What are your opinions on Neon Genesis Evangelion?

[Sbreido]

Title says it all.

Now, we know that Neon Genesis Evangelion is filled with Christian ideas and references. However, what do you think of Hideaki Anno's vision for them? Blasphemous? Intriguing? Why? (NOTE: Christianity is not very common in Japan; in fact, the entire staff who actually worked on NGE was not even Christian)

Personally, I have found Anno's use of Christian references to be more on the intriguing side. Why? Well, I like new and interesting spins to anything, be it something based on a book, ideas from a culture, personal issues, etc. But of course, I'm not going to worship his ideas. That would be silly.

What do you guys think?

 

[Qyöt27]

There's an incredibly good reason why Eva is considered one the greatest anime series ever made (or the greatest, according to some). The symbology is really mostly window-dressing as far as I'm concerned, but it does contributes to the overarching impact of the series. The bigger parts of it are the psychoanalytic portions, the interpersonal relationships, and characterization.

 

[Hishandmaiden]

I personally feel that the story is very tragic.
I do not particularly like the fact that they play the 'hallelujah' song in the background during a battle scene.
It made hallelujah seemed like a bad thing.

 

[SoundCard]

The ending made no sense.

 

[PassionFruit]

The ending made no sense.

It didn't, and I really can't stand how a lot anime fans act like they understood it.

 

[SoundCard]

I just think SEEL was a bunch of jerks.
"Hey, the imminent threat against the planet is gone, time to melt everybody! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

 

[Qyöt27]

Really, the thing to understand about End of Eva was that it was Anno telling the fanbase to F off. If you approach it from that angle, a ton of it makes sense, because none of it does. It is a lot more visually striking than the original episodes 25 & 26, though.

I honestly wonder where Rebuild is going to ultimately take things. It's already deviated quite a bit from the original series' plot.

 

[MoonlessNight]

The shows references to Christianity had so little to do with Christianity that I had little trouble dealing with it. It's hard to say that they are blasphemous, when they are so off base that it feels like the anime just coincidentally has some Christian imagery. Most of it is heavily mutated Qabbalism and Gnosticism anyway.

As for the anime itself eh...... I never really liked it too much. I can respect what it did for the industry (though honestly for every advance it made that I liked it made one that I hated... for instance I really wish we didn't have so many characters based off Rei), but I never got into it.

When it comes to mind-screw with Giant Robots I prefer Big O. It felt more mature and at least I have some idea of what happened in the end of that one.

Of course Big O did come later and they probably wouldn't have gambled with the confusing plot if Evangelion didn't establish that you could do that and still be immensely popular (not that Big O did great in Japan...)

 

[CyberPaladin]

The ending was pretty messed up and as far as Christian imagery goes it was so superfical that those with complaints need either get thicker skin or get a life since they're clearly trying to find something to be offended about.

Also the 2nd part of the remake Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance is set to be released March 29th.

 

[PassionFruit]

I suppose it's because in Japan there's a fascination with Christian imagery, but no specific interest with Christianity itself.

At least that's what Yoko Kanno has said.

That's right. In Japan, Christianity has a wonderful image. People enjoy the image of Christ and Christianity in picture books, but not as a religion. (laughs)

Interview with Kanno Yoko

I haven't seen any anime (if you know of any please tell ) that deals with Christian themes, but I would be interested in seeing how they're treated.

 

[MoonlessNight]

I suppose it's because in Japan there's a fascination with Christian imagery, but no specific interest with Christianity itself.

At least that's what Yoko Kanno has said.



Interview with Kanno Yoko

I haven't seen any anime (if you know of any please tell ) that deals with Christian themes, but I would be interested in seeing how they're treated.

Speaking of Yoko Kanno (and Yoshiyuki Tomino) if I recall correctly a character or two in Brain Powered is Christian. In particular if I recall correctly one was a Christian Scientist or something of that nature and refused a life saving procedure for that reason. But (despite randomly putting crosses on various objects) it doesn't get deeper than that and I'm not even 100% sure if the character identified as Christian or whether he just wore a cross. Certainly more people in the show have a Shinto outlook on things.

Samurai Champloo has an arc dealing with the persecution of Christians in Japan. It doesn't really deal a lot with Christianity in and of itself, but generally portrays it positively.

Apparently there is a similar arc in Rurouni Kenshin but I never got that far.

Big O has some Christian references, but since it is set in a world that lost its memory 40 years prior, they are vague at best. It's kind of funny that it's one of the few shows to have someone mention in a Christmas episode that the holiday is meant to celebrate the birth of God's Son (which is also a plot point because it shows that the character in question has knowledge of the world from beyond the point of no memories.)

