Geofront
"Geofront" is the publicly used term to describe a massive subterranean cavity. In Neon Genesis Evangelion, it refers specifically the Geofront underneath Tokyo-3 (site of pre-Second Impact Hakone). The Geofront under Tokyo-3 is not a naturally occurring structure, but the Black Moon of the Angel Lilith. The Black Moon is a massive sphere, 13.75 km in diameter, though over time it filled with earth and debris. Production drawings reveal that the dome-shaped cavern which constitutes the Geofront in the present day is 6 km in diameter and 900 meters high in the center at its highest point. The same production drawing reveal that the top of the cavern is flattened, and some of it has been removed to accommodate the "ceiling city" of Tokyo-3's movable buildings. Between the surface and the top of the cavern are 22 layers of plate armor, to defend the Nerv base below.
The Nerv Headquarters building complex was built in the center of the Geofront, since it and support city of Tokyo-3 were meant to be constructed around Lilith. The construction led to further excavation deep underground, and the addition of numerous facilities for human habitation, such as access tunnels, trains, defense system and launching systems for Evangelions, among many other things. Reflecting mirror buildings on the surface channel sunlight through large windows in the surface of the cavern, which in turn is reflected by underground mirror buildings, resulting in real sunlight filtering down into the Geofront along with a day/night cycle.
The inside of the Geofront is filled with vegetation including entire forests of trees, possibly as part of the effort to make the Geofront inhabitable and simulate surface working conditions as closely as possible. It also possesses a large lake, at least 70 meters deep (from End of Evangelion) that has at least one Nerv warship present, although whether or not the lake is natural or artificial is unclear.
The Tokyo-3 Geofront was not the only one of its kind. There had been a second Geofront in Antarctica, created by the White Moon of Adam. Since it is mentioned to be completely identical to the Geofront under Tokyo-3, it may be presumed that both the Black Moon and White Moon had been constructed to identical dimensions.
Notes
- "Geofront" is a real-life term, an English word which was made in Japan. It means "underground space which the people can use for living, manufacturing, etc." by analogy to "waterfront" [Source needed] Because Japan is small and has overcrowding issues, research into the development of underground living and work space has been studied there.
- This Geofront was referred to in classified United Nations files (seen in Episode 21) as "GF-01", presumably for "Geofront-01". It is unclear if the Tokyo-3 Geofront ever had a number assigned to it, although common sense suggests that any assigned number would have to be kept secret to avoid inadvertently revealing the existence of the White Moon.
