First Time Reacting to "NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Openings" | A Cruel Angel's Thesis | Non Anime Fan!

[@GOTGames]

SO this is the famous Neon Genesis Evangelion opening?? 🤯 DON'T FORGET! WE ARE LIVE TONIGHT! For more LIVE reactions and ANIME watch-alongs as well as BIG GIVEAWAYS be sure to be following me on TWITCH! www.twitch.tv/gotgames_tb 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Also, all UNBLURRED reactions are uploaded early to PATREON! www.patreon.com/gotgames 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@daone-ho9ee]

Try akudama drive pls🙂🙂🙂

[@KaidoSGMC]

No i want Elfenlied

[@danielmedela8725]

Nah, Evangelion is really old, one of the oldest mecha (giant robots genre) shows. As for seasons, there is one season of 26 episodes, and a movie that retcons the last 2 episodes into one awesome final battle. And a remake made in 4 movies, but... you watched the original opening, which is the best one. And, there is nudity once or twice, but it never feels sexy, just.... creepy.

[@rickyovi9956]

Evangelion is my favorite anime 1 season, 5 movies

[@kurniaarafah9373]

How about Hatsune Miku Again is one of her Live concert, the song is cat food. hey i even prepared it for you......here's the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2WvlKygh6t3mtU

[@FinalMasterM]

This is one of those series that defined an entire generation of the medium and is as recognizable to non-fans as Dragon Ball or Sailor Moon, and has as much cultural impact too. It's a very mature and thought envoking series with lots of intrigue and morals. It's less a mech series and more a psychological dive into humanity and struggling against the supernatural.

[@arpitsingh8936]

The Mangaka was himself in depression while serializing it and has said in the interview that even he doesn't know how he drew it.

[@yohannbiimu]

@@arpitsingh8936 The man who created Evangelion's story and animation production isn't a Mangaka. He's animator and film director, Anno Hideaki. And yes, he was extremely emotionally troubled when he was making it, to the point of feeling suicidal. If another person drew a manga version of Evangelion in coordination with the production of the anime, and he too was going through a bad time in his life, that is very interesting.

[@bardninja]

i guess, when combined with dragon ball and sailor moon, you could say this was a...third impact.

[@aliciaz6224]

@@bardninja well done

[@GOTGames]

I feel like this is one I have to watch!! 💯

[@androyus]

Evangelion is a sci-fi, mecha, psychological anime from 1995 and has 26 episodes only (+ movies). Some legendary anime really don't need multiple seasons to be good. Titles like Cowboy Bebop, Serial Experiments Lain & Katanagatari are examples of "one & done" anime which are great. "Is there nudity in the anime?" Yes.

[@shinyhappyrem8728]

26 episodes, which means he could watch the series in only half a day!!!1 :D

[@hyozanhades09]

@@shinyhappyrem8728 also there are 4 movies too !!!

[@jorgitosilva]

To be specific... 26 episodes... 2 extended remade final episodes to replace the "weird" episodes that came out due to issues with the show runnig out of budget and the production company going under (but came back to life and strong because of this one show)... 4 movies that came in spanning over 15 years to "reboot" the full show (you would need to watch everything to understand why the "reboot" is in quotation).

[@lareolanKFP]

I don't know why so many people speak of Cowboy Bebop and Serial Experiments Lain, but omit the masterpiece that was Key the Metal Idol. It was every bit as trippy, dark, and twisted as those shows.

[@Elfkyle]

BASED Katanagatari enjoyer

[@laiofurious6433]

I don't think it's nostalgia, Evangelion is one of those turning points for the whole industry. You could say Evangelion was one of the few game changer that made the whole anime industry turn into something different. We had a lot of stories before, yes, of course, but the standard for those times were that anime was not that deep. But the way EVA told its story, the characters, the OST, the ambience, the plot... EVA is just... unique, even today, and when you think about it considering the context of Japan at that time, is completely understandable why is it considered one of (if not THE) best anime of all times, and not arguably one of the most influential anime of all times, it showed everyone anime's true potential and from there on, animes would take a completely new form of developing plot and characters.

[@maddyd3422]

Amen 🎉🖤

[@NatanoNielni]

Yep this is

[@tintillor]

I think this is just from a western perspective.

[@thedimondminerz9049]

@@tintillorI wouldn’t say that it’s changed and inspired many other anime And also EVA is everywhere in Japan 🇯🇵

[@braydenleaderofthetirkins1143]

It doesn’t change the fact that it’s just a bad story & horribly written characters

[@msxlxsv2472]

This is probably the most ICONIC Opening … EVER

[@ahoyforsenchou7288]

Yeah, I can't even really think of a close 2nd. The only thing might be Renai Circulation, but that's more because it got memed to death by newer anime fans.

[@wolfshadow_Obama_Osama]

@@ahoyforsenchou7288 Unravel??? mf said Renai Circulation💀

[@yohannbiimu]

*Nadia: The Secret Of Blue Water's OP* (created five years earlier by the same studio and crew as Evangelion) is visually and musically toned 180 degrees different from Evangelion's OP, but, IMO, it's as good (though different) as this one. It has outstanding vocals, animation, and other visuals to make it stand out as an all-time classic, but it is, for whatever reasons, completely off anime fans' radar. I highly recommend watching and listening to it.

