Alienation and Neon Genesis Evangelion

Transcription

ASIASCAPE.ORG OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES
ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
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Alienation and Neon Genesis Evangelion
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Japanese Science Fiction
in Converging Media:
Introduction:
Japanese popular culture, represented primarily by manga and anime, has over
the last couple of decades increasingly gained popularity both within and beyond Japan. Based on the assumption that this is partly due to their distinct
qualities as media of political expression, this article aims to identify and discuss
some of these expressions. Focusing on the SF franchise Neon Genesis Evangelion (hereafter EVANGELION), often regarded as a landmark in the history of
Japanese animation, it will trace the recurring concept of alienation through the
extremely popular anime (1995), the manga (1995–2012), and the videogame
Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 (2003), thus offering an insight into their commonalities as well as their differences.
“Alienation” is a central concept in modern social and political
theory, as well as in sociology and psychology, and refers to “the condition of
separation or estrangement.” 1 For Karl Marx, who developed the most influential accounts of alienation in modern social and political theory, alienation is a
central critique to modern capitalism. Analyzing the situation of wageworkers in
the historical context of modern society, Marx observes that alienation occurs
for them in four interrelated senses in capitalist society: alienation from the
very product they produce, from the act of production, from their fellow
workers, and from their “species-being.”2 Marx sees “species-being” as the
unique human attribute which distinguishes human life from that of the animals,
where one’s alienation from their “species-being” in a modern capitalist society
is focused through the class structure and the proletariat experience.3 Thus for
Marx, overcoming alienation requires a change in material conditions for a historically specific class of the proletariat by way of their revolutionary activities.
While Marx developed his idea of alienation from his wider sociological discussion on the political economy of capitalism, later scholars study
more individual and psychological aspects of alienation in a wider social context. Among them, American sociologist Melvin Seeman identifies five alternative meanings as components of alienation: powerlessness, meaninglessness,
normlessness, isolation, and self-estrangement.4 Powerlessness is the sense that
one cannot influence socio-political events in which one interacts. Meaningless
ISSN: 1875-225X (ONLINE); 1875-2241 (PRINT) PAGE: 1
ness is a feeling that is experienced when it is unclear
what one ought to believe.5 Normlessness is a feeling
which comes from believing that socially unapproved
means are required to achieve important goals.6 Isolation
is a quality of estrangement from the goals and beliefs
which are highly valued in the society. Self-estrangement
is a feeling that an individual cannot find self-rewarding
activities that engage him. Seeman’s account opens up
further investigations on various forms of alienation
found in the relation between humans and machine, and
among different social groups in modern societies.
With both Marx and Seeman, the notion of
alienation in social and political theory appears to have a
negative connotation, as if it is something to be overcome. Yet, in another strand, the field of science fictional
(SF) literature, the idea of alienation or estrangement is
rather positive. Literary critic Darko Suvin notably defines SF as “the literature of cognitive estrangement,”
deriving this concept from German dramatist Bertolt
Brecht’s concept of verfremdungseffekt (in English,
alienation-effect or estrangement-effect).7 Suvin and
other advocates of this view such as Fredric Jameson
argue that the power of SF literature lies in its potential
to detach its worlds from the everyday life of the reader,
thereby facilitating estrangement that may lead to reflections on the present. Here, alienation and estrangement
are essentially political, aiming to reveal that what is assumed to be eternal or natural is merely historical and,
therefore, subject to change. 8
The concept of “alienation” is a central theoretical concept across different disciplines with both
negative and positive connotations. The following analyses aim to trace the “alienation” found in EVANGELION
through different works and media, closely paying attention in each case to the politics revealed through its expression and employment.
Overview of the EVANGELION Franchise:
Airing from 1995 to 1996 on Japanese television, the
anime Neon Genesis Evangelion is arguably the most successful and most known part of the franchise. Set fifteen
years after a catastrophe known as “Second Impact” has
wiped out the majority of the world’s population, the
story shows humanity under attack from enigmatic, otherworldly creatures known as “Angels” (in Japanese shito,
or “disciples”), who seek to initiate a new and final cataclysm, or “Third Impact.” In response, mankind sets up a
final defense in the form of “Evangelions” or EVAs, biomechanical giants which possess abilities similar to the
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Angels. Under the command of the paramilitary organization NERV, the EVAs are piloted by the “Children,” 14year-olds with a special affinity for them. EVANGELION
is not only a post-apocalyptic environment but also a
pre-apocalyptic one; according to director Anno Hideaki,
it is “A world with few children left to lead it into the
future.”9
Drawing inspiration from works which feature
themes of mistrust, uncontrollable power, and human
extinction such as the 1972 manga Devilman (デビルマ
ン, Debiruman) and the 1981 anime Space Runaway Ideon
(伝説巨神イデオン, Densetsu kyōjin ideon),10 possibly
the most innovative and influential aspect of Neon Genesis Evangelion is the positioning of its characters in its
science fictional setting. Where previous titles of a similar vein would showcase heroes with unbreakable wills
or protagonists reluctant to fight but determined to end
conflict, Children are defined by the degree to which
their deep psychological and emotional traumas overwhelm their lives. The protagonist Ikari Shinji constantly
questions the worth of his existence, while his fellow
Children Ayanami Rei and Soryū Asuka Langley doubt
the authenticity of emotions and exhibit a strong fear of
inferiority, respectively. These problems of mistrust and
emotional isolation extend to the rest of the characters
as well, further swallowing the problems of the many
(saving humanity) within the problems of the individual.
The original anime ran for 26 episodes, was
followed shortly after by a series of theatrical films in
1997, and has since then reached far into other media.
Many video games have been made based on EVANGELION in part or in whole, ranging from strip poker clients to strategy simulations to pachinko machines. Similarly, a number of Evangelion manga have been created,
including alternate spin-offs which place the characters
into occult mysteries and other settings far removed
from the original. The more recent Rebuild of Evangelion
(ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版, “Wevangeriwon shingekijōban”) films, beginning in 2007 and set to conclude in
2013, even act as a heavily altered re-imagining of the
original. With many titles imitating, drawing inspiration
from, and responding to its various themes, characters,
artistic elements, and even marketing both directly and
indirectly,11 EVANGELION has shaped Japanese animation profoundly both in terms of lasting and global popularity among young fans, as well as in the novelty of its
expression, a milestone in Japanese popular culture.
Of these different versions of EVANGELION,
we will be looking at three titles in particular because of
their proximity in both content and intent. The first is
the original television series, Neon Genesis Evangelion. The
second is the manga by Sadamoto Yoshiyuki, also titled
Neon Genesis Evangelion, which was published from 1995
to 2012 and closely adapts the television series to a
comics format. The last is the 2003 game Neon Genesis
Evangelion 2, supervised by the original director Anno
Hideaki, which encourages players to influence the Evangelion story through their own decisions.
