FGC:Episode 03 Scene 05

Spending Time in Preparation

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Screenshots	Cut #	Description/Dialogue	Commentary
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	128	BGM START: E-1 rhythm only [Spending Time in Preparation] Nerv Command Center. Aoba (OFF - Speakers):“The target has been sighted. It's already penetrated into our territorial waters.”	Soluzar: An… unfortunate turn of phrase… considering Shamshel's appearance. :raises eyebrow: Reichu: The "waters" part makes it that much worse. I honestly wouldn't have picked out that particular Freudism on my own, but considering that you dissect literature on a regular basis, this must be second nature to you. ;)
	129	Fuyutsuki from below, UP. Fuyutsuki:“All personnel, assume battle stations, Level 1.”	Mr. Tines: (129~130 + 149) Where's Gendo? He's gone and left Kozo in charge, for once. Reichu: And all Kozo does is say two lines and abruptly vanish. This reminds me of the popular idea that Gendo is mysteriously absent for the majority of Angel attacks post-Gaghiel because he has Adam in his palm; but the fact of the matter is, he was NEVER around that much to begin with. OMF: Gendo and Fuyutsuki's presence in combat situations seems to be largely symbolic. They are after all, scientists by trade* and not military tacticians. They do seem to be in charge of the day to day running of Nerv, but in combat situations they largely defer to Misato and the Bridge Bunnies — except where their intervention becomes nessesary due to … special considerations. * Reichu: Actually, I don't think Gendo's original vocation is ever revealed. Cue massive speculation, come episode #21.
	130	Command Center interior. Map of Tokyo-3 on the monitor. Misato (OFF - Speakers):“Roger. Prepare for anti-aircraft interception.” Hyuga (OFF - Speakers):“Tokyo-3 switching over to battle formation.” Man (OFF):“Preparing for surface-to-air engagement.” Woman (OFF):“Preparing for surface-to-air engagement.” Operator Woman A (OFF - Speaker):“Initiate accomodation of the central block.” Woman (OFF):“Anti-aircraft system is on standby from Odawara to the Gora defense line.”	Reichu: Odawara is near the coast east of Tokyo-3, and Gora lies right in between. (Map.)
	131	Beyond the forest, a panoramic view of Tokyo-3. A siren resonates throughout the mountains. SE <<Siren Sound>>	OMF: A legitimate question to ask at this point, is why on earth Tokyo-3 is built directly above the Geofront. Talk about putting yourself in the line of fire! I suppose it's rather like those towns that spring up around military bases and silos. That, and it makes for cracking good TV! Reichu: See also here. Oh yeah, and just to get it out of my system: I always thought that the Ceiling City was the lamest idea in the world of fictional urban planning. Ever. Wait... Did I already say that? Oh well -- the point needs to be reiterated. ::P
	132	The whole town. The traffic signal turns red. The sign changes from "Hakone Yumoto 14 km" to "CAUTION", and multiple lock bolts project from the road surface simultaneously. SE <<Switching sound>>
	133	Buildings sink down across from an office block.
	134	A group of highrise buildings beyond the old part of town. They slowly settle.	Dr. Nick: "Quickly, hide the big, expensive glass buildings! The ghetto is expendable!" HeWhoPostsStuff: Especially considering that 50 percent of our current piloting staff lives there!"
	135	A building's first floor is already descending past the shutters. Beyond the traffic signal, the underground lock bolts are visible. Again armored shutters cover the first floor, and very long lock bolts come out.
	136	Buildings sinking beyond a pedestrian bridge.
	137	missing number Panoramic view of Tokyo-3.Group of buildings is already accomodated. SE <<Mechanical sounds echoing in the distance>>
	138	The hall of a building settling. Outside the window, the cross section of ground level (an armored plate) is sliding up
	139	Geofront ceiling section. The building substructures settling in. SE <<Sound of buildings stopping>>
	140	Ceiling buildings, Geofront panoramic view. The building lights turn on one after another. Operator Woman A (OFF - Speakers):“Accommodation of central block and the first through seventh districts has been completed.”	Gundampilotspaz: (132~140) The first detailed shots of Tokyo-3 going into lockdown are meant to resemble a military base preparing for battle. But we are also forced to see and acknowledge that it is still a city filled with normal, everyday human beings, people who are caught up in the middle of this battle. This lockdown is for their protection. Cars and the smaller apartment buildings are placed in a way to make us see that human beings still live on this battleground.
