If you’re wondering what narrative purpose this scene serves, you have to consider the whole series. It’s a mirror of a scene in episode one where Shinji also stands on top of a female character with a bodily fluid on his hand, but for a whole other reason: Shinji was told to pilote a giant robot he’d never seen before to fight a giant monster. He refused. The injured girl was brought on a strainer and he was told if he didn’t pilote the robot, she’d have to. The ground shook because of the robot, the girl (named Rei) fell from the strainer and Shinji rushed to see if she was okay. He looked at his hand and saw that he had her blood on it (obvious symbolism), then he accepts to pilote the robot.
That scene is what asserts Shinji as a protagonist. It’s the first showing him doing something for someone else, and he’s putting his life on the line to do so.
So mirroring this scene but having him do something cowardly and shameful, opposite of the bravery and kindness he showed in episode 1 makes him exit this role as a protagonist.
And I don’t even think it’s necessary to understand it for it to work: For most of the movie after that, Shinji isn’t the protagonist, you follow other characters as they conclude their respective narrative arcs and without the hospital scene, I think many would feel frustrated and wait for Shinji to do something. Instead, we’re more prone to watch the other characters because we don’t really want to see Shinji anymore.
Another thing is, there characters have all been through a lot and been repeatedly traumatised. Not that it’s an excuse, but the series is also a bit original in the way it rejects the trope that hardship builds character and makes one better, without going in the reverse cliche of it making them a villain either. Trauma makes them mentally ill. Mental illness sometimes cause them to do bad things to other, which they then regret.
God I don’t understand why people love this anime.
I know it’s a deconstruction of the super robot. I know that shinji has a plausibly realistic reaction to his situation, especially as an unwilling Eva pilot. That doesn’t make me wanna watch the psychological unravelling of a child until he becomes completely insufferable and wanks it over his comatose friend. Why does anyone wanna watch that, no matter how powerful?
It’s got deep-ish themes about identity, 6 frames of boobs and a memorable theme, everything the Otaku needs while saving up for that Fedora they have their eye on
Why do people engage with anything that makes them uncomfortable? Horror? Tragedy? It’s just morbid curiosity. It’s not a bad thing, really. Any exploration of the human condition is incomplete without a look at the darker side. Some need more light in their entertainment to help the medicine go down, and that’s OK too.
I know art is subjective, but like… 26 episodes devoted to watching an annoying little shit face become even more annoying and shittier?
I want to like the show so bad, but shinji is just so unpleasant to watch.
Generally I think there is value in engaging with media that makes you experience negative and uncomfortable emotions, but I think the exception to that is anger. If the predominant emotions is anger, then probably not a tremendous amount of value. Most other emotions evoked by media are either enjoyable themselves or produce enjoyable after effects (like the thrill of horror, or the catharsis of tragedy); but not anger.
As you say it’s subjective, but I don’t find Shinji that annoying for most of the series.
And it’s not just a downwards spiral, he and the other characters have ups and downs.
Even the conclusion of the End Of Evangelion is that something is better than nothing. A big part of Shinji’s character is hesitation of what is or isn’t worth doing, and the big final choice he’s offered when he’s at his lowest possible point is basically end the existence of humans as individuals and all the pain that goes with it or let humanity be reborn. It’s a metaphor for being on the fence about suicide, and he choses life. Which is pretty strong knowing how Hideaki Anno was himself struggles with depression when he wrote this.
I know it’s a bit stupid, but this series kinda feels like a depression toggle switch for me: It makes me feel depressed if I watch it while not depressed, but had the opposite effect if I’m already feeling depressed.
Good explanation. I think many people miss out the point of Shinji. Too many people assume that protagonists are always people that you should aspire to be, but Shinji’s messed up self and traumatic past is something that still resonates with many youth today.
well, that is some much needed context, otherwise I would’ve had a much different perspective on the narrative and the characters going on as i’ve never seen the show. I actually find it charming, oddly, that the writers worked this way. thanks!