[@Linkminer00]

@@ahoyforsenchou7288 Renai Circulation lol, I was thinking more along the lines of Sailor Moon, Naruto, and Pokemon openings, or maybe stuff like Clannad ops, the Gurren Lagann op, or the first ops of FMAB, Death Note, Steins;Gate, Tokyo Ghoul, Mirai Nikki or Higurashi. But yeah, very few if any really come close to Evangelion's icon status.

[@HamsterKombatNewsandupdates]

Magic Knight Rayearth - Yuzurenai Negai

[@MrEmatthewh]

Classic and forever a banger. Great introspective anime too, don’t let the giant robots fool you. It’s a dark show. It came out in the 90’s. Also, this song is played a lot at Japanese baseball games and things like that

[@GOTGames]

Ah the amount of praise this anime has got in the comments! Going to have to watch it 💯

[@cry9438]

@@GOTGames Evangelion is like 5% comedy 15% individual personal issues 30% action 50% depression

[@42Caio]

"don't let the giant robots fool you" The fuck you even mean? A large number of mecha anime from long before Evangelion were already dark. Being dark is not what makes Evangelion stand out lol.

[@kodix7204]

If I could describe Evangelion I’d say it’s a trip, through psychological horror, heavy topics, a looming sense of ominous over-arching biblical inferences, bringing realistic issues and mental struggles and puts them into anime characters. Yet beautiful. It makes you think about you and the world around you in a different light. Evangelion is definitely a show worth the watch.

[@draxomega]

Congratulations

[@Y_arkar]

You described it better than it is, at least in films (I dropped anime series on episode 5).

[@kodix7204]

@@Y_arkar re-watch it 🙏 give it a chance.

[@Y_arkar]

@@kodix7204 I will try to watch it... someday.

[@GOTGames]

I don't get how this wasn't recommended sooner! This sounds right up my alley!!

[@matchxuky7305]

This opening is a classic because it was the reason why people started paying more attention to the openings and started making better openings.

[@GOTGames]

Ah I see! 🔥

[@ReaderViaNil]

@@GOTGames its kinda hard to put in context without knowing what was popular, but openings tended to be just some synth or drums and a dude yelling the anime title with sound effects, no lyrics and nothing special, kind of like soap opera opening credits.

[@odorikakeru]

@@ReaderViaNil Older OPs weren’t as bad as all that, it’s more that they served a different purpose. The changes to OP design was an industry-wide thing that would’ve happened with or without Evangelion (and the trend line can be seen starting before Eva aired), but it really does stand out as a great example of the changes happening. Up until the mid-to-late 1980s linear television was basically all there was for anime series (with a few exceptions). Because there was no rewind and no guarantee of a repeat, the OP served as a buffer - giving people something to watch while waiting for any stragglers to tune in. It also could be used to set the tone/atmosphere for the viewer. In the middle of the 1980s the home-video revolution made OVAs the new vanguard for anime production. Although no longer needed, OPs remained as a vestigial component, and the idea of setting the tone of the show became their primary function. Also, now that creators could be sure that the majority of the audience would be watching the whole OP, they could start experimenting with it more and more. Having pre-OP scenes, and subtle changes the the OP in some episodes became more normalised. This is also the time that the theme tune became more important as a supplemental revenue stream (and with themed concert events, it became more normal to get the actors to sing the songs themselves instead of hiring a professional). One thing that remained, though, was the assumption that anyone watching the opening was already invested in the show (they had already purchased the laserdisc, etc) and so didn’t necessarily need their expectations raised, or any further convincing. The next big change happened in the mid-1990s, right when Evangelion was made. With an explosion of channels thanks to satellite TV, broadcasters were fighting for rights to new anime (being cheaper than live-action). Ideas that before would maybe have got a 4 part OVA were now being adapted to 26 episodes, and any reasonably popular IP needed to struggle to =not= be turned into a TV show! This was the first time that anime would have to battle over audience share, it was no longer possible for anyone but the most committed fans to watch all the shows that might appeal to them in a given season. It’s here that show runners started to see the OP as the hook to catch an audience (“to reel in people who became lost while channel hopping” to continue the metaphor). It became an advertisement for the show at the beginning of the show. Evangelion was part of the first wave of shows doing this, and it did it a lot more successfully than its contemporaries. A great way to see how big the changes were is to look at something like Tenchi Muyo (a forgettable series, but one 12 year old me for some reason absolutely loved when he first watched it). Once you ignore all the changes that were made just to fit the 4-fold increase in running time (or to give fan-favourite characters more screen time), the stories for the 1992 version and the 1995 version are pretty much the same, but the OPs could not be more different! The last series of Sailor Moon is probably another good example. Epilogue: they say that everybody has at least one book in them… This week I am now afraid that my book is one on anime OPs 😅

[@JulianRWR1]

thats right, it was THE FIRST great opening

[@JulianRWR1]

@@odorikakeru never expected to find a (cruel angels) thesis in one of these videos

[@smugsneasel]

Oh...um...listen. This anime isn't just a mech anime. It's...more of a psychological drama anime with mechs IN it. And memes...lots and lots of retroactive memes.