	141	Command Center zoom-in shot (PAN) Aoba (OFF - Speakers):“Notification of the government and other related ministries, completed.” Woman (OFF):“Target is still advancing.” Operator Woman B (OFF - Speakers):“The anti-aircraft interception system's current rate of operation is 48%.”
	142	Aoba in front of Misato. Misato looks at him. Misato:“Status of noncombatants and civilians?” Aoba:“We've already received reports that the evacuation has been completed.” Man (OFF):“Incoming call from Optical Observatory 3. An abnormal magnetic field observed in the target's periphery.” Woman (OFF):“Gauge particle count is 496. Pulse mode confirmed at 240.” BGM END: E-1 rhythm only [Spending Time in Preparation]	HeWhoPostsStuff: I'd guess Misato was probably still asleep (or something like it, anyways) when the emergency call went out, as she's not fully in uniform here… Guess she just threw on whatever was handy and rushed out. Reichu: Misato actually wears a number of different outfits to work (aside from her standard black one-piece with the cross pendant) in these early episodes, including jeans next up. Her Official Nerv Bumfreezer seems to be the only mandatory part of her uniform, save for more formal occasions (as we'll see in episode #07). Mr. Tines: Gauge particles are the particle quantized form of the fundamental forces: photons for electromagnetic force, W for the weak nuclear force, gluons for the strong, and gravitons for gravitation. Reichu: Both here and in episode #01, abnormal magnetic fields are associated with the Angels. I wonder what this implies? An effect of the ATF or utilization of the Super-Solenoid? What does it have to do with gauge particles? And what is "pulse mode"? Mr. Tines: I have no idea. This seems to be another place where a term from real physics has been drafted in to help bolster the rubber science.
	143	Direction board on the wall: Geo-Shelter 334 Disaster Prevention Department, Tokyo-3 Total Floor Space: 2000 m2 Maximum Capacity: 250 (C143~C147) Announcement (right):“Primary and junior high school students, please group yourselves by class; residents, by block.” Announcement (left):“District 7's Center for Lost Children placed in Shelter 323.” SE <<(Until C-147) Chatter of refugees (students and families)>>
	144	People taking refuge inside. They make themselves at home on top of the matting.	OMF: These people seem awfully relaxed, especially considering the events only three weeks ago. Perhaps Second Impact survivors are simply made of sterner stuff… except for Shinji, of course. Reichu: Well, whoever couldn't handle giant monster attacks already moved out. ;)
	145	Students from the school Shinji transferred to (their bags in the foreground).
	146a	TV screen. Telop on a still image of a flower garden: "A special state of emergency has now been declared for the entire Kanto-Chubu region surrounding the Tokai district. Further information will be reported as it comes in." SE <<Easy listening music (until C-147)>> Kensuke (OFF):“(chagrined) Not again!”	Reichu: The BGM added here to the Renewal version reminds me vaguely of the unused track C-1 on S2 Works. I haven't been able to ID it positively, though.
	146b	Kensuke watching TV via his video camera, a tuner attached. Toji is at his side. Toji:“Just text messages again?” Kensuke gives it to Toji to look at, too. Kensuke:“It's news censorship. They won't show any of it to us civilians.” At the end of the cut, Toji takes his eye away from the camera and looks at Kensuke.
	147	A sullen Kensuke. Kensuke:“Even though it's such a big event.”
	148	A fishing harbor in the vicinity of Manazuru. Beyond a lighthouse, the Angel passes through at an ultra-low altitude with incredible speed. She's long! SE <<Siren>>	Reichu: Long is right! Shamshel's long, slender body has earned her a considerable degree of notoriety. You can probably guess the reasons. thewayneiac: Cue the fun debate about Shamshel's gender. Sharp-kun: Ever seen Mystery Yaoi Theatre 3000? I'll never look at Shamshel the same way again. T_T As the AMV was to be kept reasonably non-hentai, Shamshel stood in for a certain part of male anatomy. Reichu: Although, of course, that AMV's creators edited out Sham's arms to enhance the resemblance… If nothing else, it's humorously ironic that Shamshel's designer, Yoshitoh Asari (also responsible for Sachiel), chose to depict the Angel as a female in his "Angel Kiss" cartoons. In one, published in the second volume of the manga, we learn that Shamshel has a big crush on Sachiel (who can blame her?). In the second, apparently published in the H-doujinshi anthology Evangelibon, that attraction is, ahem, consumated… (Wouldn't that be incest?) Asari obviously knows Shamshel better than any of us, so if he portrays her as a female… then a chick she must be. :demonic laughter: Manazuru is a peninsula to the southeast of Hakone (= Tokyo-3), considered "the ideal site for fishing and diving". BTW, does anyone know if this lighthouse represents a real one?
