🚨 SPOILER ALERT 🚨
Hold up! ✋ This post contains major plot details, secrets, and ending spoilers for the subject material of Neon Genesis Evangelion. 🤫💥
If you haven’t finished watching, reading, or playing yet, turn back now! 🏃💨
Proceed at your own risk… 🫣👀📉
5 Key Takeaways from the World of Evangelion 🗼
- 1. A Product of the “Lost Decade” 📉 Neon Genesis Evangelion cannot be separated from its 1995 context. Born from the economic collapse of the early 90s, the Aum Shinrikyo sarin gas attacks, and the Hanshin earthquake, the series channeled a generation’s collective anxiety. It transformed the “giant robot” genre from a power fantasy into a critique of fragility, resonating with a society trying to rebuild itself on shifting ground.
- 2. The Hedgehog’s Dilemma is Central 🦔 While the show features massive battles, the core conflict is psychological. The “Hedgehog’s Dilemma”—the idea that getting close to others inevitably causes pain—drives every character arc. The A.T. Field is not just a force field; it is the physical manifestation of the ego that keeps individuals separate. The series argues that pain is the necessary cost of human connection.
- 3. Cosmology of the Two Seeds 🍎 The universe is governed by a strict set of ancient alien rules. The First Ancestral Race created two types of life: the Fruit of Life (Immortality/Angels) and the Fruit of Knowledge (Intelligence/Humans). Earth is an accident scene where both seeds—Adam and Lilith—landed. The conflict is not an invasion, but a biological imperative: two dominant life forms cannot coexist on one planet.
- 4. Instrumentality vs. Individuality 🟠 The ultimate antagonist, SEELE, seeks “Human Instrumentality”—a forced evolution to merge all souls into a single collective consciousness to end suffering. The protagonist’s victory is not defeating a monster, but rejecting this “heaven.” Shinji chooses to remain an individual, accepting that a world with boundaries and others is preferable to a painless void.
- 5. A Multiverse of Endings 🎬 The franchise thrives on iteration. From the TV series to the End of Evangelion movie, and finally the Rebuild tetralogy concluding in 2021, the story has been told multiple times with different outcomes. It has evolved from a bleak study of depression into a narrative about recovery and the will to live, ensuring its relevance for the 30th anniversary in 2025 and beyond.
1. Introduction: The Monolith of Modern Anime 🗼
Neon Genisis Evangelion isn’t merely a franchise; it’s a cultural singularity! 🌟 Since its debut in 1995, it’s stood as a monolith in the landscape of global media 🌏, casting a shadow that stretches from the streets of Tokyo 🏙️ to the digital frontiers of the internet age 💻. To enter the Neon Genisis Evangelion universe is to embark on a journey that’s equal parts mecha spectacle ⚔️, theological horror 👻, and intense psychotherapy 🧠.
This guide serves as the ultimate compendium for the “World Smith” 🛠️ and the casual traveler alike 🧳. It navigates the dense lore 📜, the fractured timelines ⏳, and the profound philosophical inquiries that define the series 🤔. Uniquely, Neon Genisis Evangelion thrives on contradiction: it’s a show about giant robots that deconstructs the very idea of heroism 🦸; it’s a merchandise juggernaut that critiques consumerism 🛍️; it’s a story of profound isolation that’s created a massive, interconnected community 🤝.
As we stand on the precipice of the franchise’s 30th anniversary in 2025 🎉 and look toward the mixed-reality expansions of 2026 🕶️, the relevance of Neon Genisis Evangelion has never been more palpable. This report offers an exhaustive analysis of its world-building 🏗️—from the geopolitical fallout of the Second Impact 💥 to the specific brand of beer consumed by its tactical commander 🍺—ensuring a nuanced understanding of why this universe continues to resonate 🔔.
1.1 The Context of Creation: The Lost Decade 📉
To understand the why of Neon Genisis Evangelion, one must understand the when 🕰️. The series emerged during Japan’s “Lost Decade,” a period of economic stagnation following the collapse of the asset price bubble in the early 1990s 🥀. The optimism of the 80s had evaporated 💨, replaced by a societal malaise.