[@danielgwynne7266]

It’s like calling code geass a mecha anime

[@IIZycKoNII]

So a mech anime

[@Vsmassl]

@@IIZycKoNII I mean, it's about as much a mech anime as Made in Abyss is a children's anime.

[@RudiTheMan]

It's not, it's an angel,

[@shinyhappyrem8728]

@@RudiTheMan: get back into the robot!

[@duvan.deschain]

A Cruel Angel's Thesis is an absolute banger! Now, the main reason the opening it's so iconic it's because it does not operate like your traditional Mecha Anime Opening. Yes, the music is upbeat, but both the lyrics and the visuals are dark. If you want to see a great analysis of it I recommend A Cruel Angel's Thesis Explained by Mother's Basement. As far as the anime goes, I think you should watch it. It's only one season and then a few movies, which are worth watching in my opinion. The films bring the story full circle. It's quite cerebral but also really rewarding, specially since you enjoy well written shows.

[@GOTGames]

I think you're right! One I've got to watch 💯

[@daodolong]

Utada Hikaru sang for the OSTs of the Evangelion Movie adaptions . Beautiful World / Sakura Nagashi / One Last Kiss are top tier songs . Also " Komm süsser Tod " must be like one of the most known Evangelion songs after A Cruel Angel's Thesis and Fly Me To The Moon .

[@eib282GPR1]

It all returns to nothing...

[@kwagz3314]

It all comes tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down

[@adencurry3727]

Plus Thanatos, don’t forget about Thanatos

[@Emitan414]

I love Beautiful World acoustic ver

[@wisefelipe]

Oh yeah, Komm Susser Tod. The happiest song about suicide lol

[@felix_patriot]

Part of the reason why this is credited as the greatest anime of all time is because, this was the anime that _actually put anime openings on peoples radar._ It inspired many companies to put more effort into them, and thanks to that people now say things like "have you watched _x_ ?" "oh nah but i love the *opening* "

[@Attor715]

3:28 On the nostalgia factor, personally I do think nostalgia plays a pretty big part in how loved this opening is. Not only is the series one of the most famous/genre defining series, the song itself hits a specific type of sound that soungs old yet nostalgic. I'm born in the 21st Century, Japanese, never watched the show, only read a small part of the manga, yet this song feels nostalgic to me because it carries the same sound quality and energy that many beloved older Japanese songs carry (Think any of the songs that appear in older Studio Ghibli films. Completely different songs but same feeling of warm nostalgia). Add to it that Evangelion as a show is one of the older series that many experienced anime fans recommend to new anime fans, this song goes around a LOT. So in many new anime fan's cases, there's high likelihood they've heard this song before without quite knowing where it came from/what it signified. Also, it's an extremely singable song even if you only know the chorus, which makes it easier for people to learn it without knowing Japanese deeply. Heck, it's singable just from hearing it a few times because its chorus melody sticks out. All in all, I feel there's many factors at play here but I agree, nostalgia may be playing a surprisingly big part into why it's so beloved. And I haven't even touched upon the actual anime factor either bc I'm not familiar enough with it. But any dedicated Evangelion fan in the comments might be able to further provide why they think it's iconic/how the show is iconic. It's so famous for many things and has a long dedicated fanbase that continues to grow to this day as continuations/sequels pop up (Unsure how the more recently animation stuff fits in, sorry).

[@shinyhappyrem8728]

The manga was a bit different from what I heard, I'm not even sure if it's already finished...? And afaik the 4th Rebuild movie concluded the franchise?

[@yohannbiimu]

I think anything that used to be "the current popular thing" must bring about a sense of nostalgia, and in America, Evangelion was exploding in popularity all over the world at roughly the same time that Japanese animation, in general, was becoming increasingly popular. Eva was a lot of American anime fans' truly "first anime experience", so I believe that explains much of its continued enthusiasm here. I was an anime fan before 1995, so I'm speaking from personal experience. IMPO, I think that Evangelion wouldn't have been made if GAINAX hadn't built up creative momentum with earlier projects, like *The Wings Of Honneamise, Gunbuster,* and *Nadia: The Secret Of Blue Water.* To me, Evangelion is just part of about eight years (between 1987 and 1995) of groundbreaking, classic anime production by a single studio. It's just a shame that GAINAX has tumbled into so many troubles since then.

[@secchi5102]

This is the anime that defined what anime is, you can think of it like it's the Pulp Fiction/Star Wars of the anime world. Pretty much every anime takes something from Eva, animes nowadays would be VERY different if eva didn't exist, it's also kinda influential for Japan and japanese culture. The show itself is a bit weird, but even if you don't get it, it still a must watch for anyone who considers to be an anime fan.

[@ahoyforsenchou7288]

This song is by far one of the most popular songs to come out of Japan in the last 50 years. Not a single karaoke parlor in JP omits this song from their list, to this day. Also Asuka is best girl.

[@shinyhappyrem8728]

Misato > *

[@Mik_S]

I agree Asuka is best. I only recently changed my profile pic after having her since KZbin started.

[@brianberrios2348]

yes

[@RichyArg]

It's been 30 fucking years you cunts!

[@thenoobiest1929]

Misato is better

[@Kaiwashere321]

Literally one of the most iconic anime opening's forever and always!