	149	The monitor fills the screen. Shamshel advances in the air above a forest. SE <<Command Center>> Misato (OFF):“The fourth Angel would show up while Commander Ikari is away.” Man (OFF):“Target has landed. It is advancing from the direction of Manazuru, heading to mark 0.”	Reichu: This is the first reference to "patterns" or "blood types" in the series. While Shamshel here, and most other Angels, are said to be "blue", we'll also encounter orange, green, sepia, and red over the course of the series. Although many theories have been put forward, no one to my knowledge has really cracked the mystery of what the hell the blood types refer to. MDWigs: "Blood Type: Blue" is a reference to the 1978 sci-fi movie "Blue Christmas", which is also known as… "Blood Type: Blue". Anno, of course, loves his SF references, and this is one of his favourite movies. Keisuke-kun: Shamshel's head (seen in aerial view) recalls the owl face associated with the Angels. Reichu: It's also worth pointing out that, in Shamshel's case, the "eyes" aren't eyes at all, but are "eye spots" — facsimiles, mere patterns on the head. This is a defensive measure employed by some insects (such as caterpillars or butterflies) to fool potential predators. Although in Shamshel's case, her enormous size and formidable weapons are the only real deterents she needs; the "eyes" just make her all the more endearing, IMO. Interesting, in episode #03's storyboards, Shamshel doesn't have them.
	150	Command Center. Misato intrepidly gazes at the Angel in the front monitor. Misato:“It's a lot sooner than we expected.” Woman (OFF):“No changes in either velocity or flight altitude.”
	151	Misato in front of Hyuga. They speak rather nonchalantly. Hyuga:“The last time they gave us a fifteen year break. This time it's been only 3 weeks.” Misato (OFF):“They never care about our convenience, do they?”	Mr. Tines: Three weeks, and Rei is still not being considered for combat duty? In fact, given that she was ahead of him in setting of for NERV, where has she gotten to? Reichu: No idea. But regarding the former, recall that EVA-00 is still frozen in carboni— I mean, stuck in bakelite. Rei can only be useful if Shinji isn't. Those guys in the orange uniforms must really be slacking off. OMF: This little chat between Hyuga and Misato exemplifies the generally informal atmosphere in the control center — at least when the icy region around Gendo is absent. The senior staff do all seem to be on good terms with one another, although, in Hyuga's case, chats with Misato have more subtle motives.
	152	Misato and Hyuga in silhouette; Shamshel in the monitor beyond them. Man 1 (OFF):“Auto-system for anti-aircraft interception is operating.” Misato (backside):“They're the type we women hate the most.”	Reichu: She makes it sound like she's ruling the Angels out as possible dating options. Soluzar: Well, this IS Misato. If Shamshel had called first, and brought a nice bottle of wine, she'd have probably not only dated the Angel, but put out! Reichu: Oh, cripes, the visual image! Get it out of my head!! "So, Sham-chan, are they tentacles, or whips? Because I'm seeing some interesting possibilities either way." Soluzar: You know, I love teamwork. I come up with half of a disturbing mental image, and you just furnish the rest. Incisivis: Yeah, Reichu called it. But it's something I've noticed before, that NGE characters tend to be more forward when it comes to talking about gender roles, such as when Shinji is told to "Act like a boy". A statement like Misato's, while it's jarring to Western ears, might not seem out of place. It might have something to do with Japan being farther behind in sex roles than the West, as discussed back in episode #01, C-306.