Alienation in the Anime Neon Genesis
Evangelion:
Beginning with the television series, one of the central
themes throughout EVANGELION has been the separation experienced by its main characters, especially that of
the protagonist Ikari Shinji. By analyzing Shinji’s situation
through Seeman’s five meanings of alienation (i.e. powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, isolation, selfestrangement), this section will show how the anime
communicates those meanings, as well as how it works
to contribute to concepts of alienation.
As one episode title 12 suggests, Shinji suffers
from “Hedgehog’s Dilemma,” the fear of being hurt when
getting too (emotionally) close to another. Shinji is separated from his family (his father in particular, whom Shinji
believes to have abandoned him), his friends and his social world, and has difficulties interacting with others to
form interpersonal relationships. In addition, Shinji suffers
from low self-esteem and has trouble constructing his
self-identity, another main theme of the series.13 Knowing the nature of Shinji’s separation, we must ask if Shinji
can overcome the condition of alienation.
Powerlessness and Meaninglessness:
Consider the first two aspects of Seeman’s alienation,
“powerlessness” and “meaninglessness.” Shinji’s sense of
estrangement is partly because of his low self-esteem,
relating to his feeling of “powerlessness”. He feels that he
cannot influence his social situation, and that one of the
ways to overcome this “powerlessness” is to combat the
Angels. Committing to this socially high-valued goal (as in
valued by the immediate community around him,
including NERV, his fellow pilots, and his father) is crucial
for Shinji to feel valued and to gain power. The clear social goal of “resistance against the Angels” also helps to
ease the second aspect, “meaninglessness,” especially
because Shinji’s mission appears straightforward at a
glance. Here, the presence of the Other (Angels) is cru-
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ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
cial to constructing the Self (humans) and to legitimizing
the resistance against the Angels as a social goal. Yet, in
terms of other aspects of alienation, for Shinji this belief
creates more problems than solutions.
Normlessness:
The later parts of Evangelion question the binary distinction between humans and Angels-as-aliens, as well as the
legitimacy of humanity’s resistance against them, resulting
in Shinji’s “normlessness.” In Episode 18, an angel infects
a new Evangelion unit with the pilot still inside and mutates it into a hostile adversary. Under its control, the
rogue “EVA-03” defeats Rei and Asukas’s own EVAs, leaving Shinji as the only one still capable of fighting. Ikari
Gendō, commander of NERV and Shinji’s father, orders
Shinji to destroy the Angel/EVA, but Shinji refuses the
order, unwilling to kill the human being trapped inside. In
response, Gendō activates an autopilot system inside of
Shinji’s EVA-01, the “Dummy Plug,” which mutilates EVA03, severely injuring the pilot as well. Because Shinji
would have to sacrifice the life of a peer, an illegitimate
or immoral action, in order to contribute to the collective goal of eliminating the Angels, he experiences
normlessness. This feeling further escalates when he realizes that the unknown pilot is actually his classmate
Suzuhara Tōji, one of the few people whom he had
managed to befriend.
Isolation:
The fourth aspect of alienation, “isolation,” is also found
in the contradictory binary between humans (the Self)
and Angels (the Others). Here, Shinji feels a sense of
estrangement from the collective goal itself (eliminating
the Angels).
In Episode 24, Shinji meets a new EVA pilot
Nagisa Kaworu. Over the course of the episode, the two
become friends, establishing a relationship closer than
any Shinji had previously experienced, including his
friendship with Tōji. When it is revealed that Kaworu is
in fact an Angel in human form, Shinji is faced with the
decision of whether or not to kill his friend. In the end,
Shinji follows through and kills Kaworu in a situation
similar to Tōji’s, but is devastated even more by the loss.
For Shinji, whose experiences have led to the Other
being comprised of not just the Angels but also fellow
human beings, the fact that Kaworu is both has a complex effect on him. Shinji follows the social goal of defeat-
ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
ing the Angel Kaworu, but rather than easing his “isolation” the act further deepens it.
Figure 2: Imaginary dialogues in sunset train carriage represent Shinji’s
internal argument.
Figure 1: Shinji’s inner struggle: to kill or not to kill Kaworu.
Kaworu’s death scene employs a variety of audio and
visual techniques in order to convey Shinji’s feelings of
fear and loneliness. At the climax of the battle, Shinji’s
EVA-01 remains still, holding Kaworu in its massive hand,
while a Beethoven symphony acts as musical accompaniment. The scene lasts approximately sixty seconds, and
its audio and visual technique leads the viewers to anticipate Shinji’s inner struggle and hesitation over ending
Kaworu’s life. The sequence acts as one of the more
prominent uses of creative visual motifs in the series, but
it should be pointed out that Evangelion frequently
incorporates visual techniques into its portrayal of
emotions.
Notably, the anime works to represent Shinji’s
inner struggle through the utilization of abstract or visually ambiguous spaces. One prominent example is a recurring setting involving imaginary dialogues held in a
train carriage, either between Shinji and other main
characters or between Shinji and a younger version of
himself. Here, the combination of the perpetual sunset
with a symbolic orange color motif and the sounds of
the train in the background represent his loneliness. The
dialogues—internal arguments in which he repeatedly
asks himself the same questions—represent Shinji’s selfcondemnation. These techniques will be explored in
more detail in the next section.
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Self-Estrangement:
Seeman characterizes “self-estrangement,” a feeling that
an individual cannot find self-rewarding activities that
engage him, with two features.14 First, it postulates some
ideal human condition from which the individual is estranged. To be self-alienated means to be something less
than what one might ideally be. Second, selfestrangement can be seen simply as rhetorical appeals to
nature. In other words, it is a loss of “species-being”,
which Marx and others have considered to be an essential feature of modern alienation. In relation to the first
feature the discrepancy between ideal self-image and
actual self-image is a constant issue for Shinji and the
other main characters throughout Evangelion.
The last two episodes focus heavily on Shinji
and the other main characters’ reasons for living and the
ways in which they pursue self-rewarding activities,
through a combination of narrative exploration of
possibilities, peculiar animation techniques, and usage of
voice-overs. In regards to the first feature of
self-estrangement, the ideal human condition, the final
episode portrays a surprising shift to an alternative universe in which Shinji is not an EVA pilot. This world is
perhaps an ideal one where he, as his ideal self, can interact with others without a sense of alienation. This
ideal world eschews the portrayal of Shinji’s internal
struggle though various visual and acoustic techniques
earlier (e.g. static images with voice-over, abstract images, imaginary dialogues held in a train carriage) in favor
of an environment without those inner conflicts. In relation to the second feature, the appeal to nature, the endless psychic struggles for identity, self-fulfillment, and selfidentification among the main characters is one of the
more discussed issues on Evangelion among scholars.15
Piloting the EVA is crucial for Shinji to overcome his
sense of “powerlessness” and “meaninglessness”. This
also acts to correct his sense of “self-estrangement” and
to fulfill his reason for existence.