- The Aum Shinrikyo Incident: In 1995, the same year the anime aired 📺, the Aum Shinrikyo cult launched a sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway 🚇. This real-world intrusion of apocalyptic cultism and violence parallels the in-universe organization SEELE 👁️ and the catastrophic events of the Second Impact.
- The Great Hanshin Earthquake: The destruction of Kobe in 1995 provided a visceral backdrop of ruin and rebuilding 🧱, mirroring the constant reconstruction of Tokyo-3.
Neon Genisis Evangelion channeled this national anxiety 😰 into a narrative about a world permanently scarred 🩹, where children are forced to clean up the messes left by adults 🧹. It contrasted sharply with the optimistic mecha shows of the past, offering instead a vision of “techtopia” that was sterile, alienating, and terrifyingly fragile ⚠️.
2. Chronology and Cosmology: The Architecture of Apocalypse 🏗️
The universe of Neon Genisis Evangelion is built upon a cosmology that blends hard science fiction 🚀 with mystical elements derived from Kabbalah and Gnosticism ✡️. The timeline is vast, stretching from the dawn of life 🌱 to the potential end of existence 🔚.
2.1 The Progenitors: The First Ancestral Race 👽
Far preceding humanity, the First Ancestral Race (FAR) represents the god-figures of this universe. Originating from an unknown point in the galaxy 🌌, they faced extinction and chose to seed the cosmos with life. They created “Seeds of Life” 🌱 and encased them in carrier vessels known as “Moons” 🌕, launching them across space accompanied by a “Spear of Longinus”—a security device capable of subduing a Seed 🔱.
The Two Fruits: The FAR divided their power into two distinct types:
- 🍎 The Fruit of Life: Granting infinite energy (the S² Engine) 🔋 and immortality.
- 🧠 The Fruit of Knowledge: Granting intelligence, science, and culture, but mortal bodies.
These two fruits were never meant to coexist on a single planet 🚫. The union of the two equates to a God, a rival to the FAR themselves.
2.2 First Impact: The Cosmic Accident ☄️
Earth became the stage for a cosmic violation of the FAR’s protocols.
- Adam’s Arrival: The White Moon ⚪, containing the Seed of Life known as Adam, landed on Earth first, roughly 4 billion years ago 🦖. Adam was intended to be the progenitor of Earth’s life.
- Lilith’s Intrusion: By chance, a second Seed, Lilith (Fruit of Knowledge), crash-landed in the Black Moon ⚫. This violent impact, known as the First Impact, ejected debris that formed the Earth’s Moon 🌙.
- The Protocol: Because two Seeds can’t coexist, Adam’s Spear of Longinus activated to subdue him, rendering him dormant 💤. Lilith, having lost her Spear in the crash, became the dominant progenitor, spreading her LCL (primordial soup) 🍲 into the oceans and giving rise to terrestrial life, culminating in humanity (the Lilim) 🧑🤝🧑.
2.3 Second Impact: The Day the World Turned Red 🔴
The central historical event of the modern Neon Genisis Evangelion era is the Second Impact 💥, occurring on September 13, 2000.
- The Event: The Katsuragi Expedition 🏔️, funded by the mysterious organization SEELE, located Adam in Antarctica ❄️. They attempted a “Contact Experiment” by fusing human DNA with Adam 🧬. This hubris triggered Adam’s Anti-A.T. Field, causing a massive explosion 💣.
- The Consequences:
- Geophysical: The Antarctic ice cap melted instantly 🌊. The Earth’s axis shifted, altering global climates 🌡️. Japan was plunged into an eternal summer ☀️, with cicadas crying year-round—an auditory symbol of the stuck time 🦗.
- Biological: The explosion was an attempt to reduce Adam to an embryonic state 🥚 to prevent him from wiping out humanity. In doing so, the expedition succeeded, but at the cost of billions of lives and the permanent staining of the Antarctic oceans to red 🩸.
