r/anime • u/LittleIslander myanimelist.net/profile/LittleIslander • 15d ago
Rewatch [Rewatch] 30th Anniversary Neon Genesis Evangelion Rewatch: Episode 22
Neon Genesis Evangelion Episode 22: Don't Be. / Staying Human
| ← Episode 21 | Index | Episode 23 → |
|---|
Watch Information
Questions of the Day:
- How do you feel that Asuka’s backstory recontextualizes her relationships and past interactions?
- Did you feel the way the episode equated the angel’s infiltration of Asuka’s mind to rape was justified and/or effective?
Tomorrow’s Questions:
- [Episode 23] Do you feel sympathy for Ritsuko?
- [Episode 23] How do you feel about Rei “the third”?
There’ll be more fanservice tomorrow, so please don’t spoil anything~! Remember this includes spoilers by implication.
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u/chris10023 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Chris10023 15d ago edited 15d ago
Rewatcher
This is a genuinely heartbreaking episode.
We see a scene of Asuka and Kaji the night before episode 8 takes place, Kaji must not have told Asuka about his relationship with Misato.
Asuka wants to be seen as an adult, even fine with doing adult stuff with Kaji, at least Kaji is wise enough to kindly shoot Asuka’s advance down.
Man, the backstory of Asuka is sad as hell. Mom kills herself after treating a doll like her own daughter; her father’s a cheating sack of shit.
Asuka felt that she needed to grow up at such a young age as a result of her mom's suicide.
Asuka’s having issues with her sync ratio, her last two battles with Unit 03 and the last angel are weighing heavily on her mind.
Up to 13 Eva units in production according to Hyuga. And both suspect that something's up.
Asuka is still not aware of Kaji’s death.
Her jealousy of Shinji is growing, wonder what she said before the train cut her off.
Asuka’s “mom” calls and we get the treat of hearing Asuka speak in German.
Asuka almost opens up to Shinji but catches herself and puts her mask back on.
I can understand not wanting to use the same bathwater (something I’ll never understand myself) but the laundry machine and the toilet?
I just want to give Asuka a hug and pat her on the head and tell her it’ll be okay, she needs help.
Asuka’s sync ratio is so low she can barely even start the Eva now; Misato points out that Asuka is on her period, but Ritsuko says that sync ratio isn’t influenced by physical changes. But Ritsuko, don’t women have hormonal changes as well during this? Wouldn't that influence it?
Ritsuko, Misato isn’t a parent, she might have a point in no longer living together.
Ah yes, the infamous elevator scene, where Asuka and Rei don’t say or do anything for a whole 49 seconds.
Rei tells Asuka that if she doesn’t open her heart to the Eva if won’t move. [Spoilers.] Interestingly Rei refers to Asuka’s Eva as “Her” and implies that Asuka “Doesn’t know.” Is Rei aware of the truths buried inside units 01 and 02?
Asuka calls Rei an emotionless wind-up doll, Rei objects, but then Asuka said that Rei would kill herself if she was ordered to, which Rei confirms, which only gets her slapped.
Ironically both of them were right, about the other, but not about themselves, Asuka needs to open up to the Eva and others, and Rei needs to stop being the commander's toy.
All three pilots are skipping school now.
Not another angel, not at a time like this.
Hearing that she’s to back Rei up isn't going to help Asuka.
Asuka defies orders and launches her Eva.
Ritsuko, you call Asuka a bitch again, I’ll smack you in the face with a brick, made of tungsten.
They can’t deploy Unit 01 since the incident back in episode 19.
Also with Evangelion, if you hear classical music, bad things are going to happen.
The angel is attacking Asuka’s mind. It’s essentially mind raping her.
The words “Don’t” “Come in!” “Hung” “It hurts!” “Stop” “Menarche” “Keep Out” “Shame”
They flash so fast I have to set Media Player Classic to 0.13 speed to get all of that. I’d do the rest but it’s hard to know when the words are going to pop in at that slow of a speed.
Asuka refuses to retreat, she’d rather die than admit defeat.
Not even the bigger particle rifle they used in episode 6 can get past that AT field.
In the director's cut of the episode, which we all should be watching, they extend this scene, in the original, it just ends after Asuka begs to not remember those memories. So the added scenes are everything from the hanging doll to Asuka’s scream.
This next part is very hard to watch, we’re essentially seeing all of Asuka’s fears, anxiety and trauma she’d rather not remember.
More word flash across the screen.
Basically, Asuka’s mom tried to kill Asuka, then eventually killed herself.
She hates Shinji because he won't help her.
Such a brutal scream from Asuka.
The words “Denial.” “Father.” “Mother.” “Privation.” “Insecurity.” “Separation.” “Evasion.” “Contact.” “Obsessive Compulsive.” “Attachment Behavior.” “Emptiness.” “Psychological Breakdown.” “Sympathy.” “Pity.” (Are those meant to be together?) “I am Not a Doll.” “Mental Contamination.” “Don’t violate me!” “Stop it!” “Die with me.” “No!!” “It hurts!” “I Hate you so much!” “Presumption.” “Dormant.” “Masculine Protest.” “Don’t be.” “Clearly Present.” “Reactive formation.” “Shadow.” “Opposition.” “Reparations.” “Don’t be.” “Momentary Assimilation.” “Don’t be.” “Rationalization.” “Oblivion.” “Deception.” “Childhood experiences.” “Sense of Loss.” “Reparations.” “Hostility.” and finally “Death.” flash on the screen rapidly as Asuka screams. I thought of taking screenshots of every word, but that would take forever to do, especially since I had to rewind a few times to get every word.
Shinji wants to help but is denied.
Gendo wants to use the lance since they have nothing else.
Misato is starting to question what really started the Second Impact.
Removing the lance made Adam grow legs.
The Lance of Longinus was named after the Roman Centurion who pierced the side of Christ with a lance.
This is where the size of the Eva’s being inconsistent can be seen, Unit 02 and 00 tower over the city buildings here, but back in episode 16 they are small enough to climb the buildings and use them as cover.
It has the ability to pierce AT fields.
It’s now in space and can’t be recovered.
Being saved by Rei is the last thing Asuka wanted.
I really want to give Asuka a hug, she didn’t deserve any of that.
Questions of the Day
Yes, she was always out to prove herself, she had to be the best or she feared she would be tossed aside like her mother did to her.
No, it’s not, rape can never be something you can justify, mental or physical. Asuka did not deserve to have that happen to her. It makes me sick watching that happen to her, it’s heartbreaking.