The alternate world of the ideal Shinji is notable
within the context of the episode, as it is conveyed in a
more conventional manner, whereas for the most part
the last two episodes make use of abstraction and ambiguity to a greater degree than any episodes prior to
them. Episodes 25 and 26 use continuous montages of
black and white images whose content ranges from the
Evangelions to piles of garbage. During these scenes,
Shinji, Asuka, and Rei, portrayed solely through their
voices, repeatedly ask themselves about their reasons for
existing. Shinji in particular says, “No, I am worthless. I
have nothing to be proud of. By piloting the EVA, I can be
me. I had nothing before I started piloting the EVA.” He
continues, “I’m allowed to be here, because I pilot the
EVA…I have nothing, nothing at all.” This static scene
leads viewers to focus on Shinji’s (as well as Asuka’s and
Rei’s) motives for piloting the EVA. For Shinji, the act is
crucial to defining the Self, and is also a way to approach
to his ideal self.
Episode 26 in particular extensively employs
static abstract images and montage in combination with
voice-over to represent Shinji’s fluid reality and his crisis
in self-identification. Here, Shinji’s existential crisis is presented in one symbolic scene in which Shinji’s face is
filled by the faces of other characters.16
Figure 3: Shinji’s existential crisis.
The techniques of limited animation combine with the
use of voice-overs work effectively to represent the
sense of “self-estrangement.” Indeed, some scholars see
Evangelion as a prominent example of expressional potentials of still images in animation. Routt notes, “The
series continually uses stills of Shinji and his surroundings
to direct attention to his state of mind and to his memories, constantly reminding viewers that what is going on
inside his head warrants our attention – and in this way
predicting its own psychological denouement.”17 Lamarre
argues that “the techniques of limited animation”, such as
the usage of still images, which is central in Anno’s work,
“function as something other than cheap or hasty approximations of full animation.”18
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The Scales of Alienation:
By analyzing the Evangelion anime in terms of Seeman’s
five aspects of alienation, we find that Shinji tries to
overcome his alienation by participating in the collective
human resistance against the alien Angels, yet his attempt
reveals contradictions in the types of alienation. His actions seem to ease his sense of “powerlessness,” “meaninglessness,” and “self-estrangement,” but at the same
time also deepen other aspects of alienation, namely
“normlessness” and “isolation.” By piloting the EVA,
Shinji becomes a part of a highly-valued social goal in the
form of “resistance” while also working to ease his sense
of estrangement. Yet, this attempt is problematic to his
trajectory of self-identification, his pursuit of individuality. Furthermore, the human resistance against the Angels
highlights other issues of defining the Self, selfidentification and subjectivity. Shinji’s “normlessness” and
“isolation” reveal that the aliens which the humans resist
are not aliens as such.
The Evangelion anime also portrays Shinji’s alienation and his inner struggle through the effective use
of techniques involving images and sounds. Among those
techniques are the articulation of still images in the form
of montage and abstract visuals, which act as very powerful expressions of Shinji’s sense of alienation. The repeated insertion of scenes showing imaginary/unreal
moments with vivid color motifs also function to represent Shinji’s psychic struggle and his loneliness. The analysis suggests that the Evangelion anime provides a lively
example to think about the political and philosophical
concept of alienation through animation.
Alienation in the Manga Neon Genesis
Evangelion:
In order to analyze how the Evangelion manga portrays
and represents alienation through the techniques of
manga, it is necessary to separate “inherent” aspects of
manga as a medium from decisions born out of the nature of the Evangelion manga as an “adaptation.” How
much is the Evangelion manga a translation of the anime
(and thus applies conventions of the anime in manga
form, e.g. iconic shots from the anime turned into similar
panels)? To what degree does it matter that it is indeed
manga (as opposed to anime)? How, if at all, is the manga
a response to the anime? Finally, what effect does the
creator’s own preferences and approach to the work
have on the concept? By answering these questions, this
section will show how the nature of alienation in the
manga, though similar to the anime, differs to the extent
that it changes the meaning of alienation itself within the
context of the story.
The Position of the Evangelion Manga:
Relative to other forms of EVANGELION, one of the
most unique aspects of the manga is its production time
frame. Whereas the original television series ran in under
a year from 1995 to 1996 with the films Death, Rebirth,
and End of Evangelion coming shortly after, and the first
Rebuild of Evangelion movie was released to theaters in
2007, the manga began as a parallel adaptation, starting in
1995 with the first chapter actually debuting a month
before the premiere of the TV series.19 At the same
time, despite finishing 15 years after the series and its
movies, the manga never surpassed the original in terms
of the amount of overall story told. Events portrayed
over the course of three or four episodes of the anime
(i.e. three weeks to a month in terms of the original
broadcast) were sometimes separated by months or
even years in the publication of the manga. Thus, while
the anime was completed in a short time span in the
latter half of the 90s, and the new films are able to directly respond to that original work, the manga’s unique
position allowed it to gradually develop an increasing
capacity for hindsight.
While largely similar in terms of overall narrative, even small differences affect the portrayal of alienation. In Episode 24 of the television series, Kaworu explains the true nature of the “Absolute Terror (A.T.)
Field,” a recurring element in the series. Ostensibly a
powerful energy-like barrier possessed by both the Angels and the EVAs that cannot be breached with conventional weaponry, Kaworu reveals that the A.T. Field does
not exist merely for combative purposes but is actually
the manifestation of the physical and mental divisions
between beings, the “light of the soul” and “the wall that
everyone has in their heart.”20 The A.T. Field thus becomes a “concrete” representative entity in the narrative, conveying the idea that human beings can never
truly understand each other. The manga, however, while
providing an identical scene in Volume 11,21 also adds a
more explicit explanation that was merely implied in the
anime at that point: without AT Fields, human beings
merge into a single entity. As will be seen in the following
sections, this tendency away from ambiguity is a key difference in the manga and its approach to alienation.
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The Straightforward Visual Style of the
Evangelion Manga:
Sadamoto Yoshiyuki, the anime’s original character designer, is also responsible for writing and drawing the
entirety of the manga. In contrast to the anime, which
makes extensive use of abstract and ambiguous imagery
to detach characters from a definite physical space in
order to emphasize inner thought, the manga is generally
more straightforward and conventional in its approach
to narrative. Comparatively, the manga contains far fewer
scenes which use overtly abstract imagery, and the overall visual direction leans towards somewhat of an Ōtomo
Katsuhiro-style aesthetic.22 The character designs in the
first place have a fairly strong sense of physicality, and in
the manga this also translates into other aspects of the
visual world more prominently. While the manga is not
entirely without those scenes of introspection and inner
conflict, even the most abstract scenes in it still maintain
a high degree of accurate physical rendering on both
characters and environments.