- Political: The resulting chaos led to nuclear exchanges ☢️ between nations fighting for resources, most notably India and Pakistan. The wars ended only with the signing of the Valentine Treaty in February 2001 📜.
2.4 The Post-Impact Geopolitics (2001-2015) 🗺️
The world of 2015 is defined by the Valentine Treaty 🤝. The United Nations (UN) has been granted unprecedented supranational powers 🌐, ostensibly to manage the global recovery. However, the UN is largely a puppet for SEELE and its executive agency, NERV 🎭.
- The Valentine Treaty: Signed on February 14, 2001 💘, this treaty officially ended the post-Impact wars. It reorganized national militaries under UN oversight and established the framework for the defense of humanity against the predicted return of the Angels 🛡️.
- Tokyo-2: The Japanese government relocated the capital to Matsumoto (Tokyo-2) after Old Tokyo was destroyed by a nuclear bomb during the chaos 🏙️.
- Tokyo-3: The new fortress city 🏯, built in the Hakone region, serves as the primary intercept point for Angels and the cover for NERV HQ.
3. Societal and Environmental World Building 🏗️
The atmosphere of Neon Genisis Evangelion is dense with details that ground its fantastical elements in a gritty reality 🏙️.
3.1 Daily Life in Tokyo-3: The Fortress City 🛡️
Life in Tokyo-3 is a surreal juxtaposition of the mundane and the militaristic 🪖.
- Infrastructure: The city’s a marvel of engineering 🔧. “Armored buildings” retract into the GeoFront during emergencies ⬇️. This leads to a unique daily routine for civilians: checking the “Angel Forecast” alongside the weather 🌦️.
- The Cicadas: The background noise of the series is the incessant buzzing of cicadas 🦗. In Japan, cicadas are a symbol of summer, but in Neon Genisis Evangelion, their constant presence signifies that the natural order has been broken; the seasons no longer turn 🍂.
- Civil Defense: Drills are frequent 🚨. Schools have integrated shelters. The population lives in a state of high-functioning anxiety, a “normality” maintained on the edge of extinction 😰.
3.2 Economics of Survival 💰
The economy of the post-Impact world is one of scarcity and military Keynesianism.
- Budget Battles: NERV consumes a massive portion of the global budget 📉. Scenes of Gendo Ikari and Kozo Fuyutsuki negotiating with the “Human Instrumentality Committee” highlight the tension between saving the world and paying the bills 💸. The repair costs for Evangelion Units and the city are astronomical, leading to political friction.
- Resource Scarcity: The loss of marine life has impacted the food supply 🐟. While agriculture has adapted to the warmer climate (e.g., Kaji’s watermelon patch 🍉), real meat is a luxury 🥩. Synthetic proteins and processed foods are the norm for the working class.
3.3 Cuisine and Consumption 🍜
Food in Neon Genisis Evangelion often reflects character isolation or desire for comfort.
- Misato’s Diet: Misato Katsuragi’s diet is a rebellion against her military discipline 🍟. She consumes vast quantities of instant curry, junk food, and beer 🍺. Specifically, she drinks Yebisu beer (often fictionalized as “Yebichu” in broadcasts), a premium Japanese brand. Her switch to “Boa” beer in later episodes mirrors the degradation of her situation (or possibly supply chain issues in-universe).
- Rei’s Veganism: Rei Ayanami dislikes meat 🍖. This isn’t a moral stance in the human sense but a biological rejection ❌. As a being derived from Lilith/Adam, consuming the flesh of Earth’s creatures (her “offspring” in a cosmic sense) is intuitively repulsive. She sustains herself on pills and fluids, emphasizing her artificiality 💊.
- Convenience Stores: The konbini (convenience store) is a recurring setting 🏪, a beacon of light and consumerism in the dark world. It represents the fragile tether to normalcy that the characters cling to.
3.4 Fashion and Aesthetics 👗
The aesthetic of Neon Genisis Evangelion has permeated real-world fashion, creating a feedback loop between the show and street style.