	153	A missile encampment on the mountainside. The missiles rapid-fire.	Gundampilotspaz: I still don't know why they even bother. thewayneiac: Okay, it never works, but I guess they might as well try shooting at the Angel on general principle. Hexon.Arq: Maybe Japan's current frontman and/or his buddies are making money off of that stuff getting wasted… hint, hint. (Dated America 2004) Dr. Nick: Note that this and other stationary gadgets are Nerv's own defense system, whereas (armed) mobile things like tanks and planes belong to the UN / JSSDF. In EoE, Nerv's using those same defenses as they're trying to hinder the army from advancing, but we never see Nerv using tanks or attack choppers of their own. If I had to guess, I'd say all of Nerv's own vehicles are unarmed (sure, they do have the frigate, but I assume it's stripped of its armaments).
	154	Anti-aircraft ropeway cluster. They fire up a storm. Sign: Hakone Ropeway	OMF: OK, I don't normally complain about Anime Physics™, but, seriously, have Gainax ever even heard of the Conservation of Momentum? There's a reason nobody has done something like this, you know. Reichu: Explain for the physics idiots? Mr. Nice: The guns are suspended from a rope. As soon as they start firing, they should start spinning like catherine wheels from the recoil. OMF: What Mr. Nice said. Think of the bullets as rocket exhaust. Reichu: BTW, here's the official website of the Hakone Ropeway.
	155	Shamshel unaffectedly advances through the barrage. SE <<Explosion sounds>>
	156	Vice Commander Fuyutsuki from below. Woman (OFF):“Target is intact. No damage detected on its outer surface.” Fuyutsuki:“It's a waste of the taxpayers' money.”	Reichu: Sardonic bastard, ain't he? Dr. Nick: I just love Fuyu's wonderfully inappropriate, dry humor. I guess that's his way of maintaining his sanity in the Gendo Administration.
	157	Misato across from Aoba. Aoba (backside):“The committee is demanding that we dispatch the Evangelion again.” Man (OFF):“No changes in either velocity or flight altitude.” Misato (further in) glances at him when she talks. Misato:“Those pesky bastards.”
	158	Misato side UP. There is a cold air to her; she doesn't bluff. Misato:“I'd sortie it even if they didn't ask!” Man 1 (OFF):“Auto-system for anti-aircraft interception still operating.”	Soluzar: Yeah. It's true. If you only have one weapon that works against the Angel, you aren't going to need to be told to use it.
	159	EVA-01's plug rotates and becomes fixed in place.
	160	The crane disengages. The plug cover comes down. Woman A (OFF - Speakers):“Entry commencing.”	Reichu: Hey, haven't I seen this animation before…?
	161	Inside the entry plug. The LCL becomes clear with an electric charge.Shinji appears as if he were sleeping. Ibuki (radio):“LCL electrified.” Operator (radio):“Pressurized lock released.” His eyes open slightly. Shinji (MONO):“Why am I piloting this thing again, even though my father's not here?”	Soluzar: Because you enjoy being able to play the victim. Now stop that whingeing. Reichu: Ohhhhh… But he looks so PITIFUL here! (Bottom thumbnail, especially.) If only Shamshel could have seen this, she surely would have cried herself into defeat. OMF: It is important to note that Shinji really doesn't have any idea why he's piloting Eva at this point. He seems to think the only reason is because he's the commander's son, not because of any personal qualities he may possess. He's simply been shoved into the cockpit without any explanations and left to draw his own conclusions.
		(Insert Toji censuring Shinji.)
		His expression changes subtly. Shinji:“Even though I got beat up?”	Gundampilotspaz: Shinji is supposed to believe that he did something noble and glorious the first time he pilotted. But as he looks around, he learns that people are leaving the city (episode #02, 079) — and then he is beat up for piloting the Evangelion. Slowly the Evangelion is being imprinted onto his mind as a negative thing.
	162	An edgy Toji (glaring at the ceiling and straining his ears). The roar of cannons above ground sends a tremor throughout. SE <<(to C-166) Refugee chatter (students in front)>>	OMF: Toji deep in thought here. Trying to stave off remorse, I'd wager.