Beyond that the closest examples I can think of would be things set in Catholic boarding schools, or nuns fighting vampires or something. But in those cases Christianity is brought on stage as an image thing, so it counts about as much as Evangelion does.

 

[Mankin]

Anno choosed all of its imagery just because it sounded complicated and interesting. He really didn't have any complete or in depth grasp of the symbols he was using.

Although you can argue that the Tree of Sephiroth was used accurately when it came to the characters each representing a certain part of the tree, but w/e.

 

[bouncingaussiebunny]

I read this account from the mother of a Christian family regarding her son and Evangelion.

My 16 year old son is a wonderful young man who is a Christian. He is somewhat of an introvert, however, and loves to spend time on the computer. We are fairly strict with what movies and games our boys play, but have given them greater freedoms to chose their entertainment as they grow older, asking them to always evaluate what they do by thinking what Jesus would do. We hold the Word of God as our Supreme authority for life and try to train up our children with a strong Biblical worldview.

This being said, we were so taken aback with a recent episode in our home. My 16 year old said he wanted the DVD collection of Neon Genesis Evangelion to watch, and we purchased it without much evaluation. We thought it was "Just Cartoons". My son also thought it was harmless fun. When he got the set, he proceeded to watch it for hours.

The next morning, he wouldn't speak to me at all and had a depressed look on his face. I thought he was having a bad day and let it slide. He went off to school-a Christian high school- and when I picked him up that afternoon, he was still not speaking. We are very close and I tried repeatedly to get him to tell me what was wrong but he wouldn't talk-not a word.!! So at home, he went to his room and despite me going in to talk to him repeatedly, he remained sad and mute. Finally, I came into his room to find him with a tie around his neck, standing in the center of his room, turning red. I fought him to get the tie off and then clung to him praying the name of Jesus.

Eventually he talked, saying that he didn't know what was the "real" reality and he didn't belong in this world. I talked with him about God's plan and purpose for his life and eventually he became more talkative. We watched him carefully and sought help from a Christian counselor. Although he may have some emotional issues to work out, I KNOW that satan use this evangelion series to mess with his mind and to confuse him in his faith.

To those who think it is good -- beware! It is darkness. It blinds even clear thinking, Christian kids. We have warned our son to have nothing to do with this series, but he still defends it. I am praying that he will seek truth only in God's Word and not to fill his mind with darkness.

Please continue to warn Christians about this stuff. Most of my friends had never heard of it either.

I think we're all missing the point here.

Sure, Evangelion is "intriguing" (as the OP said) in its concepts and presentation of Judeo-Christian symbols and allusions. But for me, one look at a series like this, which splashes Christian imagery and references absolutely everywhere, a verse immediately springs to mind: "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1 Thes. 5:21-22)

I'm very surprised at how no-one on this thread has done anything like what this verse calls us to do as Christians. It's been just praise for the series, from what I've seen. Now don't get me wrong here. Evangelion's not all bad. The storyline's quite intriguing (once you remove all the potentially blasphemous references to Christianity), and the soundtrack's also very impressive (once you disregard the fact that the theme that plays when EVA-01 goes berserk is called "The Beast", in which the background chorus DOES sing "hallelujah").

But I still like to be (very) careful when dealing with a series like this. Any series where the main antagonists are monstrous alien creatures called "Angels"; the main characters run around in giant robotic machines called Evangelion units (evangelion meaning gospel); cross-shaped explosions are abundant; attractive Japanese girls in varying stages of nudity are equally abundant (read Matt. 5:27-28, 1 Tim. 2:9); and the main characters' (Gendo and NERV) aim is to turn everyone into orange goop (i.e. killing everyone) and reunite all of man in a process called "Human Instrumentality" to ultimately thwart God...
... generally makes me think twice.

As the account I posted at the beginning tells full well, any such series has the potential to lead good Christians astray. And Satan can absolutely use a series like this to do just that. As a result, I'm wary when dealing with things like Evangelion, just in case there IS a darker message behind it that as a Christian I know to keep away from.

 

[Hishandmaiden]

I read this account from the mother of a Christian family regarding her son and Evangelion.



I think we're all missing the point here.

Sure, Evangelion is "intriguing" (as the OP said) in its concepts and presentation of Judeo-Christian symbols and allusions. But for me, one look at a series like this, which splashes Christian imagery and references absolutely everywhere, a verse immediately springs to mind: "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1 Thes. 5:21-22)

I'm very surprised at how no-one on this thread has done anything like what this verse calls us to do as Christians. It's been just praise for the series, from what I've seen. Now don't get me wrong here. Evangelion's not all bad. The storyline's quite intriguing (once you remove all the potentially blasphemous references to Christianity), and the soundtrack's also very impressive (once you disregard the fact that the theme that plays when EVA-01 goes berserk is called "The Beast", in which the background chorus DOES sing "hallelujah").

