The , also referred to as Evas, are fictional biomechanical humanoid
mecha
In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the mean ...
s introduced in the
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series ''
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, also known simply as ''Evangelion'' or ''Eva'', is a Japanese mecha anime television series produced by Gainax and animated by Tatsunoko, directed by Hideaki Anno and broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 1995 to March 1996. ''Evangelion' ...
'', produced by
Gainax
Gainax Co., Ltd. (stylized as GAINAX; ja, 株式会社ガイナックス, Hepburn romanization, Hepburn: ) is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', ''Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise, Roya ...
studio and directed by
Hideaki Anno
is a Japanese animator, filmmaker and actor. He is best known for creating the anime series ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' (1995)''.'' His style is defined by his postmodernist approach and the extensive portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotio ...
, and in the
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
is a Japanese character designer, manga artist, and one of the founding members of the Gainax anime studio.
Personal life
Before Gainax was founded under the official name (it was originally called Daicon Film), Yoshiyuki served as animator o ...
. In addition to the original animated series, Evangelions appear in its derivative works, in spin-off manga, video games, visual novels, in the original video animation '' Petit Eva: Evangelion@School'' and in the ''
Rebuild of Evangelion
''Rebuild of Evangelion'', known in Japan and on Amazon Prime Video as , is a Japanese animated film series and a retelling of the original ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' anime television series, produced by Studio Khara. Hideaki Anno served as ...
'' movies, with considerably different roles and guises.
In the original animated series, the Evangelion are giant humanoids that are studied by a research center called Gehirn and the special agency Nerv to fight beings called
Angels
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
. In addition to mechanical components, they have a basic organic structure, derived from two beings named
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
and
Lilith
Lilith ( ; he, Wiktionary:לילית, לִילִית, Līlīṯ) is a female figure in Mesopotamian Mythology, Mesopotamian and Jewish mythology, Judaic mythology, alternatively the first wife of Adam and supposedly the primordial she-demon. ...
; for this reason they have eyes, epidermis, internal organs and nails similar to those of humans and have been classified for this as
cyborg
A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
s rather than mecha in the traditional sense. Those assigned to pilot an Evangelion are called Children and are chosen by an organization called the Marduk Institute. Their design, inspired by the
oni
An is a kind of ''yōkai'', demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. Oni are mostly known for their fierce and evil nature manifested in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. Notwithstanding their evil reputation, oni possess i ...
of Japanese folklore,
Ultraman
''Ultraman'', also known as the , is the collective name for all media produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad monsters. Debuting with ''Ultra Q'' and then ''Ultraman'' in 1966, the series is one ...
, ''
Iczer-One
''Iczer One'', known in Japan as , is a 1983 sci-fi horror and yuri manga published in the hentai magazine ''Lemon People''. It was created by Aran Rei. In 1985 the story was adapted into a three part Original Video Animation directed by Tos ...
'', ''
Devilman
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The manga focuses on a high school student named Akira Fudo who absorbs the powers of the demon called "Amon" with help of his friend Ryo Asuka in order to battle ...
'' and other sources, caused problems during the production of the animated series, but received a positive reception from critics and has been used for merchandise.
Conception
Hideaki Anno
is a Japanese animator, filmmaker and actor. He is best known for creating the anime series ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' (1995)''.'' His style is defined by his postmodernist approach and the extensive portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotio ...
, director and principal screenwriter of ''
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, also known simply as ''Evangelion'' or ''Eva'', is a Japanese mecha anime television series produced by Gainax and animated by Tatsunoko, directed by Hideaki Anno and broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 1995 to March 1996. ''Evangelion' ...
'', initially sought to create what he called "a simple work featuring robots". He began by focusing on vague images and ideas rather than defined concepts, thinking that other staff members would then contribute adding details. According to King Records' Toshimichi Ōtsuki, producer of the series, at the beginning of production, the idea was to create a series about an
Ultraman
''Ultraman'', also known as the , is the collective name for all media produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad monsters. Debuting with ''Ultra Q'' and then ''Ultraman'' in 1966, the series is one ...
in armor, the protagonist of the franchise of the same name. The staff took inspiration particularly from an old project by
Gainax
Gainax Co., Ltd. (stylized as GAINAX; ja, 株式会社ガイナックス, Hepburn romanization, Hepburn: ) is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', ''Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise, Roya ...
. For the project, Anno came up with the idea of a female pilot in the wake of the original video animation ''
Fight! Iczer One
''Iczer One'', known in Japan as , is a 1983 sci-fi horror and yuri manga published in the hentai magazine ''Lemon People''. It was created by Aran Rei. In 1985 the story was adapted into a three part Original Video Animation directed by Tos ...
'', starting from the image of a girl in a capsule-shaped cockpit full of liquid – prototypes of the Eva-00 pilot
Rei Ayanami
is a fictional character from the anime ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', created by Gainax. She is the First Child and pilot of a giant mecha named Evangelion Unit 00. At the beginning of the series, Rei is an enigmatic figure whose unusual behav ...
and the Entry Plug – but without having a precise plot in mind. Other images became the basis of ''Evangelion'', such as skyscrapers emerging from the top of mountains, robots carrying batteries, people dragging large cables, and a city in the mountains named Tokyo-2 in
Nagano Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...
. During production, moreover, it was decided to have teenagers pilot the mechas and follow the tradition of other robot anime, but Anno did not initially think to give a reason regarding their ages. An explanation came to mind to the character designer of the series,
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
is a Japanese character designer, manga artist, and one of the founding members of the Gainax anime studio.
Personal life
Before Gainax was founded under the official name (it was originally called Daicon Film), Yoshiyuki served as animator o ...
. While watching a documentary on the Japanese TV station
NHK
, also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee.
NHK operates two terrestr ...
named the artist learned of the existence of A10 nerves. Sadamoto then pitched new ideas for the anime, such as being able to explain the age of the pilots, who are all teenagers without mothers.From the ''Renewal of Evangelion'' bonus extras. He tried to create something along the lines of ''
Space Pirate Captain Harlock
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Leiji Matsumoto. It was serialized in ''Play Comic'' from 1977 to 1979, with the chapters collected into five ''tankōbon'' volumes by Akita Shoten. The series follows the titular Capta ...
'''s ''Arcadia'', a spaceship with a computer that contains the soul of its creator, Tochirō Ōyama. Anno compared the interface system of the Eva to a modern version of
Gō Nagai
, better known by the pen name , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with ''Meakashi Polikichi'', but is best known for creating popular 1970s ...
's
Mazinger
is a long-running series of manga and anime featuring giant robots or mecha.
Series
The series in order:
''God Mazinger'' is related by name only and ''Mazinkaiser'' is an OVA retelling of earlier ''Mazinger'' stories, based partly on desi ...
, a giant robot whose cockpit is located in the head of the robot. The staff thus conceived the Evas as custodians of the soul of the pilot's mother, controlled through a psychic link with her son. The Nerv was inspired by the Solo Ship from ''
Space Runaway Ideon
is a 1980 anime television series produced by Sunrise, created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, produced immediately following his most famous work, ''Mobile Suit Gundam''. It first premiered on TV Tokyo from 1980 to 1981, followed by two f ...
'', whose crew faces hostile aliens of the Buff Clan and other humans, with mecha that go out of control and communicate only with children.
In a preliminary draft during the early planning stages of the animated series, staff suggested the existence of two ancient prehistoric civilizations that appeared on Earth before humans, both of whom were equipped with advanced technologies. The Evangelions in the original scenario would have been created by the first civilization, known as the First Ancestral Race, and would have rebelled against their creators, causing their extinction. The Second Ancestral Race would have created a weapon known as the Longinus Spear in an attempt to defeat the humanoids, scattering warriors named
Angels
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
in a state of hibernation around the globe as a countermeasure in case anyone tried to reactivate the Evangelions. The Eva units were conceived from the beginning as living beings and dangerous androids rather than simple weapons; the scenario was designed to contain elements similar to those in video games or role-playing games, such as the weapons of the units being hidden in the buildings of Tokyo-3. In the last episodes, there should have been a lunar battle against twelve Angels, an idea that was later abandoned and recycled for the clash between Eva-02 and the Eva series, introduced in the 1997 theatrical conclusion. The American continent and the Eva-06 would vanish, while the ancient remains of a ruin named Arqa would be revealed. In the second half of the story, there would be preparations to invade an enemy stronghold along the lines of a role-playing game. One of the preliminary drafts of the twenty-fourth episode, written by screenwriter Akio Satsukawa, also introduced a prototype mini Evangelion, a five-meter mecha named αーTYPEーEVA000 (also known as α Eva). When the α Eva goes berserk, it would have attacked with animal fury the Angel
Kaworu Nagisa
, real name , is a fictional character from the '' Neon Genesis Evangelion'' franchise created by Gainax. In the series of the same name, he is the pilot of a giant mecha named Evangelion Unit 02 for the special agency Nerv. Kaworu is the s ...
