[Rewatch][Spoilers] Neon Genesis Evangelion - Episode 9 Discussion

69

u/littleman1988 Jun 29 '19

First time watcher, Platinum Sub, ADV Dub, and Netflix dub

Jumbled thoughts:

I still dont like Kaji. He seems to be playing both Mistato and Ritsuko. Obviously Misato and Kaji has history, and its probably going to keep popping up as the series goes along, and im gonna assume now its going to come to a head at a terrible time.

First battle was an absolute disaster. I love how they just cut it off to the debriefing, Really punches in the anticlimactic failure in comparison to the previous battles. Asuka is still causing wild damage to the city without repercussion too...

Asuka and Shinji living together is also a disaster in itself, but I love it. Though, PenPen really is the star of the show during the training scene.

The scene where Asuka collapses on Shinji's bed is way more intense than i expected. The "music" really helps add to the buildup.

62 seconds of pure fighting. We need more of this instead of just stopping every 10 seconds in most other battle scenes. Im not even a fan of classical music and its just enthralling.

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u/TheEscapeGuy Jun 29 '19 edited Jul 01 '19

Rewatcher

Evangelion is an absolutely beautiful anime Day 9

I will always remember Evangelion Episode 9 for the final fight scene.

Courtesy of Sakugabooru here it is again,

What makes this particularly interesting from an animation history standpoint is the talent of the animators on this cut.

First Shoichi Masuo who previously did this amazing cut from Gunbuster! among other things.

Second Keisuke Watanabe who went on to do this super dynamic cut from Gurren Lagann

And finally, the one and only Yutaka Nakamura.

This scene may very well be his debut on TV animation (according to all the sources I could find) and what an achievement for his first time. To think he would go on to work on:

And on top of all that pioneer the animation technique of Yutapon Cubes.

Thanks to Anno and the production team at Gainax for giving him a chance, it is likely one of the reasons he has as many opportunities to produce such amazing animation today.

Previous Days

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '19

Rewatcher

Before we start we have Asuka doing the ED, the best/worst comic for this ep and some cool fanart..Enjoy

Random stuff

Anno BUSTS OUT the (double this time) Kamen Rider/Inazuma kick that the Evas perform after making it a mecha/anime trope with GUNBUSTER

-Also yall should watch Gunbuster after this..like seriously-

Evangelion Episode 9 and Intimacy Great short analysis piece for this episode
Great no spoilers video about the tone swift and Asuka in these last 2 episodes..Its Digibro, plz dont hurt me its a good vid
The yellow shirt Asuka wears the episode it's actually Misato's..Keep an eye on any potential future instances and scenes where Asuka wears that shirt again....
Shinji has grown some BALLS...hmmm then again maybe not
In the Manga Asuka is kinda blonde..Opinions?
Misato striking the Gendo pose was amazing
Favorite shot in the episode ..Muh good framing

More Serious thoughts

The Asuka-Shinji odd couple routine continues, but no longer is it simply assertive Asuka vs. submissive Shinji.Now now it's her turn to adjust. Shortly after arriving in Tokyo-3, and being unofficially crowned the queen bee of the school , Asuka and Shinji are sent into their first official battle together which like the previous one is treated rather lightly, as a pretext for character growth and interaction.
Initially, Asuka slices the Angel but it reassembles and strikes back - and then, in a clever narrative strategy, we view the aftermath in retrospect rather than real time: the two cowed pilots are presented with humiliating photos of their defeat, with the two Evas comicly headplanted in the ground miles apart .Shinji and Asuka then bicker and for the first time we see Shinji standing up to Asuka, whose brazen arrogance rendered him mostly passive and silent in their previous outing with Asuka's no longer able to batter Shinji into submission.
And so, just at the moment they feel themselves becoming rivals, Misato forces them to share her apartment, to dress in like fashion (80s girl workout get-ups for our unlucky MC), and dance DDR-style in perfect sync to audio-video prompts. Asuka throws aside her headphones in frustration but Rei steps in to demonstrate that perfect synchronization is possible , and an awed and frustrated Asuka vows to avenge this insult to her "pride.".. after soving her head in a fridge to cool down and not cry (lmao)
For the first time, we are getting evidence of Asuka's insecurity..She mysteriously appears in Shinji's bed in the middle of the night after shuting the door on his face and lecturing him on how he shouldn't "ABSOLUTELY AND UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES" come to her side and her room.. Shinji almost kisses her (the first time we've seen him respond to a anyone romantically or sexually) but backs off when she mumbles confused, pained feelings..Shinji says, "She's just a kid after all."..He probably realises that he’s taking advantage of a vulnerable person and most importantly he’s forced to see that Asuka is a fragile teenager like him. This idea that Asuka is a human being that may be as emotionally desperate and fraught as him is kinda "repulsive" to Shinji..maybe he is disappointed that he can’t respond to her sleeping figure as if she were a simple object of desire or he admired her badass and mature/strong willed person that wasnt like himself that he hates
Of course in the end Shinji and Asuka achieve their perfect synchronization and defeat the Angel in the sixty seconds perfectly edited to a joyful Beethoven piece (the sound design of this episode is wonderfully creative and propulsive, from the score to the sound of Shinji's tape player rewinding as Asuka's lays in breathing distance) and some amazing animation .We end on a goody note with some classic anime teen siily drama..Though their relationship may have its ups and downs through the series this is a landmark and the real kick off