- Plugsuits: The sleek, latex-like suits worn by pilots are iconic. They’re designed for “synchronization” but also serve as a vulnerability metaphor—the pilots are exposed, encased in thin layers of technology 🔌.
- School Uniforms: The Tokyo-3 middle school uniforms are standard but worn with individual flair (Asuka’s modifications 🔴, Rei’s pristine wear, Shinji’s untucked shirt 👔).
- Radio Eva: In the real world, the brand Radio Eva has launched high-end apparel lines that blend the show’s typography and color palettes with modern streetwear 🧢. This includes “Evangelion: 95,” a line celebrating the 90s aesthetic of the original show. The integration of Matisse-EB typography on hoodies and tote bags signals membership in “Eva” 🧥.
4. Factions and Organizations: The Shadow War 🕵️♂️
The conflict in Neon Genisis Evangelion isn’t just Humans vs. Angels; it’s a three-way cold war between NERV, SEELE, and the Angels, with humanity caught in the crossfire 🔫.
4.1 NERV: God’s in His Heaven… 🌩️
NERV is a paramilitary special agency nominally under the UN but effectively autonomous 🛡️.
- Motto: “God’s in his Heaven, All’s right with the world.” A quote from Robert Browning, symbolizing the arrogance of NERV’s leaders who seek to control god-like power.
- Structure: NERV is hierarchical and compartmentalized. The MAGI System—three supercomputers modeled on the brain of Dr. Naoko Akagi 🧠—governs the base. The three nodes (Melchior, Balthasar, Casper) represent Akagi as a scientist, a mother, and a woman, often voting in conflict with one another ⚖️.
- The GeoFront: NERV HQ is located within the GeoFront, a spherical cavern that’s actually the Black Moon of Lilith ⚫. The inverted pyramid structure of the HQ buildings creates a sense of unease, a world turned upside down 🔻.
4.2 SEELE: The Puppet Masters 🎭
SEELE (German for “Soul”) is a secret society that’s guided human history.
- Rituals: They communicate via monolithic slabs, appearing only as sound and light 🗿. This dehumanizes them, presenting them as voices of abstract authority. Their goal is the Human Instrumentality Project—forced evolution to merge all souls into one, eliminating pain 🟠.
- The Dead Sea Scrolls: SEELE operates according to the “Secret Dead Sea Scrolls,” a prophecy left by the First Ancestral Race 📜. These scrolls predict the coming of the Angels and the timing of the Third Impact.
4.3 WILLE: The Will to Live 🦅
Introduced in the Rebuild films, WILLE (German for “Will”) is a breakaway faction led by Misato Katsuragi 🧣. They oppose NERV’s nihilism. WILLE’s flagship, the AAA Wunder, is a flying battleship powered by an Eva unit 🚢, symbolizing humanity’s reclamation of its own destiny against the deterministic scripts of SEELE.
5. The Angels and Evangelions: Morphological Analysis 🧬
5.1 The Angels: Shapes of the Other 👾
The Angels are the children of Adam, seeking to reclaim the Earth 🌍. They’re characterized by their surreal diversity.
- Sachiel (3rd Angel): Humanoid, amphibious. Its “face” is a bony mask, a recurring motif 💀. It establishes the “beast” aesthetic.
- Ramiel (5th Angel): A perfect octahedron 🔷. It shifts its geometry to fire particle beams. Ramiel represents the perfection of the mathematical form, utterly alien to human biology.
- Leliel (12th Angel): A sphere with a shadow that’s the actual body ⚫. It exists in a Dirac Sea (pocket dimension). This Angel attacks the mind rather than the body, forcing Shinji into introspection.
- Arael (15th Angel): A bird of light in orbit 🕊️. It attacks with a beam that forces the pilot (Asuka) to relive trauma. This marks the shift in the series from physical to psychological warfare 🧠.
5.2 Evangelion Units: The Synthetic Gods 🦾
The Evas aren’t robots; they’re restrained beasts 🦍.