, who would have dodged his blows in a scene inspired by the legend of the samurai
Benkei
, popularly known as simply Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk (''sōhei'') who lived in the latter years of the Heian Period (794–1185) .html" ;"title="/sup>">/sup>. Benkei led a varied life, first becoming a monk, then a mountain ascetic, ...
on the
Gojo Bridge
Gojō Bridge, or Bridge, is a bridge in Kyoto, Japan, spanning the Kamo River. The current bridge was built in 1959.
The original Gojō Bridge, located somewhat to the north, was known as the site of Minamoto no Yoshitsune's encounter and subs ...
; at the end of the fight, the Evangelion would have swallowed the Angel Tabris and Rei Ayanami, to be then violently disemboweled by the Prog-Knife of
Shinji Ikari
is a character (arts), fictional character in the ''Neon Genesis Evangelion (franchise), Neon Genesis Evangelion'' franchise created by Gainax. He is the franchise's poster boy and protagonist. In the Neon Genesis Evangelion, anime series of the ...
's Eva-01. In another proposal there were two units called 05 and 06, both manufactured in Germany, while the Evangelion after 01 would be equipped with a power system known as a positron engine.
Two years before airing, Gainax published a project presentation document to find backers entitled , which included the initial unit designs. In the ''Proposal,'' the Evangelion were described as humanoids made of artificial metal muscles and replicas of Adam, indicated in the document as an artificial giant left by the First Ancestral Race, which would have left for the globe the enemies of the series, the ''Apostolos''. The document also describes robotic anime on one page as a "compensation for the complexes and various suppressions that children hold, a means of resistance, compensatory behavior". For the main character of the series, Shinji, Anno himself was used as a model, linking the act of piloting the mecha with his work; according to Kazuya Tsurumaki, assistant director of ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', while "Shinji was summoned by his father to ride a robot, Anno was summoned by Gainax to direct an animation". Moreover, during the development of the series, the director included scenes in which the mecha are mutilated and lose their limbs. The mutilations of the Evas became a product of his personal experience. Anno's father Takuyo injured his left leg in an accident with a power saw and was forced to wear a prosthesis for life; following the accident, Hideaki developed a certain attraction to deformity, believing that he could not love "anything perfect". He also compared this to ''
Tetsujin 28-go
, known as simply ''Tetsujin 28'' in international releases, is a 1956 manga written and illustrated by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, who also created ''Giant Robo''. The series centers on the adventures of a young boy named Shotaro Kaneda, who c ...
'', in which a robot loses an arm. In the twentieth episode of the series, he also introduced the concept of cannibalism. He added a scene in which Eva-01 devours an Angel in an attempt to disgust and scare a young viewer; he stated, "What would be ideal is that kids who watch it start to vomit". Cannibalism, according to Yūichirō Oguro, curator of extra contents of ''Evangelion'''s home video editions, would negatively depict the act of eating meat, and could also be influenced by Anno's personal experience, who has been vegetarian since childhood and had already transposed this detail of his life in his fictional works.
Design and inspirations
The design of the Evangelion was conceived and edited by Anno and
Ikuto Yamashita
is a Japanese manga artist and designer.
Overview
Yamashita was born in the Gifu Prefecture and is a graduate of the Nagoya University of Arts. His representative work in manga is "Dark Whisper" (serialized in Dengeki Daioh). In the field of anim ...
, the official mecha designer of the series. The director took inspiration from the demons of Japanese folklore, the ''
oni
An is a kind of ''yōkai'', demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. Oni are mostly known for their fierce and evil nature manifested in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. Notwithstanding their evil reputation, oni possess i ...
'', and wanted to give them a modern look that differed from other mecha, such as the
Gundam
is a Japanese military fiction media franchise. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks), the franchise features giant robots, or mecha, with the name "Gundam". The franchise began on April 7, 1979, with ''Mobile ...
s of the ''
Mobile Suit Gundam
, also known as ''First Gundam'', ''Gundam 0079'' or simply ''Gundam '79'', is an anime television series, produced and animated by Nippon Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting ...
'' series, giving them a more human-demonic nature than strictly robotic. He commissioned Yamashita to create "a demon", "a giant barely under the control of humankind". Yamashita thus drew inspiration for the design of the machines from ''
Gulliver's Travels
''Gulliver's Travels'', or ''Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships'' is a 1726 prose satire by the Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan ...
'', with the idea of representing an enormous power restrained, a giant that resembled a relief in a wall. Since the delivery of the preparatory sketches, Yamashita's drawings caused such a stir that even ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'''s staff members were divided, causing problems for Gainax. Toshimichi Ōtsuki introduced ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' to a well-known toy company, but a representative of the company told him that a robot with such a design could never sell, especially because of the lower limbs were considered too skinny. Anno, after the episode, decided to create a different series compared to the other mecha anime, all financed by private toy companies; moreover, to avoid any possible interference from the financial backers, he designed mecha that were difficult to reproduce in toy form to have more artistic freedom and revolutionize the genre, which he said had been stagnant for a long time and caged in a ready-made model.
For the appearance and role of the humanoids, the authors took inspiration from ''
Mazinger Z
is a Japanese super robot manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The first manga version was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from October 1972 to August 1973, and it later was reissued in Kodansha ''TV Magazine ...
Devilman
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The manga focuses on a high school student named Akira Fudo who absorbs the powers of the demon called "Amon" with help of his friend Ryo Asuka in order to battle ...
''. Believing that the power was "something very scary", Anno insisted on the threatening aspect of the units, trying to make the Evangelion look like "an anti-hero, something terrifying". Before deciding on the final design he drew a preliminary draft of the Eva similar to a Devilman. In the sketch the Eva had a curved back, a narrow waist, and a flat, thick chest, which resembled the "demonic" face of the Mazinger. In his original proposal, the Evangelion would have had a dark and gloomy color, except for the eyes, which he left white and circled in red, just like Mazinger Z. The intention was to inspire terror and make children understand how scary real life could be.
Another source of inspiration was a male character in the video game ''Cho Aniki'' named El&Topo, on which Yamashita based Eva-02's appearance. In the design stages, he changed his mind about their appearance several times; for example, in preliminary sketches, he thought about giving 01 a single oblique protrusion on the left side of the head or two frontal horns, which were later abandoned in favor of the final design. Anno and animator
Yoh Yoshinari
is a Japanese key animator, storyboard artist, and anime director.
Biography
Yoshinari was born in Tokyo on May 6, 1971. He graduated from Tokyo Designer Gakuin College.
Career
Yoshinari entered the anime industry through the influence of hi ...
also made some sketches of the Eva-01. Yoshinari tried to animate the units using rulers, as in the case of the second episode, in which he tried to draw almost the entire face and shoulders of 01 in such a way. Sadamoto at first colored it white, creating an image he said was similar to an
RX-78 Gundam
The is a fictional manned robot (mecha), introduced in 1979 in Yoshiyuki Tomino's and Sunrise (company), Sunrise's anime series ''Mobile Suit Gundam''. In the series, it is a prototype weapon for the Earth Federation when it falls into the hands ...
or an Ingram from ''
Patlabor
, also known as ''Patlabor'' (a portmanteau of "patrol" and "labor"), is a Japanese science fiction media franchise created by Headgear, a group consisting of manga artist Masami Yūki, director Mamoru Oshii, screenwriter Kazunori It ...
''. While working on the Evas' design, he also worked on a project called ''Suzuka Hachitai'', in which he designed suits similar to the Evangelions' plugsuits.
For the movements, the director asked to recreate "the noise that the bundles of wires would make if they were contracting like muscles", treating them as if they were living beings. For this reason, all the sounds normally used in other mecha anime were avoided; for example, to reproduce the sound of the Prog-Knife, Anno and Toru Noguchi, the sound effects editor, reworked the metallic noise of a real cutter. To give the Eva's cockpit the image of a mother's womb, Anno asked
Shiro Sagisu
Shiro, Shirō, Shirow or Shirou may refer to:
People
* Amakusa Shirō (1621–1638), leader of the Shimabara Rebellion
* Ken Shiro (born 1992), Japanese boxer
* Shiro Azumi, Japanese football player 1923–1925
* Shiro Ichinoseki (born 1944), ...