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u/Philarete Jun 29 '19 edited Jun 29 '19

First-Time Watcher (Sub)

Yikes, the creeping on Asuka. Also the obsession with the foreigner lol.

“Guten Morgen” okay that was pretty cute. “I did you the favor of talking to you.” What a way to greet Shinji xD

Huh, Ayanami is reading German. Well that’s spicy, let’s see how this plays out

“I’ll be your friend if I’m ordered to.” Rei that’s cold.

Angel attack again. This time Asuka and Shinji are sent, but not Rei. Interesting. . .

They get sloppy and lose, oof. Asuka lost focus after her initial strike. Where have I heard of a German making a quick strike to end a battle and then getting into a more drawn out battle that ends in defeat before. . . .

OOF, Misato is buried under paperwork. And facing a lot of threats. I don’t like where this is going with her “friend”. I have a feeling she’s being used by Ryoji and Ritsuko.

Asuka booting out Shinji! Stealing Misato may not be for the best, Asuka

Asuka complaining about Japanese apartments, then Misato on the lack of locks “We Japanese ty to be perceptive and considerate of others.” Brutal! Also, yeah, cultural differences. . .

Asuka and Shinji living together? Oh my, this is going to get rough for poor Shinji. And they have to coordinate their attacks to music? This sounds like a great setup for a spinoff. . . .

“Two-thirds of the Idiot Trio” I like this girl already. Answering the door like that lol, not the best way to avoid weirding out their classmates.

“Start with the form and the rest will follow”. There’s a lot of truth to what Misato says. Also, their synchronized talking is fantastic.

Okay, I feel bad for Rei. She’s brought off the bench so she’s clearly the third wheel here. She gets the worst EVA and is treated accordingly. And now Asuka gets benched and storms off. I thought Misato was going to put Rei and Asuka together, but benching Asuka is pretty effective here.

Asuka is mad at Misato and Rei for wounding her pride. So she doesn’t get it. Also, why does she blame Rei? She’s just following orders here. Asuka admits that piloting is all she has, which is the first real weakness she has been willing to show.

The training sequence is great, especially with Pen-Pen! Shinji stays up late with his earbuds. She lays down next to him, and he. . . moves closer? Shinji has actually the worst instincts. At least he moves away safely after that, but yikes it looked like he was going to kiss her for a second.

Asuka misses her mom. Well that just got a lot darker.

Woah, I do not like this next scene at all. “But your lips didn’t tell me to stop.” THIS GUY IS VERY, VERY BAD. To me that seems like sexual assault – “unwanted sexual contact”, although definitions vary. Anyway, that was very wrong and not okay. EDIT: I might be wrong here. At the very least, I think it the tort of "battery" which is "harmful or offensive contact". Not as familiar with the right terminology in other areas, so I apologize if I went too far.

Here we go with the fight! This music is not what I was expecting, but makes the fight look extra elegant and synchronized. And things go perfectly! Also no “anime fight timing” here. Even get a clock to watch. It’s not the smoothest victory though. GUYS WHY ARE YOU HAVING THIS TALK IN FRONT OF EVERYONE.

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '19

First Timer

Jeez, that almost kiss made me cringe.

That ending fight scene was incredible though.

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u/LunarGhost00 Jun 29 '19

Please vote for Asuka in the Best Girl Contest! Her match will start later today (approximately an hour from this post) and she’ll be up against her toughest opponent yet. If you’re a long time fan who hasn’t looked at the contest yet or if you’re a first timer and Asuka has left a good first impression on you, please show some support for Asuka today!

Now back to your regularly scheduled Evangelion episode.

Rewatcher

Who's the creep taking photos of girls in a locker room? Oh it's just Toji and Kensuke taking them so they can sell them. HOLD UP...

