A Cruel Angel's Thesis

A Cruel Angel's Thesis is the opening theme song for the series Neon Genesis Evangelion, composed by Hidetoshi Sato and sung by Yoko Takahashi. The lyrics are by Neko Oikawa while the arrangement is by Toshiyuki O'mori. The song also has the distinction of taking first place in the JASRAC Awards.

This song was written with relatively limited involvement from Hideaki Anno and the production staff, being handled by producer Toshimichi Otsuki . Anno originally wanted to use an excerpt from Borodin's Polovtsian Dances in the opening, but the producers did not approve of this and instead decided to use a J-Pop song, which eventually resulted in the creation of this song by Neko Oikawa.

Oikawa apparently had very little knowledge of the show, which was under production at the time with the episodes not having been colored. According to tweets and interviews, Oikawa went through a proposal of the show (possibly Neon Genesis Evangelion Proposal) and watched two unfinished episodes on fast-forward, only serving to broadly "fit" the anime after the fact

Oikawa states that she took inspiration for the title from the manga A Cruel God Reigns. Among other statements, Oikawa said the lyrics "become a legend" were originally "become a weapon" and that she decided to make the song about the perspective of a mother when her child "leaves the nest." The original song included a male chorus, which was cut at director Hideaki Anno's request in order to "emphasize maternal affection".

Lyrics

Original Japanese Lyrics: Neko Oikawa

Romaji and Original Japanese Lyrics

Zankoku na tenshi no teeze

『残酷な天使のテーゼ』

Zankoku na tenshi no yō ni Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare... Aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataitemo Watashi dake wo tada mitsumete Hohoenderu anata Sotto fureru mono Motomeru koto ni muchū de Unmei sae mada shiranai itaikena hitomi Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshō Sono senaka ni wa Haruka mirai mezasu tame no Hane ga aru koto... Zankoku na tenshi no teeze Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu Hotobashiru atsui patosu de Omoide wo uragiru nara Kono sora wo daite kagayaku Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare Zutto nemutteru watashi no ai no yurikago Anata dake ga yume no shisha ni Yobareru asa ga kuru Hosoi kubisuji wo tsukiakari ga utsushiteru Sekai'jū no toki wo tomete Tojikometai kedo... Moshi mo futari aeta koto ni imi ga aru nara Watashi wa, sō, jiyū wo shiru Tame no baiburu Zankoku na tenshi no teeze Kanashimi ga soshite hajimaru Dakishimeta inochi no katachi Sono yume ni mezameta toki Dare yori mo hikari wo hanatsu Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare Hito wa ai wo tsumugi nagara rekishi wo tsukuru Megami nante narenai mama Watashi wa ikiru... Zankoku na tenshi no teeze Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu Hotobashiru atsui patosu de Omoide wo uragiru nara Kono sora wo daite kagayaku Shōnen yo, shinwa ni nare

残酷な天使のように 少年よ　神話になれ 青い風がいま 胸のドアを叩いても 私だけをただ見つめて 微笑んでるあなた そっとふれるもの もとめることに夢中で 運命さえまだ知らない いたいけな瞳 だけどいつか気付くでしょう　その背中には 遥か未来　めざすための　羽根があること 残酷な天使のテーゼ 窓辺からやがて飛び立つ ほとばしる熱いパトスで 思い出を裏切るなら この宇宙(そら)を抱いて輝く 少年よ　神話になれ ずっと眠ってる 私の愛の揺りかご あなただけが　夢の使者に 呼ばれる朝がくる 細い首筋を 月あかりが映してる 世界中の時を止めて 閉じこめたいけど もしもふたり逢えたことに　意味があるなら 私はそう　自由を知る　ためのバイブル 残酷な天使のテーゼ 悲しみがそしてはじまる 抱きしめた命のかたち その夢に目覚めたとき 誰よりも光を放つ 少年よ　神話になれ 人は愛をつむぎながら　歴史をつくる 女神なんてなれないまま　私は生きる 残酷な天使のテーゼ 窓辺からやがて飛び立つ ほとばしる熱いパトスで 思い出を裏切るなら この宇宙(そら)を抱いて輝く 少年よ　神話になれ

English Translations

Official English Translation1

Alternate English Translation2

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 know nothing of fate yet. But someday you will notice On those shoulders of yours 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. Young boy, shine like a legend, Holding the sky in your arms. The cradle of love that sleeps within me There will be a morning 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. Instrumental section 3 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. Young boy, shine like a legend, Holding the sky in your arms.