, who was responsible for the series' soundtrack, to compose a melody that would accentuate the feeling of nostalgia.
Characteristics
In the world of ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', Evangelion, or Evas, multifunction machines represent the most advanced battle tools built by mankind. They are costly weapons that are designed to fight and destroy Angels. Their development, conducted in secret by the special agency Nerv, began after a catastrophe known as Second Impact. From the scientific point of view, their tasks constitute the E project, placed under the direction and responsibility of Dr.
Ritsuko Akagi
The Japanese anime television series ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' has an extensive cast of characters that were created by Gainax. The show's protagonist is Shinji Ikari, a teenage boy whose father Gendo recruits him to the shadowy organizati ...
. The Evangelion are giant humanoids clad in thick protective armor. The constitution of an Evangelion unit is identical to a human being's, except for size: each Evangelion is equipped with a nervous system, a skeleton, nails and a circulatory system. In a section of the headquarters of the Nerv called Terminal Dogma, there are skeletons of bodies believed to be precursors to the Eva-00, or the remains of failed experiments that occurred during its creation; the experimental models have two or more optical sensors and a visible spine. The original living bodies are then implanted with mechanical components, which are used to control them or to provide them with greater efficiency and functionality. As in humans the signals of the central nervous system are transmitted by an electrical impulse, the peripheral system and the movements of an Evangelion are transmitted by electric current. For the first three examples, designed in Japan, the traditional Chinese numbering system is adopted, while later prototypes follow
Arabic number
Arabic numerals are the ten numerical digits: , , , , , , , , and . They are the most commonly used symbols to write decimal numbers. They are also used for writing numbers in other systems such as octal, and for writing identifiers such as c ...
ing.
The Evas can regenerate their wounds and body parts that have been damaged during the operations. Another ability is represented by the capacity to develop a protective shield known as an AT Field. Their movements are guaranteed by the power provided by an external cable called Umbilical Cable, which give them the electrical energy needed to operate their circuits. In the absence of the cable, the humanoids can operate using the energy stored in a special internal battery, for a time limit ranging from sixty seconds to five minutes. When inactive, the units are housed in giant structures called "cages" and held in place by an anchoring structure, composed of various blocks and groups of safeties. Another characteristic element of the Angels and Evangelions is a red sphere called core, located at the chest of humanoids.
The units have different equipment that varies according to battle needs. The basic one is called type B (Basic), consisting only of a cutter-like weapon named Progressive Knife. Other assets are type D (Dive), specifically for diving; and type F (Fly) for flight. The Evangelion's piloting system synchronizes it with the pilot and via neural connection, such that the two subjects act in sync. The pilot of an Evangelion unit, designated by the English term Child, is housed in a cylindrical capsule named Entry Plug, which is inserted into the area corresponding to the humanoid's spine, at the
cervical vertebrae
In tetrapods, cervical vertebrae (singular: vertebra) are the vertebrae of the neck, immediately below the skull. Truncal vertebrae (divided into thoracic and lumbar vertebrae in mammals) lie caudal (toward the tail) of cervical vertebrae. In ...
. The cockpit of the Entry Plug is filled with a special liquid called LCL, which promotes the neural connection between the Evangelion and its pilot. The main nerve responsible for synchronizing the two entities is called the A10 nerve. It seems that the subjects suitable to pilot an Evangelion are limited to 14-year-old children orphaned by their mother, and that in Evangelions, originally devoid of a soul, have souls of people. It is also believed that the souls of the mothers of their respective pilots are housed in the mechas. Once the neural connection has been successfully established, the Children can command the humanoid at will, thinking that they are acting with their own body, through a system known as neural interface. However, its maintenance can be jeopardized by the damage suffered by the Evangelion during an operation and the corresponding psychological disorders of the pilot. Moreover, a state commonly referred to as berserk is theorized, during which the humanoid begins to act out in uncontrollable and seemingly instinctual destructive rage. Their height is never specified in the series, though ''
Newtype
is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime (and to a lesser extent, tokusatsu, manga, Japanese science fiction, seiyuu, and video games). It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985, with i ...
'' magazine provided an estimate of forty meters. According to
Hiroyuki Yamaga
is a Japanese anime director and producer, and a founding member of the animation studio Gainax. He is best known for directing the film '' Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise'' (1987) at age 24, directing ''Mahoromatic'' (2001), ''Magica ...
, a member of Gainax, it was decided to make the units taller than Ultraman, who is forty-five meters tall. In the ''Proposal'' their height is also determined forty meters, while in the ''
Rebuild of Evangelion
''Rebuild of Evangelion'', known in Japan and on Amazon Prime Video as , is a Japanese animated film series and a retelling of the original ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' anime television series, produced by Studio Khara. Hideaki Anno served as ...
'' saga their height is explicitly around seventy meters, eighty with vertical supports.
Original series
Evangelion Unit-00
, also known as Prototype, is the first Evangelion unit to be made by Nerv. It was not conceived as a machine dedicated to combat, but to the study of feasibility and practical functionality of its basic technology, which is why it lacks equipment characteristic of subsequent units. It is conceived in the headquarters of Tokyo-3 and the biological starting material used for its creation belongs to the first Angel,
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
. The 00 is distinguished from later models by its initial dark yellow coloration, typical of military prototypes, and a less sophisticated external and internal architecture. Its main organ of visual sensory perception is represented by a round-shaped optical lens placed in the center of the unit's face. Its pilot is Rei Ayanami, who joins the organization as the First Child. Due to its function as a prototype, the unit suffers from instability, causing it to act out of control in activation and synchronization experiments. In one of the experiments it destroys the anchor structures and the second experimental room of Nerv, injuring its pilot. Its first effective activation occurs after the simultaneous presence of two Evangelion units is necessary during the Angel
Ramiel
Ramiel ( arc, רַעַמְאֵל, he, רַעַמְאֵל ''Raʿamʾēl''; gr, ‘Ραμιήλ), not to be confused with the holy angel "Remiel", is a fallen Watcher (angel) while the other is an Archangel in the apocryphal Book of Enoch. Rami ...
's attack. In the course of the operation it suffers structural damage so severe that it requires extensive repairs.
Eva-00 is later used in the fight against the Angel
Matarael Batriel, Batârêl ( Aramaic: מטראל, Greek: Βατριήλ) or Matriel, Matârêl (prob. compd. of ''matar''—"rain" + El—"God"; lit. "Rain of God") was the 12th Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels that are mentioned in an an ...
. The repairs to Eva-00 mainly concern its armor and equipment, while its internal structure is essentially unchanged. The repaired Eva-00 has a predominantly blue coloration and is equipped with vertical supports resembling those fitted to Eva-01 and 02. The vertical supports, located at shoulder height, are equipped with a special propulsion system that allows the unit to slow down and cushion falls. Its presence is beneficial to the defense of Tokyo-3 and the elimination of Angels. It is destroyed during the fight against the sixteenth Angel,
Armisael
The are fictional entities in the anime television series ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', which was produced by Gainax studio and directed by Hideaki Anno. Angels also appear in the manga adaptation of the same name, which was illustrated by Yos ...
, due to Rei using the self-destruct mechanism.
In the ''Rebuild of Evangelion'' saga, the Eva-00 is always orange in color and has a special shield called the Enchanted Shield of Virtue, designed by Yamashita. In the second chapter of the saga, '' Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance'' (2009), it is swallowed by the tenth Angel.
Evangelion Unit-01
, or Test Type, is the experimental model of the Evangelion series and the second specimen to be built in the Nerv headquarters, studied under the direct supervision of Dr.
Yui Ikari
The Japanese anime television series '' Neon Genesis Evangelion'' has an extensive cast of characters that were created by Gainax. The show's protagonist is Shinji Ikari, a teenage boy whose father Gendo recruits him to the shadowy organiz ...
. It differs from all previous and subsequent specimens, as the biological matter that forms the basis comes from the second Angel,
Lilith
Lilith ( ; he, Wiktionary:לילית, לִילִית, Līlīṯ) is a female figure in Mesopotamian Mythology, Mesopotamian and Jewish mythology, Judaic mythology, alternatively the first wife of Adam and supposedly the primordial she-demon. ...
