Neon Genesis Evangelion- Episode 1 - Angel Attack

 
Neon Genesis Evangelion- Episode 1 - Angel Attack

I have watched the show 20 years ago, but it is great to have it back in front of my eyes.

It starts with a bang, the titular song is perhaps the most known anime OP and boy.. it did not age a day. The editing is great too with an enormous amount of cuts. I guess Hideaki Anno put all his chips on that intro, and burned out himself even before the start of the series.

The setup is futuristic, we start immediately in Tokyo 3 during a monster attack. The city is completely closed down, and there is no one around, we could say that was an easy day for the animators. Shinji Ikari, our teenager protagonist is waiting to be picked up by a girl who sent him a card. He is the opposite of an active shonen hero, and much more similar to the evangelion viewers back at home. A boy with not much self confidence.

Tanks and helicopters are surrounding a gigantic monster, what we should call a Kaiju, but in this series are called Angels. As expected the regular army does not stand a chance against this monster, and when he starts to hits back Shinji is finally picked up by Captain Misato Katsuragi, an unexpected mentor figure who drives a fancy sports car.

The Japanese army tries even a Neutron bomb, with an explosion similar to an atomic one, But the angel is only bruised and can continue his walk. Shinji and Misato are safe after the car rolled around a bit.

They quickly move to the underground HQ of Nerv, an international secret organization where the father of Shinji works. The father is Shinji is a typical distant father with a secret big army job, in the tradition of Mobile Suit Gundam and even Astro boy. Some said to be an Hayao Miyazaki portrait.

Because the army failed is now Nerv' turn and Ikari senior is ready to send Unit 01 driven by.. its spare pilot. Shinji is unaware of this plan and he meets Ritsuko, the cold blooded blonde scientist that is at the opposite of Misato. The tension between the two ladies is clear. they are at the polar opposite in everything. In pure Gundam tradition, Shinji was part of a program for "gifted" children and now is ready to go.

After some lifts and dark rooms, Shinji is brought in front of a giant violet robot immersed in a purple liquid, the Evangelion Unit 01, the last card for the mankind. We get to know that Rei is not ready to fight and Shinji has now to pilot it. Senior is willing to send his son straight against the monster without any moral problem. Shinji has to do it, or get off out of here. 

The monster starts messing around close to the HQ and the two women pushed him too to make a decision, but he is not willing, he does not want to fight. Because of that Rei has to come in his place. Shinji feels rejected, but now sees Rei coming on an hospital bed, in pain and full of bandages. Now our big brave hero has some doubts regarding his stance. The angel attacks again and a big bean break from the underground ceiling. Luckily for Shinji, the unmanned Eva reacts by putting his hand in front of him. He has now decided that he wants to go. 

A pilot plug is inserted in the back of the robot neck with a very cool animation, and Shinji is now immersed too in a orange liquid. His nerves are connected with the robot and he is ready to launch to the surface. Animation and music bring us in the mood for an heroic entry.

The last words of Misagi are exemplar of the climax: "Shinji, don't die"