NOTES Angel Attack "People found a God, and in their folly tried to acquire it. Thus retribution was visited upon mankind." Ritsuko Akagi thus ridiculed Second Impact -- the greatest calamity since the dawn of history which was visited upon humankind in the final year of the 20th century. Floods, volcanic eruptions, abnormal weather, civil conflicts... Humankind lost half its number and the world lost hope. The cause of Second Impact was announced to the general public as due to the impact of a massive meteorite, but it was actually caused by the 1st Angel "Adam" which was discovered in Antarctica. And then, 15 years later, People faced another crisis. "Unmistakable -- it's an Angel." Gendou Ikari spoke softly but with conviction. The first appearance of an Angel since Second Impact 15 years earlier. Contact between an Angel and Adam would trigger Third Impact and annihilate humankind. However, the force of humans -- weapons -- are powerless against the Angels. The only thing capable of defeating the Angels is Evangelion, which possesses the same power as the Angels.... "If you're going to pilot it, get in. If not, go home." "Pilot Eva and fight" -- Those were the orders given by Gendou to his son, Shinji, at their first meeting after a long separation. Shinji was one of the "Children" who satisfied the requirements for piloting Eva. Although rebelling against his father's heartless words, Shinji piloted the Eva and defeated the Angel. However, that was merely the beginning of a long battle. The melting together of our hearts will destroy me "Even if I die there will be a replacement." Another "Children", Rei Ayanami, was a manufactured girl -- manufactured to carry out a certain task. She shed the first tears of her life upon realizing that she was "lonely", but then died in battle immediately thereafter. A third Rei was prepared at once -- a new Rei who knew not the reason for her tears. "Piloting Eva is all I have." The dedicated pilot of EVA-02, Sohryu Asuka Langley's pride was sustained by piloting Eva. Losing her mother at a young age had made her choose "strength" as her raison d'être. The strength of being needed by those around her, and yet not needing anyone around her. But Asuka had been beaten -- by Shinji, by the Angels, and by herself. Having lost the ability to pilot Eva, she lost her sense of worth -- a broken person. "I'll stop fretting about a phone that doesn't ring -- -- and accept your heart." Misato Katsuragi pursued the truth, following the leads left by her lover Ryohji Kaji. Second Impact was a man-made event... The Instrumentality Project (HCP) is synonymous with Third Impact... The Eva were not made simply to defeat the Angels... By drawing closer to the truth, was she trying to draw closer to Kaji? The Final Messenger (The Last to Die) "Yes, worthy of friendship." The Fifth Children, Kaworu Nagisa, achieved a chance meeting with Shinji, and conveyed his friendship. Kaworu's words gently opened up Shinji's heart, which had shut itself away in its shell. But Kaworu's true identity was that of the final Angel -- the enemy of humankind. "I don't understand what you're saying, Kaworu!" "My last testament." Kaworu wished for death. And so Shinji killed him.... The Ultimate Enemy is Man EVA-02 has activated! The last Angel is dead. The Angel's name was Kaworu Nagisa -- The first person to ever tell Shinji that he liked him. And the first person to whom Shinji ever opened up his heart. Having killed Kaworu by his own hand, Shinji shut away his heart once again and implored Asuka to help him. Asuka - the spirited young girl who had always made fun of him. But Asuka's pride had been shattered, and she did not respond. On the other hand, the death of the last Angel meant the completion of SEELE's scenario. To artificially evolve Humankind which has reached its limit as a colony of flawed and separate entities into a perfect single being -- that was the true meaning of the Instrumentality Project (HCP), and was also synonymous with Third Impact. As the Promised Time neared, SEELE mobilized the MAGI type computers around the world to hack into NERV's original MAGI system. The aim was the occupation of NERV HQ through the take-over of MAGI. To deal with this threat, NERV reinstated Dr. Ritsuko Akagi. Misato could hardly believe that the woman abandoned by Gendou Ikari would willingly cooperate with NERV again. At any rate, by reinstating Ritsuko, MAGI was able to successfully evade the threat of occupation. However, this was merely the first skirmish. SEELE then committed the JSSDF in an attempt to directly capture the two Eva units. Gunfire and screams, blood and the smell of gunpowder smoke. New Tokyo-3, which had been named the fortress of humankind. became a battlefield where humans now fought each other. However, the prowess of the military -- of professional slaughterers -- far outstripped that of NERV. Enemy forces committed one after another, NERV personnel falling one after another, barricades being breached -- the reports entering the Command Center were hopeless. Misato has Asuka placed in EVA-02, and then goes in search of Shinji. The only hope for a reversal -- the only hope to survive -- being in Shinji's EVA-01 destroying all nine remaining Eva series units. On the other hand, Gendou leaves Fuyutsuki in command, and goes to Terminal Dogma together with Rei Ayanami. What does Gendou plan in the midst of this hopeless situation. What will SEELE's scenario bring to pass? Is there a future for Asuka, lying curled up like an unborn child inside the unmoving EVA-02? What runs through Ritsuko's head as she smiles coldly inside MAGI? And Misato dashing through the battlefield that was once NERV HQ -- will she make it in time? The clashing of various people's wills amidst a complex battle resembles a council that will decide humanity's future. Evolution and death, stagnation and birth, truth and lies -- and the future chosen by humankind? The key to this future is in the hands of Shinji, who cowers trembling in a corner of the battlefield.... |