T.A.O's: The Classics:

Review:

There is not a single inch of celluloid film still existing in this world I have seen, that carries the same action vigor or redundant intensity found in "Neon Genisis Evangelion"; Anno's modern-day animé testament to both creativity, style and the most darkest corners of our imaginations.

It's relatively young fame however, is quite abound; depending upon your perspective of the medium up to an almost putrid point into the end of the 20th century. It may come as no surprise to all viewers of this medium, whether insanely staunch or indifferently distant; we as moviegoers have reached the dawn of a new age in film making; regarding both the realms of creativity and sheer thematic exuberance.

Whether film makers, critics or simply ardent afficionados; most of us can argue that it has continually become more & more difficult to convey intense modes of entertainment on film. Of course, maybe the onslaught of contradictors in the film or even anime realm could argue that not all entertainment must be riveting to be entertainment, but hey; it helps.

We have come to the new film age of the millenium, one engorged into the masses of pop-culture, accompaniments of both new standards, economics & politics; which tend to unravel themselves quite nicely into the entertainment realm, whether we will it to or not.

With this of course, you might have guessed comes your legions of action & sci-fi/fantasy pictures; many or most of which owe a little more than just 'something' to anime. A great, fully-embodied medium started nearly four decades ago. Way back when before the tidal wave of Hollywood/quasi-analogous fare began spouting the chasms of refined animé-anecdotes.

What is perhaps the most underappreciated & controversial one of these, is a little 26-episode television series called "Neon Genisis Evangelion". Which, despite it's often technical granduer, carries within it both something of an immense fame, & an all-inclusive unlikeliness. Of course, these are strong words for anyone who's come to know and love the series for what it truly is: a both taunting and ambitious look into the human emotion.

As for the show's characters,.. Well; they are both a joy & an embodied catastrophe in themselves. Most of them being often quirky and epinephrine-bound middle school saviors; one in particular, being a deep and provoking display of silent aggression and psychological negation. We are often moved as a result, to the point of either tears or sheer ponderousness; that for which NGE holds it's credit to. Being one of the most taunting and engaging animes of our time.

Alas, we come to one of the most grating and cloying of all father/son hate relationships; that of "Shinji Ikari" & "Gendo(u) Ikari", more or less the prime suspects in our little story's exploration. Here's the gist: It's 2015, there are gigantic bio-robots & mankind's last hope lies in the hands of humble middle-school student "Shinji"; a perhaps sometimes less-than-humble pre-adult in a world untouched by options for him. He is the classic film example of a "victim".

The first five minutes of Evangelion is perhaps one easily embedded into my memory. I have several recollections of past film experiences as both a movie goer and anime fan. Of course, it often seems that nothing easily captures a child's imagination like fast-paced cartoons. Many are action-intensive in one way or another, and the kid still inside of me does not easily forget things like that.

Few movies, t.v. shows or even other animes come close to the action intensiveness and suspense of NGE, which understandably works only through it's characters & never it's situations or plotline. That of which being an exercise in creative energy itself, is one echoing the terrain of anything taunting, Hollywood or elseware has produced in the last 100 years.

I have probably mentioned in other reviews that NGE works in many distinct parallels, which Anno shuffles around and manipulates in order to keep us guessing into the dark terrain of it's story; a story which I believe to be perhaps the most original of all anime. There are mainly three, Evangelion is a high-octane style action frenzy, it's also a psychological drama involving many characters.

Lastly, NGE is a dark, DARK abstract narrative regarding parallels of the most elusive secrets and deep crevasses of character; which play out in the form of reveals and finales. Many of which make or break it's ardents, for the sake of argument; perhaps it's speculation remains forthwith as the greatest entertainment it has to offer. Some rising deeper than even the message or meaning of it's cryptic storyline.

It's a both classic and modern series, fueled by the differentias and qualities of it's origins; in a country who's industry flourished before the wave of CGI stepped into anime's universal purview. Despite these easily debatable chasms of topic, Evangelion is also as human as any drama or comedy; it's characters are not passive but 'real', they embody the roles which are presented to them through the narrative.

The joy of watching only continues to unfold with the passage of time & the show's messages. Which can be either accepted or thrown out the window by the turn of the third act; a thing either incredibly painful or exhilarating. But the journey getting there is more than enough to fuel our interests and imaginations for viewings, repeated ones & perhaps years on end.

Time always tells which animes withstand time's test to our imaginations; "Gunbuster", "Akira" & "The Wings Of Honneamise" & "Cowboy Bebop" among many others: I believe NGE to jump on the band wagon. Judging by artistic and emotional expressionism however; those titles & NGE are headed in the same direction but on different boats & levels.

I personally don't believe it ends, and it's always things like this which I fear I love so much that I'll begin to hate them as a result. But I suppose simply getting into that side of the mess is part of the fun in watching Neon Genisis Evangelion.

Things which I can look back to sometime or maybe someday & say: "See that. That's what I watch'ed back then... Oh look, the good parts coming up!..."

--("Humming Opening Theme")--

~This Has Been Yet Another One Of "T.A.O.'s" New Reviews Of Classic Anime Titles.~