- Unit-01: Cloned from Lilith (unique among Evas). It contains the soul of Yui Ikari 👩👦. Its color scheme—purple and neon green—is distinctive 💜💚. Purple evokes royalty and mystery; green suggests toxicity and biology. The horn signals its demonic/oni inspiration 👹.
- Unit-00: The prototype. Unstable. It contains a fragmented soul (possibly a piece of Rei I or Naoko Akagi) 🧩. Its single eye represents the cyclopean, imperfect vision of early creation 👁️.
- Unit-02: The production model. Cloned from Adam. Contains the soul of Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu (Asuka’s mother). Red, four-eyed, and built for combat 🔴.
- Mass Production Evas (EoE): White, eyeless, with heavy red lips and wings 👄. They’re carrion birds, grotesque parodies of angels, wielding replicas of the Lance of Longinus.
5.3 The Technology of Integration 🔌
- LCL: The cockpit is flooded with LCL, an orange liquid that oxygenates the blood 🍊. LCL is actually the blood of Lilith. This means the pilots are literally breathing the blood of their creator, a visceral metaphor for returning to the womb 🤰.
- A.T. Field: The “Absolute Terror Field” is the force field used by Angels and Evas 🛡️. It’s revealed to be the physical manifestation of the Ego—the wall that separates one individual from another. To breach an enemy’s A.T. Field is to erode their ego, an act of intimacy and violation.
6. Characters: Psychological Profiles 📂
The characters of Neon Genisis Evangelion are case studies in trauma.
6.1 Shinji Ikari: The Hedgehog 🦔
Shinji is defined by the “Hedgehog’s Dilemma.” He desires closeness but fears pain 💔. His recurring behavior—running away, listening to his SDAT player to block out the world 🎧—is a defense mechanism against a reality that demands too much. His refusal to pilot is an existential refusal to engage with a world that abandoned him.
6.2 Asuka Langley Soryu: The Narcissist 🏆
Asuka suffers from a need for external validation. Her trauma stems from her mother’s psychological break (who mistook a doll for Asuka) 🧸. She pilots to prove her existence. Her aggression is a preemptive strike against rejection. Her eventual mental collapse in the series is a deconstruction of the “tsundere” archetype, revealing the terrified child beneath.
6.3 Rei Ayanami: The Golem 🎎
Rei is a “doll” who gains a soul. She represents the “Thanatos” drive—the drive toward death and return to nothingness. Her clone nature questions the value of the unique self. If she can be replaced, does she matter? Her arc is the discovery that experience, not just biology, creates the self 🧬.
6.4 Misato Katsuragi: The Electra Complex 👨👧
Misato projects her father issues onto her lovers (Kaji) and her ward (Shinji). She’s trapped between the role of the fun, irresponsible older sister and the cold, tactical commander. Her cluttered apartment is a physical manifestation of her chaotic internal state 🗑️.
6.5 Kaworu Nagisa: The Ubermensch 👼
Kaworu is the 17th Angel (Tabris) but appears human. He represents unconditional love and total acceptance, something Shinji craves ❤️. However, his nature as an Angel means his existence is a threat to humanity. His death by Shinji’s hand is the ultimate trauma—killing the only person who truly loved him.
7. Deep Philosophical Insights 💡
7.1 Existentialism vs. Nihilism ⚖️
Neon Genisis Evangelion walks the line between nihilism (life has no meaning) and existentialism (we must create meaning). The Instrumentality Project is the nihilistic solution: ending individual existence to end pain. Shinji’s rejection of it is the existentialist triumph: choosing the pain of individuality because it allows for the possibility of joy 😃.
7.2 The Theology of the Self ⛪
The series uses religious symbols to discuss the “religion” of the self. The A.T. Field is the “holy” barrier of the soul. The violation of this field is a sin. The “Apocalypse” isn’t just the end of the world, but the end of the self. The series asks: can we exist without others? The answer is no; the self is defined by its interaction with the Other 👥.
7.3 Techno-Theology 🦾
The Evas are human gods. This reflects a Prometheus complex—humanity stealing fire (technology) to become gods, only to be punished for it 🔥. The fusion of biology and mechanics in the Evas suggests that technology isn’t separate from life, but a terrifying extension of it.