Figure 4: Shinji kills Kaworu in an act of love and mercy.
In this iteration of the fight between Shinji and Kaworu
depicted in Figure 4, the moment in which Shinji kills
Kaworu references an earlier scene where Kaworu performs a “mercy kill” on a stray kitten rather than let it
suffer through life (Kaworu also makes his first appearance much sooner in the manga, at roughly the half-way
point). Whereas the anime shows only the silhouette of
Kaworu’s severed head unceremoniously dropping into a
sea of orange liquid, the manga shows Shinji strangling
Kaworu just as Kaworu had killed the kitten. Here,
though the emptiness of the field and the destroyed
buildings (as well as the scene’s chronological placement
in the manga) make it clear that this image is symbolic,
ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
the manga still portrays the moment with a strong sense
of physical reality.
Abstract/Real Transitions in the Evangelion
Manga:
The “abstract” transitions into the “real” with much
more ease compared to the anime, where the difference
can be abrupt and rather striking. However, while the
infrequency of those moments should make them stand
out all the more because of how they diverge from the
rest of the manga, this is not the case. To some extent,
this can be explained by the fact that Sadamoto’s abstracted sequences are still more real than equivalent
scenes in the anime, but what is also important is that
the geometric nature of comics itself, a medium comprised primarily of rectangular enclosures and spaces of
various sizes, makes this transition smoother, especially
when filtered through the conventions of “story manga.”
To elaborate, the panel-based nature of comics
generally results in a certain level of visually geometric
abstraction. A comic can be thought of as panels drawn
and arranged in a way so as to organize its narrative information, for a comic is not simply images placed next
to each other on a page.23 Generally, this leans towards
some type of narrative clarity (e.g. the order in which
the panels should be read), but with manga, the tendency
towards a “flowing” panel progression which emphasizes
a guided movement from one element to the next further fosters this abstracted view of the narrative
contents. For instance, a particular character can occur
multiple times on the same page and yet still not be seen
as multiple characters. While this effect is certainly
achievable in other art forms, from film (Gollum’s “dialogue” with Smeagol in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the
Rings: The Two Tower s film adaption) to nonrepresentational paintings (Marcel Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2) to animation and games, the
comics form is particularly suited for it because of how
space is utilized by the panel-based format to convey
narrative content. The result is that, in manga, the panels
act as a continuous reminder of the abstract properties
they possess. Where other forms of media can accomplish the same thing and do so with great effectiveness,
comics are a form where the combination of narrative
and abstraction through framing is a convention that is
practically taken for granted.
Figure 5: Shinji and Kaworu converse against a vague backdrop.
Moreover, manga has a history of using symbolic, abstract, and/or non-existent backgrounds to emphasize
the characters (and by extension their emotions) in a
panel. In particular, shōjo (girls’) manga, notably the work
of the Shōwa 24 Group,24 has an extensive history of
utilizing this style, and an observation of works by
authors such as Hagio Moto and Ikeda Riyoko show a
very liberal usage of panels and sequences far more abstract and elaborate than in Sadamoto’s Evangelion
manga. Even there, however, the absence of clearly defined backgrounds does not register a panel space as
being particularly abstract. Returning once more to Shinji
and Kaworu, we can see a conversation occurring between the two of them, with the backgrounds lacking any
particular details, but the characters do not feel divorced
from their physical environment
Manga’s tendency to abstract its “physical elements,” or to remove characters from a definite physical
and perspective-oriented space means that the transition
between a moment grounded in physical “realism” and
one dedicated to making the internal world of the character visible is much smoother than in anime. Thus, in the
Evangelion manga, Sadamoto’s realistic style makes the
visually ambiguous scenes less abstract, while the formal
elements of manga lend a degree of inherent abstraction
to Sadamoto’s style, resulting in smoother transitions
between the two.
Prominence of Character Communication:
The vagueness with which the characters express themselves in the anime also turns out to be much less
prominent aspect of their manga counterparts. In the
lead-up to the fight with EVA-03 in Episode 18, the
anime shows how everyone, including the pilot Tōji him-
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self, is unwilling to tell Shinji the truth until it is too late.
Here, Shinji finds out only after Tōji is critically injured in
A Different Site of Alienation:
the battle. In the manga however, Tōji tells Shinji about
his appointment as an Evangelion pilot, going so far as to
confide in Shinji his own fears and doubts concerning the
Through a combination of Sadamoto’s tendency towards
“physical” realism (relative to the anime), smoother
abstract-to-physical transitions of manga, and a narrative
featuring improved communication between the characters, the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga shows a more
straightforward approach to even its presentation of
alienation. Unlike the anime, the expression of thoughts
and emotions in the manga of Evangelion is typically not
as overt in its presentation. Thus, understanding is best
culled from active character interaction, rather than the
awkward conversations and moments of deep introspection utilized more consistently by the anime (though the
manga is not without those scenes entirely).
As the characters communicate with each
other in a more “normal” fashion, both in terms of the
primarily non-abstract visualizations of their interactions
and their more “natural” conversations, the upper limit
of human interaction is brought to the forefront. For the
Neon Genesis Evangelion manga, alienation occurs among
the characters when they become painfully aware of
those limits. While the anime’s characters are afraid to
show their true selves for fear of being hurt, the characters of the manga are frustrated by the upper boundaries
of the individual.
Like the anime, the setting of the Evangelion
manga is a world recovering from destruction, where the
inheritors of the future are wracked with personal demons which inhibit their ability to connect to others. But
whereas the original anime emphasizes the challenge of
making connections in the first place, the manga allows
for the establishment of relationships, only to call their
success into question afterwards. The more conventional
narrative and visual progression of the manga pushes the
site of alienation somewhat away from the enclosed
mental space of the individual to the ambiguous shared
space that exists between people. Given this approach,
the alienation of the Evangelion manga is similar to the
anime in that it lessens the sense of powerlessness,
meaninglessness, and self-estrangement at the expense of
increased feelings of normlessness and isolation, but it
differs in that this contrast is most keenly felt in a developed interpersonal relationship, rather than in potential
or half-formed ones.
position. Though the outcome is far graver (Tōji ends up
dead instead of hospitalized), the prior scene shows how
the characters do not stop where their anime counterparts would in terms of interaction. Even Shinji himself
has different responses to the situation depending on the
version of Evangelion. After the battle, Shinji tries and fails
to destroy NERV headquarters in retaliation, and is
brought before his father to explain his act of treason. In
each, Shinji shows himself to be angry at what he feels to
be his father’s betrayal, but whereas Shinji in the anime
has few words for his father and simply quits,25 Shinji’s
manga counterpart goes so far as to take a swing at
him.26 Comparatively, the same scene in the Rebuild of
Evangelion films (where Asuka replaces Tōji) shows a
middle-point between the two, largely resembling the TV
series but also showing how Shinji communicates his
decision with more determination.27
Figure 6: Shinji attempts to strike his father.
