FGC:Episode 07 Scene 05

Business in Old Tokyo

Commentary Navigation
<< Back to Scene 04	Episode #07 Scene List	Continue to Scene 06 >>

Screenshots	Cut #	Description/Dialogue	Commentary
	Title2	EYECATCH B:“EPISODE #07: A HUMAN WORK”
	104	A group of intelligent buildings, submerged and abandoned. An iridescence sparkles upon the dark surface of the water. SE <<Sound of waves>> TEXT:“Abandoned Zone 28 (Center of Old Tokyo)”	imprimatur13: "Intelligent buildings", you say... Sentience? Or just referring to the MAGI that control them? Mysteries... Dr. Nick: Right next door are located the submerged ruins of Otakuland.
	105	Missing Cut A point of light comes into view behind a sign in the foreground. SE <<[Sound of waves]--->> SE <<The sound of a jet turbine engine becomes faintly audible.>>	Translator's Note: The writing on the sign reads "Shinjuku Station." The directions indicate the shot should move upwards so that the light enters the frame.
	106	A NERV VTOL aircraft flying in the skies above Old Tokyo (towards a reclaimed landmass larger than the surrounding waters). SE <<The sound of a jet (the sound of a turbine's rotation)>> MISATO (p.d.):“To think this was once...”	UrsusArctos: That VTOL is going to be guzzling fuel the way it's flying, engines pointed downwards and at low speed. Nerv doesn't have money to spare for its most critical weapons (the Evangelions), so why the fancy VTOLs?
	107	Misato within the VTOL aircraft. MISATO:“...the great metropolis they called "“the city of flowers"...”
		She speaks with detachment, seen through the window. She reacts to Ritsuko's words only by shifting her gaze. RITSUKO (OFF・RIGHT):“We've arrived.”
	108	An enormous building standing in the midst of the wasteland comes into sight, seen through the window. MISATO (p.d.):“...There was no reason...”	Kendrix: It might certainly be considered ostentatious to put a big, attention-grabbing display complex in a place like this. You could certainly speculate that its builders chose this location for some sort of political posturing.
	109	Ritsuko and Misato, with the pilot in the foreground. Ritsuko is using a notebook computer. Misato is a little bit fed up with things (her hat is in her hand). MISATO:“...for them to hold it in a place like this. And, are the JSSDF involved with this project?”
		Without otherwise moving, Misato shifts her gaze towards Ritsuko. Ritsuko speaks (in a detached manner, as always) without changing her position. RITSUKO:“The Strategic Self Defense Force? No, they've been forbidden from interfering.”
		Misato's expression says, "“ah, what a pain".” MISATO:“So these guys are doing whatever they please.”	FrDougal9000: Fairly minor one, but I just love the last face Misato makes in this shot.
	110	The VTOL aircraft descending. Below, a group of helicopters and VTOL aircraft landed as though they were parked in a parking lot. SE <<(Sound of the turbine) Fssshhhh!!>>	UrsusArctos: The description says "Helicopters and VTOL aircraft", but as the next shot shows, the only VTOL in that lot is Nerv's. Mr. Tines: Aircraft being a word that doesn't decline in the plural, of course. UrsusArctos: Of course. I meant that either the translation is a bit off, or there were initially meant to be other VTOL aircraft in the shot because the English wording suggests the presence of VTOL aircraft in plural.
	111	A bird's-eye view of a dome, the lower half underground. SE <<Music (fanfare), followed by applause>>
	112	A signboard on display, surrounded by red and white. "A Celebratory Banquet Announcing the Completion of J.A." SE <<Applause (an excessive amount)>> TOKITA (OFF・SPEAKERS):“Today...”	Dr. Nick: And now, a brief corporate satire detour.
	113	A name placard on top of a table. "The Party of NERV" Beside it are some beer bottles that have been opened, but are otherwise untouched. TOKITA (OFF・SPEAKER):“...you have taken time out of your busy schedules to attend a live demonstration hosted by ourselves, the Japan Consortium of Heavy and Chemical Industries.”	UrsusArctos: Beer? Not mineral water? Mr. Tines: Srs bzns Misato is not "Beer, more than just a breakfast drink" Misato. (also Cuts 118, 121, 133) UrsusArctos: I meant to express my surprise that corporate Japan, at least in the NGE world, uses beer the way the corporate culture in North America would use mineral water. I don't know if this is the case in real life, but if it were, I imagine a lot of formal events would get quite undignified very quickly.
	114	Long shot of the scene. The two of them isolated, all by themselves (they only have two chairs as well). A number of beer bottles stand uselessly on the table. Ritsuko is wearing a chic dress. TOKITA (OFF・SPEAKERS):“For that, we sincerely thank you.”	Dr. Nick: No wonder the bottles are untouched. Would anyone even reach them?