8. Expanded Media and Recommendations 📺
To truly act as a “World Smith,” one must explore beyond the TV series 🧭.
8.1 The Rebuild of Evangelion (2007-2021) 🎬
This tetralogy (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.0+1.0) is a retelling that diverges into a new continuity.
- Visuals: It utilizes modern CGI for Evas and Angels, creating a crisper, more neon-drenched aesthetic ✨.
- Tone: While still dark, it leans towards hope 🌈. Shinji is more proactive. The introduction of Mari Illustrious Makinami disrupts the original character triad, representing an outside force that breaks the cycle of trauma.
8.2 Manga Spinoffs 📚
- Neon Genesis Evangelion (Sadamoto): The official manga adaptation. Shinji is more cynical; the ending is softer.
- Angelic Days: A shojo-style rom-com set in the “alternate reality” dream from Episode 26 🏫. It explores the characters if they were happy and normal.
- Campus Apocalypse: A dark fantasy alternate universe where Shinji wields a weaponized Eva-soul to fight demons 🗡️.
8.3 Video Games 🎮
- Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 (PS2): Essential for lore hunters. The “Classified Information” files in this game unlocked the backstory of the First Ancestral Race.
- Evangelion: Δ Cross Reflections (2026): An upcoming XR game promising an immersive retelling 🕶️.
8.4 Similar Universes for the Traveler 🚀
- RahXephon: Often compared to Eva, it focuses on music and time 🎵, offering a more poetic, less abrasive take on the “boy pilots god-robot” genre.
- Serial Experiments Lain: For those who crave the cyberpunk, psychological breakdown, and internet-age philosophy of Eva 🌐.
- Revolutionary Girl Utena: Shares the deconstruction of genre tropes and deep symbolism 🌹.
- NieR: Automata: Explores similar themes of artificial life, existential despair, and the cycle of violence 🤖.
9. Modern Trends: AI, Memes, and Vaporwave 🌐
9.1 The Vaporwave Connection 🌴
Neon Evangelion is a pillar of the Vaporwave aesthetic. The 90s anime style, the neon purple/green color palette 🟣🟢, and the themes of technological alienation fit perfectly with Vaporwave’s critique of consumerism and nostalgia. Loops of Misato drinking beer 🍺 or Shinji on the train 🚋 are staples of lo-fi hip hop channels.
9.2 AI and Fan Content 🤖
The fandom has embraced AI.
- Voice Synthesis: AI models of Asuka and Rei are used to create covers of songs (e.g., Asuka singing “My Way”) 🎤, blurring the line between character and performer.
- AI Art: Generative art explores “what if” scenarios, such as 80s dark fantasy versions of the Angels 🎨.
9.3 The “Feliz Jueves” Phenomenon 📅
A testament to the global reach of the franchise is the “Feliz Jueves” (Happy Thursday) meme. Originating from a Spanish-speaking fan who posted a gif of Asuka running to wish people a happy Thursday, it became a global internet tradition, stripping the character of her trauma and turning her into a symbol of weekly optimism 🏃♀️.
10. Conclusion: The Will to Live 🌟
Neon Genisis Evangelion ends not with a victory, but with a choice 🛤️. In The End of Evangelion, Shinji rejects the bliss of nothingness and chooses to return to a world of pain, because it’s the only place where he can be real.
This is the ultimate lesson of the universe 🌌. It’s a guide to surviving the apocalypse of the self. It teaches us that A.T. Fields are necessary to define us, but they must be lowered to connect. It tells us that technology can be a monster or a tool, but the soul within the machine matters most ❤️.
For the traveler, the Neon Genisis Evangelion universe is a mirror 🪞. It reflects your own anxieties, your own hopes. It’s a challenging, sometimes hostile, but ultimately rewarding destination.
