I tried to explain the plot of Neon Genesis Evangelion to my mom over dinner

I figured I'd keep it simple, just the main points about the angels and the giant robots. About two minutes in, she stopped me and asked if this was a show about 'sad kids and their daddy issues'. I had to admit she wasn't totally wrong. The whole thing turned into a 20 minute talk about why Shinji just wouldn't get in the robot, which is a harder question than it sounds. I learned that some anime plots sound completely wild when you say them out loud to a normal person. Has anyone else had a family member accidentally nail the whole theme of a show in one sentence?

3 comments

3 Comments

sarah1983mo ago

Wow, moms have a weird talent for that. Mine called Attack on Titan a show about walls making people crazy. She wasn't wrong either, it's all about the fear inside. Some stories just sound different when you say them plain.

henry_palmer243mo ago

Start with the giant robots next time, then slowly add the trauma. My dad still thinks Gundam is just cool space fights.

paul_thompson6717d ago

Wait, so you're telling me he's been watching Gundam for years and never caught on to the fact half those kids are basically war orphans fighting for their lives? Did he ever ask why the main character keeps screaming during the fights? Serious question though, what does he think the whole thing with Amuro's mom abandoning him or Char's backstory is about, giant robot maintenance issues? I feel like you gotta ask him point blank what he thinks the emotional core of the show is, because the dissonance is actually kind of fascinating.