to the message of Evangelion, which told me so directly, like nothing else ever has, that life is worth living, not in spite of the uncertainty, but because of it. Because uncertainty is a part of living, and living a life trying to avoid it is not living at all

Anyway. Don't try to understand the lore, it's not important and doesn't make any sense. Things will just happen. Don't worry about how or why. The actual plot of this show makes next to no sense if you just watch the original 26 episodes.

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 22 points 2 months ago

spoiler for the theme of End of Evangelion, nothing plot-related. Also CW for mental health, depression and suicide.

This was beautiful, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.

Don't try to understand the lore.

I'm getting "mad max"-type-lore from the show, where you won't ever be told directly what is going on or why people do what they do, but the world is vivid you might be able to infer it and even if you don't, you kinda get it.

[-] Awoo@hexbear.net 16 points 2 months ago

I'm getting "mad max"-type-lore from the show, where you won't ever be told directly what is going on or why people do what they do, but the world is vivid you might be able to infer it and even if you don't, you kinda get it.

https://youtu.be/6IQqPMsIfX4

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[-] SorosFootSoldier@hexbear.net 33 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Anyway, bit idea: Guy who only watches Evangelion for the fights.

I-was-saying Me as a teenager watching Eva. Came for the robots, stayed for the psycho-sexual drama.

(EoE's got a banger fight though).

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 19 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Me as a teenager watching Eva.

Gotta be honest, what hooked me was the Eva moving its arm in episode 1, but I am a sucker for a good power fantasy "chosen one" trope.

stayed for the psycho-sexual drama.

fry me watching Evangelion trying to figure out if all of the pervy stuff is on purpose or only most of it and some of it is just pure awooga

[-] lil_tank@hexbear.net 21 points 2 months ago

trying to figure out if all of the pervy stuff is on purpose or only most of it and some of it is just pure awooga

I think the goal is to explore repressed young male teen sexutality. This show reminded me of what it is to be a virgin straight boy

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 17 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I think the goal is to explore repressed young male teen sexutality.

I don't mind shinji being weird and horny, I honestly think it's great to see a show have an honest depiction of how weird those years are where you're at the precipice of figuring out sex and sexuality and attraction and all that kinda stuff, but it's still scary, but you also want it, but you also feel like there's some expectation of you, but youre also just full of hormones, just young dumb and full of cum.

I think it's interesting how obvious it is from episode 1 that the adults around him are aware of this, and use it to control him.

But then there's also just stuff that seems to be awooga

[-] lil_tank@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago

Yeah you're right they definitely planted some awooga for commercial appeal

[-] ChestRockwell@hexbear.net 14 points 2 months ago

Gainax unfortunately has long been awooga

Gunbuster is a great example, totally unnecessary fanservice (at least in Eva it emphasizes shinjis awkward nature) except for the moment where

spoiler

Noriko tears her shirt open so the Gunbuster can do the same in episode 6

That moment is kino, but the rest of the service is sadly just very commercial appeal based.

[-] PointAndClique@hexbear.net 13 points 2 months ago

Lmao not me screaming AT FIELD during primary school yard fights nuh uh

[-] let_me_tank_her@hexbear.net 30 points 2 months ago

episodes 24-26 and End of Evangelion are absolute cinema. kino. masterpieces.

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago

Looking forward to it

[-] abc@hexbear.net 28 points 2 months ago

Well, except for the groomer vibes she's giving off.

MISATO SLANDER SHE RAISED THOSE KIDS THE BEST SHE COULD AND WAS NEVER A GROOMER

[-] aaro@hexbear.net 18 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

spoiler

We'll do the rest when you get back.

[-] abc@hexbear.net 18 points 2 months ago

spoiler

his ass would've never gotten down to the EVA if she hadn't kissed him before pushing him in the elevator & she knew she was dying. I'm letting her off the hook. MISATO INNOCENT!!!!!!

[-] SuperZutsuki@hexbear.net 14 points 2 months ago

spoiler

She was dying, though

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[-] AcidSmiley@hexbear.net 27 points 2 months ago

dude get in the fucking robot the world is ending

He's a child suffering from PTBS and depression. He barely has the spoons to do anything but lie flat on the floor, yet he is supposed to save the fucking world. ofc he struggles under that weight, that's the normal and expectable reaction in that context and it's honestly surprising that given the enormity of what is asked of him, he somehow manages to pull through. Which he does. He just (very realistically) suffers like a dog while doing it instead of being some dumbass superhero fantasy who always keeps his toothpaste smile in spite of seeing everything he knows being flattened under an apocalyptic onslaught.

The show is a callout of a toxic culture that demands duty and functionality at all times, no matter if the person in question is even remotely capable of it. I don't know if somebody without a history of depression, ADHD or other issues that can actively destroy your ability to perform even the most trivial everyday tasks is capable of understanding this, but it's actually ableist af to expect a boy like him to get reliably retraumatized over and over again without ever complaining about hand-to-hand combat against giant cosmic horrors that need to be drawn with a dwarved aircraft carrier group next to them to demonstrate their mind-rending scale . Shinji acts heroically because he almost always does what is needed, but he doesn't perform the aesthetics of what we think heroism is supposed to look like, he is visibly vulnerable and struggling instead of bottling up his pain and hanging in there for the job and because the show dares to take the needed time to appropriately portray that fight with himself, this has led to several generations of reactionary incels getting mad at him.