Like a cruel angel, young boy, become the legend! A blue wind is now knocking at the door to your heart, and yet you are merely gazing at me and smiling. Something gently touching-- you're so intent on seeking it out, that you can't even see your fate yet, with such innocent eyes. But someday I think you'll find out that what's on your back are wings that are for heading for the far-off future. The cruel angel's thesis will soon take flight through the window, with surging, hot pathos, if you betray your memories. Embracing this sky [universe] and shining, young boy, become the legend! Sleeping for a long time in the cradle of my love The morning is coming when you alone will be called by a messenger of dreams. Moonlight reflects off the nape of your slender neck. Stopping time all throughout the world I want to confine them, but... So if two people being brought together by fate has any meaning, I think that it is a "bible" for learning freedom. The cruel angel's thesis. The sorrow then begins. You held tight to the form of life when you woke up from that dream. You shine brighter than anyone else. Young boy, become the legend! People create history while weaving love. Even knowing I'll never be a goddess or anything like that, I live on. The cruel angel's thesis will soon take flight through the window, with surging, hot pathos, if you betray your memories. Embracing this sky and shining, young boy, become the legend! A blue wind is now knocking at the door to your heart, and yet you are merely gazing at me and smiling. Something gently touching-- you're so intent on seeking it out, that you can't even see your fate yet, with such innocent eyes. But someday I think you'll find out that what's on your back are wings that are for heading for the far-off future. The cruel angel's thesis will soon take flight through the window, with surging, hot pathos, if you betray your memories. Embracing this sky [universe] and shining, young boy, become the legend!

Translation Notes

¹This is the translation found on the U.S. release of Evangelion by ADV.

²This was translated by Takayama Miyuki and these are the translator's notes:

• young boy, become the legend!: The word "shinwa" actually means "myth" ("legend" would be "densetsu"), but I think it sounds better as "legend."
• with surging, hot pathos: "Atsui" (hot) can also mean "intense, passionate." "Pathos" is "the quality or power in life or art of evoking a feeling of pity or compassion; pity; suffering; sorrow."
• Embracing this sky [universe] and shining: "Sora" (sky) is the reading given for the kanji for "uchuu" (universe).
• has any meaning: The kanji used for the "a" in "aeta" is not the normal kanji used in "au" (to meet). It's the first kanji in "ouse" (encounter, tryst) and has more of a connotation of meeting by fate or being brought together by fate, not just meeting. (Interestingly, a dictionary I have gives the meaning of "au," when written with this kanji, as "to meet (with drama or pathos)")
• for learning freedom: The "watashi wa sou" is probably "watashi wa sou omou." And "bible" in this case isn't referring to *the* Bible. "Bible" can also mean "guide book, how-to book, a book valued for its use as a reference," like in "a handyman's bible," or "a bird-watcher's bible."

³The instrumental section contains chanted non-Japanese lyrics in Yoko Takahashi's version and a few others, while other versions of the song have a purely instrumental section. The January 1996 issue of Newtype magazine transcribed Takahashi's lyrics in this section as "Fariya. Seta(or sepa) messo. Fariya. Tuse." which they speculate is from the fictional language of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Alternatively, an EvaGeeks forum discussion suggests that the lyrics may be "Faria? Será mesmo? Faria? Eu sei!" which is in the Portuguese language. Since the word "Faria" is usually used in a similar way as the English word "would", those lines could be interpreted as someone doubting something or someone else. There has never been any official information on the actual lyrics or their meaning, if any.

References

Audio Releases

Arranged Albums: Evangelion Symphony | Evangelion Vox | Evangelion Wind Symphony No.1 | Evangelion Wind Symphony No.2 | Evangelion PianoForte #1 | The world! Evangelion Jazz night =The Tokyo III Jazz club= | ShiroSAGISU OUTTAKES FROM EVANGELION (VOl.1) | Shin Godzilla vs Evangelion Symphony

Compilation Albums: The Day of Second Impact | Evangelion: The Birthday of Rei Ayanami | Refrain of Evangelion | Evangelion: Decade | Neon Genesis Evangelion Soundtrack 25th Anniversary Box | Evangelion Finally

Soundtrack Albums: Neon Genesis Evangelion OST I | Neon Genesis Evangelion OST II | Neon Genesis Evangelion OST III | Evangelion Death | End of Evangelion (Soundtrack) | S² Works | Music from Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone | Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone Original Soundtrack | Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance Original Soundtrack | Music from Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo | Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo Original Soundtrack | Music from "Shin Evangelion" Evangelion: 3.0+1.0

Studio Albums: Neon Genesis Evangelion Addition | Neon Genesis Evangelion Classical Volume | Refrain, The Songs Were Inspired by Evangelion | Evangelion Extreme

Theme Songs: A Cruel Angel's Thesis | Fly Me to the Moon | Soul's Refrain | Thanatos -If I can't be yours- | Komm, süsser Tod | Beautiful World | Sakura Nagashi | One Last Kiss

Other: After the End | Animate Voice Cassette