If the characters in the Neon Genesis Evangelion
anime can be summarized as individuals who have enormous trouble connecting to others in the first place,
then the manga’s characters can be thought of as individuals who run up against the upper limits of personal
interaction. In the manga, the characters are able to create and foster relationships, but they almost inevitably
reach a point where they end up questioning the validity
of those connections. The interactions do not have to be
“positive” ones either, as is the case with Shinji assaulting
Gendō.
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Alienation in the Game Neon Genesis
Evangelion 2:
Whereas the manga and the anime emphasize the psychological condition and developments of the characters
and express the uncontrollable and complex nature of
human interaction side by side with the alien intrusion
by the angels, the videogame Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 in
contrast abstracts both the characters and the interaction between them due to its algorithmic, numerical basis. Focusing on the “free turn” sequence in the game,
this section will show that the structure of sociality inscribed into the world of Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 provides a radical and profoundly alienating experience to
the player, thus engaging with alienation from a different
perspective.
Among the various EVANGELION videogames,
Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 (also called EvangelionS, hereafter Eva2), produced by Alfasystem, BANDAI, and GAINAX, sticks out in terms of its distinct expression of
Anno’s vision. Following a rough version of the anime
story in its narrative, Eva2 adapts the anime's double
structure by facilitating two altering modes, the so-called
“free turn,” in which the players are able to explore the
world and interact with non-player-characters (npcs)
controlled by an artificial intelligence, and the “combat
turn,” in which they have to pilot the EVA and fight
against the intruding Angels.
However, the game does not feature a singular
main narrative. According to Anno Hideaki, who supervised the project, it rather allows each player “to create
his or her own, individual Evangelion 2.”28 By granting a
large variety of choices the social interactions in the free
turn, the game's “sandbox-like” system allegedly allows
the players to fulfill their desire and to set their own
goal freely,29 or alternately to abandon the notion of a
specific goal overall.30 A fan describes the game as being
“much more a simulation than a game. You cannot only
play Shinji, but also side characters (even Aoba! 31). 2000
hours of play guaranteed. The speed is awful, but at the
same time, it features a high degree of freedom. You can
for example fight Angels in Eva, run berserk, assassinate
whomever you despise, stalk or be stalked, create a
harem, get cheated on, go fishing with dad, etc.”32 The
diverse playable scenarios shown in figure 7, which are
available to the player from early on, indicate that the
game offers perspectives less central in other products
of the franchise.
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ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
Figure 7: Possible Scenarios in Eva2
Space does neither allow for an analysis of these different perspectives and “games” that are played in the Eva2
world, nor for a comprehensive discussion of the implications this high degree of freedom on various levels has
both for the player and for the researcher. The following
section rather aims to analyze the structure underlying
the free turn with regards to its mechanics at play. Focusing on the way in which social interactions are structured in the so-called free turn, it hopes to show how
the game succeeds in translating EVANGELION’s psychological and social complexity into its own language
and can be regarded as an intriguing example of the estranging and alienating potentials videogames facilitate.
Structural Elements of the Free Turn:
Located in Tokyo-3, Eva2 features a variety of places familiar from the anime, such as Misato’s 33 mansion, Rei’s
apartment, the classroom, and the NERV headquarters.
The player is able to direct a player character (pc) freely
through (most of) the environment and may, apart from
some basic needs like food and an occasional bath, use
the passing time in any fashion he or she deems appropriate. Apart from a variety of “functional” (bathroom,
shower, cafeteria) engagements these rooms offer, they
are populated by non-player-characters (npcs), which,
controlled by an artificial intelligence (A.I.) system, follow
their own agenda. This free turn is interrupted by approaching angels (i.e. the combat turn) about every two
days at a randomly determined timing.
Figure 8: Example of the I.M (clockwise from top: Ignore, “What do you
want?”, Answer gruffly, Small talk.
Despite the open system, the free turn is not completely
without structuring elements. A key variable in this respect is the “Absolute Terror” (A.T.) value the player
character and all npcs display. In contrast to its portrayal
in the anime and manga, A.T. is explained in the game
manual as a kind of tension barometer that can be raised
by making friends with npcs. Raising the A.T. is recommended, because this value not only affects the fighting
strength of the Eva during the combat turns, but, according to the solution guide, which refers to it as “something
like the confidence for leading a life in society”, also influences the so-called “Intelligent Material” or “I.M”, another central element of the game.34 The I.M. is the term
used for the large pool of (inter)actions the game facilitates (more than 600 actions are available in total35).
From this pool, the computer selects up to four possible
actions the player can choose from at any given time and
location during the free turns. An example of how the
A.T. influences the I.M. in the game are actions like hugging or kissing, which seem to be available only when the
pc’s and/or the respective npc’s A.T. value are above a
certain level. The player’s actions will not only influence
the A.T. value, but also have an effect on how the npcs
evaluate the pc.
ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
Figure 9: Misato’s evaluation of Rei (from top to bottom): Friendsip,
Love, Parental Love.
Japanese science fiction author and critic Kotani Mari
argues that, in the anime, the characters carefully play or
enact a paternalistic family in what she calls a “family
game.”36 The video game facilitates a similar social game
but puts a stronger emphasis on romantic relationships
through the structure of A.T. and I.M. and the numerical
evaluation of the player’s actions by the npcs, thereby
employing central elements of so-called dating simulation
games.37 Following the suggested aim of raising the A.T.
value requires the player to engage in “successful” social
interactions by choosing the right (re)action for her
character. But, whereas gameplay in dating sims and visual
novels is often dominated by dialogues, the I.M. in Eva2
focuses more on physical exploration, both by facilitating
a variety of actions along with phrases and by dynamically changing the available actions according to the
physical distance between pc and npc. For example, the
player is able to “look at” an npc from a certain distance.
However, this option disappears from the I.M. selection
when drawing closer. As one of the more successful ways
to raise the A.T. begins with looking at npcs, this means
that a considerable part of the gameplay can consist of
frequent “checking” on the actions available, with the
player literally feeling his or her way through the map by
pressing the circle button on the controller to access
the I.M. menu.38 Thereby, the free turn spatializes sociality, requiring of the player a tactile exploration of the
interaction possibilities or the (romantic) social space
the game world offers.