[@sophieaquitan4419]

One small note: No robot anime is actually about robots, they are usually about politics, depression, abuse or all of the above, but never about robots.

[@amf3118]

Everyone agreed at some point that the robots are the cool factor everybody loves, so they put the focus on something else.

[@michael1991123]

Very influential anime. Masterfully embedded with many adult psychological themes. Theres plenty of series analysis many hours long posted on this series all over youtube. Well worth a watch for the first 2 movies before you dig into the full series to see if its up your alley.

[@minhsangle9210]

this is a classic opening. it got top 1 for the most sing karaoke song for 30 year now, even 3 CEO of Mihoyo is fan of this anime

[@wisefelipe]

I mean, Shattered Samsara is basically the ending of 2.0 lol

[@jasonjack1038]

The opening is like a nostalgia/classic/ iconic for everyone, that's why it's only one of the openings that is gonna be mentioned almost everywhere

[@deadsoon]

Welp, basically it's a great song and it's iconic because of the reputation of the anime. I didn't even like the series all that much but I still know every lyric to the song 🤣 And the visual are also very good, they hold up very well. Gigantic biological robots that fight bizarre alien forces will always look cool.

[@pjdougherty6442]

For personal reasons, this is my favorite anime ever. Some people love it, some people hate it, most don’t understand it, but it helped me confront and deal with my own depression, and that means a lot to me.

[@媽咪-q4j]

提到治癒心理 Mob Psycho 100也是個很棒的作品

[@traphimawari7760]

I wouldn't call it the best opening of all time, but it is indeed the best classic anime opening

[@alxcrvs1908]

Yeah people exaggerate a lot with this anime calling it the best with the best op it's up there but not to call it number 1

[@thedimondminerz9049]

Well no anime opening is the best It’s all personal opinion

[@GOTGames]

🤯

[@traphimawari7760]

@@thedimondminerz9049 true, but as a classic anime opening it is up there among the best, I would probably put it among the classics hall of fame

[@thedimondminerz9049]

@@traphimawari7760 I have to agree I love this opening

[@NomNombom]

Evas opening is one of those that are impossible to skip among a select few, it's so catchy and it tells a story without spoiling the series yet still foreshadows the end.

[@Feldraig2]

Your take on this song sounding like a tropical dance tune is right up there with "Fullmetal Alchemist: A heartwarming tale about a young girl and her robot." 🤣

[@lightingmcqueen522]

That’s what I thought of it to, completely changed once I watched the show.

[@DXDragon38]

One of the most memorable and iconic theme songs of all time. I need to get around to rewatching the show and watching the films, I've heard amazing things about them.

[@cabbage_cat]

this is THE anime anthem

[@shinjireference3568]

Evangelion is so iconic, and deserves all the praise it gets.

[@Tawi06]

Evangelion is definitely an iconic series with some REALLY good characters that are very deeply explored and also an awesome take on the concept of giant mecha robots. Highly recommended!

[@ohhimarx1471]

I have never seen this anime before, but I’ve heard this opening hundreds of times. This is the pinnacle of anime music.

[@stefanomartello3786]

In my group of friends often we refer to this song as the "Anime Fan's Anthem" cause even if you have never watched Evangelion there is a high chance you know this song by heart anyway. Evangelion was the first proper anime I watched knowing it was anime back when nobody cared about anime (2008ish) and every time I listen to this song I get chills 😁 This anime and this song helped to forge the anime culture as it is today. They were a beacon for everything that came after. Edit: I want to say that, despite what people usually say about evangelion being weird and everything else, including the heavy way everything si portrayed, every time I rewatch evangelion (original series) I find its messages (I had to watch the series a few times to grasp it to the point of getting what the series was about) extremely positive and conforting in general. It's a message of hope for the human species as flawed as it is. Everyone I've spoke with, who watched evangelion and liked it enough to try to understand it, gave me a different response when I asked them what meaning they found in the series and then, after listening to them, I was able to see what they meant too. For example, in my case, it mainly reminds me the importance of communicating with others despite the negative feelings you may face when you do it because it's the best way to acheve a better future for yourself and a better understanding of other people. But in order to do so you have to think during the series "why they come to the point where they are at?" And "what they could have done in a different way to feel better?" And the answers to those questions (that you have to ask yourself when you face a negative feeling during the series), which you are supposed to give to yourself, are very different for everyone and they reveal part of your personality you may have been unaware of and they really show the bright side of the series in my opinion. Edit 2: there is almost no nudity (and never in a sexual way) in the main series so probably it's safe for youtube (if you want to be sure you may have to delete like a coyple of seconds in a couple of episode) anyway I highly recommend it for a reaction.

[@henriquepereira9158]

The ending is "Fly Me to the Moon". Would love to see a reaction to the OG "Inazuma eleven" openings

[@KapitanWasTaken]

That's a bit of an understatement. Yes, the ending is "Fly Me to the Moon", but every episode has a different version of the song, sung by different people and/or in different styles. Together between the on air version and the video version, and the DVD renewal ending credits at the end of the discs, there are a total of 31 versions.

[@henriquepereira9158]

@@KapitanWasTaken yes. But I think it would be a bit awkward to listen to all 31 versions of it. So I generalized it to the title.

