Neon Genesis Evangelion Genre: Action/Drama Frank's Overall Score:  9.0

Reviewer: Frank
Type of Review: General

Evangelion is kind of like a really scary roller coaster. It starts off innocently enough, rising up into what you think is a normal frolick into the area of action mecha anime. And then comes the plunge, right into the depths of an anime so twisted inside it may change your perception of the human psyche forever. Like all great roller coasters though, it makes you want to get on and ride again.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is set in an apocalyptic world, 15 years after a global disaster that threatened to wipe out all of humanity. Mankind has rebuilt itself, but no sooner has this happened than the Angels, mysterious but powerful beings, return to wreak havoc. Only the Evangelions, developed by secret organization NERV, can hope to defeat the Angels, and reluctant 14 year old Shinji Ikari has been chosen to be the next EVA pilot and mankind's last hope.

Sounds normal enough, right? Well from the first episode, one gets the sense in the back of one's mind that this series is not quite right. Shinji comes across as not only shy, but anti-social and traumatized by abandonment. The coldness of his father, a NERV officer, bothers you from the very first words he speaks. And as the series goes on, one beins to figure out that not only is Shinji twisted up inside, but so is everyone else. What results is character development as never seen before. By the time you are past the halfway point of the series, you get a chance to peer directly into the minds and emotions of the characters, and see their innermost thoughts on a level that you can't see in most anime today. The depth of examination that director HIdeaki Anno takes with these characters is what I feel the biggest draw of the series. Add that to a plot filled with intrigue, mystery, and conspiracy, and you have the makings of a very unique and highly entertaining series.

Evangelion relies on mainly its deep characters and plot in order to appeal to viewers, but it also has strong animation as well. The imagery of the series - from the dark, foreboding Evangelions to the mind-bending mental images is very powerful and gripping, and action scenes are mainly very fluid - though the majority of the animation seems to be concentrated on the EVAs and Angels rather than on the characters.

Overall, if you're looking for an anime that will change your perceptions and make you think not just outside the box, but in another shape entirely, than Evangelion is for you. Just don't expect to have your brain take a drive through the country trying to understand it all at once. ^_-