	115	A panoramic view of the scene (seen from the direction of the stage). There are tables lined up in rows. The room is full, with the exception of NERV's place in the center. TOKITA (OFF・SPEAKER):“Later on, you will be observing the official demonstration from the control room.”	UrsusArctos: This shot gives the impression that the tables are arranged like the Sephirot, with Misato and Ritsuko in the "Da'at" position. A subtle inclusion of a recurring motif in the show, or am I reading too much into this? imprimatur13: Are you, UA? Well, maybe, but still cool :). Anyway, I notice there are not NEARLY enough chairs for everyone there... I guess the standing people aren't important enough to warrant seats? Lower-level government employees, reporters, etc., I imagine.
	116	Tokita standing upon the stage. TOKITA:“If anyone has any questions, please ask them here.”	imprimatur13: Can I over-analyze here? This is, of course, yet another hand shot. The interesting thing about this one, is what it represents. Here, Ritsuko is raising a hand against Tokita and his characterization of the Eva as a "hysterical woman". Now, Ritsuko's hand here looks quite rough from work. Doesn't look like she moisturizes often, or takes any particular care to her hand's appearance. Perhaps, this is supposed to represent that she rejects traditional femininity and its passive ideal. She's assuming a more "masculine" role, which is why she's raising her hand as an act of "rebellion" against Tokita's male dominance? Does this make any sense?
		There are wreaths of flowers lined up behind him. Instantly Ritsuko has raised her hand (high and straight). RITSUKO:“Yes!”
	117	Tokita leans forward a little as he speaks. TOKITA:“The famous Dr. Ritsuko Akagi.”
	118	Ritsuko, holding a microphone. The beer bottles are in the foreground (the amount in the bottles remains entirely undiminished). TOKITA:“It is an honor to have you here.” RITSUKO:“May I ask a question?”	Kendrix: Ritsuko, ever professional, is of course prepared and trying to direct the conversation. Alas, she is a scientist, not a PR person; It tends to require people with nearly opposite personalities
	119	Panoramic view of the room. Slow pan. TOKITA:“Yes. Please, ask whatever you wish.” RITSUKO:“According to the explanation we had earlier, it comes equipped with an internal combustion engine.”	UrsusArctos: Why she used the entirely inappropriate term "internal combustion engine" for JA's reactor beats me.
	120	Pan from the flower wreaths over to Tokita. TOKITA (OFF to begin with):“Yes, it's a major feature of this unit. Continuous operation for 150 days is assured.”	ath: Look at the first column of text from the right — "イクハラ電子電波(株)" — or, if you prefer, "IKUHARA Radio Electronics (Corp.)", or something close to that. We sure knew of the special friendship between Anno and Ikuni, but this is getting a little creepy... Thanks again to the Evangelion Encyclopedia for the find.
	121	Pan from the beer bottles over to Ritsuko. TEXT:“The Party of NERV” RITSUKO (OFF to begin with, then ON):“However, incorporating a reactor into a land-based weapon intended for hand-to-hand combat would seem to entail too great a risk from a safety perspective.”	Dr. Nick: Such negativity. If anything, Imagawa's Giant Robo taught me that having an onboard nuclear reactor in your robot is the greatest form of insurance to have.
	122	Tokita, with no loss of composure, replies sarcastically. TOKITA:“I believe that it is more useful than a weapon which operates for less than five minutes.”	Kendrix: She tries a logical objection, but he immediately tries spinning it into a positive, and just generally baits her into a "Yes!" "No!" type argument knowing that it would make her look illegitimate.
	123	Bust shot of Ritsuko. RITSUKO:“Problems remain in dealing with emergency situations via remote operation.”
	124	Ritsuko, worked up, with Misato in the foreground, playing with a straw in her mouth. Misato is like "“how about giving up already?”" She speaks with disgust. However, Ritsuko doesn't stop. She leans forward slightly as she speaks. TOKITA (OFF・RIGHT):“I think that it is more humane than burdening pilots and bringing about their mental contamination.” MISATO:“Cut it out. This is childish.” RITSUKO (OFF):“There is also an issue with manual control.”	UrsusArctos: Misato's childish playing with the straw hints at who's really being childish. We'll see what they're actually thinking soon enough - complete with an ironic callback to her line. imprimatur13: To expand a bit on what UA said: Tokita and Ritsuko's exchange here reminds me of Misato and Shinji's earlier, when they were casual. Here, Tokita is talking down to her the way Shinji was to Misato (but more so). The difference, is that unlike Mitchan, Ritsuko is able to formulate a response. However, Misato still calls her behavior "childish". Why, when she did the same thing before (and not as skillfully)? I think that, between the first Misato/Shinji scene and the second, she realized how ridiculous she had behaved, and was a bit embarrassed. Now, she's calling out Ritsuko for a fault she herself has. This is typical of NGE's characters. (Asuka calls out Rei in the elevator for being a "doll", which is exactly what Asuka was as a child.) FrDougal9000: Another great face, and I'll admit to feeling like that at many a social occasion.
	125	Tokita, head-on. There are microphones in the foreground. He holds up a written report with the characters for "“Top Secret"” alone written on the cover. TOKITA:“I think it is safer than an extremely dangerous weapon susceptible to going out of control and running berserk.”	Kendrix: He was probably trying to maneuver Ritsuko into a situation like that where he could play his trump card - the information they probably didn't know he has.