. In addition to the characteristic predominantly purple coloration, it is characterized by a long horn that extends from the center of the forehead and a binocular viewer. It is the first humanoid to be used in an actual war operation. The 01 acts out of control on several occasions and takes on a decisive role in wartime operations. The living humanoid at the base of Unit 01 is characterized by brown-colored organic tissues and a red-colored, blood-like body fluid. The unit's mouth is normally secured with bolts, and its actual biological body is covered, like the other units, by a special constrictive armor. The unit has positive operational results and the greatest tactical experience of all the units produced by Nerv.
The first activation experiment of Unit 01, carried out in 2004 in the Laboratory for Artificial Evolution, is conducted by a research center called Gehirn. Yui is designated as the test subject of the experiment; during the experiment her synchrony rate reaches 400%, a percentage at which the subject dissolves into the Evangelion. The case is dismissed as an accident, and her soul remains within the unit, although the origin of the accident is never clarified within the series; the result of the procedure, however, may have been the consequence of a precise choice of the pilot. The second activation attempt occurs about ten years later in 2015, the year in which the Third Child, Shinji Ikari, its new pilot, is brought aboard. Shinji, despite the low probability of success and lack of training, manages to achieve a 41.3% sync rate on the first attempt. The success of the procedure might have been determined by Yui's will, who in some situations manages to intervene in defense of her son and move the Eva of her own will.
In the ''Rebuild of Evangelion'' installments, Eva-01 has some aesthetic differences, particularly in the chest and coloring. During the battle against the tenth Angel, the color of its stripes changes from green to orange and it sports a halo of light.
Evangelion Unit-02
, or Production Model, is the first Evangelion specimen researched and designed for eventual mass production and actual combat. Although the conception and construction of the machine takes place in Japan, the assembly and activation experiments, as well as the training of its pilot, the Second Child
Asuka Langley Soryu
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion (franchise), ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' franchise created by Gainax. She first appears in the Neon Genesis Evangelion, original anime series, and also appears in the franchise's animate ...
, are performed in Germany. The biological material used for its creation belongs to Adam. A decisive part in the development and activation of the unit is played by Dr. Kyōko Zeppelin Sōryū, a member of the German section of Gehirn. Kyōko offers herself as a guinea pig for the experiment to activate the Evangelion, from which she comes out psychologically distraught. It is speculated that a part of her soul, or her "maternal side", remained locked inside the 02. In contrast to the first two units, it has four eyes, a feature that is abandoned in later models. Additional features that distinguish the 02 concern the color of the internal fluids of the humanoid body, blue instead of red as in the case of previous units, and the presence of new mechanical details.
On the shoulders, it has two vertical supports that differ from the Eva-01. The left contains an improved version of the Progressive Knife, while the right contains the Needle Gun, a firearm capable of firing spikes. The unit is predominantly red and differs from the previous unit in the conformation of the head, shoulder, and chest components. Two of its main features are the capacity to bend its torso and a general greater resemblance to a human being, while there are no substantial differences in terms of performance compared to the Eva-01. In 2015, Asuka and 02 left
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven (, ''Wilhelm's Harbour''; Northern Low Saxon: ''Willemshaven'') is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea, and has a population of 76,089. Wilhelmsha ...
for Tokyo-3, along with the United Nations fleet. During the transport takes place the first real battle of the Eva-02 in the Pacific Ocean, in which it manages to defeat the Angel Gaghiel. Starting from the fight against the thirteenth Angel, Bardiel, the unit starts to record failures in the operations, hurting Asuka's pride. The Nerv, following a psychic breakdown of the girl, is forced to request the help of a new Child,
Kaworu Nagisa
, real name , is a fictional character from the '' Neon Genesis Evangelion'' franchise created by Gainax. In the series of the same name, he is the pilot of a giant mecha named Evangelion Unit 02 for the special agency Nerv. Kaworu is the s ...
, who becomes its new pilot.
In the ''Rebuild of Evangelion'' movies, the Eva-02 has a different design. During the production, the staff decided to change the unit's head, giving it two small horn-like protrusions located on top of the forehead, designed by
Takeshi Honda
is a former Japanese competitive figure skater. He is a two-time World bronze medalist (2002, 2003), two-time Four Continents champion (1999, 2003), and six-time Japanese national champion.
Personal life
Takeshi Honda was born on 23 March ...
. Throughout the film Eva-02 is piloted by
Mari Makinami
or is a fictional character in the anime film tetralogy ''Rebuild of Evangelion'', based on the television series '' Neon Genesis Evangelion'' and introduced in the film '' Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance'' (2009). Mari is a pilot for th ...
, who activates a new mode called The Beast. After activating The Beast Mode, the Eva unleashes sticks on its shoulders and back and a jaw with sharp fangs, starting to walk on four legs and emitting a green light from its eyes, like its pilot.
Evangelion Unit-03
is a mass-production model built at the U.S. first division of Nerv. Due to an accident that occurred at the second division with the Eva-04, the command of the 03 passed to Japan as instructed by the U.S. government. Following the government's decision, the unit was airlifted over the Pacific Ocean to the organization's headquarters. The 03 is almost identical in appearance to the Eva-02, except it is predominantly dark blue, and the shape of its head is closer to Unit 01's. 03's face has more brutal features and lacks the characteristic frontal bulge of the Eva-01. Additional details that distinguish it from the other units are its elongated shoulders, slightly forward-leaning posture, and gait. Once it arrives in Japan, preparations are started for its activation experiment. As the place of the experiment is chosen the city of Matsushiro,
Nagano Prefecture
is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...
, where the second site of experimentation of Nerv is located. Once boarded its designated pilot, the Fourth Child
Toji Suzuhara
The Japanese anime television series ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' has an extensive cast of characters that were created by Gainax. The show's protagonist is Shinji Ikari, a teenage boy whose father Gendo Ikari, Gendo recruits him to the shadow ...
, the unit goes out of control, opens its jaws, and destroys the fences containing it when it is infected by Bardiel, a parasitic Angel that takes control of its body during its flight. After the incident, Gendo Ikari, supreme commander of the Nerv, identifies it as the thirteenth Angel and gives the order to annihilate it. Eva-03 faces Units 00 and 02 in combat, defeating them without difficulty. In a second encounter, it fights with the Eva-01, which breaks its limbs and annihilates it. In the ''Rebuild of Evangelion'' saga, Eva-03 is piloted by Asuka instead of Suzuhara.
Evangelion Unit-04
is a Production Model built in the United States at the American Nerv Second Division, located in
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
. Due to an accident that occurred during a test of experimental insertion of the S2 engine, the unit disappears with the second division and all objects within a radius of 89 kilometers. Its appearance was never shown in the original animated series, but is believed to be silver-white. Official action figures have been produced of the unit, designed and conceived by Yamashita. Its basic appearance is identical to Unit 03's.
Mass Production Units (05-13)
The includes units 05 through 13, built at various Nerv branches at the behest of the Seele organization to carry out a plan known as the Human Instrumentality Project. All units are equipped with the S2 engine as a power source and a replica of the Lance of Longinus. Their basic structure is identical the Nerv-owned Eva, except for the vertical supports normally placed on the shoulders of the other units. Another different element is the head, which is devoid of optical sensors, and the area in which the cockpit is inserted. Due to the S2 element, the units also have strong regenerative capabilities and unlimited uptime. All nine Eva Series possess the same shape and coloring, mostly white, and large folding wings located on the back of the trunk, which allow them to fly. The Production Models do not require pilots; instead they have a Dummy Plug, Entry Plug simulators in which the personality of the Fifth Children, Kaworu Nagisa, is inscribed.
In the movie ''The End of Evangelion'', the Seele sends all nine specimens against Eva-02. The Evas, despite suffering extensive damage from the 02 during the fight and being seemingly defeated, manage to reactivate through the S2 engine, scarring the enemy's body and devouring its flesh. During the Human Instrumentality Project, the Mass Production Models merge with the Angel Lilith and stab themselves with their lances. At the end of the feature film, once Instrumentality is rejected by Shinji and Lilith is dismembered, the units turn into stone statues and plummet to Earth. Their design by Takeshi Honda is reminiscent of features commonly associated with
angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
s from the
Old Testament
The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...
.