[@azrael7582]

this is an iconic Opening and Anime Show thats so popular in Japan that even the JSDF Band (Military Band) Plays on some occasion. The Anime Aired in 1995 For my Part i totally love it, the Mind Fuck in this Anime is something on its own. Evangelion got 1 Season with 24 Episodes, but has some Sequels to it, and then the 4 Movies (Rebuild of evangelion 1.11,2.22 etc) which is a reanimation of the Anime with slight changes to the story, it is Mech Based basicly the Name of the Mechs are Evangelion

[@nidsalim7911]

The anime was basically a human story of growing and accepting yourself (or not) wrapped in mecha and cabbalistic lore. One of the best shows I've seen.

[@willordordona5429]

Evangelion is one of the key anime that made a lot of folks anime lovers. Its a tv series yet feels like an animated movie on how well its animated. The character design both the suits are so iconic that any otaku recognize to this day.

[@josephcline3652]

I think it's just that it's soooo iconic. Nothing sounds like it, nothing even comes close off the top of my head.

[@AarenYASS]

It's crazy this retro anime FINALLY ended recently. It's been going for so long, so thought provoking, mind blowing, emotional. Love this series and what it brought to the anime industry. Such a satisfying conclusion. -

[@yugioht42]

The translated lyrics are Young boy, like a cruel angel’s thesis, Live up to be a legend… Even though clear blue winds Beat on the door of my heart, You just smile, looking straight at me Too involved in yearning for Something to hold on The innocent eyes still no nothing of fate yet. But someday you will notice On those shoulders of your There are strong wings To guide you to the far future. A cruel angel’s thesis Will someday fly high from the window If memories are betrayed by The overflowing, burning pathos (emotions). Young boy, shine like a legend, Holding the sky in your arms. The cradle of love that sleeps within me There will be a morining that A servant of dreams will come for you. The moonlight shines on your thin neckline. I’d stop time in this world And lock it away for myself, but… If there is any meaning In the fate that pulled us together, Then I am, yes, the Bible That teaches you of freedom. A cruel angel’s thesis And then sorrow comes forth When the shapes of the dreams you hold in your arms Come to life within you. Young boy, who shines brighter than anyone else, Rise to become a legend. People weave together love to create history And so I live on, Unable to become a goddess… A cruel angel’s thesis Will someday fly high from the window If memories are betrayed by The overflowing, burning pathos (feelings). Young boy, shine like a legend, Holding the sky in your arms

[@GOTGames]

Thank you! ❤️

[@RichyArg]

Eva is an absolute staple of the while medium. Pretty much every anime ever since draws something from it. It's not exactly the root of them all, but a lot of tropes and archetypes that come to mind with 90's and 2000's consolidated in this work. It's also very much the kind of story that benefits from being experienced multiple times, repeatedly, I try to give it a rewatch once a year since I was 12 (admittedly, I probably shouldn't have been watching it that young). It's such a multifaceted story that you will experience it differently depending on your age, emotional state, your mood and what's currently going on in your life. It's also a gem in its probably one of the stories in the media with the most flawed cast, every character is an absolute mess, buy they are still likeable in their own way. It's also where the concept of "Waifu wars" cane to be into its current form, and 30 years later you will still find people arguing over which romantic interest is "best girl" (it's Unit0 btw)

[@michalzilavy]

The first thing I wanna say is thank you for these reactions, I have been really enjoying them. As others pointed out Evangelion is iconic anime and Cruel Angel's Thesis is an iconic song, so that might be the reason you heard it is one of the best ones ever. In terms of the next reactions, I would really like to see you react to Goblin slayer OP. The interesting quirk of it is that artist Mili uses made up language in part of it and also it is just really well done in my opinion.

[@lareolanKFP]

This is a great song. A little piece of trivia, when IRyS (from Hololive project Hope) debuted, she sand this song during her debut stream, and as she sang that first couplet and held a gorgeous clean note for a long time, I just instantly fell in love with her amazing voice! Been a fan of IRyS since!

[@celem1000]

This was one of the first anime to arrive in a big way in the west. I remember borrowing the VHS one by one from a friend at school in the UK sometime early in 1997. I had never even been aware of it as a genre. I can take or leave anime, but this has remained one of my favourite tracks for nearly 30 years. My wife and I walked the aisle to a harp cover.

[@eduardoff_DL]

I could not be more happy that you are reacting to this legendary and my favorite anime of all time, a beautiful and painful journey through its characters that show us how difficult it is to be a human being .. an anime of psychological suspense and hedgehogs

[@nyarlathotep616]

It's definitely worth a watch. I've been watching anime for 25 years now likely and unfortunately just watched Evangelion all the way through last year. It was great still.

[@真依-f8v]

It is the opening song of the anime that had such a big influence on Japan that even people who have not watched the anime sing it at karaoke. This anime is dark, heavy, poetic and difficult to understand, but it is very beautiful. Please take a look by all means. Also, Hikaru Utada wrote the song for the latest movie series. I recommend it because it fits the world view of the work very well. By the way, there are almost no nude scenes. In the anime series, there was such a depiction, but in the movie series, it will not be a problem.