World Mastery:
Where the anime depicts a complex web of social and
personal struggles, the video game reduces the characters to numbers and the social interaction to a prede-
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fined and preselected set of possible actions to choose
from, in order to facilitate a goal structure. By introducing the A.T. and other mentioned numerical values as
variables influenced by the actions the player takes,
which in turn influence the players interactive possibilities or the fighting strength of the Eva, the combination
of A.T. and I.M. produces a variety of potential goals to
follow. In other words, the player can master the social
game Eva2 offers to a certain extent with respect to the
goals he or she sets, by developing an understanding of
the system’s algorithms and the npc’s behavior. The numerical abstraction of the characters emotions can be
“deciphered” and influenced through an effective use of
the I.M. system. For example, effectively pursuing the goal
of raising the A.T. and beating the intruding angels is to
approach the npcs in ways that are likely to be successful. Figure 10 shows the results of research into the game
system done by a player, who explains that passivity is
the basis for a successful relationship.39 As already indicated by the above-cited fan description of the game,
raising the A.T. is by far not the only possible way of playing the game. That is, although it amplifies the fighting
strength of the EVA, and while the game has a narrative
ending that can be reached when all angels are defeated,
players can choose to ignore it or even deliberately decrease the A.T. and “play a different game”.
Figure 10: How to get the girl controlling Shinji. Source: “Eva2 Sūpā
Kōryaku, Furī tān.”
The “learnable” social space of Eva2, in which interactions can be calculated and selected with regards to
their potential success, offers a sense of mastery and
allows the player to make the pc and the npcs obey his
or her initiative. Put next to the depiction of an “apocalyptic psyche”40 in the other works, the rational and controllable world of Eva2 may seem like a resolving answer
to the formers’ struggles. However, the scarcity of available (inter)actions at a given point on the map, sometimes limited to one possible reaction to a situation,
constantly reminds the player of how limited her possibilities are, thus contributing to her estrangement from
the everyday. Yet, in combination with the vast possibilities the game world offers, this same scarcity also creates a productive tension insofar as it challenges the
player to explore these possibilities by subscribing to and
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ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
mastering the available means. According to Susan
Napier, the last episodes of the anime Evangelion show
that its “final apocalyptic vision is an ironic one: even
when we think we can control the reality around us, we
are actually at its mercy, cartoon characters in the hands
of the fates or the animators.”41 The game, however, offers a world in which control can be gained to some
extent by the player, who is thus able to determine her
own goals, potentially facilitating engagements and experiences beyond the directions predicted by the designers, like “not to talk to anybody/only to talk to PenPen 42,” “create a harem,” “homosexual pairing,” “how
many people can I assassinate,” “refuse to work when
playing Misato,” “move in with Rei as Shinji,” “survive
with 0 A.T.,” etc.43 While not further pursued at this
point, the examples hint at the game’s possibilities to
fulfill a wide range of desires, with the player claiming
control over the characters and the game system alike.
Beyond Science Fiction?
With regards to the anime Evangelion, Kotani argues that
it has a very “real feel” despite its fictional setting, because it mounts a critique of the present.44 In terms of
alienation, both manga and anime deploy their expressive
potentials in the science fictional setting of EVANGELION to emphasize a feeling of alienation familiar from
our present. The game, on the contrary, seems to deploy
the A.T. and I.M. to detach or alienate its world from this
present. While sacrificing the psychological depth offered
by the anime and manga due to the abstraction of the
characters, this reduction structures what could be
called “numerical sociality” and facilitates the player an
estranging experience of social interaction. In this sense,
A.T. and I.M. function as so-called science fictional
“nova”, according to SF author and theorist Adam Roberts “the thing or things that differentiate the world portrayed in science fiction from the world we recognize
around us.”45 Beyond its aesthetics or narrative framing,
Eva2 can be said to realize science fiction in its own
gamic language.
What Otherness is created by these nova? The
abstraction of the characters and the social world in
Eva2 generates an estranging playing experience. Dealing
with the question of whether “any human thought pattern [can], in the end, be reduced to a program, thus
reducing humans to mere ‘statistical beings,’ similar to
automatons,” Japanese SF writer Yumeno Kyūsaku, according to Nakamura Miri, confronts the reader with
what she terms the “mechanical uncanny,” or, “a mode of
fear that stems from the mechanization of the human
body”, as something that “threatens what we perceive to
be ‘natural,’ including personal memories and personal
identities as a whole. The idea of a coherent self comes
under attack, as bodies become both divisible and mechanical, and as characters are duplicated and become
reduced to statistical beings.”46 The game, through its
rationalization and abstraction offers a similar experience of a “mechanical uncanny” in the interaction with
the non-player characters.
In order to play the game, the player has to
accept and analyze this “uncanny” otherness, which is all
the more alien due to the “intelligence” the npcs are
equipped with. Developing the A.I. system of the game
Gunparade March 47 further, the A.I. system controls the
npcs and seemingly makes them act either spontaneously
or in response to the player actions. In their actions, the
npcs appear neither restricted by the pressure to raise
their A.T. value, nor by the context or their surroundings. Despite being based on algorithms, which can be
identified and analyzed to some extent, the npcs remain
radical Others to the player because they often appear
indifferent in interactions, aimlessly moving through the
environment. In his analysis of the science fictional character of Star Trek, Roberts argues that the Borg are a
successful representation of radical otherness. “It is impossible for us to enter imaginatively into the world of
the Borg because certain key values we hold, values like
individuality, life/death and so on, are too centrally part
of us, whereas for the Borg they are neither good nor
bad but simply irrelevant.”48 In a similar sense, the npcs
in Eva2 at times may appear alien beyond imagination,
although they are developed to facilitate the player with
“intelligent” or “human-like” counterparts for social interaction, and thus could be said to represent alienation
on the level of “species-being.” If Gadamer is right in
claiming that human play always requires a task it can be
directed towards,49 understanding the aimless npcs
might be impossible unless the player stops playing all
together.