''Rebuild of Evangelion''
During the production of the ''Rebuild of Evangelion'' installments, Yamashita made changes to the armaments and the colors of Eva-00 and the other Evangelions, based on his old sketches for the original series at Anno's request. In the saga, an international agreement called the Vatican Treaty is also mentioned, which forbids a nation from having more than three Eva units. Throughout the films, in addition to the various units already present in the classic series, other Evangelion units are introduced:
*, whose full name is , is a unit that appeared in ''Evangelion 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance''. It was designed by Yamashita and underwent changes during the production of the film. Unlike the other Evangelions, its walking is not done through two lower limbs, but utilizing a special wheeled system, and it has a spear-shaped arm. The components of the unit were made in computer graphics, except for the close-ups of the head, to avoid errors in movements. In combat it faces the third Angel of the ''Rebuild'', giving signs of berserk; both the Eva and the Angel, at the end of the battle, come out destroyed, annihilating each other.
*The , known as , is an Evangelion unit featured in the film ''Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance''. It is built on the moon base Tabgha, placed under the control of the Seele. During the film, it descends from the moon and is piloted by Kaworu, sporting a halo of light similar to that of 01.
*The Mark.07 is an Evangelion unit that appeared in '' Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time''. It has beige-colored armor, dark-colored vertical supports, and a head similar to a humanoid skull. During the film, Asuka's Eva-02 and Mari's Eva-08 clash against an army of hundreds of Mark.07s at the epicenter of Second Impact in Antarctica. During the production, Yamashita sketched the units with a different color scheme.
* is an Evangelion unit introduced in the preview of ''Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo'' featured at the end of the credits of ''Evangelion 2.0''. Throughout the film, it is piloted by Mari Illustrious Makinami; it has eight optical sensors. It is predominantly pink, with small inserts of yellow and green. Its full official nomenclature is .
* is an Evangelion unit introduced in the brief preview of '' Evangelion: 3.0+1.0'' present at the end of the ''Evangelion 3.0'' film. Its armor is half red and half pink. This specimen is believed to be the result of a fusion between two previous units, 02 and 08. It does not appear in the film.
*The Mark.09 is an Evangelion unit introduced in ''Evangelion 3.0''. Its armor is predominantly yellow, with small white inserts. Throughout the film, its color scheme changes to black and red. It is piloted by Rei Ayanami and is known by the epithet "Adams' Vassel".
*The is a black, red, and white Evangelion unit that appeared in ''3.0+1.0''. In the course of the film it attacks Mari's Unit 08, which devours its head in the clash. The unit was unveiled by Anno at the 2020 Bonbori Matsuri festival on August 6, 2020.
*The Mark.11 is an Evangelion that appeared in ''3.0+1.0''. It is devoured by Mari's 08 due to the overlapping of its own Eva. The unit is black, blue and white.
*The Mark.12 appeared in ''3.0+1.0''. The unit is mostly black and white, and is devoured by Mari's Eva-08.
* is a unit that appeared in the ''Evangelion 3.0'' film. Its armor is predominantly purple. It has four eyes and four upper limbs. It is piloted by Shinji Ikari and Kaworu Nagisa and can be activated through two Entry Plugs. Since it cannot generate an AT Field, it is equipped with four drones called RS Hoppers.
*The is an Eva presented in an anti-universe by Gendo to Shinji; Shinji's consciousness sees it in the form of a black crucified Lilith, who during Instrumentality breaks free and transforms into a giant Rei Ayanami. Commander Ikari tries to unleash the Additional Impact in this way to carry out the deicide, replace the Angels and transform everyone into Evangelion, rewriting reality and the consciences of humanity.
The Eva units used by Gendo in ''Evangelion 3.0+1.0'' have been compared by the website Otaku Voice to the
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are figures in the Christian scriptures, first appearing in the Book of Revelation, a piece of apocalypse literature written by John of Patmos.
Revelation 6 tells of a book or scroll in God's right hand tha ...
. ''Rebuild'' also features a mechanical simulator of Evangelion, used by Shinji during a training in the first chapter; its design was compared by
Shinji Higuchi
is a Japanese filmmaker and storyboard artist. He is one of the most successful Japanese filmmakers and the top ''tokusatsu'' film director.
Higuchi became known for his work on '' Gamera: Guardian of the Universe'', for which he won the Specia ...
of Gainax to the God Warrior of ''
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind may refer to
* Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (manga), ''Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'' (manga), a manga series by Hayao Miyazaki
* Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film), ''Nausicaä of the Valle ...
'' (1984) and to the movements of the Destroid Monster, a machine that appeared in ''
Superdimensional Fortress Macross
, also known as ''Macross: Do You Remember Love?'' (commonly referred to by the acronym ''"DYRL?"'' among Western fans) or ''Super Spacefortress Macross'', is a 1984 Japanese animated space opera film based on the ''Macross'' anime television se ...
''.
Other media
New units are introduced in video games based on ''Neon Genesis Evangelion''. In ''Meitantei Evangelion'', published in 2007 for PlayStation 2, there is an Evangelion unit called that is piloted by Kaworu. It also appears in the video game ''Shin Seiki Evangelion – Battle Orchestra'', in which another Evangelion called is introduced, built at Seele's request. In the ''
Neon Genesis Evangelion 2
is a Japanese video game for the PlayStation 2 developed by Alfa System and published by Bandai. It has role-playing video game and world-controlling elements, and allows the player to follow a number of characters (such as Asuka Langley Soryu ...
'' video game, the Eva-01 has new equipment, called . It includes the , a special constricting cover that uses new technology for AT Field use; included in the armor is an and a . The equipment also includes a special anti-phase weapon called and the Progressive Dagger. Despite its great attack and defense power, the Type-F equipment weighs thrice than the standard armor, is difficult to maneuver and suffers from instability.
In the spin-off '' Petit Eva: Evangelion@School'', super-deformed versions of Evangelions are shown. The eldest, , similar to Eva-01, is a schoolmate of Shinji and the other characters at the Nerv municipal academy, and its language is understood only by Shinji and the other units; its brother, , who attends the Angel school; , its younger sister, can speak in human language, is initially mostly yellow and then takes on a blue tint; and , the most anthropomorphic, clumsy, and Asuka-like unit who claims to be German but often uses Japanese mixed with English when speaking. Mari and her Provisional Unit 05 also appear on one cover.
''Rebuild'''s Provisional Unit 05 was used in a pachinko game titled , released in 2010, while Eva-04 appeared in another pachinko game called . In '' Neon Genesis Evangelion: Campus Apocalypse'', the Eva are not mecha, but individual wieldable weapons used in combat by Shinji and the other characters; they are the manifestations of the deeper inner self of the protagonists: Rei has a spear, Asuka a whip, Kaworu a sword, and Shinji a gun. On February 6, 2015, Studio Khara, producer of the ''Rebuild of Evangelion'' film tetralogy, released the twelfth short film in the
Japan Animator Expo
is a weekly series of original net animations released as part of a collaboration between Hideaki Anno's Studio Khara and Dwango, consisting of various anime shorts produced by many directors. The project began release from 7 November 2014 ...
series, ''Evangelion: Another Impact (Confidential)''. It introduces an Evangelion unit called Unit Nul, which breaks free during a secret activation test and goes berserk; the purpose and means of its construction are not clear. Its design was also handled by Atsushi Takeuchi, who had previously worked for the ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' franchise. A transformable train called 500 ''Type Eva'', piloted by Shinji and inspired by the train of the same name dedicated to ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', also appears in an episode of the 2018 anime '' Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion''.
''Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA''
Set three years after the events of the concluding film ''The End of Evangelion'', the light novel introduces equipment that never appeared in the original animated series. Among other things, Eva-01 features Type-F and CGB equipment, including new vertical supports and a special sensor placed near the horn on its forehead. A new Evangelion mount called is also introduced, which operates via a secure internal N2 technology reactor. Anima also features a further evolution of the Eva-01 called .
*The are yellow and white Evangelions built from the remains of the Eva-00 and Eva Series. The Evangelions are equipped with S2 engines and piloted by different clones of Rei Ayanami: Rei Quatre, Rei Cinq and Rei Six.
*The is an evolution of the Eva-02 from the classic series and is predominantly red. The unit's visors and armor are different, given the extensive damage the unit suffered after fighting with the nine serial Eva. The Evangelion is equipped with a special cross-shaped
rectenna
A rectenna (''rec''tifying ant''enna'') is a special type of receiving antenna that is used for converting electromagnetic energy into direct current (DC) electricity. They are used in wireless power transmission systems that transmit power by r ...
, located on the back of the torso, which uses microwaves and provides the unit with electricity. Type II is equipped with new mounts that can penetrate Armaros' AT Field, which include a new Pallet Rifle and Magorox blade. The new 02 is equipped with the UX-1 Allegorica, which gives the unit the ability to fly and stability, through which it can also operate on the regolith of the lunar soil.
