054 - Neon Genesis Evangelion vol. 12

054 - Neon Genesis Evangelion vol. 12

Author: We Appreciate Manga™ July 18, 2020 Duration: 56:26

James thinks about the Madonna/whore complex around Shinji x Misato. And how Evangelion is better at telling a cosmic tale than Ridley Scott's Prometheus. Skip synopsis @10:56

 

Email: WeAppreciateManga@Gmail.com

 

054: Neon Genesis Evangelion vol. 12

Chapters 77 to 83, "Genocide" and "Concorde"

By Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

Translation by Lillian Olsen, William Flanagan, David Ury and Karl Gustav Horn

 

Topics:

  • Sadamoto's somewhat over reliance on copy pasting action scenes from the anime.
  • Humans: the 13th Angel
  • Asuka's return to battle.
  • The mother/whore complex with Shinji x Misato's relationship.
  • Why Evangelion works as Sekai-kei sci-fi genre.

 

Other references:

Bakelite

 

Synopsis:

SEELE destroys NERV HQ by sending out the Japanese Strategic Self Defence Force. As part of their security system they flood parts of the base in Bakelite, a thermo setting polymer plastic, used to drown and block out the corridors akin to cement.

 

Asuka is forced to hide out in her Unit-2 but is soon ordered to fight the air force. She is mentality recovered in the fight once she realises that her mother's soul is a part of her Eva. Asuka forgives her mother but is not safe for long, her umbilical cord is cut, meaning she has no power except for a limited battery supply. And on top of this, SEELE has sent out a group of mass produced Evas to battle her. Fuyutski believes that the number of Evas sent are not just to fight but to bring forth the human instrumentality, the literal death and possible rebirth of the world.

 

Shinji is saved by father and commander, Gendo Ikari but Gendo admits he does not love Shinji and wishes that Shinji stops SEELE so that he can have his own instrumentality where he will become god and reunite with Shinji's mother. Misato knows Gendo has betrayed NERV, but shares a common goal with Gendo in getting Shinji to pilot his Eva and help Asuka.

 

Misato explains the cosmic events on how the human race was designed, that the angels they fought are of the same ancestry and the instrumentality will threaten to reshape all life if he doesn't act now. She gives Shinji one last instruction, to save Asuka and fight off the mass produced Evas. Misato does her best to be like a mother to Shinji but she knows Shinji is hard to convince, she is afraid and desperate and so she speaks to him like the woman she knows she is and passionately kisses Shinji. Misato dies fending for herself as Shinji makes his way to his Eva.

 

Shinji finds his Eva trapped in Bakelite. He calls out for his mother, knowing that it's her soul that resides inside it.

 

Do you want to see Asuka's biggest fan? You'll find her [here]

 

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There's a particular kind of magic that happens when a friend hands you a book they love, especially when that book is a manga. We Appreciate Manga captures that exact feeling, beginning each conversation with a personal recommendation before letting the discussion wander into deeper territory. Hosted by the team at We Appreciate Manga™, this series is less a formal review and more like eavesdropping on a thoughtful, sometimes rambling, chat between enthusiasts. You’ll hear them explore how specific stories resonate, why certain artistic choices matter, and the very real comfort these illustrated narratives can provide during difficult periods. It’s a celebration of the medium that goes beyond plot summaries to appreciate manga as a unique and powerful form of visual storytelling. Think of it as your audio companion to a vibrant, anime-adjacent book club where the panels come to life through conversation. New episodes of this podcast have been available since August 2022, offering a consistent space to connect with the art and heart of these stories.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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