As argued above, limitation in Eva2 both estranges the player from the everyday and challenges him
or her to dig deeper into its world, stimulating exploration of the system beyond mere reaction to the situations at hand. While this can be identified as a structural
element of most videogames, the extent to which everyday experience can or has to be applied to the game
world in order to understand it may vary. Whereas some
games turn towards realism in order to facilitate the
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ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
player with instantaneous understanding, Eva2 rather
employs a variety of mechanisms and elements that alienate and detach its world further from the everyday
present. Playing with(in) this “alien nation” and its inhabitants means to both submit to its rules and to explore
its possibilities within and arising from these boundaries
according the player’s individual desires. Roberts argues
that “SF, by focusing its representations of the world not
through reproduction of that world but instead by figuratively symbolizing it, is able to foreground precisely the
ideological constructions of otherness.”50 It may be argued that the game’s alien world potentially confronts
the player with an symbolic figuration of the present in
Roberts’ sense, with all the political potentials this may
have. In fact, identifying the npcs as an Otherness should
be regarded as part of this process. However, the “alien
nation” in Eva2, in which the utopic dream of control
over one’s social interactions and the dystopic fear of
the “mechanical uncanny” meet, may be better described
as “symbolizing beyond recognition,” particularly where
its inhabitants and rules seem impossible to understand
but can still be experienced and interacted with. Furthermore, the game derives its potentials not from forcing the player into a particular direction or narrative, but
rather from facilitating a choice of how deep he or she
wants to dive into it, thereby providing a context for
personal playful estrangement.
Conclusion
In examining concepts of alienation in EVANGELION
across the media forms of anime, manga, and video
games, the image of alienation at first appears to grow
only more convoluted, particularly in places where the
three iterations seem to contradict one another, such as
with the concept of “A.T.” In the anime and manga, the
Absolute Terror Field is conveyed in a negative light. In
addition to its prominent role as a defensive weapon
utilized by the most physically monstrous entities in
Evangelion, the Angels and the EVAs, it is also the “wall of
the heart” which exemplifies the alienation of Shinji and
every other human being. In the game Eva2, however,
Absolute Terror is given a positive connotation; it not
only increases the EVA’s fighting strength, but when
raised also offers more possibilities for interaction. In
this way, the contradiction of the A.T. Field actually resembles the competing attitudes towards estrangement
and alienation found in social and political theory and
science fiction. Just as how estrangement is a source of
problems in the former and a source of solutions in the
latter, so too does “Absolute Terror” possess a similar
duality, where its presence can protect an individual’s
confidence but also reinforce their sense of psychological loneliness. Even the anime and manga versions of
Evangelion also offer somewhat competing views, placing
either the effect of alienation (or the presence of Absolute Terror) either at the “beginning” of a relationship or
at its “end.”
The characters of the anime lessen some forms
of alienation at the expense of others, while the manga
delays its characters’ sense of alienation initially, only to
unleash its effects more thoroughly later. The game, in
turn, allows its characters to have varying degrees of
alienation. At the same time, the gamic language of Eva2
and its simplification of interpersonal relationships can
create a feeling of alienation through its sense of artificiality. Taken together, the combined image of alienation
conveyed through these three versions of Evangelion
suggests that alienation may not just be a matter of
manifestation through different conceptual forms (powerlessness, meaninglessness, normlessness, isolation, selfestrangement) which can affect a person in a given moment, but also a question of when and where alienation
takes place in a personal history of social interaction. The
contradictions of alienation can occur in time as well as
space, and the two dimensions of alienation may be capable of creating increasingly complex forms of alienation. Medial forms of expression can either employ alienation to criticize the status quo, or to offer cognitive
estrangement by generating Otherness.
Bibliography:
Alpha System. “Shinseiki Evangerion 2 Kōryaku Fairu no.
26.”, Accessed November 25, 2011.
http://www.alfasystem.net/game/eva2/text_conquest/
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Funatsu, Minoru. “Bandai, PS2 Shinseiki Evangerion2 kansei
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Gadamer, Hans-Georg. Wahrheit Und Methode. Tübingen:
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Giddens, Anthony. Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An
analysis of the writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max
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Groensteen, Thierry. The System of Comics. Translated
from French by Bart Beaty and Nick Nguyen. Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 2007
Jameson, Fredric. Brecht and Method. London and New
York:Verso, 1998.
Katō, Hiroyuki, and Junichirō Tamura. Shinseiki Evangerion
2 Kōryaku gaido. Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten, 2003.
Kotani, Mari. Seibo Evangerion [Holly Mother Evangelion] - A
New Millennialist Perspective on the Daughters of Eve.
Tokyo: Magajinhausu, 1997.
Lamarre, Thomas. The Anime Machine: A Media Theory of
Animation. Minneapolis and London: University of
Minnesota Press, 2009.
Lukes, Steven. “Alienation and Anomie.” In Philosophy,
Politics and Society 3rd series, edited by Peter Laslett
and WG Runciman, 134-156. Oxford: Basil Blackwell,
1967.
Mészáros, István. Marx’s Theory of Alienation. London: Merlin Press, 1970.
Miller, David et al. ed. The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 1987.
Nakamura, Miri. “Horror and Machines in Prewar Japan:
The Mechanical Uncanny in YUMENO Kyûsaku’s
Dogura magura.” Science Fiction Studies 29 (2002):
364-381.
Napier, Susan J. “When the Machines Stop: Fantasy, Reality, and Terminal Identity in Neon Genesis Evangelion
and Serial Experiments Lain.” Science Fiction Studies 29
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Roberts, Adam. Science Fiction. London/New York: Routledge, 2006.
Routt, William D. “Stillness and Style in Neon Genesis
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Sadamoto,Yoshiyuki. Interview. Der Mond-Sadamoto yoshiyuki gashuu Deluxe Edition. Japan: Kadokawa Shoten,
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Seeman, Melvin. “On The Meaning of Alienation.” American Sociological Review 24(6) (1959): 783-791.
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Fredric Jameson, Brecht and Method (London and New York:
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1
Marx deployed his analysis of alienation in capitalist production in The Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844 and
later further developed in detail in Capital. See István Mészáros,
Marx’s Theory of Alienation (London: Merlin Press, 1970).
2
3 Anthony
Giddens, Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An
analysis of the writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1971), 14.
Melvin Seeman, “On The Meaning of Alienation.” American
Sociological Review 24(6) (1959): 783-791.
4
Seeman gives an example of post-war German situation,
which Adorno described as “meaningless.” Adorno notes that
the individuals in post-war Germany could not choose with
confidence among alternative explanations of the disasters of
the epoch (ibid., 786).
9 Anno, Hideaki, “What Were We Trying
to Make Here?,” in
Neon Genesis Evangelion v1, 1996 (San Francisco, CA:Viz Media,
LLC, 2004).
Sadamoto,Yoshiyuki, interview, Der Mond-Sadamoto yoshiyuki
gashuu (Der Mond―貞本義行画集) Deluxe Edition, (Japan:
10
Kadokawa Shoten 1999), Translated from Japanese, “The Initial
Title was Alcion,” [EVA] If it weren't for Sadamoto – Redux, last
modified November 30, 2006,
http://eva.onegeek.org/pipermail/evangelion/2006-November/0
03855.html.
11
RahXephon (ラーゼフォン, Rāzefon), Martian Successor
Nadesico (機動戦艦ナデシコ, Kidō senkan nadeshiko, “Mobile
Battleship Nadesico”), the Suzumiya Haruhi (涼宮ハルヒ) series, and Serial Experiments Lain, to name a few.
