Neon Genesis Evangelion is neither simple nor easy to watch, even for hardened fans of the anime genre—or anyone who watches anything, really. It delves into the dreariest depths that people can reach, and the question of whether humanity triumphs against its enemies and rises once again is left ambiguous.
However, even as a show that does not shy away from brutality and violence and often basks in how much distress it causes, its audience can push the envelope a bit too far for comfort. All these instances do help the narrative take its intended shape, but they can be deemed extreme by most standards.
10 The Emotional Bias Of Gendo Ikari Negatively Impacts His Duty
There is no doubt Gendo is a transcendent genius. The problem, however, lies in his reasoning—he claims his role as the nerve-center of NERV is purely on behalf of protecting the remnants of humanity from the Angels, and his logic holds water when considered superficially.
It is later revealed that his greatest desire is not so much being a savior as it is reconnecting with his dead wife, Yui, who embedded herself into the core algorithm of Unit-01. Gendo treats everyone else as inessential components in his plan. So many unnecessary deaths could have been avoided had he taken his responsibility seriously.
9 Unit-01's Acts Of Extreme Aggression Are Uncomfortable To Watch
The Evangelion are supposed to stop the Angels from attacking, even destroy them, which most of them do most of the time. On several occasions, though, Shinji loses control, and his unit starts subjecting its poor enemies to horrific carnage.
Unit-01 has ripped Angels to shreds, resulting in fountains of blood/gore; and, in one particularly uncomfortable scene, it literally consumes Zeruel's "heart", better known as the S² engine—the source of its power. There is no explanation for this, either.
8 The Collapse Of Asuka's Mind And Desire To Live
Asuka's experience with the "telepathic" Angel, Arael, is almost unbearable—its psionic incursion into her mind forces her to relive every agonizing moment of her life, including memories of her mother. This leads to her disappearing into herself for a short time, partly because she is placed in enforced quarantine to prevent the Angel from "contaminating" the other Eva pilots.
Asuka proceeds to escape and is later discovered living in decrepit conditions—emaciated and unresponsive. The intensity of psychological trauma shattering the poor child's mind is beyond anyone's control, explaining why a medical coma is required as a temporary stopgap.
7 Treating Rei As A Replaceable Product Is Both Unfair And Cruel
Rei, being created from the fragments of Yui Ikari's body, is little more than a clone, fit only to follow the orders given to her by NERV through Gendo. However, it becomes painfully evident that she has an individuality of her own—she thinks, dreams, feels, and loves the world as much as anyone else.
Nevertheless, she is cloned several times over—a clinical and inhumane operation that places no value on her life or happiness. The worst thing is that Rei herself accepts her situation, saying, "if I die, I can be replaced."
6 When Shinji Tries To Choke Asuka To Death On The LCL Beach
After Instrumentality takes hold, Shinji and Asuka are seen on a beach surrounded by a vast ocean of LCL. She goes to him and lays down, seemingly at peace with where fate has brought them, but his response is considerably, and unjustifiably, violent.
Although Shinji begins to choke Asuka, she gently touches his cheek, causing him to break down in tears. It can be argued that Shinji's act is derived from his need to comprehend his new place in the world, but is attempted murder the best path towards self-introspection?
5 Gendo's Lack Of Empathy For Ritsuko & Naoko Akagi Leads To Their Deaths
Gendo has an affair with the head scientist of his project, Ritsuko Akagi, whose feelings for him are never reciprocated. In fact, he even murders her point-blank in The End of Evangelion.
A flashback reveals that he had also been intimate with Ritsuko's mother, Naoko, the creator of the MAGI. Sadly, the latter commits suicide after killing the first version of Rei after having been told that Gendo never loved her. This man's lack of compassion truly knows no bounds.
4 The Kiss Shared Between Misato And Shinji Crosses Many Boundaries
The relationship between Misato and Shinji is not exactly maternal, but she's quite the big sister to the lost, lonely boy. As such, it makes no sense why she would kiss him in any context.
It's obvious that Misato falters when it comes to expressing her emotions unambiguously. Hence, it's possible that she believes Shinji would be motivated to go into battle, probably to his death, if he believes there is someone waiting for him on the other side.
3 Disregarding Toji Suzuhara's Safety Costs Him A Leg — And Creates Lifelong PTSD
Toji Suzuhara is invited to perform the role of the Fourth Child, piloting the newly imported Unit-03. He agrees, but asks that NERV personally deploy their best medical professionals to treat his injured sister. Unfortunately, Bardiel camouflages itself in the clouds, and secretly "infects" Unit-03 during the events of the first activation test.
Shinji refuses to hurt his friend, so Gendo triggers the Dummy Control System and has Unit-01 tear the tainted Eva to pieces anyway. This scene isn't as horrifying as it was in the manga where Toji is killed in the extermination process.
2 Shinji's Reaction To A Comatose Patient Is Unforgivable
Whether Shinji has feelings for Asuka is unclear—as with Kaworu—but he has attempted to kiss her while she was asleep in Misato's home. Another rather excruciating instance takes place when he goes to visit her in the hospital.
Here, instead of behaving like anyone else would in such a sensitive situation, Shinji decides that it's the right time to pleasure himself. This perverse performance, while unforgivable, is triggered by Asuka's half-naked body at the time.
1 The Culminating Pair Of Episodes Are Too Perplexing To Offer Closure
Several fans raised complaints about the last two episodes of the series, claiming that they didn't offer any kind of resolution in terms of narrative conclusion. To an extent, viewer arguments make sense, because the plot of Episodes 25 and 26 is unwieldy at best and labyrinthine at worst.
Thankfully, the plot is rewritten into a feature-length movie one year after the anime's ending, The End of Evangelion. This isn't to say that the film's journey provides an explicit form of closure, but it's certainly more digestible.