*The are new Eva models, similar to the Mass Production Models that appeared in ''The End of Evangelion'' to take down Asuka. Unlike the mass units, they do not have a Super-Solenoid engine, but a new energy engine called QR Signum.
*The is a white-colored Eva, similar to the 02, equipped, like the Carriers, with the QR Signum. Its main weapon is a huge cruciform spear. Its name comes from Heurtebise, the angel present in the works of
Jean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the su ...
and associated with the image of a bright mirror.
* is a giant Evangelion that appears on the Moon. It is accompanied by a pair of units called , known to the Japanese Nerv as . Its name comes from the fallen angel of the same name in religious tradition who is said to have revealed the secret
name of God
There are various names of God, many of which enumerate the various qualities of a Supreme Being. The English word ''god'' (and its equivalent in other languages) is used by multiple religions as a noun to refer to different deities, or speci ...
to humans. Its face, similar to that of the Eva-01, features two horns aligned at forehead height, originally envisioned by Yamashita for the design of the 01.
* is a red-colored hybrid of human and Evangelion, and is the result of Asuka merging with her Evangelion-02 Allegorica following the lunar battle against Armaros. It has the mind of an unconscious small child and is unable to communicate.
Cultural references and interpretations
The staff named the mecha after the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
word ευ-αγγέλιον (''euangelion''), "gospel", "good news", shortened to Eva, to allude to
Eve
Eve (; ; ar, حَوَّاء, Ḥawwāʾ; el, Εὕα, Heúa; la, Eva, Heva; Syriac: romanized: ) is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the ...
. According to ''
Animerica
''Animerica'' was a monthly magazine published by Viz Media containing news, feature articles, and reviews on manga, anime, and related media, as well as a section that serialized manga published by Viz. After an initial November 1992 preview is ...
'', the name would be related to their task as protectors of humanity. Similar to the biblical Eve, born from the rib of the first man Adam, the Evangelions were conceived as copies of the first Angel Adam. Anno said in an interview that he chose it because it sounded "complicated". On another occasion, he claimed to have chosen the word "good news" as the title of the series because of the belief that it would bring "blessing" and happiness. Yūichirō Oguro, curator of extra content of the home video editions of the series, linked the name to the last scene of ''Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion'', in which there is a sequence in which Yui Ikari, kept inside the Eva-01, blesses her son Shinji by telling him that "any place can be a paradise". The units are also linked with other religious references. In a conversation in the 23rd episode, Seele claims that eight Eva units have been prepared up to that point and that four more remain; according to the series' filmbooks, the number would refer to the
twelve apostles
In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...
. In the theme song, ''
A Cruel Angel's Thesis
, also known as "A Cruel Angel's Thesis", is a J-pop song performed by Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi. Toshiyuki Ōmori and Hidetoshi Satō composed the song, while Neko Oikawa wrote the lyrics. It was written for the opening theme of the anime t ...
'', Unit 01 is depicted with twelve wings of light, referring to the iconography of
Satan
Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
and taking a cue from the manga ''Devilman''. For the image of the out-of-control Unit 01, which in the nineteenth episode walks on four legs and devours the flesh of an Angel, staff took inspiration from the
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
figures of the ''
preta
Preta ( sa, प्रेत, bo, ཡི་དྭགས་ ''yi dags''), also known as hungry ghost, is the Sanskrit name for a type of supernatural being described in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk religion as undergoing suffer ...
''. The scene in which Eva-01 is first introduced in the first episode has also been compared to
Tadao Nagahama
__notoc__
Tadao Nagahama (長浜 忠夫 ''Nagahama Tadao''; September 26, 1936 – January 14, 1980) was a Japanese director of both puppet shows and animation.
He is best known as the director of Sunrise and Toei Company's Robot Romance Trilog ...
's '' Combattler V'', while for Carl Gustav Horn, editor of the North American edition of the manga, the Eva units can be "possibly connected to the legend of the
Golem
A golem ( ; he, , gōlem) is an animated, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is entirely created from inanimate matter (usually clay or mud). The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...
, a giant artificial man which does its creator's bidding".
Eva's berserk mode has been compared to the
berserker
In the Old Norse written corpus, berserker were those who were said to have fought in a trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the modern English word '' berserk'' (meaning "furiously violent or out of control"). Berserkers ...
, as they both enter a state of fury that make them fierce and insensitive to pain. After the fight against Zeruel, Unit 01 acquires mankind's fruit of knowledge (science and rationality), and the Angel's fruit of life, the S2 engine, and becomes a God as a reference to the
Book of Genesis
The Book of Genesis (from Greek ; Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית ''Bəreʾšīt'', "In hebeginning") is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its first word, ( "In the beginning") ...
. In ''The End of Evangelion'' Eva-01 is also inflicted with
stigmata
Stigmata ( grc, στίγματα, plural of , 'mark, spot, brand'), in Roman Catholicism, are bodily wounds, scars and pain which appear in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ: the hands, wrists, and feet.
Stigm ...
, becomes the tree of life and is defined as an
ark
Ark or ARK may refer to:
Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva''
* Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood
* Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses
Hebrew ''aron''
* ...
that can save mankind, in reference to the story of
Noah
Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5– ...
. Moreover, the Umbilical Bridge, the anchoring structure of an Evangelion unit, took inspiration from a technical term used by
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
to define the
service structure
A service structure is a steel framework or tower that is built on a rocket launch pad to facilitate assembly and servicing.
An umbilical tower also usually includes an elevator which allows maintenance and crew access. Immediately before igniti ...
, or umbilical tower, that connects the
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program na ...
to the launch pad. Eva's Umbilical Cable has also been similarly likened to a cable intended to connect the main body of the Space Shuttle to the auxiliary engines, the
umbilical cord
In placental mammals, the umbilical cord (also called the navel string, birth cord or ''funiculus umbilicalis'') is a conduit between the developing embryo or fetus and the placenta. During prenatal development, the umbilical cord is physiologic ...
of the fetus and Emperor Neo from '' Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water'', which is powered by a cable that terminates in a similar socket.
Eva's pilots are called Children. According to writers Kazuhisa Fujie and Martin Foster, the choice of the word may refer to the expression " children of God" mentioned in the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
. The term remains in the plural even in the case of a single subject in the Japanese version, which for the filmbooks of the series constitutes a reference to the various clones of Rei Ayanami. According to Gualtiero Cannarsi, the choice to keep the term in the plural is an homage to Tomino's ''Ideon'' series. Critics have noted how mecha-related terms such as Umbilical Cable, Children, the name Eva itself, and LCL, similar to
amniotic fluid
The amniotic fluid is the protective liquid contained by the amniotic sac of a gravid amniote. This fluid serves as a cushion for the growing fetus, but also serves to facilitate the exchange of nutrients, water, and biochemical products betwee ...
, are related to motherhood. Others, including Oguro, have associated the cockpit with the image of a womb. Critic Mariana Ortega noted how Asuka in the fourteenth episode compares Eve to her mother's womb and breast, and Shinji in the twentieth episode curls up in a fetal position inside the cockpit; according to her, the mother figure in ''Evangelion'' becomes literally and metaphorically cannibalistic.
The , the main synchronization nerve of the Evangelion neural interface system, has been compared by official material to real nerves that are connected to emotions such as anxiety, fear, happiness, and pleasure, and plays an important role in relation to the emotional perception of love. The term ''nerve'' is improper, since it is a simplification used in the operative language of Nerv; the acronym A10 indicates the
ventral tegmental area
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) (tegmentum is Latin for ''covering''), also known as the ventral tegmental area of Tsai, or simply ventral tegmentum, is a group of neurons located close to the midline on the floor of the midbrain. The VTA is the ...
, otherwise called area A10. According to ''
Protoculture Addicts
''Protoculture Addicts'' was a Canadian-based anime and manga themed magazine published by Protoculture Inc., an Anime News Network company. The term "Protoculture Addicts" was also used by the Zentradi (an alien race that appeared in the ''Macro ...
'' magazine, "when humans fall in love or feel close to their family, the part of the brain labeled A-10 comes into play. Strangely, the pilots of Evas have to use this part of their brains to merge with their Eva. That makes them warriors of love, with the power of love to protect their loved ones". According to Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, character designer of the series, "the power of love drives this weapon of mass destruction".
