Neon Genesis Evangelion and Philosophy: That Syncing Feeling

Auteur
 Andrew M. Winters teaches philosophy and religious studies at Yavapai College in Prescott, AZ. He is the author of Natural Processes: Understanding Metaphysics Without Substance (Palgrave 2017) and is the co-editor of Stranger Things and Philosophy (Open Court 2019) and Neon Genesis Evangelion and Philosophy* (Open Universe 2022).  

Texte du rabat

When most people think of anime, they think of large-eyed adolescents fighting fearsome monsters (kaiju). On the surface, Neon Genesis Evangelion is the same, filled with destructive explosions and gigantic EVA missiles that can only be piloted by badass teens. But as every otaku knows, anime as a stylized artform has much more to offer, often pushing the artistic, emotional, and intellectual boundaries of its audiences. At its core, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one such anime: beyond the fearsome monsters and Evangelions, Neon Genesis explores the depths of the psyches of the adolescents when they become the very weapons needed to destroy the onslaught of Angels. The emotional complexities of the show make Neon Genesis Evangelion an emotional and intellectually challenging anime to watch. Fortunately, many of us do not undergo as extreme of experiences facing Shinji, Rei, and Asuka. But many of us do face tragedies that prompt us to ask questions about our own existence, how to live, and how to relate to others. Neon Genesis Evangelion and Philosophy encourages readers to take a moment to explore the wide range of philosophical topics found within the anime, challenging and encouraging you to reflect on who you are and how to live with others.

Résumé

  When most people think of anime, they think of large-eyed adolescents fighting fearsome monsters (kaijū). On the surface, Neon Genesis Evangelion is the same, filled with destructive explosions and gigantic EVA missiles that can only be piloted by badass teens. But as every otaku knows, anime as a stylized artform has much more to offer, often pushing the artistic, emotional, and intellectual boundaries of its audiences. At its core, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one such anime: beyond the fearsome monsters and Evangelions, Neon Genesis explores the depths of the psyches of the adolescents when they become the very weapons needed to destroy the onslaught of Angels.  The emotional complexities of the show make Neon Genesis Evangelion an emotional and intellectually challenging anime to watch. Fortunately, many of us do not undergo as extreme of experiences facing Shinji, Rei, and Asuka. But many of us do face tragedies that prompt us to ask questions about our own existence, how to live, and how to relate to others. Neon Genesis Evangelion and Philosophy encourages readers to take a moment to explore the wide range of philosophical topics found within the anime, challenging and encouraging you to reflect on who you are and how to live with others.

Contenu

The Consolations of Anime									vii

I Finding Meaning in Instrumentality							1

1.The Desperate Search for Meaning in Life -HEATHER BROWNING AND WALTER VEIT						3

2.How Do We Know Who We Are? -NATHAN VISSER AND ADAM BARKMAN						13 

3.A Teenage Existence-SANO YASUYUKI										23

4.My Life Is Worth Living Here! -JAKE POTTER										33

5.The Meaning of You -JONAS FARIA COSTA									43

II After (Re)Birth and Before Death							49

6. When Heroes Can (Not) Choose to Become Themselves-ANDREW M. WINTERS									51

7.The Young, the Old, the Monstrous -HANS-GEORG EILENBERGER								61

8.What Do Children Find in the End? -YUUKI NAMBA										71

9.Shinji’s Choice -LUCA CABASSA AND MATTEO CAPARRINI						81 

III How to Think When You Are (Not) Alone						91

10.When You Have Two Right Hands and They’re Both in Flames -DAVID FAJARDO-CHICA									93

11.The Mysterious AT Field -LUKA PERUSIC										103 

12.Loneliness and Watermelons -YOSHIHIRO TANIGAWA									113 

13.Evangelion’s Terminal Dogma -KHEGAN M. DELPORT									129 

IV You Can (Not) Exist									141

14.Living Questions or Dead Ends?-ZACHARY VEREB										143

15.A Tale of Two Anti-Heroes-MARK CHEONG										153

16. Plant a Tree, Build an AT Field, and Wait for the Apocalypse -GIONATAN PACHECO									163

V Tools to Rebuild After Impact								173

17. Hands Off My Show! -JEREMY CHRISTENSEN AND ERIC HOLMES						175

18.Desperately Seeking Misato -DAVID BORDONABA-PLOU								185

19.From Kabbalah, Angels, and Apocalypse to Kaiju, Mecha, and Personal Growth -DENIZ YENIMAZMAN									195 

Bibliography											205

The Pilots											209

Index												213