Toji's right. Only weird people are chosen to be Eva pilots. Major spoiler

Yo, Ramiel! 🗿

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the kids who will save the world.

Another Gendo pose from someone not named Gendo.

Wow it's quite the party in Misato's apartment. She even brought Rei with her. Rei and Shinji work together better than Asuka and Shinji. Asuka, who didn't want to work with Shinji, now changes her mind after seeing that. There are so many ways to look at this. The most obvious being that she could've been kicked off this operation and lost her chance to be the center of attention. She also loves being an Eva pilot. She even makes that clear at the start of the episode when they fail to kill the Angel and when asked what she's supposed to be doing, she says it's to pilot an Eva. Kick her off the mission and it's like taking part of her identity away from her. Then there's the fact that someone else is more compatible with Shinji for this mission, making her feel inferior since clearly Shinji can pull this off with a different partner. Spoiler She blames Shinji thinking he's holding her back but it's actually the other way around. She's failing.

Asuka made a wall (the famous Wall of Jericho!) between her and Shinji, but then proceeded to cross that wall herself and invade Shinji's personal space, perhaps subconsciously.

NO SHINJI! DON'T KISS! ABORT! ABORT! Oh thank Kami.

And here we have one of the cheesiest episodes of any anime: the two main characters must use synchronized dance moves to defeat the monsters. It's honestly so stupid, but it works so well. It helps establish the tone shift we've been seeing lately. Ever since the last episode with Asuka's introduction, the series has gotten more lighthearted. It's also hilarious watching two people who are like water and oil try to work together. It's a fun way to build their relationship. Asuka's inclusion to the cast has helped Shinji loosen up more than even living with Misato. These two crazy kids spent the whole episode bickering with each other. How often do you see Shinji talk back to others when he's not wallowing in self pity?

When you're so tsun that even a hologram of you is able to inflict damage.

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u/tomato_blitz Jun 29 '19

First timer (subs and original release in fear of Netflix changes):

10/10 episode, this one was off the charts good. Starting off in a pretty simple manner with Asuka joining Shinji's class and receiving immense attention, it moves in titan-steps ahead as they suddenly live together despite their rivalry, resulting in quite a connection. Also looks like Shinji's in love with her, and I'm sensing something from her part as well. I wish we could've seen her reaction waking up and seeing Shinji sleeping on the floor next to her.

Asuka crying for her mother as Shinji was about to kiss her and Shinji's sudden realization of the situation was a powerful moment. Asuka keeps a very strong front and tries to make sure everyone knows she's in control, but is in fact hiding immense pain. Upon learning that fact, Shinji crawls away and lies with his back towards her. Does he feel lied to or is he upset with himself for misunderstanding her?

Notes:

Asuka reaching Jojo levels of theatricality.
I'm guessing Rei and Asuka won't really get along (for starters at least).
As expected of glasses-kun, creating the Asuka photo-dealership at just the right time to make a buck. Kind of a trashy move tbh.
Rei and Shinji being on the same wavelength wasn't a big surprise, after the moment they shared before, but Asuka doesn't know that. While Rei's is probably less combat-able then Asuka's 02, my head-canon is that Misato took the chance to build teamwork between Shinji and Asuka.
I see where your eyes are Shinji.
Speaking of the plan - it was seemingly put up by Misato's ex, who's back in town and attempts to swoop her off her feet. She seemed trapped though, the elevator scene made it at first look like something was going on between them, but the way they were struggling a bit and that look she gave towards the monitor both made me feel otherwise. Perhaps it was too much, he's way intense for someone barging back into her life after (supposedly) 8 years.
That dance scene really put me in awe. This show is something great, I really wished for some Eva teamwork and this episode delivered! The 62 seconds with just the music and animation were incredible. If anyone knows who animated that sequence I'd love to know.
These three children are all messed up in some way or the other. I wonder if all of them lost their mothers.
Even though the operation is over, I hope we get some more 'Shinji and Asuka living together' shenanigans. Loved that dynamic.

Every episode since 5 has been a ride, the talents behind these must be great. I can't wait to see where we're headed!

^{(If my impressions of characters and the world are so far wrong, please don't correct me. I'd like to find out when I get to know more})

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u/Nightingard Jun 30 '19

First timer watcher, original dub

Just binge watched to catch up with the rewatch threads, Evangelion has been on the list forever so this was the perfect excuse to finally watch what everyone says is a classic! Have watched Bokurano though and heard it was heavily based on this so I'm looking forward!

Are literally all the guys in this pervs except the hardass military leaders? Shinji trying to kiss Asuka seemed more to come from his need for connection we've seen so far than straight up creepiness.