Not calling you a reactionary incel, mind you. I understand how you arrive at your impression, i had the same when i watched the show for the first time when i saw it on nighttime TV back in the late 90s and had only the faintest glimpse of what severe executive dysfunction looks like. But that this view is so widespread is a sign of the ableism and toxic masculinity we've all internalized to some degree.

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 17 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

yeah I know, now get in the robot.

I've got both ADHD and depression, I know what it looks like. I am also capable of observing very obvious signs of trauma, like most people. If you're going to start a discussion, please assume that basic shit isn't lost to me, just because I don't share your point of view.
I've talked to most of your other points a bunch already in this thread. I am neither denying nor downplaying his mental state. I think most people would balk at the idea of going inside a giant robot which will almost certainly kill you, but it is still funny to say "get in the robot". That funny comes in part because the world is seemingly about to end, so buddy get in the robot FFS.

[-] AcidSmiley@hexbear.net 21 points 2 months ago

I get it and i'm sorry if i've come across as looking to start a fight. I just feel this stuff needs to be pointed out when there's an Evangelion thread.

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[-] AcidSmiley@hexbear.net 16 points 2 months ago

spoiler for End of Evangelion, SA

That said, Shinji is also a fucking sex pest who masturbates to completion standing next to Asuka's comatose body and when the film calls him out for being a sex pest, it does so with an endless horny fanservice montage of Asuka's, Rei's and Misato's asses, tits and feet. Because anime.

[-] corgiwithalaptop@hexbear.net 25 points 2 months ago

It was the show that really got anime to click with me, enjoy! Now I'm working thru all 1200 episodes of One Piece.

Only 600ish to go!

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[-] CommunistBear@hexbear.net 25 points 2 months ago

Thanks for reminding me that I need to actually watch this one of these days

[-] Thordros@hexbear.net 17 points 2 months ago

It fucking sucks, and you should absolutely watch it.

Make sure to watch the original run first. Then watch The End of Evangelion. Then watch Rebuild of Evangelion. Every new Evangelion product you watch will explain everything. I promise.

spoiler

It won't.

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[-] Egon@hexbear.net 17 points 2 months ago

It has been on my watchlist for ages too, glad to finally have started it. It's good. Even if the story takes a turn for the worse I could watch it just for the art

[-] marxisthayaca@hexbear.net 23 points 2 months ago

Anyway, bit idea: Guy who only watches Evangelion for the fights.

(As a teenager) I-was-saying tuned in for the fights stayed for the mean red head.

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 14 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Been there, but it was pokemon and I wasn't even a teen.

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Lmao I'm on episode 3 now and there's a guy who bullies Shinji and now Shinji is looking like he doesn't want to fight and some other guy goes "jeez seems like your bullying really messed him up" right as they're about to get stomped to death lmao

[-] Tomboymoder@hexbear.net 14 points 2 months ago

Honestly I think the “groomer” allegations with Misato are way overstated by people.
She has a difficult relationship with…well relationships and sexuality and this leaks out a few times, but when I watched the show I pretty much got to almost the end not really getting why it was such a meme.

[-] Tomboymoder@hexbear.net 14 points 2 months ago

I mean in some ways they are all being groomed by being manipulated and pressured into being child soldiers, but you know what I mean…I don’t think Misato has any actual attraction to Shinji like that.

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[-] Egon@hexbear.net 12 points 2 months ago

I mean episode 1 starts with Shinji looking at a lewd photo of her with a lipstick kiss on it, which she sent him. She flirts with him thru the first episode and makes several sexual comments in general.
She's young and seems like she's complicated, but she is also giving groomer vibes

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[-] chickentendrils@hexbear.net 14 points 2 months ago

yeah it's great, there are a few bits of filler which could've been worked into the story with a little effort IMO (maybe the remakes/rebuilds fix this, I didnt get into the artistic direction)

OP dont read wont make sense anyway

been a while so might mess up a detail but in the lilliputian hitcher they already bothered having it infect the magi and they reprogrammed the angel to defeat it or whatever, they could've done something at that time with unit 1 to later explain being able to eat zuriel and use the s1 engine

[-] Egon@hexbear.net 13 points 2 months ago

OP dont read wont make sense anyway

That sign won't stop me because I can't read. Wouldn't matter if I could anyways because it makes no sense

[-] CriticalOtaku@hexbear.net 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Keep in mind that Eva is also meta-criticism of mecha as a genre- almost every single child soldier pilot in all the shows before Eva kinda uncritically “got in the robot”, and Anno going “wait that’s kinda fucked up actually” is why Eva’s considered a deconstruction

Also I think a lot of replies you’re getting are from people who finished the show, and a bit further in the show is really going to dig into Shinji’s character and he gets a little more sympathetic there I think

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[-] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 13 points 2 months ago

I already dislike Shinji though, dude get in the fucking robot the world is ending.

U wot? Like someone else already said all my thoughts exactly but I just have to chime in and say "give the kid a break", too. Like if you're going to dislike Shinji for anything, dislike him for that scene in The End of Evangelion that made me start noting down any anime I watch that include at any point a POV shot of a character looking down at the palm of sy right hand with slightly bent fingers.

Anyways I've been watching Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water lately and it's been interesting seeing these common elements and motifs between that show and NGE, since Hideaki Anno directed both. Most famously there's the つづく and Shinji's character design being inspired by Nadia — Shinji was originally going to be a girl, in fact, which kinda-sorta adds to trans readings of NGE.