[@rafaelcalmon2858]

*It's not an exaggeration to say Evangelion is the reason anime is what it is today.* It was the turning point that showed japanese animation could be something amazing, wide-reaching and unlike anything we had in any other media. The animation was something that would be years ahead its time, to the point IT'S STILL ENDEARING TO THIS DAY. The opening song became like a hymn for all anime fans across the world, as if we were a nation. *Play the notes on any instrument, and any anime fan worth their salt will recognize it.* If one likes ANY anime from the 90s and beyond, they owe it to this anime. It kickstarted it all.

[@dimon8760]

This is great song and a great opening. Bat ii's definitely a nostalgic thing. It's old. It's dark. It's mecha. It's have some nudity. And it's genre defining anime.

[@Fullmoncho]

Fun Fact : The composer of this opening composed this song in 15 minutes. Music and lyrics. She only watched 2 episodes at 2x speed The creator did not want something so commercial since his anime goes deep into the psyche of his characters, it is a very deep anime, the creator wanted something more orchestral but Gainax wanted a catchy theme... And boy did they achieve it.

[@exigentspr.4899]

This song is so Iconic, it's been played at almost every significant protest from America to Russia and has been played constantly in high level military bands around the world.

[@musachi5999]

It's there purely for it iconic status in anime and nostalgia plays a huge part. It might take a few listens but I remember feeling so pumped listening to when I first caught this anime back in the 00's through surfing the high seas.

[@melaniemassengill4347]

For me, Evangelion is among legendary anime like Dragon Ball, this vocalist is gorgeous and I always get lost in it. Vision of Escaflowne has a great opening too, Yakusoku wa Iranai by Maaya Sakamoto.

[@しーちゃんの使徒]

The second song of this anime, "Lefranc of the Soul", is covered by SU-METAL and the video is on KZbin .😁😁

[@Koyasama]

Evangelion came out in 1995. It's not only a classic, it's one of the most influential anime of all time--a Rosetta stone for the next decade-plus. It originated a number of tropes and conventions that have dominated anime of all genres since, up to the present day. It's also one of the *darkest* anime of all time (which makes the catchy, upbeat opening particularly incongruous)--a _vicious_ deconstruction of giant robot anime in general, and anime featuring teenagers in particular. It's a must-watch.

[@flygonkerel781]

How is it a vicious deconstruction of the mecha genre? I get the feeling that a LOT of people lazily stereotype the mecha genre and don’t even know how to properly define it.

[@zackyoung6504]

I’ve heard this song described before as “the Bohemian Rhapsody of anime songs,” and the more I listen to it, the more that description seems totally apt.

[@sanashi27]

Another OP that's considered great is "Genesis of Aquarion" (from the anime with the same name). Anyways, "Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis" is amazing and is a classic. ^_^

[@gregsteelfoot]

I have actually recommended AQUARION myself a few time, the first opening is my favorite of all time!

[@joaovieira1503]

Dude, I just love you vibing to the song and making scenarios about all of us vibing together xD But seriously, you're amazing man

[@newbie4789]

The melody is soo upbeat and for the time it came in, it's a really new and unique one. And in the end, a unique melody goes a lot longer than anything else

[@jorgitosilva]

Back in the day... there were not AS many openings to fight for the first spot with this one... so it kept the first place for quite a while added by all the "meaning" hidden behind the actual visuals of the opening along with the song... and further helped by the nostalgia growing with each year... i do love this opening as one of the best ever but i am objective enough to admit those are part of the reasons for it to be so...

[@にゃんちゅう-f3h]

This song has been the most sung song in Japanese karaoke for the past 30 years. Statistics are out as a solid ranking. This anime has penetrated so deeply into the hearts of Japanese people.😌🧡

[@fireaza]

I agree that "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" isn't necessarily the greatest anime opening ever, but holy hell is it ever iconic.

[@Suirioujin]

top anime, peak animation for its time, and even for today honestly, old drawings with to tier animation from the 90s, amazing and if you want an easy comparison, it's similar to Pacific Rim, giant strange aliens vs giant robots built and controlled by humans to fight against the aliens, but on a whole different level

[@zlfldp4248]

Pretty sure this is the biggest anime song EVER in Japan. Sometimes they do anime song rankings on Japanese TV, this one will always be on top.

[@SerMon22]

Ah, Evangelion. Zankoku na tenshi no thesis (A cruel angel's thesis) Neko Oikawa wrote such amazing lyrics, and Yoko Takahashi's voice fits it perfectly. Musically, it is also a nice exploration of what "J-pop" is: A rock/pop base with whatever instruments happen to be lying around on the room. The animation of the opening shows so much about what is actually in the anime without spoiling anything, which shows gread direction from Gainax. This was one of the songs that made me want to learn japanese and actually understand the lyrics. PS: Yes, there is some nudity in this anime. And underwear. All barbie models and not erotic at all. For NSFW content, you should wory more about the blood, alcohol, theological themes, cruelty....

[@rosshaikenleonen1416]

I never watched evangelion and I've watched hundreds if not thousands of anime. YET, This is also my favorite anime opening. It's just, makes me want to listen to it from time to time.

[@Christopher._M]

I watched it and thought it was bad but the OP itself made it worth it.