Critics have analyzed Evangelion units, noting how they are organic entities and not machines, and classified them as
cyborg
A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
s instead of robots. Anno said in 1996 that the Evangelions are not really robots, but giants, describing them as modified humans who move via artificial muscles. During an event in 2021, he described ''Evangelion'' as a , surprising Shinji's voice actress
Megumi Ogata
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer from the Greater Tokyo Area. As a singer, she goes by the name em:óu. She attended Tokai University, but left due to lack of interest. She is best known for voicing Shinji Ikari in ''Neon Genesis ...
. American writer
Susan J. Napier
Susan Jolliffe Napier (born October 11, 1955) is a Professor of the Japanese Program at Tufts University. She was formerly the Mitsubishi Professor of Japanese Literature and Culture at the University of Texas at Austin. She also worked as a visi ...
has interpreted the Angels as a representation of the
Other
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
and the Evas as a metaphor for the
Self
The self is an individual as the object of that individual’s own reflective consciousness. Since the ''self'' is a reference by a subject to the same subject, this reference is necessarily subjective. The sense of having a self—or ''selfhood ...
that Shinji is called upon to confront in his own personal growth process. Critics and official publications compared the red core in the center of the chest and the limit of operation of the units to Ultraman.
Comic Book Resources
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
's Timothy Donohoo similarly compared the Evangelions to the Ideon from Yoshiyuki Tomino's series of the same name, and noted how both mecha have a divine nature, seemingly unlimited energy sources, and the ability to read the emotions of their pilots, trying to protect them. Carl Gustav Horn traced influences to ''Super Robot 28'' and ''
Giant Robo
is a Japanese manga series by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. The manga, which was first published in 1967, spawned a live-action ''tokusatsu'' television series of the same name, as well as a series of original video animations called '' Giant Robo: ...
''. The Entry Plug and Type D equipment, used by Asuka in the tenth episode of the series, have also been juxtaposed with the works of
Kenji Yanobe
Kenji Yanobe (ヤノベケンジ ''Yanobe Kenji'') is a Japanese contemporary artist known for his upbeat yet dystopian artwork. His sculpture simulates consumer products designed for survival after a nuclear holocaust.
He is a professor at Kyo ...
. The Evangelion has been interpreted as a metaphor for the series, produced through emotional efforts by Anno during a difficult time in his life; the constant questions of Shinji, the director's alter ego, who continually wonders why to board the Eva-01 and must make himself emotionally independent from the humanoid, have been interpreted as a symbolic representation of the author's relationship with his work. In the last two episodes Shinji wonders what the reason is for piloting the Eva. According to Sadamoto, the episodes would not focus on him, but on Anno, the true protagonist of the episodes, while mangaka
Anime News Network
Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...
website, who stated, "The mecha designs resented in ''Neon Genesis Evangelion''are among the most distinctive ever produced for an anime series, with sleek, lithe appearances that look monstrous, fearsome, and nimble rather than boxy and knight-like."
Comic Book Resources
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
appreciated the Eva-01, which was described as one of the most iconic mechas outside of the ''Gundam'' franchise. The same website listed the Eva-13 among the top ten mechas of the 2010s. For
Hajime Isayama
is a Japanese manga artist. His first series, '' Attack on Titan'' (2009–2021), became one of the best-selling manga series of all time with 110 million copies in circulation as of September 2022.
Biography
Isayama was born in Ōyama, Ōi ...
, author of ''
Attack on Titan
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama. It is set in a world where humanity is forced to live in cities surrounded by three enormous walls that protect them from gigantic man-eating humanoids referred to as ...
'', the design of the mechas is "cool in a way unlike anything that came before it". He particularly praised how Anno directed the animation of the laser beams; according to him, the series is also "jam-packed with the joy of animated expression".
''
Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' praised the mechas and fights, especially those against Israfel, Zeruel, and the Eva Series. According to Erroll Maas, writer for TheGamer, due to the "immense popularity" of the series the Eva-01 became an "internationally recognizable" mecha. In 2010,
Yahoo! Japan
is a Japanese internet company originally formed as a joint venture between the American internet company Yahoo! (later divested by Verizon into Altaba) and the Japanese company SoftBank. It is headquartered at Kioi Tower in the Tokyo Garden Terr ...
conducted a survey on ''Evangelion'' and its eponymous mecha. Fans of the series were asked if they would enjoy building a 1:1 scale model of an Evangelion and which units they would take as a model. In the first question, the answer was almost unanimously in the affirmative; in the second question, Unit 01 was chosen, with 78% of the total votes. A similar result was recorded in 2016, when the website Charapedia asked its users which machine that appeared in a Japanese animation series they wished to use or pilot; the Eva-01 was the second most popular answer, with almost four hundred preferences.
Merchandise
According to the writer Kazuhisa Fujie and the Italian researcher Guido Tavassi, at first the toys and the various products on ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' made little money, outclassed by the sales of Rei Ayanami's action figures, "and even
Bandai
is a Japanese multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered in Irvine, California and Richmond ...
was reluctant to market the models of the too unusual and disturbing mecha". Within a year from the first airing, there was an upsurge of interest in ''Evangelion'', and, after some initial hesitation, Bandai launched "at full speed" to produce toys and models of the series. The mecha's image was used for consumer goods such as
Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
shoes, wine bottles and snacks, bags, sportswear and access-dateries, sweatshirts, gloves, underwear, children's clothes and
tamagotchi
The is a handheld digital pet that was created in Japan by Akihiro Yokoi of WiZ and Aki Maita of Bandai. It was released by Bandai on November 23, 1996 in Japan and in the USA on May 1, 1997, quickly becoming one of the biggest toy fads o ...
models. Evangelion units were also used in various video games based on the original animated series, as well as some media detached from the ''Evangelion'' franchise, such as in the video games ''Keri hime sweets'', ''Summons Board'', ''
Puyopuyo!! Quest
''Puyopuyo!! Quest'' (ぷよぷよ!!クエスト) and ''Puyopuyo!! Quest Arcade'' (ぷよぷよ!!クエスト アーケード), are two free-to-play puzzle role-playing video games developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the iOS, An ...
'', ''
Puzzle & Dragons
is a puzzle video game with role-playing and strategy elements, developed and published by GungHo Online Entertainment for the iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire platforms.
''Puzzle & Dragons'' is a match-three puzzle game, requiring players t ...
'', and ''
Super Robot Wars
''Super Robot Wars'', known in Japan as is a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Bandai Namco Entertainment, formerly Banpresto. Starting out as a spinoff of the ''Compati Hero'' series, the main feature of the franchise is ...
''.
To celebrate the release of the film ''Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone'' in 2007, Studio Akiyama put a giant figure of Eva-01 about two meters high at the price of one million yen (about ten thousand U.S. dollars) on sale. In 2010, the formation of a Japanese car team called Evangelion RT-01 apr Corolla for the
Super GT
Super GT (stylized as SUPER GT) is a grand touring car racing series that began in 1993. Launched as the , generally referred to as either the JGTC or the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, the series was renamed to Super GT in 2005. It is ...
championship was announced. At the team's first official competition, the group's
Toyota Corolla
The is a series of compact cars (formerly subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has been one of the best-selling cars in ...
Axio was repainted with the Evangelion RT-01's color scheme; the two racers, Kōki Saga and
Kosuke Matsuura
is a Japanese race car driver currently competing in the Super GT series. He previously competed in the Formula Nippon and IRL IndyCar Series.
Early career
After winning the Japanese Formula Dream Championship in 2001, Kosuke attracted the atte ...
, competed wearing two reproductions of the suit used by Shinji. Over the next two years, the first car was joined by a repainted
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 (pronounced ''Nine Eleven'' or in german: Neunelfer) is a two-door 2+2 high performance rear-engined sports car introduced in September 1964 by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a rear-mounted flat-six engine and origin ...
GT3 RS emulating the design of Unit 02 and two
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is a motorcycle in the Ninja sport bike series from the Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki, the successor to the Ninja ZX-9R. It was originally released in 2004 and has been updated and revised throughout the years. It co ...
motorcycles with the features of 01 and 02. In November 2014, the Japanese car company Mitsuoka Motors auctioned off a
Mitsuoka Orochi
The Mitsuoka Orochi () is a Japanese sports car designed and built by Mitsuoka Motors as a concept car in 2001, with updates and revisions to the design appearing in 2003 and 2005, before finally being put into production and offered for sale i ...
inspired by the Eva-01 design, selling for a final price of 16 million yen (approximately $130,000); the event received enough media attention that the company's president, Akio Mitsuoka, entered into an agreement with the car's owner to display it at the Mitsuoka Gallery Azabu in Tokyo for an entire week. In 2015, it was announced that a high-speed train inspired by the design of the Eva-01 would be built, with both Yamashita and Anno being involved in its construction. The train went into operation in November;
West Japan Railway Company
, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and ...
later decided to extend service until spring 2018. A new Eva-01 themed train was produced in 2020, departing from
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...
