A Cruel Angel's Thesis Explained - What's in an OP? (Evangelion)

Neon Genesis Evangelion is back at last, with an only moderately butchered localization! That means it's finally time analyze this legendary opening.

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In the depths of his Mother's Basement, Geoff Thew creates videos analyzing the storytelling techniques of anime and video games. He has been named the number one Worst YouTube Anime Reviewer by The Top Tens.

[CervantesVI]

"...And that first impact has to be strong."


I see what you did there, you cheeky bastard.

[sisixiao]

Fun fact: when Oikawa Neko wrote the lyric, she didn't know much about the show. She watched a few unfinished clips and didn't know much about the show's concept. But the lyrics turned out to be so fitting that even the director Hideaki Anno was amazed.

[mt]

Evangelion 2.0+1.9: You Can (Not) Fly Me to the Moon

[cyrilgigee]

"-and not just a whiny little coma fapper."
-Geoff Thew

[kjcantcarry]

It’s against the law to not listen to the full thing

[xxultimatebonapartexx]

Shinji: R-Rei...? What...what happened!? Where is everyone!?

Giant Rei: Gone, Reduced to atoms...

[cyrilgigee]

Sure, sure, it's a great OP as far as symbolism and such.
But let's be real here.
It's one of the best OPs of all time because of the music.

[presidentmccheese]

End of Netflix: You can (not) fly me to the moon

[puffbonnet]

I remember this song having to be banned at convention karaoke because it was so popular!

[rowboatcop]

You did it Geoff, you finally made the "EVA What's in an OP?" !!!
Congratulations!
Congratulations
congratulations
Congratulations!
Congratulations~
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations
SKAWK
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations
Congratulations (echoed)

[ruggedlemmings]

My favorite thing about the last two episodes of Eva:
-If you needed therapy, after watching the last two episodes you probably won't any more.
-If you didn't need therapy, after watching the last two episodes you probably will.

[morgandubeux]

In the begining of the op when Asuka and Rei pass by Shinji, Rei is ascending and Asuka is descending. It could be foreshadowing Asuka's fall from grace and descent into depression while Rei's could be foreshadowing her ascent into Lilith and becoming an ethereal being.

[sketch_]

Netflix: Pays $100 Million to keep “Friends”

Also Netflix: Doesn’t buy license for the Evangelion ED and replaces it with sad piano.

[deeblite]

"Whiny little coma-fapper" is my favorite description of Shinji EVER.

[beansfebreeze]

I think it's important to remember the effects of the plot on Misato when dissecting her silhouettes. Her entire life was defined by the impacts. It literally scarred her both physically and mentally as a child. Her sitting like a sad child and standing tall above it all seems to be her transition from someone destroyed by the impacts to someone taking control over them and vice versa. She never escapes them and even when she's on top she still falls to them.

[ThePigKnight]

Shinji protecc
He attacc
But most import
He nerv as hecc

[emmbeesea]

SS-tier opening.

It just screams 90s.

I love it.

[AaditDoshi]

I started evangelion for the first time. I love the opening. Haven't finished yet. So I hope it doesn't spoil too much.

Edit :Never mind: spoiler warning issued. Will return after I finish it.

[stephenboyle]

Unpopular opinion (I think): I genuinely really liked the last two episodes of the original series.

[gavatron]

skipping the last 2 episodes of Evangelion is like skipping parts 1 and 2 of Jojo