But I still like to be (very) careful when dealing with a series like this. Any series where the main antagonists are monstrous alien creatures called "Angels"; the main characters run around in giant robotic machines called Evangelion units (evangelion meaning gospel); cross-shaped explosions are abundant; attractive Japanese girls in varying stages of nudity are equally abundant (read Matt. 5:27-28, 1 Tim. 2:9); and the main characters' (Gendo and NERV) aim is to turn everyone into orange goop (i.e. killing everyone) and reunite all of man in a process called "Human Instrumentality" to ultimately thwart God...
... generally makes me think twice.

As the account I posted at the beginning tells full well, any such series has the potential to lead good Christians astray. And Satan can absolutely use a series like this to do just that. As a result, I'm wary when dealing with things like Evangelion, just in case there IS a darker message behind it that as a Christian I know to keep away from.

The show is very, very dark. And the message is very negative.

 

[CyberPaladin]

The show is very, very dark. And the message is very negative.

Well the creator does have some serious mental health problems and that worked it's way into the plot and keep in mind this was orginally intend as a kids show so he really did go off the rails.
Still though at the end of the day it is just a TV show and teenager or an adult shouldn't suffer any harm from it unless they have some pretty serious underlying mental problems.

For those that would like something that's sorta similar but not as dark and without the overt references Christian I would suggest RahXephon.

 

[bouncingaussiebunny]

Still though at the end of the day it is just a TV show and teenager or an adult shouldn't suffer any harm from it unless they have some pretty serious underlying mental problems.

Did you have a look at the anecdote I posted originally?
It's not just those who have "underlying mental problems" that can be adversely affected by this sort of stuff.

 

[CyberPaladin]

Did you have a look at the anecdote I posted originally?
It's not just those who have "underlying mental problems" that can be adversely affected by this sort of stuff.

Yes I read your little story and found it's claims which have nothing to back it up very unconvincing parents frequently are in denial or will miss signs of mental disorders in teenagers.
Assuming the account actaully happened it seems logical that there is something rather off with boy otherwise we wouldn't be looking a rare occurance but rather typical result of watching the show.

 

[Qyöt27]

That 'account' was from a site that's well-known to be virulently anti-anime (or more generally, anti-fantasy fiction) to start with. Even a first-year psychology student could deconstruct the entire thing back into its basic properties: moral panic and scapegoating. It also takes the form of the common sorts of chain letters that circulate with similar moral panicky scenarios, which perhaps more than anything else is what points to it being a fake.

And like CyberPaladin noted, it would be far more common and the news media would be quick to jump on it if there was substance to it beyond a friend-of-a-friend account of someone who likely already had mental problems their family willfully chose to ignore.

This isn't even addressing the theological part - the reason most Christians wouldn't (or don't) have a problem with it is because only small fringe groups feel the need to read theology or spirits into works of fiction that have nothing to do with faith in the first place. These issues can be culturally-engrained through the Evangelical-centric 'Christian bubble' or can merely be personal ones - but the point is that they aren't separating fictitious settings from faith, and that's what the problem is, not the media they consume. Just like the backmasking nonsense, it doesn't have a theological or exegetical leg to stand on. Someone taking bad spiritual advice from fiction doesn't make the fiction culpable - that's entirely on the individual and their poor choices.

The more concerning part is really the loads of so-called 'Christian fiction' that's built on exceedingly bad theology, like Left Behind. The problem there is that the books are built on the assumption that the readers already buy into dispensationalism (which is not a majority of Christians by any means of measuring it), and sadly, people really do believe that stuff. It's more a threat than Evangelion is by several orders of magnitude, IMO.



And to further drive this point home, I struggled with depression all throughout high school. I was on anti-depressant medication (Paxil, specifically) for a year. My perspective on faith turned punitive for a while and I felt like I was suffocating under the weight of it (looking back, it was mainly because of misconceptions about faith, trying to finally find out what I personally believed about things, and the chaotic state of my hormones at the time). In the middle of all of this is when I first watched Eva, and at no time did it influence me to do anything to myself. If there was going to be a point where the influence of something like that was going to drive me to harm myself, it would've been then. So I just don't buy the story that a teenager with no mental issues could watch one television series that only gets depressing during the last third of its run (and far more than depressing, it just gets downright confusing), and suddenly become suicidal from it while those who really do have mental issues to deal with can watch it and be completely unaffected. It just doesn't work that way. If it could do that to someone without issues, it would most assuredly push someone with issues over the edge. So either the kid in the story really was messed up and the parents didn't want to acknowledge it, or it never happened.