[@newbie4789]

It is a pure 26 episode show. classic. The popularity of the song is partially due to the classical value of it. And the opening is soo well related to the show. It's a cult classic of a show even outside anime and all... Like Dragon ball and all. The song is such a vibe , completely outside of usual anime opening.

[@NothinHoldTheFalling]

Aw man, I vividly remember watching this anime on TV when I was a kid, this is from the 90's. There's definitely an element of nostalgia there but it's also a masterpiece on its own. Few years ago I decided to rewatch the whole anime and god, you really have to be mentally stable to handle this "well". I remember being in an existencialist loop for several months because this anime re opened that door inside me. haha. Btw my favorite animes are Attack on Titan, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan. Fun fact: there are a few panels in Chainsaw Man's opening that make clear references to Evangelion 👁

[@aliciaz6224]

PLEASE consider listening to the opening for Revolutionary Girl Utena! It's from the same time period (1990s) as Evangelion and is also considered incredibly influential on the fan culture and industry of anime as a whole. plus the song is a banger and the visuals are awesome! the two ending songs are also really great, but the opening is truly iconic

[@Alphasnowbordergirl]

This show is older. It is from the '90s. And this, like Cowboy Bebop really got anime popular. I remember flipping through channels and landing on this show on Adult Swim. It caught my attention and it made me watch the show and started getting me into anime. This song is iconic. It stands out. This show is a trip. It's dark. This show really helped getting anime popular and introduced more adult anime into the mainstream.

[@moonkim6254]

This is so nostalgic!! Please react to Saint Seiya and Saint Seiya - The Lost Canvas, the openings are really good!

[@szeltovivarsydroxan9944]

Evangelion is one of the most influential anime ever. No mecha show was the same afterwards, many trying to emulate it (and failing). It sitll is very unique and ultimately you'll love it or hate it. For many watchers it was life changing. To me it was.

[@Shadow_ci]

When people say this is the best opening and stuff about anything You gotta remember they watched the show and are emotionally connected to it , no matter how much you try not to be bias the nostalgia just takes control Even for me , I've definitely heard lot of better openings but this one , i just love it

[@summernovah]

Can confirm. A Cruel Angel's thesis is good. So good in fact that after hearing it, I proceeded to download the full song, put it on my mp3 player, and jam out to it for 3 straight hours. It is ADDICTIVE. This song is seared into my brain and honestly I'm not complaining

[@purple-47]

2:55 there is one season, 26 episodes, 5 movies.

[@piskipa]

Evangelion is one of the series that completely changed the entire industry, it kickstarted a new era of anime back in the day, the industry was struggling in the 80s because of the economic crisis in Japan. The huge success of evangelion made it so other studios tried to also do more experimental and/or deeply personal or psychological series; some of the characters in Evangelion became literal archetypes that are still used now. Calling this anime iconic would be an understatement, Evangelion is one of the reasons why we still have anime at all.

[@seandun7083]

There is a mix of how good this is, how iconic it is, how iconic the op visuals are and how massively influential the show is. I would recommend watching it eventually, but maybe after you have seen several more anime. I think you would recognize many things that it inspired in AOT especially. "It didn't look like anyone in the op was smiling" good catch. I would say it was about Mecha, I would not say it was about robots and I'm not just trying to be pedantic. There is at least some suggested nudity in it. It is a more adult one. Recommendations for Ops: Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These (the newer adaptation) Baccano Full metal alchemist (2003 since you have already done brotherhood) Monster (op and ed) Steins; Gate (can't remember if you have done this one already)

[@Sgt_SealCluber]

I wonder how many people saw the anime "Madlax". There are many parts of that show that remind me of Evangelion.

[@sgsairl1706]

It's one of most sensational anime at the time, including the opening that still stay as the top karaoke song in Japan even after 30 years. With the plot out of norm thinking and just show us how messed up a person and the world can be. If you want to watch this anime, you need to watch the whole franchise excluding the newest movie series to understand it. You can watch the movie series for another version of story. The creator has clinical depression even stayed at hospital. He poured his depression and hardship into the story, so it's dark.

[@DraKeNgg.]

Finally !!!!! I think that a lot of nostalgia is the reasson of the awesomeness of this opening but it's also one of the best animes of all times, definetly one of my favorites. If you've seen the anime it becomes even more awesome. I literally got chills every time man. LOVE THIS FREAKING SONG!!!! also, it is DARK, yeah with upper cases

[@Selene.moonie]

Great reaction!! one of my favs OP 💜 seeing that you are on a roll with openings from the 90's I would recommend the op of Slam Dunk [Kimi Ga Suki da to Sakebitai] it's a great sports anime

[@cep85]

This anime broke the paradigm at the time that animated productions are only for children. When it arrived in South America in the mid 90s, early 2000s, the series served those who watched anime with simpler premises to find something serious and darker. The anime handles heavy psychological themes of the end of childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. All set in a devastated world where humanity tries to survive the attacks of unknown creatures.

[@sevillaa6532]

I think that more than being the best anime opening ever, it's rather more like being the most iconic anime opening of all time, bar none. It still is one of the best tho...

[@triadikesuma8829]

Great reaction for this iconic song. I used to listen to this song a lot back in high school. It's nostalgic listening to it right now after so long. You should try Saint Seiya, Saint Seiya The Lost Canvas, Saint Seiya Omega.

