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Theres never been an anime quite likeNeon Genesis Evangelion.
But as the story unfolded, the mystery quickly took center stage.
With its dense religious imagery and cryptic symbolism,Evangelionhas kept fans theorizing and debating for nearly thirty years.
As he bluntly put it: Evangelionis often described as philosophical, but in reality, its not.
He grew up watching sci-fi anime likeSpace Battleship YamatoandMobile Suit Gundam, full of heroes and hopeful futures.
But by the time he was an adult, Japans outlook had shifted.
At Gainax, he worked on projects likeOtaku no Video, which poked fun atotakuculture while celebrating it.
After directingNadia: The Secret of Blue Water,Anno turned inwardEvangelionwas born from personal and national uncertainty.
Anno himself said he was simply putting what he felt on screen, not aiming for depth.
Holy Symbols, Hollow Meaning?
The opening sequence flashes a quick image of the Tree of Life from Kabbalah.
The story features the Lance of Longinus, tied to Christian legend, along with enemies known as Angels.
And episode titles like A Human Work and Rei, Beyond the Heart echoed biblical phrasing.
I remember watchingEvangelionepisode by episode as it was released on VHS in the U.S. during the late 1990s.
In a 1997Newtypeinterview, Anno himself said, We used Christian symbols because they looked cool.
Theres no deep meaning.
These films brought fresh layers to the narrative, but also reignited old questions.
Perhaps its those questions that inspired Hideaki Anno to try and set things straight.
He called it pseudo-intellectual, explaining, It just looks impressive at a glancetheres no deeper meaning.
But sometimes,a great work of art provokes responses its creator never intended.
Regardless of what Anno thinksEvangelionmeansor doesntmight be beside the point.
The real question is:What does Evangelion mean to you?