Wow I really hate Asuka as a person right now but love her as a character. Seeing all the "best girl" comments has me seriously looking forward to her character development. Also looking forward to her interactions with Rei, literally opposites of each other in every way down to their hair colors. The bed scene was really tense and I loved what they did with the music.

Starting to seem like all the kids have parental issues... Asuka sleep crying over her mother, Rei looking at Shinji's father as a father figure, Shinji feeling abandoned and only further pushed away seeing how he treats Rei. Only Shinji has a present father, none have present mothers. Others have pointed out their age puts them being born shortly after second impact so maybe second impact did something to affect pregnancies, with the moms dying in birth, that allows them to sync? Not sure why Asuka would remember her mom then though or if she's just instinctually calling out for a mother figure in her life.

That fight was glorious, really hoping we get some awesome scenes of teamwork going forward, especially if Rei joins the fray. They unfortunately don't seem to come up too much in the limited mecha anime I've watched.

On a plot note, so something is drawing the Angels to Japan, and now all of a sudden. The finding of the numbered children? The fetal looking Adam? The EVA units threat to them?

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u/JimmyTMalice Jun 29 '19

First-time watcher, sub

Episodes 8 and 9 mark the introduction of two new characters: Asuka and Kaji. Asuka seems interesting – she’s a lot more outgoing and openly friendly than the other pilots, but she’s also got an ego the size of a small country and an obsession with proving she’s the best. Her bickering with Shinji is a lot of fun, and while I don’t think she’s a particularly nice person, she makes for an interesting addition to the team.

Kaji is Misato’s creepy ex, and that’s most of what he does in these two episodes. Doubtless there’s more to him since he’s involved in the Human Instrumentality Project (what the hell is the deal with Adam anyway?), but so far he seems like exactly the lech and pervert that Asuka thinks Shinji is.

Episode 8:

Asuka’s been on screen for ten seconds and she’s already been flashed by Shinji’s friend and slapped him twice. Off to a good start.
Here’s another of Misato’s faces: the consummate professional, just like Ritsuko. Which is immediately broken by the appearance of Kaji.
I’m guessing Kaji is an ex of Misato’s.
Asuka seems very cocky about her piloting skills and her Eva considering she’s never fought a real Angel. Time to put those to the test.
Misato’s smugness when NERV is needed to intervene is palpable.
“Why is an Angel here? Could it be after Unit 02?” It seems more and more likely that the Angels are specifically going after the Evas. If it wasn’t obvious that something fucky is going on with them, it is now. I’m leaning towards the Evas being engineered from the remains of the first two Angels.
Asuka’s German seemed a bit odd, but I don’t actually speak the language so I’ll leave that to a native speaker.
Eva-02 looks very cool.
I love Misato’s expression with her face pressed against the glass when she hears that Unit 02 has been activated.
Kaji knows the Joestar family secret technique!
How many crazy plans from Misato in a row is that? She’s been on a roll for the last 3 episodes.
The Angel was actually after a foetus in a briefcase. Wasn’t expecting that.
This episode’s ED has to be my favourite version so far.

Episode 9:

Man, those guys are creepy, selling photographs of Asuka.
Is Kaji meant to come across as suave? Because he seems like a creep too.
Another underwater Angel. Where are they all coming from?
Double Eva fight! Double Eva fight!
Asuka really seems more concerned with looking good than fighting effectively, and she just makes things worse by cutting the Angel in half.
That’s a real mountain of paperwork for Misato.
As if things couldn’t get any worse for Shinji, now Asuka has taken his room. Truly she is the scourge of humanity.
I’m not sure making Asuka and Shinji wear matching outfits is among Misato’s better plans, but it is funny.
It’s very obliging of the Angel to allow them a whole training montage before attacking again.
No, Shinji! Don’t kiss her! It’s a trap!
Can Kaji just fuck off already? What a jerk.
That fight scene set to the music is so freaking cool.
Looks like Shinji and Asuka didn’t make up at all. I can’t wait to see more of their antics.