“Anywhere can be paradise as long as you have the will to live. After all, you are alive, so you will always have the chance to be happy.” — Yui Ikari ✨
Detailed Appendix: Data Tables 📊
Table 1: The Angelic Pantheon 👾
| Angel | Title | Form | Symbolic Meaning |
| Adam | The First Human | Giant of Light / Embryo | The primal father; raw power without intellect. |
| Lilith | The Second Angel | White Giant (Crucified) | The primal mother; source of knowledge and humanity. |
| Sachiel | Angel of Water | Amphibious Humanoid | The first test; the return of the repressed. |
| Shamshel | Angel of Morning | Insectoid / Arthropod | Combat in the light; the persistence of threat. |
| Ramiel | Angel of Thunder | Geometric Octahedron | Perfection; the impenetrable fortress of the ego. |
| Gaghiel | Angel of Fish | Aquatic Behemoth | The danger of the deep (subconscious). |
| Israfel | Angel of Music | Split Humanoid | The need for synchronization and harmony. |
| Sahaquiel | Angel of Sky | Giant Eye / Bomber | Threat from the heavens; uncontrollable fate. |
| Leliel | Angel of Night | Shadow Sphere (Dirac Sea) | The internal void; the shadow self. |
| Bardiel | Angel of Haze | Parasitic Fungus/Slime | Infection; the corruption of the friend (Eva-03). |
| Zeruel | Angel of Strength | Armored Humanoid | Brute force; the overwhelming power of destruction. |
| Arael | Angel of Birds | Glowing Bird of Light | Psychological violation; violation of the mind. |
| Armisael | Angel of Womb | Double Helix Ring | Loneliness; the desire to merge physically. |
| Tabris | Angel of Free Will | Kaworu Nagisa (Human) | Unconditional love; the choice to die for another. |
| Lilin | The 18th Angel | Humanity | The collective danger of human civilization. |
Table 2: Evangelion Unit Specifications 🦾
| Unit | Pilot (The Children) | Soul Contained | Color Scheme | Key Features |
| Eva-00 | Rei Ayanami | Fragmented / Unknown | Orange (Test), Blue (Refit) | Cyclopean eye; unstable synchronization; self-destructs. |
| Eva-01 | Shinji Ikari | Yui Ikari (Mother) | Purple / Neon Green | Horned; goes unstable; S² Engine acquired from Zeruel. |
| Eva-02 | Asuka Langley Soryu | Kyoko Soryu (Mother) | Red / Orange | Four eyes; progressive knife; diverse arsenal. |
| Eva-03 | Toji Suzuhara | Unknown | Black / Dark Blue | Infected by Bardiel immediately upon activation. |
| Eva-04 | — | Silver | Vanished in S² Engine experiment (Nevada). | |
| Mass Production | Kaworu Dummies | None (Dummy Plug) | White / Red Lips | Winged; regenerate; wield Replica Lance; act as a pack. |
Table 3: Key Factions and Agendas 🏴
| Faction | Leader | Goal | Method |
| NERV | Gendo Ikari | Reunion with Yui Ikari | Manipulate 3rd Impact to control evolution. |
| SEELE | Keel Lorenz | Human Instrumentality | Force evolution via Dead Sea Scrolls script. |
| WILLE | Misato Katsuragi | Prevent Final Impact | Destroy NERV; protect individual humanity. |
| UN | Secretariat | Global Stability | Funding NERV; military containment (ineffective). |
| JSSDF | Gov. of Japan | National Defense | Conventional warfare; invade NERV in EoE. |
Table 4: Recommended Viewing and Reading Order 👓
| Title | Type | Notes |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV Series) | Episodes 1-26 | The foundation. |
| The End of Evangelion | Movie | The “true” ending to the TV series. |
| Evangelion: Death(True)² | Recap | Optional recap, good for mood. |
| Rebuild of Evangelion | Movies 1.11, 2.22, 3.33, 3.0+1.0 | The new canon. |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion (Manga by Sadamoto) | Manga | Alternative timeline/interpretation. |
| Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 | Game | Read the “Classified Information” wiki translations for deep lore. |
| Petit Eva: Evangelion@School | Parody | For a palate cleanser and humor. |
