Eva Q&A Thread #1 from GameSekai Forums

Note, this is not a transcript, this is edited to be as short as possible, and to be as accurate to my current theories and understanding of Evangelion.  Also, flaming, generic discussion, and irrelevent questions have been removed.  The original thread can be found here:

http://www.gamesekai.org/showthread.php?s=2ebfbd862d4e585dcd6ceaf4d7611caf&threadid=4961

Q. If Asuka was a vegetable, what would she be and why?

A. I am not a smart selector quiz. =P

Q. Explain to me what's up with the live footage of people in the streets and the theatre in The End of Evangelion?  Is it like an insulting reference to the fans or something?

A. First what you need to realize is that Evangelion is a show that stands on its own for its storytelling and entertainment value, however it is also intended to pose a deaper philosophical and/or psychological question. As such the live action footage helps to connect it to the real world, carrying its message into a more realistic setting. Not everything in Evangelion is clear cut, Gainax was known to cut corners in the series' production, and live action footage might have lightened their load while also being "artistic". It being an insult is also plausible, the Eva movie took awhile to get going, as Anno, the director was reluctant to work on it after the volumns of hate mail and death threats he recieved after the series' completion (due to its bizarre ending). Talison Jaffe, who was involved in the Manga realease of the movie stated on the Death & Rebirth commentary that Anno purposely made the movie as bizarre and incomprehensible as possible as a way of saying "up yours" to the fans.

Q. In episode 24, what did Kaoru mean when he told Rei that they were the same?

A. Rei is a clone/hybrid of Yui and contains the soul of Lilith. She (the rei series) was primarilly intended to be used to pilot the mass produced eva series. Kaworu contains the soul of Adam (This is stated by Selee in the Director's Cut), the other (human) component is questionable (I've heard that he's a clone of Ritsuko or Kaji, that however is completely speculative). Selee produced the Kwaoru series secretly. If you look at the entry plugs for the eva series in the movie, there are about 2-3 frames of animation where "Kwaoru" is printed on the side.  In short, both Rei and Kaworu are vessels with the source of life of Angels.

Q. How many Rei clones are there, including the ones that don't have a soul?

There was never a specific number stated at any one point, I could go through and count them if you'd like. (fun fact: in the series the rei clones in the chamber of gauf have no nipples, but in death and rebirth they do =D)

Q: What do the words "Strangeness (dss)" written on Rei's wall in Terminal Dogma mean?

A: Nerv HQ is a pyramid, just like a quark model, and it is safe to assume that dss refers to the its location within the pyramid, just like dss is a point within the quark model.  Strangeness (dss) has to do with particulate theories, and it is plausible that this also may have something to do with the constitution of souls in Evangelion.

Q: Killing is not nessicarily a sin in Eva.  Since when does it say god is a christain god?

A: The god in Eva (if existant) is not neccessarily a Christian god. Eva has many references to Judeo/Christian/Muslim/Cabalist/Babalonian/etc mythos. Many of which are similar or derived along the same lines, and are merely different interpretations of the same monotheistic theories/beliefs, and as such, the world of eva is also a different interpretation of those mythos.

Q: Were there ever Resin Models or Figures of the Angels made (I'm looking for a resin model or figure of Angel 03 from episode 1.) ?  If so how is the quality and who distributed them?

I've been thinking about purchasing some Eva OST's. However I don't know which ones to select out of the vast majorities of Eva OST's that are currently out on the market.   Any suggestions?

A: I'm not much for models, I prefer action figures, of which I've collected most of the Xebec toys which are quite excellent (SHAMLESS PLUG). However Bandai has produced some resin model kits of all the eva models and Sachiel (3rd angel), Bardiel (13th angel) and Zereul (14th angel), as for other angel models and quality I don't know, but overall Bandai makes pretty good models, so I would asume they would be good, I recommend the Perfect Grade Eva Unit 1 model personnally *drool*.

When it comes to anime music, I'm not very interested in it, I hold firm to angst rock and vg remixes and vg OSTs. I don't even buy vg OSTs, I download them, I buy angst rock music and nothing else. I love eva, but I didn't find the music very memorable, and eva had a VERY small music budget. I have Cruel Angel's Thesis on MP3 and thats all I need.   Though, I suggest Eva OST 1-3 and The End of Eva OST, as well as the Death & Rebirth Singles CD.

Q: I don't really get the end of the episodes, not the End Of Evangelion. It was like really wacked up and maybe I was really sleepy one night and I was watchin it and I was too confused and sleepy to get the end of the series. Forget End of Evangelion, I'm talkin't about the end of the episodes, like I already said. It was confusing. Can you explain it to me?

A: In episodes 25 and 26 Shinji is in what we would call purgatory. He is in death recalling his life. He is experiencing purgatory before he can freely join the minds of humanity in instrumentality. Essentially, he is looking back on his life and learning to accept all his mistake, faults, and shortcomings. More importantly his one major fault, the fact that he doesn't feel he has any self worth. He believes everyone hates him, no one cares about him, and so he has created a wall around his mind, similar to the AT that is associated with autism. No one can probe further into his subconscious until he lets them, and as the two parter progresses he comes to terms with things, and realizes that he has self worth. It is taking a step back to take a step forward as well. When you watch the series everything is over and done with and shinji is dead, and you're observing his life from his perspective after death. If you look at his tape player it is always on 25, 26, or switching back and forth, as a direct reference to those last two episodes. I hope that helps its a very very VERY confusing ending, I was like "WTF?" the first time. I wanted to rip my hair out, but after a while, I realized that it really is a very good ending.

Q: Why does Rei appear to Shinji in eps 1 and in perfect health while when at NERV she is bandaged from the accident involving Eva-00?

A: Slight correction, she also appears on the water at the very end of End of Evangelion in the very same way. She was created from Lilith, the mother of humanity, who also houses the souls of all people within her AT field, as Kaworu said, that the AT field is simply the wall that encloses ones mind. She also has Lilith's soul, so as she is connected to Lilith, she is connected to all mankind, so she is in the minds of all people, which is how she appeared to shinji in those instances. That may not be entirely correct, but ya know close enough, you get the idea.