's
Chubu Centrair International Airport
is an international airport on an artificial island in Ise Bay, Tokoname City in Aichi Prefecture, south of Nagoya in central Japan.
Centrair is classified as a first class airport and is the main international gateway for the Chubu ("ce ...
.
Reproductions
In 2010, a faithful reproduction of the bust of Eva-01 was unveiled in the Fuji-Q HighLand amusement park, along with a full-scale model of the Entry Plug. Between 2011 and 2015, projects to build a 1:1 scale replica of the Eva-02 boss in The Beast mode, a hotel room inspired by the Unit 00 Entry Plug, and a roller coaster designed and built based on the 01 design were announced. However, due to the
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six minutes ...
, work on the 02 statue was postponed indefinitely.
In 2015, a limited-time event dedicated exclusively to ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' was inaugurated at the Expasa service area in Ashigara,
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,637,998 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northea ...
, where a six-meter-tall statue of Eva-01, the largest in the world, was displayed. In 2016, the record was passed to a giant reproduction of 01 with a to-scale model of Longinus' spear in his hands, built in
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
. The statue was built by Khara, the Heitao Interactive company, and the Shanghai Character License Administrative Corporation. At 24.8 meters high, it entered the
Guinness World Record
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
s in a special category as "the largest Evangelion in the world". In 2020, Nagoya promoted an event named Evangelion Chukyo Area Project to celebrate the release of ''Evangelion 3.0+1.0'', the last chapter of ''Rebuild''; a golden statue of Eva-01 was unveiled at Chūbu-Centrair Airport and a six-meter-high reproduction of the unit at the city's Global Gate Complex. To coincide with the release of the feature film, a special ''Evangelion''-themed event was held at the
Tokyo Sky Tree
is a broadcasting and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo. It became the tallest structure in Japan in 2010Nobuhiro Watsuki
, better known by his pen name , is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his samurai-themed series '' Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story'' (1994–1999), which has over 70 million copies in circulation and a sequel he is cur ...
for the appearance of the giant Fuji, one of the characters in his work ''
Rurouni Kenshin
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The story begins during the 11th year of the Meiji period in Japan (1878) and follows a former assassin from the Bakumatsu, known as Hitokiri Battosai. After his work ...
''. ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'''s influence has also been traced by critics to the mecha designs of series that came later, such as ''
Brain Powerd
is a Japanese anime television series created by Sunrise. The series is set on a future, decimated Earth after the discovery of a mysterious, alien spacecraft dubbed "Orphan". A group of researchers scour the planet for Orphan's disc plates ...
'', ''
Gasaraki
is a mecha anime television series produced by Sunrise. It was directed by Ryousuke Takahashi, who also co-created the series along with Sunrise (Hajime Yatate). Goro Taniguchi was the assistant director. The screenplay was written by Toru ...
'', ''
Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure
is a Japanese anime series animated by AIC and created by Masaki Kajishima, best known for the ''Tenchi Muyo!'' franchise. It was originally broadcast on Wowow from April to July 1999 and was licensed in the US by Pioneer LDC, later known as ...
'', ''
Devadasy
is a 2000 PC video game and anime OVA about a giant human-piloted robot. The series was produced by AIC and animated by Studio Gazelle.
Plot
When aliens invade, the Earth's only effective defense is the giant robot Devadasy. Devadasy is ...
'' and ''
Reideen
''Reideen'' (stylized as ''REIDEEN'') is a Japanese animated television series remake of the 1975 Super Robot anime ''Brave Raideen''. It was produced by Production I.G and directed by Mitsuru Hongo. Which was originally broadcast on the sat ...
'', a 2003 remake of the 1975 series ''
Brave Raideen
is a super robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Bandai Namco Filmworks, Soeisha (later renamed as Sunrise), it aired on TV Asahi, Nihon Educational Television (now TV Asahi) from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, ...
''.
The fight sequence between Asuka's Eva-02 and the nine Eva Series present in ''End'' was an inspiration for animators such as Yoshimichi Kameda and Yokota Takumi, character designers of ''
Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club
is a Japanese multimedia spin-off project from the ''Love Live!'' series and its game series ''Love Live! School Idol Festival''. It was first introduced in 2017 as "Perfect Dream Project" and was initially created as part of the game ''Lov ...
''. The design of the
Digimon
, short for "Digital Monsters" ( ''Dejitaru Monsutā''), is a Japanese media franchise encompassing virtual pet toys, anime, manga, video games, films and a trading card game. The franchise focuses on the eponymous creatures, who inhabit a "Di ...
Argomon bears similarities to Eva-01, particularly its color scheme. ''The Edge of Spider-Geddon'' also introduces mechas called SP//dr and Ven#m, which are visually similar to an Evangelion unit. Possible homages to the series' mecha have also been traced in ''
Heroes of the Storm
''Heroes of the Storm'' is a crossover multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released for Microsoft Windows and macOS on June 2, 2015. The game features various characters from Bli ...
'''s Genji and
D.Va
D.Va is a fictional player character developed by Blizzard Entertainment for their ''Overwatch'' franchise. She was introduced at launch in their 2016 first-person shooter, first-person hero shooter video game Overwatch (video game), of the sam ...
's mecha from ''
Overwatch
''Overwatch'' is a multimedia franchise centered on a series of online multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) video games developed by Blizzard Entertainment: ''Overwatch'' released in 2016, and ''Overwatch 2'' released in 2022. Both games fea ...
'', the Sentinels from the Marvel comic book ''Mystique'', an episode of the US cartoon ''
Invader Zim
''Invader Zim'' is an American animated science fiction dark comedy television series created by comic book writer and cartoonist Jhonen Vasquez for Nickelodeon. The series centers on an extraterrestrial named Zim (voiced by Richard Steven Ho ...
'', the final form of Carnage Kabuto from ''
One-Punch Man
is a Japanese superhero manga series created by One. It tells the story of Saitama, a superhero who, because he can defeat any opponent with a single punch, grows bored from a lack of challenge. One wrote the original webcomic manga v ...
'' and Alexandrite from ''
Steven Universe
''Steven Universe'' is an American animated series, animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe (character), Steven Universe (Zach Callison), who li ...
''. According to USgamer, there is also a mention of Type D equipment in the Gold Saucer in ''
Final Fantasy VII
is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation console. It is the seventh main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. Published in Japan by Square, it was released in other regions by Sony Computer Entertai ...
''. ''
Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim comprises the lands around the rim of the Pacific Ocean. The ''Pacific Basin'' includes the Pacific Rim and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Rim roughly overlaps with the geologic Pacific Ring of Fire.
List of co ...
'' has also been compared to ''Evangelion'' by critics; giant robots with aesthetic similarities to Evangelion units appear in the film, piloted via a neural connection aided by a special liquid that is similar to LCL.
Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born October 9, 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and actor. He directed the Academy Award–winning fantasy films ''Pan's Labyrinth'' (2006) and ''The Shape of Water'' (2017), winning the Academy Awards for Be ...
and
Travis Beacham
Travis Beacham (born 1980) is an American screenwriter, best known for writing and co-writing the films ''Dog Days of Summer'' (2005), '' Pacific Rim'' (2013), '' Clash of the Titans'' (2010), and proposing the concept for the Amazon Prime fan ...
, director and screenwriter of the feature film, respectively, have stated that they were not directly influenced by ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', saying that they only saw the series after they had already conceived ''Pacific Rim''. In 2016, actress
Ayame Goriki
is a Japanese actress, singer and model from Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Goriki has Japanese and Filipino ancestry. She was represented by the talent agency Oscar Promotion until 2020.
Career
As an actress
Ayame Goriki liked to ...
cosplayed as Eva-01 in a preview of the first episode of ''Rental no koi'', a Japanese televsion drama that aired in January 2017. A group of researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University in 2021 published a study on a liquid capable of delivering oxygen to mice and pigs through the anus; the technique was dubbed by Takanori Takebe, author of the study, as the "EVA method" (''enteral ventilation via anus'') after the Eva units.