Episode 1: Angel Attack
Summary
In the year 2015, mysterious beings known as Angels begin attacking the fortified city of Tokyo-3. Fourteen-year-old Shinji Ikari is summoned by his estranged father, Gendo Ikari, to pilot a giant mecha called Evangelion Unit 01 and defend the city. Despite his reluctance and lack of training, Shinji is forced into battle against the third Angel, Sachiel.
Key Events
- Shinji arrives in Tokyo-3 during an Angel attack.
- Misato Katsuragi rescues Shinji and brings him to NERV headquarters.
- Shinji meets his father, Gendo Ikari, for the first time in years.
- Shinji is introduced to Evangelion Unit 01 and pressured to pilot it.
- Rei Ayanami, severely injured, is brought in as an alternative pilot.
- Shinji reluctantly agrees to pilot Eva Unit 01.
- Eva Unit 01 goes berserk during the battle, defeating the Angel.
Character Introductions
- Shinji Ikari: The protagonist, a 14-year-old boy thrust into the role of Eva pilot.
- Misato Katsuragi: NERV's tactical operations director who becomes Shinji's guardian.
- Gendo Ikari: Shinji's father and the commander of NERV.
- Ritsuko Akagi: NERV's chief scientist.
- Rei Ayanami: The mysterious first Eva pilot, briefly seen injured.
Analysis
"Angel Attack" sets the tone for the entire series, introducing the main conflict and the central themes of isolation, duty, and the complex relationship between parents and children. The episode effectively establishes the mysterious and ominous atmosphere that pervades the series, with many questions raised about the nature of the Angels, the Evangelions, and NERV itself.
Shinji's reluctance to pilot and his strained relationship with his father are central to this episode, introducing the psychological aspects that will become increasingly important as the series progresses. The sudden shift from Shinji's ordinary life to the extraordinary circumstances of piloting Eva Unit 01 highlights the series' focus on the impact of extraordinary events on the human psyche.
Symbolism and Foreshadowing
- The cross-shaped explosions from N2 mine and the Angel's death foreshadow the heavy use of Christian symbolism throughout the series.
- Eva Unit 01's berserker mode hints at the true nature of the Evangelions, which will be revealed later in the series.
- The brief glimpse of the injured Rei Ayanami foreshadows her importance and mysterious nature.
Trivia
- This episode was reanimated for the first Rebuild of Evangelion movie, with some scenes being nearly identical.
- The working title for this episode was "Shito, shūrai" (Angel Attack).
- The Angel in this episode, later named Sachiel, is the first of many Angels that will appear in the series.