[@momon5994]

Not gonna lie, this opening gave me goosebumps

[@noragogo-ws4qy]

Bro this is such a good song genuinely the best anime opening

[@newbie4789]

I'm not sure if you enjoy the ending parts and all but the beginning of this show is easily something anyone can "enjoy". It's a special show.

[@unbokkusu]

GOAT. For me I think It's all about the production of the entire opening sequence. The amount of symbolism found in the lyrics and the visuals was just pure genius. Every frame and cut in those 1 minute and a half tells you a lot about the entire series, without telling you anything at all unless you've finished the series. Close 2nd to this for me is Crying for Rain by Minami. Solely because of Minami's passionate delivery of the song. (Let's not talk about the anime it's from)

[@bernieburton6520]

Need to check out the op for Black Lagoon. It's a series you would definitely love. There's two ops, the second op uses a remix version of the original opening song. 10/10 series

[@wingsolution]

Two other versions of this song I love just as much as the original. One is sung by the Japanese VAs for the girls in the anime. The other is AmaLee’s English translation.

[@jakemuller8626]

Lmao you were really funny with this reaction. If you really wanna know why this opening is considered one of the best ever isn't only just for the nostalgia, you need to watch someone making a breakdown of this song and how well this was composed and perfectly made, we got a Spanish youtuber who made a full vid about it but I'm not sure if you got one in your own language, there might be if you look for it, i guess. There's another opening made for the movie and is sang by the same artist Yoko Takahashi called: - "Tamashii No Rufuran" (Soul's Refrain), which btw BabyMetal (or SuMetal) did a cover live at Legend 1997 when celebrating her 16th Birthday. Another song from that movie, but not exclusive like the previous one, is: - "Tsubasa Wo Kudasai", is also another cover song BabyMetal did during an special event. Now you know where Japaneses got that mecha culture and fascination, there are more famous mecha anime but NGE is on another level in terms of theme, philosophy and story, this anime marks an entire generation and is a turning point in anime industry, no wonder why BabyMetal and many more artist took inspiration from it, even Attack On Titan can be explained with this, although there's no really similarities in terms of script, just for the "mecha" theme.

[@johnschultz7765]

I absolutely love Su-metal's cover of Tamashii no Rufuran. The 1997 movie was "Evangelion: Death & Rebirth"

[@mrtoast244]

This show is so unsettling sometimes, not even from the giant monsters or gore, just the entire show is unsettling to me. That one scene at the train station where it was like 30 seconds of waiting was the most tense I've felt in a while (I only just started watching, nearly finished season 1)

[@Zejoant]

yeah this is 100% one of my fav anime openings. i never watched the anime when i was younger. Tried watching it recently and didnt really like the anime but the song is awsome. so its not nostalgia.

[@Seldous]

As far as recommendations a few options if they hadn’t been done yet: Kuroko no baske openings Macross Frontier openings Yu Yu Hakusho (think there’s only one) Just a few off the top of my head. Any other recommendations feel free to jump in.

[@Jennilynne]

I watched this series for the first time as an angsty teenager, which probably wasn't a good idea lol. It definitely delves into a lot of dark topics. I haven't seen it in 20 or so years now though and I didn't watch the subsequent movies that have come out over the years. From my understanding shit only gets more bonkers from there.

[@NikoCat11]

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a masterpiece and a must to watch even nowadays. It was aired in 1995 and it's animation is truly one of a kind. It's a very dense anime though, it's incredible, but be prepared.

[@KiooZaax]

It's not about nostalgia. It's about being iconic. It's about being a legendary song that grabs you when you listen to it, and never leaves you. It's about the melody, recognisable more than any other anime song, it's about the notes, about hearing the first note and being like "CRUEL ANG-VANGELION !" as if it was a blind test. And I say that even though I dropped the anime after 3 episodes. Still plan to watch it tho, I just need motivation and time.

[@Professor_Wisteria_]

one of the shows that has been contender for most influential title since it's release. one of the best opening in the world, and one of the most psychologically taxing shows i have EVER watched. this show doesnt just make you think, it makes you FEEL

[@seankidney6235]

I’d like to again recommend the Golden Kamuy openings and endings.

[@msxlxsv2472]

This!!! Both the anime and the Openings are criminally underrated

[@gunwatt9151]

I watched the entire original series this year because of its reputation. Its hard to recommend to you but ill say that I respect it and have the opening song in my playlist.

[@WastedSorrow_]

I understand why you would be confused as to why its considered one of the best anime openings of all time. I also wouldnt say that its the best but its most certainly an s tier song. Not only is it as iconic as it gets, even for someone like me who hasnt seen the show itself, but it is probably the most fun you can have while listening to a single song in my opinion. (The only song that comes close is "Mashup: You reposted on the wrong neighborhood" by SHOKK, which isnt an anime song but its so much fun) I´m looking forward to more reactions, especially No Game No Life Zero´s theme song "There is a reason" by Konomi Suzuki, if you decide to do a reaction to it :D Have a nice day!

[@Pendragonau]

Opening to Macross It was remade into the American version called Robotech yes this is called a Classic Anime as it one of the early conversion done by America