Mei Ling (![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wonderwomanhero) wrote in ![[community profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
scans_daily2011-12-20 01:09
wonderwomanhero) wrote in scans_daily2011-12-20 01:09
Evangelion: Ritsuko Akagi's Downfall (1/2)
A while back, some of you may remember this post (Oh what was I thinking with the Plath comment...)
Well, that being said, that post was about the character of Naoko Akagi, mother to scientist Ritsuko Akagi, one of the (sorta) main characters on Evangelion. Ritsuko's case is an interesting one, she's sort of a main character, and she sort of isn't. Obviously the five main characters would be Shinji, Asuka, Rei, Misato, and Kaworu, and then we have Ritsuko and Gendo. (and now meganeko Mari in the Rebuild franchise)
In 1996, after Evangelion ended, Hideaki Anno started to receive death threats from fans due to the unexpected finale that was episode 25/26. Anno was only able to complete it using the budget they had, and it wasn't helped that a few GAINAX employees were found to be embezzling money...still, Anno created the full length feature film End of Evangelion in 1997. While the final two episodes reflected what went on in the characters subconscious, EoE reflected what went on in the physical world. The film was a success, although shocked many, and the manga version of it I'm afraid, isn't much of a happy stroll through merry land either. This post will focus on Ritsuko Akagi, and her downfall and eventual (you guessed it) death.
Okay so, to set the scene, Ritsuko Akagi was put on trial before SEELE (sorta like a jury, except they appear as large slabs) nude. That's right, nude, and there are some hinted implications that she was raped. She was put on trial in place of Rei Ayanami, who was believed killed in a recent angel attack. (Angels are the bad guys...sorta)
Anyway, surprise! Ritsuko's released and able to work again. But...SURPRISE AGAIN! Rei's alive. Misato (the comic relief of the series) and Shinji Ikari (the protagonist of the series) both arrive at NERV after recieving a call from Ritsuko. She takes them to an underground chamber which houses the skeletal (that's right, skeletal) remains of failed Eva. But that's not all. She takes them to a chamber which houses clones of Rei! All this time, NERV was hiding clones of Rei. Misato and Shinji only have a few minutes to look amazed before this happens.
OH NO SHE DIDN'T! Why is she destroying the clones you ask? Well...let's just say it's retaliation for Gendo being a womanizer...you know, cause he kinda had an affair with her mother...and her. Yes, that's right, he had an affair with mother and daughter. Pretty messed up stuff no?
The text here looks a little strange, but what Misato is saying for those who can't really see it is "Ritsuko! Do you know what you are doing?!" I should point out they used to be BFF's. Not anymore...
Long story short, Ritsuko's mad at Gendo, she goes ballistic and destroys the Rei clones, and because of that, she gets arrested. I'll cover the repercussions of this incident and her role in End of Evangelion in part 2. Please feel free to correct me if I have misinterpreted something. Eva's got a huge and complex storyline, so I may have messed up here and there.
Well, that being said, that post was about the character of Naoko Akagi, mother to scientist Ritsuko Akagi, one of the (sorta) main characters on Evangelion. Ritsuko's case is an interesting one, she's sort of a main character, and she sort of isn't. Obviously the five main characters would be Shinji, Asuka, Rei, Misato, and Kaworu, and then we have Ritsuko and Gendo. (and now meganeko Mari in the Rebuild franchise)
In 1996, after Evangelion ended, Hideaki Anno started to receive death threats from fans due to the unexpected finale that was episode 25/26. Anno was only able to complete it using the budget they had, and it wasn't helped that a few GAINAX employees were found to be embezzling money...still, Anno created the full length feature film End of Evangelion in 1997. While the final two episodes reflected what went on in the characters subconscious, EoE reflected what went on in the physical world. The film was a success, although shocked many, and the manga version of it I'm afraid, isn't much of a happy stroll through merry land either. This post will focus on Ritsuko Akagi, and her downfall and eventual (you guessed it) death.
Okay so, to set the scene, Ritsuko Akagi was put on trial before SEELE (sorta like a jury, except they appear as large slabs) nude. That's right, nude, and there are some hinted implications that she was raped. She was put on trial in place of Rei Ayanami, who was believed killed in a recent angel attack. (Angels are the bad guys...sorta)
Anyway, surprise! Ritsuko's released and able to work again. But...SURPRISE AGAIN! Rei's alive. Misato (the comic relief of the series) and Shinji Ikari (the protagonist of the series) both arrive at NERV after recieving a call from Ritsuko. She takes them to an underground chamber which houses the skeletal (that's right, skeletal) remains of failed Eva. But that's not all. She takes them to a chamber which houses clones of Rei! All this time, NERV was hiding clones of Rei. Misato and Shinji only have a few minutes to look amazed before this happens.
OH NO SHE DIDN'T! Why is she destroying the clones you ask? Well...let's just say it's retaliation for Gendo being a womanizer...you know, cause he kinda had an affair with her mother...and her. Yes, that's right, he had an affair with mother and daughter. Pretty messed up stuff no?
The text here looks a little strange, but what Misato is saying for those who can't really see it is "Ritsuko! Do you know what you are doing?!" I should point out they used to be BFF's. Not anymore...
Long story short, Ritsuko's mad at Gendo, she goes ballistic and destroys the Rei clones, and because of that, she gets arrested. I'll cover the repercussions of this incident and her role in End of Evangelion in part 2. Please feel free to correct me if I have misinterpreted something. Eva's got a huge and complex storyline, so I may have messed up here and there.
no subject
I was just... why? She was so cool, why would she care what a creepy neck-beard like Gendo Ikari thought? When it comes to that, why did so *many* women care about Gendo in this series? My only explanation is that the guy must have had one hell of a magic penis.
Also, I'm happy to say that I never picked up on any rape-vibes during the SEELE trial thing. I thought the nudity was just a (tacky, fanservice-y) metaphor for Ritsuko's entire character being scrutinised.
no subject
no subject
I loved how it flirted with the stereotypes of a harem anime, but actually portrayed the women as *more* complex and 3-dimensional than most of the male characters, imo.
no subject
no seriously i get it. most of the cast was women and they were all varied, and like you said complex. but i ship Kaworu/Kenji
no subject
Do you mean Shinji?
no subject
no subject
A piece of cardboard has more personality and dimensions than most male harem protagonists, so it's not hard to do, but still :p