Last Sunday, I finally watched that legendary episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion in which the (rather wimpy) protagonist Shinji (left) met the cute boy Kaoru (right), fell in love with him, (consummated his love with him?), killed him and griefed over him in that very same episode! I'd never thought it could actually happen on screen!
The episode began like many other shounen animes: Boy meets boy when they are watching sunset by the sea. It's more obvious here than other animes, though, in that Shinji was all shy and blushing while Kaoru was flirting with him the whole time.
A boy: (humming Beethoven's "Ode to Joy")
Songs are good!
Shinji: Huh?
A Boy: Songs bring us joy.
Songs are the highest culture that Lilims have created.
Don't you think so?
Ikari Shinji?
Shinji: You know my name?
A Boy: Everyone knows your name.
Excuse me, but you had better be aware of your own position.
Shinji: Is that so?
Well, who are you?
A Boy: I'm Kaoru.
Nagisa Kaoru (Kaoru of the Seashore.)
Just like you, I am one of the selected children.
I am the Fifth Child.
Shinji: Fifth Child?
You? Nagisa?
Kaoru: Call me "Kaoru," Ikari-kun.
Shinji: Alright, call me Shinji.
Kaoru: (Laugh)
That night, they took a bath together and slept right next to each other. (My friends and I have analysed Captain Tsubasa, Gear Fighter Dendoh and many other anime and we've reached the conclusion that friends means people who you share a bath and bed with!)
During that very long bath scene, they sat very close to each other, doing some very sweet flirting, and then (finally!) Kaoru covered Shinji's hand with his. Shinji acted like a teenage girl who's never been touched but he let Kaoru's hand stay there.
They kept talking. And then Kaoru stood up and Shinji's face turned beet red. (It was so cute!) because his face is right next to Kaoru's you-know-what. But Kaoru didn't stop talking. And Shinji just blushed all the way through. Then the night went out. And Kaoru told him I love you.
Kaoru: Hey. You were waiting for me?
Shinji: Oh, no I did... I didn't mean to.
Kaoru: Today is...?
Shinji: Well, the usual test was over and I was going to have a shower before I went home.
But, I don't want to go home these days.
Kaoru: You have a house, or a home to go to. That's nice.
Shinji: Is that so?
Kaoru: I want to talk with you some more. May I go with you?
Shinji: Huh?
Kaoru: I mean to the shower. Aren't you going to shower?
Shinji: Yeah...
Kaoru: You mean "no"?
Shinji: Oh, yes. I don't mean NO.
--
Kaoru: You avoid contact at all costs. Do you fear to feel other people?
You keep yourself from others so that you will never be betrayed or hurt. But you will never escape from sadness.
A person cannot erase sadness forever. Everyone is alone.
However, people can forget, and so they are able to live.
(The light went out.)
Shinji: Oh!
Shinji: It's time.
Kaoru: Bath time's over?
Shinji: We have to go to bed.
Kaoru: Together with you?
Shinji: Ah... no, you are provided with your own, different room .
Kaoru: Well, people always feel pain in their hearts.
The heart is easy to wound, that's why living is painful.
In particular, your heart is fragile like glass.
Shinji: Me?
Kaoru: Worthy of love.
Shinji: Love?
Kaoru: I mean, I love you.
And that night they slept together in a cell that's only big enough to fit in 2 single beds exactly.
Kaoru: Really, I should be on the floor.
Shinji: Oh, you shouldn't. It's me who asked you to let me stay here.
It's OK if I sleep here.
Kaoru: What do you want to say?
Shinji: Eh?
Kaoru: You have something that you want me to hear.
Shinji: I've experienced many things since I came here.
I was at my teacher's before.
Silent and calm days.
I did nothing but exist.
That was fine with me.
I had nothing to do.
Kaoru: You dislike people?
Shinji: Well, I don't really care.
Except for my father, who I hate.
(Why am I talking about this kind of thing to Kaoru-kun?)
Kaoru: (Laugh)
Kaoru: (Sigh)
Kaoru: I might have been born to meet you.
At the end of the episode when Shinji had to kill Kaoru because he was the last angel (and therefore a threat to humans), he cried, "You betrayed me! You betrayed my heart!"
And after he'd killed Kaoru, he said, "Kaoru was the first person who said 'I love you' to me." I loved him. He should have been the one to survive. He was much better than I am. He should have survived."
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opengoal
thanks much
Date: 2008-03-26 05:53 pm (UTC)thank you
Date: 2008-04-05 11:16 pm (UTC)