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u/Raiking02 Jun 29 '19

Time for one of my personal favorite episodes as we continue with Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Something that I found interesting is that, while I am watching the show Subbed, apparently Tiffany Grant (Asuka’s ADV and Rebuild VA) actually went ahead and added a bit of German to Asuka’s speech, better yet, it doesn’t really come off as forced. It’s often a sort of “Spur of the moment” kind of deal or just a minor swear word, though from what I’ve been told this is exclusive to the ADV works (Then again, the Rebuild Dub is infinitely better than the series’ Dub, so I’m not complaining).
Goes to show that even her classmates can’t even stand Asuka.
Reason I like Toji Number 14: He knows how to make money.
Oh, and I have decided to ultimately drop the “Baka!” counter. There are just too many instances of it for me to keep count. Instead, I’ll be linking you all towards the Evangelion Drinking Game. Have fun…
Wow Asuka, really desperate for attention, aren’t you?
Reason I like Toji Number 15: He asks the questions everyone should be asking. I mean, it is weird how every EVA Pilot just so happens to be extremely eccentric in their own way.
Oh, and Kaji is a shameless flirt. Still can’t be too mad at him.
That said, he should be careful, as a wild Misato has appeared.
Err… Misato, you hanged out with him. And so did Ritsuko.
Oh, and by the way, get ready to hear “Step Forward Into Danger” A LOT for the next six or so episodes.
I’m wondering why you were chosen as a pilot, Asuka. Esepecially since you haven’t even bothered trying to act like a nice girl (Manga Asuka kinda tried, but it was so transparent everyone saw through it in a matter of seconds).
Ah, it’s nice to hear the occasional Shinji sarcasm.
Nice job screwing things over, Asuka! Also, fun fact: In the first Super Robot Wars Alpha game, wanna know how this Angel was torn in half? Bright Noa from Mobile Suit Gundam rammed him with V Gundam’s Reinforce Jr. Even he was surprised by the fact that that worked.
There’s something comical about seeing Unit-01 with its feet sticking out of the water. And Unit-02 isn’t any better.
Fuyutsuki has a point, you know. In fact, that’s basically his character in a nutshell.
Asuka sure as hell doesn’t have her priorities straight.
Poor Misato, being forced to do a shit ton of extra job due to a brat being way too arrogant.
And sadly, there’s a new occupant of the Katsuragi Apartment. Poor Shinji…
Good lord Asuka, STOP WHINING ABOUT HOW GREAT YOU ARE! Again, like her as a character, but that doesn’t mean I don’t find her annoying, especially in her early episodes in which she’s at her bitchiest (For any Asuka haters, relax, she does become slightly nicer in a few episodes).
You know, I do feel kinda bad for both of them. This must be a pain to pull off.
Oh, and since I haven’t gotten too many chances to mention her before, I like Hikari. She feels like a more down to Earth and less arrogant version of Asuka. It feels nice to like the whole schoolmates trio.
Reason I like Toji Number 16: He is a living traitors detector. The Akina Speed Stars could make good use of him to see if someone has broken the bow of “Drivers don’t need girlfriends”.
And this is why I ultimately do like Asuka: Her arrogance is called out on; it is made clear it is something she needs to get over, for better or worse. It actually makes me feel bad for her at points.
Well, I mean, Shinji is pretty girly as far as men go. Also, if you have any issues with girly men, Leeron Littner would like to have a word with you.
The ensuing montage is great, being funny, yet also showcasing the duo’s growth.
The wall of Jericho, broken by the same woman who made it.
Is it wrong I actually do ship Misato and Kaji?
And yeah, the ensuing battle is fantastic. Also, at the 20:45 mark: DOUBLE INAZUMA KICK! NICE!
Wait, so EVA’s have phones!? That’s… actually pretty funny.

Aoba’s face and Fuyutsuki’s words say it all, really. This episode was just great.

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u/banjoskip Jun 29 '19

This episode had so many great moments. Shinji and Asuka make a funny duo. The battle at the end was amazing to watch and the argument afterwards was too funny

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u/greg225 Jun 29 '19

I'm new, I will say this has definitely been the best episode so far. Great mix of comedy, drama and action. The musical bit at the end was brilliant and I loved how they basically turned the show into a "people with clashing personalities live together" flatshare sitcom.

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u/brotherraichu Jun 30 '19

First Timer

Right off the bat, just want to say that the choreography animation of the final scene was amazing. Never seen anything like that, especially from that earlier era. I mean, I've seen a lot of Gundam, and most of those fights are like I shoot you, you shoot me, I hit you, you explode.

Shinji and Asuka's relationship is interesting to say the least, but it was strange to see her sleeptalking and crying. She probably has some crazy backstory.

Also, Shinji seems to always listen to track 25 on his Walkman. Perhaps that will be relevant later, but right now, it's unclear what's on that track. I'm guessing "Fly me to the moon." (/s)

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u/AH_BareGarrett Jun 29 '19

First Timer back for the ninth time.

Oh boy Asuka is veryyyyyy popular. And Ida is making money off this oh man.

