A Dissertation on Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン Shin Seiki Evangerion?, literally "Gospel of a New Century"), commonly referred to as NGE, Evangelion or Eva, is a Japanese science-fantasy animation series that first aired from October 1995 to March 1996. The 26 episode series was created by the anime studio Gainax and was both directed and written by Hideaki Anno. The original Japanese cast of the show includes the voice actors and singers Megumi Ogata as Shinji Ikari, Megumi Hayashibara as Rei Ayanami and Yūko Miyamura as Asuka Soryu. The music was composed by Shirō Sagisu and would top the Oricon charts upon release; the theme song continues to receive recognition for its lasting impact fifteen years after its release.

Evangelion is an apocalyptic anime in the mecha genre. The series is set in a futuristic Tokyo fifteen years after a worldwide cataclysm. The main story centers around Shinji, a teenage boy recruited by the shadowy organization NERV to pilot a giant bio-machine called an Evangelion in combat against monstrous beings known as Angels. The series explores the experiences and emotions of other Evangelion pilots and members of NERV as they attempt to prevent another catastrophe. Evangelion prominently features religious symbolism and themes throughout the series, including Kabbalah, Christianity, Judaism and Shinto imagery.

Evangelion is one of the most successful and critically acclaimed anime television series of the 1990s. Considered both a critique and deconstruction of the mecha genre, the series has become a cultural icon and has resulted in the artistic and technical revival of the anime industry. The show's characters, music and individual scenes have been recognized by the Japanese public, and homage to its controversial ending resulted in the creation of two movies; each provided an alternate ending for the abstract and psychological analysis of the characters for episodes 25 and 26. The subsequent film, manga, home video and other products in its...