Episode 4.
For the discussion on the issues on human identity and reality in Evangelion and the anime Serial Experiments Lain, see Susan
J. Napier, “When the Machines Stop: Fantasy, Reality, and Terminal Identity in Neon Genesis Evangelion and Serial Experiments
Lain,” Science Fiction Studies 29 (2002): 418-435.
13
14
Seeman, “On The Meaning of Alienation,” 789-90.
For example, as Napier notes, “[W]hat makes Evangelion truly
groundbreaking are the psychic struggles in which the characters engage.” Napier “When the Machines Stop,” 425. For
more discussions, also see William D. Routt, “Stillness and Style
in Neon Genesis Evangelion,” Animation Journal 8(2) (2000): 28-43
and Thomas Lamarre, The Anime Machine: A Media Theory of
Animation (Minneapolis and London: University of Minnesota
Press, 2009).
15
Lamarre discusses this scene in relation to Shinji’s existential
crisis and a technical crisis of animation. “The animation reminds us that this crisis is not just about a subjective point of
view. Rather the animation gives us an exploded view of the
psyche.” Lamarre, The Anime Machine, 183.
16
17
Routt, “Stillness and Style in Neon Genesis Evangelion,” 41.
18
Lamarre, The Anime Machine, 183.
5
Seeman derives “normlessness” from Durkheim’s description
of “anomie.” For the discussion about alienation and anomie,
see, for example, Steven Lukes, “Alienation and Anomie,” in
Philosophy, Politics and Society 3rd series, ed. Peter Laslett and
WG Runciman (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1967), 134-156.
6
Horn, Carl G, “Editor’s Note,” Neon Genesis Evangelion v1
(San Francisco, CA:Viz Media, LLC, 2004).
19
"The Beginning and the End, or 'Knockin' on Heaven's
Door,'"Neon Genesis Evangelion episode 24, directed by Hideaki
Anno, 1996, Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum Complete (Houston, TX: ADV Films, 2005), DVD.
20
21 “Stage
73: Reaching the Boundary,” Neon Genesis Evangelion
v11, Sadamoto,Yoshiyuki, 2007 (San Francisco, CA:Viz Media,
LLC, 2008), 64-84.
Darko Suvin, Metamorphoses of Science Fiction (New Haven
and London:Yale University Press, 1979).
7
WWW.ASIASCAPE.ORG
22 The
creator of Akira (アキラ), Ōtomo is famous for an em-
phasis on realism and attention to detail while also
commanding a strong sense of flow, i.e. panel progression.
Groensteen, Thierry, The System of Comics, 1999. Translated
from French by Bart Beaty and Nick Nguyen (Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 2007), 18.
23
24 A
group of female manga creators who in the 1970s pushed
the artistic style and narrative scope of girls’ manga.
25
Neon Genesis Evangelion, episode 19, DVD.
ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
41
Napier, “When the Machies Stop,” 430.
42 A
comical, beer-drinking penguin featured in EVANGELION.
43 “Eva2
44
Sūpā Kōryaku, Furī tān.”
Kotani, Seibo Evangerion, 12-13.
45 Adam
Roberts, Science Fiction (London/New York, Routledge
2006), 6. The term “novum” was coined by SF theorist Darko
Suvin.
Miri Nakamura, “Horror and Machines in Prewar Japan: The
Mechanical Uncanny in YUMENO Kyûsaku’s Dogura magura,”
Science Fiction Studies 29 (2002): 369, 377.
46
26 “Stage
41: Fist,” Neon Genesis Evangelion v7, Sadamoto,Yoshiyuki 2001 (San Francisco, CA:Viz Media, LLC, 2004) p.21-22.
Evangelion: 2.22 You Can [Not]Advance, directed by Anno
Hideaki, 2009 (Forth Worth, TX: Funimation, 2011), DVD.
27
Minoru Funatsu, “Bandai, PS2 ‘Shinseiki Evangerion2’ kansei
kishakaiken kaisai,” Game Watch, October 30, 2003, accessed
November 23, 2011,
http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20031030/eva.htm.
28
Kōkidō Gensō Ganparēdo Māchi, 2000, Sony Playstation.
Developed by Alpha System.
47
48
Hans-Georg Gadamer, Wahrheit und Methode (Tübingen:
J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1972), 103.
49
50
29 “Shinseiki
Evangerion 2 Seihin Shōkai,”, Alpha System, accessed November 22, 2011,
http://www.alfasystem.net/game/eva2/product_introduction.ht
ml.
Roberts, Science Fiction, 123.
Roberts, Science Fiction, 19.
30 Yūri
Shibamura, “Shinseiki Evangelion 2,” accessed Nov. 22,
2011,
http://www.bandaigames.channel.or.jp/list/eva2/about.html.
31 A
minor “computer technician” character in EVANGELION.
32 “Eva2
Sūpā Kōryaku, Hajime ni,” Supa, accessed November
23, 2011, http://www.geocities.jp/s_shin_r/eva2/index.html#2.
33 The
EVA pilots’ commanding officer.
Hiroyuki Katō and Junichirō Tamura, Shinseiki Evangerion 2
Kōryaku gaido (Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten, 2003), 30-31.
34
35 “Shinseiki
Evangerion 2 Kōryaku Fairu no. 26,” Alpha System,
accessed November 25, 2011,
http://www.alfasystem.net/game/eva2/text_conquest/mel015x.c
gi.
Mari Kotani, Seibo Evangerion - A New Millennialist Perspective
on the Daughters of Eve (Tokyo: Magajinhausu, 1997), 28-29.
36
Displaying a considerable history and popularity in Japan,
dating simulations are games in which the player can approach
various npcs with the aim of developing a romantic and/or
erotic relationship with them.
37
38 The
German words “tasten” or “herantasten” are more suggestive in this case, as they combine the notion of “to feel
around” with that of touching, and are also used in “Tastsinn”,
meaning “tactile sense”.
39 “Eva2
Sūpā Kōryaku, Furī tān,” Supa, accessed November
23, 2011, http://www.geocities.jp/s_shin_r/eva2/free.html.
40
Napier, “When the Machies Stop,” 428.
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ISSUE 6, APRIL 2013
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Dr Sharon Kinsella (Manchester
University, UK)
Prof Tom Lamarre (McGill University, Canada)
Prof Stefan Landsberger (Amsterdam University)
Dr Angus Lockyer (SOAS, UK)
Prof Susan Napier (Tufts University, USA)
Prof Ivo Smits (Leiden University,
Netherlands)
Prof Takayuki Tatsumi (Keio University, Japan)
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Alienation and Neon Genesis Evangelion

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