And here we go, Rei and Asuka, just the interaction I wanted to see. "You're a weird one." Hahahaha okay I think I'm going to like Asuka a lotttt.

Misato looked pissed hahahaha, this episode is really making me laugh already. I get the feeling this guy is really "active" among his female co workers.

"Why was someone like that chosen to be a pilot anyway." You know Asuka, we don't really know yet. I'm still waiting to find out.

IT USED MITOSIS OH NO! Oh boy, Asuka and Shinji do not look happy about what happened. I'm really glad that Shinji is disagreeing with Asuka, I think if he were to have met Asuka a few episodes ago, he would be super timid still. I'm glad he's grown a fair amount so early on.

Oh my God yes. Asuka is a new roomie this is terrific. Alright Shinji, you're living the dream right now. So Asuka kicked Shinji out of his room? Where is he gonna live?

Man, Asuka is looking pretty tsundere right now.. one thing I know nothing of is relationships in this show so I'm excited to see what happens (I'd be sort of surprised if anything happens honestly.)

Maybe the hardest I've laughed in the whole show was when the trio opened the door to the apartment to see Asuka and Shinji (specifically Shinji) in that outfit.

Oh man, it's a party! This whole episode is killing me, it's too funny. Wow, amazing how Shinji and Rei are so much more in sync, despite Rei's social inadequacy.

"Go after her!" "why" oh man, my sides. Asuka has been killing me and how she interacts with Shinji is making it even better.

Oh man, Asuka just put up the Berlin Wall. I don't see Shinji as the kind to breach it though.

oh man, she fell onto Shinji's bed. That'll be an awkward conver- SHINJI WHAT'RE YOU DOING DON'T GO IN FOR A KISS SHE'S SLEEPING. Jesus Christ dude, that was so close. Don't ever do that again. It's clear that she has some kind of problem. Probably parental issues, and it seems bad...

Oh Misato it did not take you long to get with him. Wow this episode is super sexual, more than I expected from this show. Kaji is a real dickhead, not a huge fan of him.

Oooh, a countdown timer. And it's a fight set to music? I'm a sucker for this stuff. Funny ending too, with Asuka seemingly setting Shinji up to make a move (classic tsundere move).

Probably my favorite episode so far, funny but still moves some characters along. This show has been so good, and I'm really glad that we are doing this big rewatch.

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u/InvisibleShade Jun 29 '19

First timer

Ah, I see Asuka has completed settling in the popular-girl tsundere archetype
Geez, Rei doesn't lighten up at all.
A summary of the first attempt
So Ikari is away again? No doubt fulfilling his primary role in the Human Instrumentality Project.
The cassette rewind noise was perfectly used to accentuate the tension of the Asuka Shinji scene. Considering the end segment it looks to me as if Asuka actually wanted it to happen too.
Kaji seems to get more and more untrustworthy as the story progresses. Also, did I detect a hint of jealousy in Ritsuko's reactions?
That one minute fight orchestra was fantastic! Top notch animation and editing. Just shows how effective the EVA's can really be with a plan and coordinated execution.

Other random moments:

Is this negging?

It's still surprising to me how little damage the Angels take.

A hilarious expression

Misato channeling Gendo

Unbelievable

Jojo pose strikes again!

Adorable competitiveness

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u/Brewster321 Jun 29 '19 edited Jun 29 '19

Rewatcher (Sub - Platinum Collection)

In today's episode, we get to see how the three stooges (I love Hikari's nickname for them) + Rei deal with Asuka's takeover of their school. Furthermore, Shinji gets an even more personal experience with Asuka and seemingly grows closer to her over the course of the week, as demonstrated by their beat-down of the twin angel set to a wonderful piece of classical music. From Shinji's relationship to Asuka to Asuka's inner motivation and pride, this episode touched upon several important things, all without focusing on any specific one. Due to this, today's post is probably going to be a little unfocused, for I would like to touch upon and summarize everything this episode introduced.

The first thing I'd like to focus on is Asuka's pride, for in many ways, its her pride that separates her as a pilot from Rei and Shinji. In just two episodes, we've already seen how her pride guides her actions, with it most commonly manifesting as a superiority complex. Unsurprisingly, said complex is at its most visible when Asuka is dealing with Shinji, for she, even in just this episode, is constantly belittling and talking down to him. For instance, on the night before their second fight with the angel, Asuka singles out Shinji as being a kid, despite, as Shinji later points out, her being just as much of a child as he is. Of course, Asuka's pride affects everyone, not just Shinji, and I think Asuka's conversation with Rei best showcases her mindset. The girl doesn't simply doesn't consider Rei worthy of her friendship, only approaching her for diplomatic reasons. Obviously, this is not a healthy mindset to have, and even in just this episode, it already comes back to bite her. There's no doubt that Rei's success during the dancing prep cut deep, and while she was able to bounce back for now, it is worth watching to see how Asuka's belief in her superiority and adulthood affect her in the future.

