1. Because its storyline evolves from a simple Robots versus Angels premise to one of the most complex plots Japanese animation has ever witnessed.
And the transition is executed progressively and beautifully, BTW.
2. Because it cares about its characters more than anything else.
It’s not only a show about blood, explosions, and noise. The characters and their dilemmas are the main focus, like it or not.
3. Because it’s messed up and twisted without being gratuitous or nonsensical.
That’s something not every anime series can brag about.
4. Because it tackles issues like emotional isolation, inability of communication, self-awareness, and the desperate search for a meaningful life.
DISCLAIMER: The show can trigger a severe existential crisis. JK.
5. Because it makes us choose between A) Being an individual who faces a high possibility of being alone and miserable or B) Being part of a flawless collective where you're deprived of identity so you won’t be alone or miserable.
Wow, that’s intense. Take that, Freud.
6. Because it questions the dangerous relations between technology and science, and human ambition.
Yeah, because the Second Impact was totally casual.
7. Because practically every character is an ally and an enemy at the same time. And that makes things way more interesting.
"I can't even trust my own father" - Shinji Ikari, every day of the week.
8. Because Evangelion treats its viewers as intelligent people and never takes them for granted.
Just wait for the second half of the show. You will need a vacuum to collect your melted brain.
9. Because the show could be defined as a bizarre crossover between Mazinger Z and Ingmar Bergman and that’s just FAB.
Imagine Mazinger Z and Aphrodite A exchanging monologues about their frustrations a la Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullman in Persona? I’ll pay to see that.
10. Because the main enemies are called ANGELS and each one of them is eerier and creepier than the previous one.
Yep, that's an angel.
11. Because it’s brave enough to display religious imagery unapologetically.
12. Because Neon Genesis Evangelion means “Gospel of a New Century,” a more than appropriate name considering the show was released four years before the new millennium.
13. Because the battles between the Angels and the EVAs are mind-blowing, to say the least.
14. Because the show allows itself to have comedic moments, despite the seriousness of its plot.
After destroying a whole city, comes the laughter.
15. Because the animation is THIS good.
16. It's just superb.
17. I mean, look at THIS.
Is this part of the MoMA?
18. Because the show was created BEFORE the manga, a rareness in anime.
It’s way easier when you have the paper first.
19. Because its main character, Shinji Ikari, is worthy of an academic essay — or many.
Character development reached a new peak with this guy.
20. Because it's a feminist show. F-E-M-I-N-I-S-T.
Its female characters are strong, weak, futile, doubtful, resentful, courageous, intelligent, dumb, simple, mysterious, funny, serious, cold, passionate and so on. A woman's personality isn't defined by the fact that she's a woman. There are deeper questions, nuances, and ambiguity. To each her own.
21. Because of its portrayal of LGBT characters.
Three to be precise: Shinji, Kaworu, and Maya. (That's a lot for a series about robots, right?)
22. Because its director and creator, Hideaki Anno, didn’t give a damn about what others think and decided to make the last two episodes about character introspection (instead of a huge final battle, as everybody was expecting).
The two episodes were deemed as major crap and masterpiece, equal parts.
23. Because this is the final scene. THE FINAL SCENE.
View this video on YouTube
Talk about uniqueness. And boldness. And WTF-ness.
24. Because the director decided to make The End of Evangelion to satisfy those fans who hated the series finale and the result was ANOTHER masterpiece.
Thank you, angry fans.
25. Because The End of Evangelion has images that would give Salvador Dali a run for his money.
Oh my!
26. LOOK AT THIS!
27. HOW WAS THIS EVEN CONCEIVED?
The power of imagination, I guess.
28. Because its opening, A Cruel Angel's Thesis, is one of the catchiest and greatest anime songs.
View this video on YouTube
There’s also an English fan-dub, almost as brilliant as the original one.
29. Because Shinji, Asuka, and Misato live with a PENGUIN as their pet.
TOO.CUTE.
30. And finally, because Neon Genesis Evangelion remains incredibly (and undeniably) popular, relevant, and influential until this very day.
'90s anime FTW!
Long Live Evangelion!
CONGRATULATIONS to the people who made it possible.
