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t1_jb3y1np wrote

Reply to comment by in Philosophy is everywhere in Neon Genesis Evangelion by

I think it’s because Evangelion really resonates with the depressed, or at least people who have been depressed at one point. I’m not an anime guy but I happened to stumble across it at a low point in my younger years and it is etched onto my soul in a way no other media ever will be.

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t1_jb422dq wrote

This is essentially accurate. Eva is about the mindset of a depressed person, that is its fundamental topic and what it focuses on portraying above all else. Things like philosophy, plot and character development are incidental elements and are at best handled in heavily ambiguous ways, but are preceded by a dedication to showing a particular state of mind wracked by guilt, uncertainty, stress and melancholy.

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t1_jb4734z wrote

Yes. I recognize all the criticisms people have here because it is super fucking true. Actually, my first thread here where I don't feel completely clueless abt the subject. NGE doesn't cut very deep into actual philosophy or anything like that, despite that it indeed does resonate in an amazing way with people who were/are depressed, myself included. I would say that despite all NGE's flaws in writing and it's confusing and random lore it's one my favorite pieces of media. Etched in my soul too!

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t1_jb5b3a3 wrote

It’s also because Evangelion popularized a ton of common tropes in anime.

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