	163	Toji, barefooted, is impudently making himself at home. At his side, Kensuke is in an unsettled state. He flickers sidewards glances at Toji as he waits for his chance. Finally, his mind made up, he draws his face towards Toji. Kensuke:“Hey, I need to talk to you, in private.” Toji:“What for?” He draws near again. Kensuke:“Just give me a second, okay?” Toji:“Well, okay.”	HeWhoPostsStuff: Sneakers hanging around the neck and all… Oy, what a jock! Reichu: But he's such a lovable jock! HeWhoPostsStuff: Closest thing to an oxymoron I've heard in some time. :-)
	164	Hikari chattering with a girl friend. Toji (OFF):“Class Rep.” She turns to Toji's voice. Hikari:“What?”
	165	Hikari (in front), Toji with an amazingly haughty air. Kensuke is apologetic. Toji (immodestly):“We both hafta use the john.”	Reichu: Well… Whatever excuse works!
	166	She has a look of scorn that says, "Lowlife males…" Hikari:“Come on, you were supposed to go earlier!”	thewayneiac: Hey! When ya gotta go, ya gotta go! Reichu: Doesn't seem like Hikari thinks much of Toji at this point. Soluzar: I think she suspects that all is not as it seems. Both of them at once? Something of a coincidence. Do boys often visit the bathroom in groups in Japan?
	167	The camera pans continuously across an uninterrupted row of urinals. Toji (OFF):“So, what is it?” Kensuke (OFF):“I have to see it, at least once before I die.” Toji:“The action up there?” Kensuke:“Nobody knows when the enemy will come the next time.” Toji:“Kensuke, are you serious?” A note on a urinal says, "Do not use." Kensuke (like an officer):“If we let this opportunity escape us, we may lose it forever! (speaks normally) Please, help me unlock the gate.” Toji:“But you'll get killed if you go out there.” Kensuke:“You don't know if that'll happen, even if we stay here. If I could be killed anyway, I'd rather see it first.” Toji:“Idiot. What do you think Nerv's for?” Kensuke:“And what is Nerv's most important weapon? It's the robot the new kid pilots. He protected us the other day, but you hit him pretty hard. Twice!” The urinating duo come into view. Toji:“Uh…” Kensuke:“If he refuses to pilot the robot, we're all going to die.” Toji:“…” Kensuke's final words are as feigned as they are contrived (He doesn't speak in earnest; he's expedient to the last.) Kensuke:“Don't you have a duty to watch him fight?” As Toji speaks, he straightens up and dries himself off Toji:“Ah, whatever.”	Mr. Tines: Ah, the classic male bonding scene. Reichu: Must be more classic that I know. I've only seen it in two other places (Shall We Dance? and Excel Saga), both Japanese. Mr. Tines: It may have been more common in UK domestic television. Certainly, it's a real life thing. Incisivis: There goes Kensuke again, treating things like a game when it comes to matters related to war. I think episode #04 would be a more prudent place to explore this, though. OMF: Kensuke is quite the observant manipulator. He's spotted the guilt that's been eating Toji and uses it quite effectively to his advantage. Hexon.Arq: ("Do not use".) "Welp, the thing don't work, so no use cleaning it! Doop-dee doop-dee doo…" Reichu: Notice how Toji says aho for "idiot" instead of baka. In the Kansai dialect, aho "suggests familiarity and affection rather than disdain". Some additional tidbits from M. Ryuuji: Baka is almost gentle unless you make it sound harsh. But it's not very mean, because you can even use it grammatically to emphasize. In Kanto [where NGE takes place, BTW], baka is pretty weak and sometimes used grammatically, whereas ahou is rude. In Kansai, they trade places, but there are prefixes you can add to both to make them worse. There are very many ways to call someone stupid in Japanese without using baka or ahou though. They are not single words, but they are much more rude. The difference is, baka and ahou are gentle enough they can be said on national television, so you see them in anime but don't hear anything worse. On an aside, I think Toji gets the award for "Male Butt Most Often Seen" in NGE. OMF: I believe Shinji could give him a run for his money.
	168	Toji, as always, has fallen into Kensuke's trap. He knows that Kensuke's words are just a means to an end, but if that's what he wants to do, Toji figures he'll be a good sport and try to go along with it. Toji:“You sure are upfront about what you want, ain't you?”	Reichu: Toji's basically remarking that Kensuke is overly obedient to his desires. Like Toji's one to talk, right? ("Sorry, transferee, but I've gotta beat you up! I won't feel right until I've smacked you.") It's always easier to criticize others than be a paragon of virtue yourself.
	169	Kensuke smiles. He's an upfront bastard, all right.

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