Nostalgic Anime Retrospective No.26] "Liquid Color" that mediates life determines the worldview of "Rebuild of Evangelion: Introduction".

This year marks 10 years since the release of "Rebuild of Evangelion: Introduction" (2007), a TV animation "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (1995) rebuilt with the most advanced digital technology of the time. The second "Rebuild of Evangelion" was followed by "Evangelion: 2.0" and "Evangelion: 3.0," and each successive installment of the "Rebuild of Evangelion" series has added more and more original elements. However, the plot of "Introduction" is a reconstructed version of the TV version up to episode 6.

Shinji Ikari, a junior high school student, is chosen as the pilot of the first artificial human Evangelion and called to the Third New Tokyo City. Shinji defeats a mysterious enemy, the Apostles, with the first Eva, but he feels frustrated by the lack of praise from others for the battle, even though he risked his life. Then, Shinji witnesses Rei Ayanami, who has little emotional volatility, talking with her father, Gendou, in a friendly manner. During the final mission, Rei, riding Evangelion Zero, defends Shinji's first plane with all her might. Shinji rushes to Rei's side and weeps when he sees her safe.
In "Rebuild of Genesis: Introduction," Shinji, who has not been accepted by his father, hesitates and becomes aware of Rei, a stranger, for the first time. Positioned between Shinji and Rei is his father, Gendo Ikari, who calls out to Shinji but coldly tries to cut him off. Gendo is kind only to Rei and rescues her without regard to her burns. Almost the same behavior is traced by Shinji at the end of the film. Roughly speaking, Shinji's overcoming his father's obstacle is the goal of "Rebuild of Genesis: Introduction" (a goal that runs through the entire film).

The special solution "LCL" is the color of the setting sun.

By the way, many liquids appear in "Rebuild of Evangelion: Introduction. The first cut is seawater dyed red. The sea that appears frequently thereafter is all painted red.
When an apostle is defeated, it rains red blood and disappears. Android Evangelion also shed reddish-black blood when damaged. In addition, Eva stored in the hangar is immersed in a burgundy liquid similar to seawater.
The Eva's cockpit is filled with a liquid called "LCL," which helps the pilot breathe. The cockpit filled with LCL is painted in a normal color, unless otherwise required for dramatic effect; in scenes where LCL is boiled or drained, bubbles and other bubbles are painted as orange liquid.
LCL is a special solution that envelops the human body and protects its life from danger. In fact, other orange-colored liquids appear in addition to LCL. The color of the drug that is infused into the injured Rey is orange. Can we not say that the liquid that helps the human body and leads to life is a warm orange color ......?

So, in what scenes in "Rebuild of Japan: Introduction" is the color orange used?
The scene where Misato Katsuragi, who is in charge of Shinji's identity, proudly shows him a panoramic view of the Third New Tokyo City is depicted in orange, tinted by the beautiful setting sun. Also, the dream scene where Shinji, who has fainted from the fierce battle with the apostles, hears the voices of his parents and Ayanami Rei is also depicted in a streetcar in the orange sunset.
There is another important scene that must not be overlooked. This is the scene in which Rei is seriously injured during an Eva Zero experiment. First of all, the fuselage color of Unit Zero is orange. The glass surrounding the emergency stop lever is orange. The window pane that the runaway Unit Zero hits and breaks is also painted orange. Gendo Ikari rushes to the cockpit of the emergency ejection Unit Zero. He pries open the cockpit's boarding door while fighting off burns. Orange LCL flows out around the cockpit, and Gendou's dropped glasses crumple from the heat.

The world as seen by Gendou Ikari is tinted orange.

In the recollection scene, Gendou's glasses are colorless. Since Rei was seriously injured during the experiment, Gendou has been wearing orange glasses. And the LCLs that protect Shinji and Rei's bodies and lives are also orange. The world that Gendou, who has the right to live and kill Shinji and Rei, sees is orange, the liquid that protects the two children is also orange, even the dream in which Shinji and Rei talk is orange ...... and finally the narrow koku in which the two smile at each other. The pit is also flooded with orange LCL.
The sea, which would have been blue in the TV version, has turned red - at that point, the world becomes more harsh and the meaning of other colors must also be forced to change. While red seems to disallow the existence of life, orange may have the role of a catalyst to receive life.

(Text by Keisuke Hirota)

Rebuild of Evangelion: Introduction (EVANGELION: 1.11) [DVD] (C) Color/Project Evangelion

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