Themes and Symbolism

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most critically acclaimed anime out there in the world. Many consider it to be a must watch to all anime enthusiasts out there, and I fully agree with them. Even if it seems that it may not be to your liking, this classic masterpiece should at least be given a shot before you make you decide whether it is a masterpiece or not. I assume that anybody reading this has watched the anime at least once, as this post will have a lot of spoilers, and anybody who has not watched the anime should not be actually reading this. There are several key characters in the anime, which all contribute in emphasizing the underlying themes and symbolisms present in the show.

1. Religion

One of the most dominant theme in the anime is religion. Several characters and objects that make an appearance in the show are named after religious figures. They include:
Adam

Adam in its embryonic state

Lilith

Lilith

The Cross

The death of an Angel resulting in a cross shaped explosion

Lance of Longinus

Lance of Longinus

Angels

9 of 15 angels

Dead Sea Scrolls

An extract of the Dead Sea Scrolls from the Anime

Melchior, Balthasar and Casper

The symbol of the 3 supercomputers

I will mainly be talking about the symbolism of Adam and Lilith. Adam, according to the Bible, is the first man created. Next, it is stated that Eve was created using the rib of Adam, and became known as the first women. However, according to Judaic mythology, Lilith was the first woman to be created by God, as Adam's first wife. Lilith refused to be subservient to Adam, and finally left him by invoking the name of God, and descending to the Red Sea, where she mated with demons to bear their offspring, name Lilim. In the anime, Adam is portrayed as being the first Seed of Life to descend upon Earth. This is symbolic to Adam being the first human created. According to the show, only one Seed of Life is supposed to descend upon a planet, however, due to a problem, Lilith crashed onto Earth, and broke this rule. as a result of the violation, the Lance of Longinus of Adam activated, and subdued him. Lilith's lance did not activate because it was destroyed in the crash. As 'Adam-based' life did not prosper on Earth yet, Lilith's Lilim were able to spread in the world. This series of events is very similar to what took place in Judaic mythology, and therefore accentuates the religious theme present in the anime. It is important to notice that the Lilim are in fact humans, and how the anime is indirectly associating humanity with demons, through symbolism, while Adam-based life is known as Angels.

2. Human Relationships 

This is one of the aspects that the show is really focused on. Most of the show is based around the relationships between the cast. It also portrays how different people deal with changes in their relationships, through the two main characters: Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Soryu.

Asuka Langley Soryu

Shinji Ikari

Both characters suffer from similar problems, but deal with them in completely different ways. On one hand is Shinji, who has been abandoned by his father, Gendo Ikari, while on the other is Asuka, whose mother has stopped recognizing her due to a mental illness. Shinji deals with this by assuming that he is not needed, and develops a fear of emotional pain. He also lives in a state of emotional fragility, and due to his fear of extreme emotions, he starts to seclude himself from the outside world, often using headphones to prevent any type of outside interaction. Furthermore, he is shown to be uncomfortable with human interactions, and when he is called back by his father, he is scared of being rejected again. Through various dreamlike scenes, we get to know that Shinji truly desires praise and acceptance, from his father, as well as everybody around him. Asuka on the other hand, deals with her trauma by creating a false front. She bottles all her emotions and tries to act in front of others. While both of them suffer from similar problems, one shuts himself down and stops interacting with others, while the other tries to act tough and shows an outgoing personality.

Shinji and Asuka's kissing scene

Their relationship with each other is also quite intriguing. Both want acceptance from others, and they are both shown to be romantically interested in each other. Their difference in personalities and approach to life is clearly shown by how they try to get involved romantically. Asuka chooses the aggressive route, while Shinji chooses the passive one. When they both clash with each other, they end up being disappointed despite aiming for the same result. This is distinctly portrayed in an experiment of theirs where they kiss each other, proposed by Asuka, and reluctantly accepted by Shinji. They both end up being disappointed when the result wasn't quite as anticipated, as there are no romantic implications. This results in a breakdown of their relationship, through a series of events, in which Asuka's confidence in herself crumbles, and she goes missing, and Shinji's own problems with his father. At the end of the series, when they finally meet each other again, the show ends with Asuka saying, "How disgusting", which can either be a comment towards Shinji's personality, or his deeds.