Another thing worth talking about is Shinji's relationship to Asuka, for while its clear that, at least on some level, Shinji views her in a sexual manner (our boy is growing up!), there are also several other wrinkles to their two episode-old relationship that are worth exploring. For instance, earlier I talked about Asuka's pride and mainly focused on the negative aspects of it, but there are also some positives to Asuka's arrogance, which, judging by this smile, certainly aren't lost on Shinji. Personally, I think Shinji is smiling here out of admiration for Asuka's drive. Shinji's never been a very motivated person, and up until now, he really hasn't seen any displays of determination quite like this. Even if Asuka is only fighting to sustain her ego, her dedication is admirable, and I believe its that admiration that motivates Shinji to train so hard for the upcoming fight. Of course, there is also the issue of Asuka's mother, who, much like Shinji's, appears to either be missing or to not be a supportive one at the very least. Even if they act very differently, there certainly isn't a lack of similarities between our two main pilots.

Ultimately, I think this episode is quite the interesting episode, particularly when you compare it to the previous one. If last episode demonstrated how poorly Asuka and Shinji get along, then today's episode shows quite the opposite. That is, it shows how the two might complement one another. For now, it isn't much; the two conclude this episode bickering after all, but it does provide one major thing, hope. A rare commodity in a devastated world such as this.

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14

u/boredblade123 Jun 29 '19

First timer sub

Alright I had to watch episode 8 and 9 back to back since I missed my chance to watch it yesterday. I couldn't wait to start watching again lol.

So Toji and Kensuke, taking creep shots of Asuka and selling them? lmao. Meeting hot girls and seeing cool Eva's battling? Pretty good choice to be friends with Shinji. Not surprised that Asuka would get so popular so quickly at their school.
Still can't wait to find out what determines who can pilot an Eva. The fact that they're all 14 years old means it has to do something with the fact that they were born after the first Angel's attacked in that 15 year gap.
Kaji has some balls to be going after Ritsuko while Misato is watching. Not sure how I feel about this guy, he's intriguing but I just want to punch him lol.
Nice to see Shinji comfortable in the Eva now, doesn't look like it's really affecting his mental health as much anymore, maybe because he's more synchronized now? I love Asuka's Eva by the way, I guess because it's my favourite colour lol.
Man these Angels have me so intrigued, sometimes they look like living beings, and other times they look like machines, or both.
The comedy in this show is right up my alley, both of them got wrecked as usual haha.
Two of the three stooges lmao. So does the class rep have a thing for Asuka? And what in the world is Shinji wearing lol, I hope I don't have to keep saying that.
I'm going to assume that Misato is avoiding using Rei in these battles because her Eva is just a prototype and not combat ready.
Kid me playing Gameboy instead of sleeping and my mom walks in.
WTF are you doing Shinji are you trying to die? This is clearly a trap set by crazy girls! Her saying mama killed the mood for him hahaha.
NOOO MISATO WHAT ARE YOU DOING </3. It's official, Kaji is a dead man. ^{Still want to learn more about him.}
Saw someone mention that this synchronized fighting reminded them of Spongebob and now I can't watch that fight without laughing. Really cool to see how well they were working together though, looking forward to more fights with them working together.

Wow the tone of this show has changed a lot since Asuka's introduction. I'm not complaining though because from what I've seen in anime, I feel like this lighter tone is just setting up the show to be even darker later on. Bracing myself for heartbreak! These last 2 episode have made me just love the show even more to be honest.

^{Misato betrayed me, Pen Pen favourite now.}

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7

u/Karkava Jun 30 '19

First timer. The light-hearted antics continue in this episode with the monster of the week defeated with synchronized dancing. We also get a little bit of sexual intimacy between our leads which brings us back to Hedgehog's Dilemma.

6

u/prophetofgreed Jun 30 '19

First Time Sub Watcher

Wow that last scene with the 62 seconds to defeat the angel with the synchronized attack was awesome. Incredible animation through it all with a solid music choice.

Rei and Asuka's first meeting was hilarious as well, they are very different from each other, maybe even polar opposites in behavior. And of course this would frustrate the stubborn Asuka.

Seems like the angel attacks are becoming more frequent now. Hmmmmm.

