Can't afford therapy? Watch Evangelion!

Score: 9.5/10

• Plot: 9/10
• Characters: 10/10
• Art & Music: 10/10

Recommended for: lovers of philosophy and psychology, realistic characters, blend of action and humor, dark undertones, apocalyptic world, character focused, religious symbolism, shows that make you think, shows that make you depressed.

First off: nothing can be said about Evangelion that hasn't already been said. It was hugely influential, it changed the way people look at anime, its imagery is still being referenced and reproduced today, and so on. Yet for someone who has never seen Evangelion, it doesn't say much. I'm just here to tell you why I like it, and hopefully it will convince you to give it a try.

Plot
Your name is Shinji Ikari, you're fourteen, and the fate of the world is in your hands. That's the premise of Evangelion and for the first few episodes, it does seem that simple. There are some funny interactions, the monsters are imaginative, and the fights are exciting. Then we get glimpses of a deeper mystery, and as we pass the halfway point, the story takes a morbid turn.

Who are the Angels? What is the First Impact? Why did they build the city right above the epicenter of conflict? We don’t quite get an answer to these questions, which leads to understandable frustration. Evangelion is often called ‘pretentious’ because of its philosophical undertone and heavy reliance on symbolism, be that as it may, it's still impactful. People have theorized about themes of determinism, nihilism, Oedipus complex, and every other term in the book. Few other anime have sparked such versatile debates, and isn't the point of a good story to make you think?
It's interesting that the religious imagery was chosen simply because it looked exotic. Does that mean Evangelion is a matter of style over substance? Is it a satire? What is this show trying to tell me? Quite frankly, Hideaki Anno takes you on a whirlwind trip and leaves you standing in the rain.

While being a story about saving humanity, everyone is in it for their own personal reasons. The story is propelled by the choices of these characters, and the fate of the world hinges on these decisions. Despite Earth being a post-apocalyptic wasteland, humans are still trying to come out on top, like humans always do. The Human Instrumentality Project, the battle against the Angels, to me they’re a plot device that is used to guide viewers to a more introspective nature of the show: to make us examine our own consciousness and confront our fears.

Characters
Shinji is painfully human, so much so that people hate him for it. He is weak, indecisive, he's a pushover, a crybaby, and you hate him so much because you hate yourself for the same reasons. And you hate Asuka, because she's annoying, loudmouthed, needy, manipulative, you hate how she's constantly yearning to be acknowledged because you too are looking for other people's approval. And you hate Rei, because she seems apathetic throughout it all, and you hate Gendo too. You hate everyone in this anime because they're weak and flawed and you realize you hate yourself more than you hate any of them.

We tend to dislike these characters for they represent the fragments of ourselves that we hide from others. The characters are realistic this way. Their behavior is in line with their flaws, they make decisions influenced by it and they make mistakes because of it.
Similarly, some fight against their fate until the very last moment, and some resign to it. In the end, while events of Biblical proportions are taking place, we humans are still thinking about the small, insignificant desires that pertain our existence. The mistakes we have made, the things we still want to say, want to do. Life is too short for regrets but oh do you regret it now. Does that make us worth living? Does humanity persevere despite of its flaws, or because of it? These are the questions that I asked myself while watching. And the answer to that? It’s all quite beside the point.

Art & Music
Dystopian but make it art house. Evangelion is stunning in its use of static shots, we see Tokyo-3 at twilight, the cold interiors of NERV, these scenes are drenched in an oppressive atmosphere. It truly is a beautifully crafted piece of art.
The iconic opening song, the various covers of Fly Me To The Moon, the use of classical music, the constant hum of cicadas in the background: Evangelion wouldn't be Evangelion without it. Perhaps my favorite soundtrack is one titled ‘Mother is the First Other’, it’s wonderfully haunting.

「Definitely check out Evangelion. While watching this show you might ask yourself questions such as, 'What is the meaning of life?' or 'What is reality? What does it mean to be an individual?'
Does the answer really matter? Because no matter the circumstances, we always have our own desires, the need to connect with others, to have a purpose, to feel a sense of belonging, to enjoy the little things in life. And it is often these little things that keep us driving forward.
Evangelion is catharsis, If you can come out of it with a personal interpretation of its message, I feel the show has done its job.」

We all go through dark periods, and sometimes we just need someone to take us by the hand, and tell us: it's okay, you're gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay.