Neon Genesis Evangelion 1x25: "Do you love me?" // Reaction and Discussion
Added 2025-12-19 22:06:46 +0000 UTCIntro: 00:00 Reaction to Show: 00:41 Discussion: 14:17
Comments
And here Evangelion drops all pretense of being a 'meccha anime about big fights between EVAs and angels' and reveals itself as much more interested in the mental health of our main cast. Shinji, Asuka, Rei, Misato, Ritsuko, Gendō -- who are they? what do they want? what motivates them?
Sergio Meira
2026-01-01 06:57:55 +0000 UTCAnd here Evangelion drops all pretense of being 'just a meccha anime' about big fights between EVAs and angels, and shows itself as much more of a psychological show interested in the mental health of the main cast. Shinji, Asuka, Rei, Misato, Ritsuko, Gend
Sergio Meira
2026-01-01 06:55:32 +0000 UTC45:09 i thank your mod for giving you the watch order. some commenter here doesn't seem to be that far into your discussions that they are questioning whether you're going to watch End of Evangelion or not
Azaluchu
2025-12-27 16:40:03 +0000 UTCreally really hope they watch End of Evangelion movie, itts indispensable and their reaction would be unreal
Jose Maria E.B.
2025-12-26 14:55:21 +0000 UTCJust wanted to say it’s has been a delight to watch you both have such deep emotional resonance with this show while doing such in-depth media analysis through even its most abstract moments. You are both so smart, so open-minded, and your appreciation for art is so energizing. Hope you enjoy the holidays!
mmmmmmmmm
2025-12-23 15:13:21 +0000 UTCi think a lot of the clip show episodes like this is simply because of having no budget. they constantly ran short of money while making evangelion. they just made the best with what they had.
Daniel Borrego
2025-12-21 00:58:10 +0000 UTCTwo words sums up the show for me - Homeostasis and Transistasis. When Ritsuko utters "homeostasis and transistasis" to Misato in the wedding, it distills the core conflict of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Homeostasis is the desperate maintenance of equilibrium (status quo) —NERV, the pilots, and humanity clinging to stability while trauma accumulates. Transistasis is the recognition that survival may require rupture: identities must fracture, systems must collapse, and pain must be confronted rather than managed. Evangelion lives in the tension between these forces, asking whether growth comes from preserving the self, or from enduring the terror of transformation—with no promise of comfort in either path
Deepraj
2025-12-20 19:48:42 +0000 UTCWrong, the rebuilds are a direct sequel to the show, just because you don't like them doesn't men they're not worth watching and or don't give insight into the IP as a whole.
Meow_Lin
2025-12-20 18:58:38 +0000 UTCPlease watch the movie End of Evangelion after episode 26!
Cesar Alvarez
2025-12-20 18:45:33 +0000 UTCMods have to tell them to at the very least watch EoE after episode 26, other movies aren’t that important and the rebuilds are highkey ass
RRGI
2025-12-20 13:51:24 +0000 UTCThe strangeness of these last, few episodes are something that I always dread upon re-watching the show or seeing others react to it, and yet each and every time I come away blown away by the insight into these characters' thought-process. I see so much of myself in these people. So these episodes always reminds me to be a little kinder to myself and a little happier with who I am. It's extremely rare that I can finish a piece of media and feel like I've come away a better person, again and again, at that. It's why I hold this show so dear. Admittedly, this is something that I can only say as someone who has finished this series, multiple times at that, as well as having the knowledge of how the movie, End of Evangelion, clarifies much of what occurs here in these final moments. So the wait for the movie reaction in a few weeks is going to be tough. Partly because I don't know if I can wait to watch the rest. It's like interrupting a session of therapy half-way through.
Do The Manta Ray
2025-12-20 12:46:46 +0000 UTCWhat happened last time??
T AI
2025-12-20 12:19:01 +0000 UTCThey Are (Not) Ready for 26
Hiddengem100
2025-12-20 07:55:24 +0000 UTCIdk if they are aware that they have to watch End Of Evangelion (movie) after the series for the complete ending, havent heard them mention it so far
Rodrigo Torres
2025-12-20 05:54:36 +0000 UTCYou have to at least watch EOE it's my favourite movie of all time. It will make everything make a lot more make sense, especially with how much you two pick up on.
Asher Adson
2025-12-20 04:15:34 +0000 UTCGet ready for the "impact", so to speak.
Caleb
2025-12-20 03:51:03 +0000 UTCThese last two episodes are... something else :D
VS
2025-12-20 02:29:05 +0000 UTCAt the time, the production schedule was extremely tight. Voice actors who participated in the recording sessions recounted how, as episodes progressed, the footage available during recording gradually disappeared, leaving only still images. After broadcast(rebroadcast), EVA exploded in popularity in Japan, and the creation of the original theatrical version to complete the incomplete EVA TV ver.(original ver.) was an inevitable progression. However, I personally love this TV ver. the most out of all the EVA works.
jijy
2025-12-20 02:15:48 +0000 UTCEvangelion is three layers. And it's really not until the very end you realize it. There's the "story", the lore and setup of the world and the details and mysteries it reveals; one could argue that none of this actually matters, and yet you can spend ages exploring it... There's the "philosophy", which is all about existentialism; human connection, isolation, free will, the struggle for identity, the fight against despair. There's probably no core philosophy, yet the audience can find meaning in it... Then there's this sort of "meta text", the stories about it's creation, it's author and his battle against depression, and it's effect on the entire world; as well as a 'death of the author' discussion of author's intention vs reader's interpretation...
Kayin, the one and only
2025-12-20 01:40:24 +0000 UTCCompletely relate. As a teenager in 1997/8 when I first watched this, it permanently rewrote my brain chemistry. And yet it means something vastly different to me now than it did at the time. And I also agree that the entire text of Evangelion is important to what Evangelion is.
Kayin, the one and only
2025-12-20 01:33:28 +0000 UTChope this show doesn't bum them out too much that they go on a hiatus again.. we all remember what happened last time
Nut Kon
2025-12-20 01:05:13 +0000 UTCAnna was doing the heavy lifting this time around, regarding the thematic and philosophical ideas presented in the show, which she nailed pretty much. And yes, there's one movie you need to watch after finishing the show, The End of Evangelion - hope you read this comment, or your mod/editor points you towards it. It will (perhaps) answer a lot of questions you have, and is pretty much the definitive or fully realized ending of the show.
Derantor Kiarig
2025-12-20 01:00:54 +0000 UTCEvangelion is, to me, a show that even after 27 years since first watch, I still find different degrees of readings. I watche dozens of analysis, made mine, wrote 200 pages of explanation / deep reading, and I still can find more. I have no doubt this is still one of the deepest, hardest and most complete anime ever made. And you still havent seen the ending, the End of Evangelion, read the manga or seen the Rebuilds I think everything is needed to fully apprehen Eva. It's incredible and hard, and complex, and fucked up. All of that And it's awesome I think my greatest luck is to have seen Eva as a 12 years old like Shinji and as a 39 years old like now. I lived a LIFE of understanding different things in Evangelion according to my POV and experiences. I love NGE so much.........
Camska
2025-12-20 00:39:01 +0000 UTCI love that this, as the end of the series, causes everyone was like 'wtf, man, that was nonsense', so Anno gave us End of Eva as if it was a response saying "Oh not good enough? Here you go, pigs", and it's even more nonsense, but also a masterpiece. I can't wait to experience that again vicariously through people who are invested in the show.
Kayin, the one and only
2025-12-20 00:22:21 +0000 UTCThis is gonna be a long two week wait. These two have really seemed to grasped this show unlike any other reactors I've seen so far and I am so here for it
Jonathan Spencer
2025-12-20 00:10:30 +0000 UTC"So do we see what got us here next?" ohh my sweet summer child you are not ready for episode 26. Hold all such curiosity for EoE and just enjoy the beautiful, confused, madness of the last episode of one of the greatest masterpieces ever made.
Jonathan Spencer
2025-12-20 00:01:24 +0000 UTCAppreciate the thoughtful breakdown. Most of us know it can be A LOT to digest so not being able to fully gather your thoughts after this episode should be expected.👍👍👍
ClownTeeth
2025-12-19 23:41:05 +0000 UTCLol obviously they are doing it for legal reasons. Cmon man😂
ClownTeeth
2025-12-19 23:40:01 +0000 UTCYou did an impressive job tackling all the heavy stuff in this one. Loved your discussion.
Linus Lindholm
2025-12-19 23:14:51 +0000 UTCTwo weeks until End of Eva - the anime that truly transcends the medium!
Roy Koopa
2025-12-19 23:10:33 +0000 UTCIt hurts my heart to see our beloved characters be in so much pain like this. I miss being in Misato's apartment with Pen-Pen, and hanging out with Toji & Kensuke.
Laura Palmer
2025-12-19 23:07:29 +0000 UTC00:29 "descended into madness". But if you haven't seen the movie yet... 🤣🤣🤣 By the way, the movie is the same episodes, 25 and 26, but from a different perspective.
Pedro Hernández
2025-12-19 22:49:30 +0000 UTCYou should use this format for the full lenght reaction without the timer and the show being reacted fully visible
Enrique Barloco
2025-12-19 22:48:18 +0000 UTCAnd here we are , first half of the first finale. Savor the sensations, let them guide you.
Lorenzo Natalucci
2025-12-19 22:37:04 +0000 UTCWhat you're about to witness within the next episode, End Of Eva and the Rebuild films is going to be pure peak mixed a whole bunch of glorious confusion! HOLD ONTO YOUR BUTTS PEOPLE!
Meow_Lin
2025-12-19 22:32:27 +0000 UTCi dont think im smart enough to enjoy these last two episodes. you two seem to be doing well with the content of it though. much better then i did the first time. i was just plain confused :D i think this death is more like ego death that people face when doing hallucinogens. it can be VERY rough for those who cant submit to it for whatever reason. honestly this sounds more like a horror dystopian ending then just everyone straight up dying. i think this is basically what the reapers did to species in mass effect in a sense(they just did it way more horrifying and grusomely)
Daniel Borrego
2025-12-19 22:24:57 +0000 UTCOh boy, we're here. Can't wait for EoE.
Ryan
2025-12-19 22:14:49 +0000 UTC