If you’re wondering what narrative purpose this scene serves, you have to consider the whole series. It’s a mirror of a scene in episode one where Shinji also stands on top of a female character with a bodily fluid on his hand, but for a whole other reason: Shinji was told to pilote a giant robot he’d never seen before to fight a giant monster. He refused. The injured girl was brought on a strainer and he was told if he didn’t pilote the robot, she’d have to. The ground shook because of the robot, the girl (named Rei) fell from the strainer and Shinji rushed to see if she was okay. He looked at his hand and saw that he had her blood on it (obvious symbolism), then he accepts to pilote the robot.
That scene is what asserts Shinji as a protagonist. It’s the first showing him doing something for someone else, and he’s putting his life on the line to do so.
So mirroring this scene but having him do something cowardly and shameful, opposite of the bravery and kindness he showed in episode 1 makes him exit this role as a protagonist. And I don’t even think it’s necessary to understand it for it to work: For most of the movie after that, Shinji isn’t the protagonist, you follow other characters as they conclude their respective narrative arcs and without the hospital scene, I think many would feel frustrated and wait for Shinji to do something. Instead, we’re more prone to watch the other characters because we don’t really want to see Shinji anymore.
Another thing is, there characters have all been through a lot and been repeatedly traumatised. Not that it’s an excuse, but the series is also a bit original in the way it rejects the trope that hardship builds character and makes one better, without going in the reverse cliche of it making them a villain either. Trauma makes them mentally ill. Mental illness sometimes cause them to do bad things to other, which they then regret.
God I don’t understand why people love this anime.
I know it’s a deconstruction of the super robot. I know that shinji has a plausibly realistic reaction to his situation, especially as an unwilling Eva pilot. That doesn’t make me wanna watch the psychological unravelling of a child until he becomes completely insufferable and wanks it over his comatose friend. Why does anyone wanna watch that, no matter how powerful?
It’s got deep-ish themes about identity, 6 frames of boobs and a memorable theme, everything the Otaku needs while saving up for that Fedora they have their eye on
Why do people engage with anything that makes them uncomfortable? Horror? Tragedy? It’s just morbid curiosity. It’s not a bad thing, really. Any exploration of the human condition is incomplete without a look at the darker side. Some need more light in their entertainment to help the medicine go down, and that’s OK too.
I know art is subjective, but like… 26 episodes devoted to watching an annoying little shit face become even more annoying and shittier?
I want to like the show so bad, but shinji is just so unpleasant to watch.
Generally I think there is value in engaging with media that makes you experience negative and uncomfortable emotions, but I think the exception to that is anger. If the predominant emotions is anger, then probably not a tremendous amount of value. Most other emotions evoked by media are either enjoyable themselves or produce enjoyable after effects (like the thrill of horror, or the catharsis of tragedy); but not anger.
As you say it’s subjective, but I don’t find Shinji that annoying for most of the series. And it’s not just a downwards spiral, he and the other characters have ups and downs.
Even the conclusion of the End Of Evangelion is that something is better than nothing. A big part of Shinji’s character is hesitation of what is or isn’t worth doing, and the big final choice he’s offered when he’s at his lowest possible point is basically end the existence of humans as individuals and all the pain that goes with it or let humanity be reborn. It’s a metaphor for being on the fence about suicide, and he choses life. Which is pretty strong knowing how Hideaki Anno was himself struggles with depression when he wrote this.
I know it’s a bit stupid, but this series kinda feels like a depression toggle switch for me: It makes me feel depressed if I watch it while not depressed, but had the opposite effect if I’m already feeling depressed.
Good explanation. I think many people miss out the point of Shinji. Too many people assume that protagonists are always people that you should aspire to be, but Shinji’s messed up self and traumatic past is something that still resonates with many youth today.
Thanks for the explanation. Makes more sense that way
Thomas Manga: “No, I just wanted to make him jerk it.”
well, that is some much needed context, otherwise I would’ve had a much different perspective on the narrative and the characters going on as i’ve never seen the show. I actually find it charming, oddly, that the writers worked this way. thanks!
oh wow thanks, i never made the connection to ep1. it’s so obvious in hindsight!