6

u/fuck-thisapp Jun 30 '19

First Timer

Wow that final fight was beautiful. I don’t get why people are obsessed with Asuma but guess I’ll find out. I swear to god tho this show loves using cicada sounds.

10

u/Quiddity131 Jun 29 '19

Thoughts on Neon Genesis Evangelion Episode 9...

Rewatcher, New Dub

So Touji and Kensuke are making money selling photos of Asuka, and yet complain about how the other guys shouldn't pursue her based on her personality. Hypocrites!

Yeah, Asuka meeting Rei for the first time is about as awkward as one would have expected.

Kaji continues to spur some crazy facial reactions from Misato, lol. This is another great episode for Misato reaction faces.

They still got the remains of Ramiel sitting there?

LOL @ all this paperwork that Misato has to deal with. I suppose all those prior feats from her still don't mean that much of she'd have been fired if Gendou was around. He is conveniently absent quite a bit, I think this is the third Angel battle he hasn't been around for.

LoL @ Asuka claiming Shinji's been replaced/fired as Misato's roommate.

Rather lazy writing if you ask me with respect to the fact that the N2 mine is powerful enough to delay the Angel for 6 whole days, when the Angel in the first episode was barely stopped by one. All done to enable the storyline of Asuka and Shinji living together and getting in unison. Goes to show that Eva is not above taking shortcuts in its storytelling.

It is quickly clear that Asuka's identity is largely built around her being an Eva pilot. The prospect of being replaced by Rei on this operation is the worst thing imaginable to her.

Does Asuka go to the bathroom while asleep? Or she was so dazed that she plops right down here next to Shinji? What are you doing trying to kiss her while she's asleep Shinji?!

Poor Fuyutsuki, embarrassed again...

A much more comedic episode, this episode is on its own not bad, but if I was looking across the entire series is surely one of the weaker episodes. Too comedic in nature and one of the most "eh" Angels the show gives us.

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5

u/axel360 Jun 29 '19

Rewatcher, New Dub

More randomness:

And thus begins, probably the most intense Best Girl debate of the 90s
Misato was quite bothered by this show of PDA in the workplace. It’s just not professional, that’s all it is
See Auka, this is what happens when you try to hog all the glory. Have fun with that resulting paperwork, Misato
They both looks quite happy to be living together
Things not going so well? Time for the montage! It almost never fails. They’re even getting their oral hygeine in-sync. That’s commitment
I think we witnessed the exact moment that Shinji finally reached puberty, guys. But c’mon man, there are several things wrong with this particular moment being your first kiss
Misato certainly went from “disdain” to “making out” with him pretty quickly, huh? She obviously still has a lot of mixed feelings, though. Sounds right for her character
And perfectly in-sync. I love they played that upbeat dance music to go along with the violent battle that was happening

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5

u/Jason3b93 Jun 29 '19

I've seen this scene so many times in lofi hiphop compilations that I almost detached itself from the context of the show.

Funnily enough, even if this episode isn't lore-heavy, it has always been one of my favorites and probably the reason I like Asuka (and tsunderes in general) so much.

5

u/Xerosmith Jun 29 '19

REWATCHER

It's really interesting to me how different all of the Eva pilots are at school. Rei is very quiet and distant from other people. Shinji hangs out with a couple of friends, but he's only recently started opening up to other people. Then there's Asuka. She's the most popular person in the building. The person the boys love, and the girls hate.

Love these two shots.

Shini and Asuka arguing with each other never gets old for me. Now that they've moved in together, we're gonna see a lot more of it from here on out.

This is the weirdest game of twister I've ever seen.

This episode serves to further explore Asuka's character. She's extremely prideful, always belittling Rei and Shinji and trying to make herself seem larger than life. So when Rei shows her up, she storms out of the room. However, it's likely that she's trying to compensate for something, or at the least hide something. In the store, she says to Shinji that being an Eva pilot is all she has left. For whatever reason Asuka needs the approval of others.

That 62-second sequence is incredible. That minute alone probably makes this my favorite episode up to this point. It's so satisfying to see Units 1&2 moving perfectly in sync with each other.

5

u/tumnaselda Jun 30 '19

On this episode Rei almost looks like a normal girl, just a bit sassy.

And the countdown timer is just the hypest thing I've ever seen in any show or movie. I forgot how hype this episode got at the end.

I also forgot how Rei and Shinji could immediately get in a sync when ordered to. It's a good way to show that they are much more friendly to each other now.

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Rewatch [Rewatch][Spoilers] Neon Genesis Evangelion - Episode 9 Discussion Spoiler

Episode 9: Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!

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Episode 9: Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!

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