 

[bouncingaussiebunny]

Yes I read your little story and found it's claims which have nothing to back it up very unconvincing parents frequently are in denial or will miss signs of mental disorders in teenagers.

"Little story."
I am appalled at the amount of sarcasm and scathing attitudes I'm seeing on these "Christian" forums.

This isn't even addressing the theological part - the reason most Christians wouldn't (or don't) have a problem with it is because only small fringe groups feel the need to read theology or spirits into works of fiction that have nothing to do with faith in the first place. These issues can be culturally-engrained through the Evangelical-centric 'Christian bubble' or can merely be personal ones - but the point is that they aren't separating fictitious settings from faith, and that's what the problem is, not the media they consume. Just like the backmasking nonsense, it doesn't have a theological or exegetical leg to stand on. Someone taking bad spiritual advice from fiction doesn't make the fiction culpable - that's entirely on the individual and their poor choices.

The more concerning part is really the loads of so-called 'Christian fiction' that's built on exceedingly bad theology, like Left Behind. The problem there is that the books are built on the assumption that the readers already buy into dispensationalism (which is not a majority of Christians by any means of measuring it), and sadly, people really do believe that stuff. It's more a threat than Evangelion is by several orders of magnitude, IMO.

Let's forget the anecdote for now and get back to my original point.

Firstly, you're claiming that Evangelion doesn't borrow heavily from Christianity - even though it abounds in crosses and angels and evangelion units, etc. - and all we're doing is reading too much into it. If that's the case, why are we even having this discussion? The OP originally asked what our opinions were on the show, BECAUSE of the huge amount of Christian symbolism it features.

Secondly, you're essentially arguing that the show is the sort of thing that would be okay for Christians to watch and/or become involved in (or more so than Christian fiction, at least). In other words, it fits the description given by Philippians 4:8 - "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things".

Now consider this scene from End of Evangelion. A hallway littered with dead bodies. Blood splattered on the floor. At the end of the corridor, a survivor of the massacre desperately searches through the bodies, in the hope that someone might still be alive. As his desperation increases he hears the enemy approaching; he lies down and pretends to be another of the dead. A man approaches him, places his foot on the seemingly lifeless body. And pulls out his pistol. BANG. BANG. Dead.

And you've been arguing vehemently that this show is not at all questionable, or even of concern, to Christians.

 

[Qyöt27]

And using that same principle you should also automatically disqualify tons of domestic media too, as well as any type of mythology from non-Jewish and non-Christian sources. So no Greek, Roman, Norse, or Celtic mythological elements either, and not even some things of a decidedly Christian bent like Arthurian legend; all of those things have some graphically disturbing elements to them, in either their mythological form or in the real life things the myths were warning their audiences about, that people are willing to gloss over because the rest of it makes for good storytelling.

But you often don't see the people that complain about anime and try to proof-text Scripture to back them up do the same thing for the live action stuff (or ancient myths) they have no qualms about consuming (although like I mentioned with that bit about some people being anti-fantasy in general, sometimes they do). If you're consistent about your application of this to other things, then by all means go ahead and apply the same logic to anime. But most don't (or they're consistent in the other direction and don't needlessly restrict themselves from domestic media either), or they leave it as best decided by Romans 14, because at the end of the day, it's entertainment, and not a treatise on faith. The same sorts of arguments come up in debates over 'secular' music, and the answer is still the same.

If you really want a rebuttal to the use of Philippians 4:8, that passage is in the middle of a larger area talking about meditating on one's faith, so its relevance to one's choice in entertainment is questionable. Even if it ostensibly can be applied to entertainment, it's an exhortation in a single direction: that those things are worthy to think about, not that those are or should be the only things you think about. There's plenty of other passages that make it obvious that a believer has to deal with things which wouldn't fit the qualifications of that verse, but yet don't tell people to back down or shy away from those difficult things.

I didn't say there was no Christian imagery or symbolism in Evangelion, I said it was window-dressing. A country like Japan, which is mostly atheist against a cultural backdrop of Shintoism and Buddhism, can't be expected to use Christian symbolism in a way that makes sense within the terms of the religion itself (on the reverse of this, those times that Western media tries to invoke Eastern symbolism is largely of the same bit: all of the flashiness and exoticness that displaying those things gets you, with none - or at least very very little - of the theological underpinnings of why those symbols exist in the first place). The themes involved in Eva are mostly taken from the work of Jung and Freud, which is why discussions on Evangelion deal mostly with psychoanalysis and not the presence of religious symbols as the overall plot catalyst.