	126	Insert of the contents of the report. Eva, from episode two, is pictured. TOKITA (OFF):“A weapon that cannot be controlled is utter nonsense.”	UrsusArctos: Taken right out of Episode 02 Cut 260 with camera graininess added, as if to suggest they took it from one of Nerv's cameras. Note the use of the word "Berserk" in English. ath: Is this the official source of the "bousou" / "berserk" translation, by Gainax themselves?
	127	Tokita, striking a deliberate pose, cracks a joke. TOKITA (ON):“It's just like a hysterical woman.”	thewayneiac: This guy should really go into politics; he has the foot-in-mouth disease down pat.
	128	Ritsuko, head-on, at a slightly elevated angle. TOKITA (OFF):“It can't be dealt with.” SE <<General derisive laughter OFF (STEREO)>>	Kendrix: Despite obviously being very insulting, the functions of such comments is often to be a sort of bonding moment from which some people are, of course, exempt due to being the butt of the joke. In a room full of military and heavy industry dudes, Tokita can probably count on the room being on his side. It's a deliberate strategy to make Ritsuko's objections seem silly - you deliberately say things that would trigger someone's emotions, and then accuse them of being emotional as if it weren't a universal human reaction.
		Ritsuko continues regardless. RITSUKO:“...That's what we have our pilots and our technology for.”
	129	Tokita speaks, appalled. TOKITA:“Surely you can't be saying that "“science" and "the human heart”" will bring that beast under control?”
	130	Close-up of Ritsuko. She affirms the point emphatically. TOKITA (OFF):“Are you serious?” RITSUKO:“Yes, of course I am.”	UrsusArctos: This is practically a battle of gender stereotypes. Ritsuko does an exceptionally good job at pretending to be "an emotional woman" when she's actually entirely unfazed.
	131	Long shot. Everyone is focused upon the two of them. TOKITA:“NERV permitted a loss of control like we saw because it relies on nebulous things like the human heart. As a result, the UN has been compelled to pass enormous supplementary budgets. In one country, more than twenty thousand people are on the verge of dying from starvation. On top of that, to think that, despite the severity of that incident, the cause of it remains unaccounted for -”	imprimatur13: Of course Tokita doesn't care about the starving people; he just wants the money for his JSSDF. But, because of politeness (and self-respect), not as if he can just come out and say that... Dr. Nick: You know, twenty thousand starving people doesn't sound too bad in a post-2I world. imprimatur13: Well, I know it seems like a small number, considering the drastic climate change post-2I. However, think of it this way: It's very possible that millions of people would've already died within the first few years. So, we could be dealing with a much smaller world population in general, which would make 20,000 seem like a much bigger number in comparison. Especially considering the possible resource-hoarding on the part of wealthier countries/individuals, war... [/tangent]
	132	The two alone at their table. TOKITA:“As the responsible party, I wish you would at least carry out your duties.”	imprimatur13: As before, the shot of the 2 alone at their table shows how alone they are; nobody else in the room is on their side. (Which is why they laugh at Ritchan.)
	133	The beer bottles on the table. Pan over from the name placard. Ritsuko listens stoically to what is said. TEXT:“The Party of NERV” TOKITA:“It must be nice. NERV is afforded extralegal protection. You can get away without assuming responsibility.” RITSUKO:“Say what you will, but...”	imprimatur13: "It must be nice." Tokita's jealousy of NERV's privileges is really showing.
	134	Close-up of Ritsuko in profile. She is adamant. RITSUKO:“...excepting the use of NERV's core weapon, the enemy organisms cannot be defeated.”
	135	Tokita, with a triumphant look. TOKITA:“You mean the A.T. Field? That's now just a matter of time.”	Kendrix: Again he wins the audiences' support by basically arranging things so he looks like the more honest one. At the same time, he's the one talking about what he doesn't know, because the A.T. Field is actually super crucial - but no one apart from Ritsuko might really know that.
	136	Ritsuko, her face reddening. She endures the humiliation. TOKITA (OFF):“The age of NERV will not last forever.”
	137	Misato, keeping her face composed, plays with a straw. In the background Ritsuko's hand, holding the microphone, is trembling. SE <<Resounding general derisive laughter>> Male chatter:“(derisive laughter).”	imprimatur13: Misato seems unbothered, but I think she's upset on the inside. See 140.
	138	Nameplate on a door: "The Party of NERV”" SE <<A banging sound of someone kicking metal OFF>> TEXT:“Nerv Party”
	139	A pamphlet which has been rolled up and thrust into a garbage can. The can also contains a sample disk, crushed paper cups, and so on.	Mr. Tines: It's the future and they're still using floppy disks.
	140	Misato kicking at a locker. It is already substantially dented. She vents her anger, kicking and kicking.	UrsusArctos: From childish apathy to locker-wrecking rage. Jeez, if that had been Tokita, he'd have been hospitalized by now. Kendrix: In Misato's case she's overtly and unfilteredly angry in a way she wouldn't let Tokita see earlier, she didn't want him to see that he "got" her emotionally while Ritsuko didn't want to stand there without an answer.
		For a moment, it looks like she might have calmed down, but... SE <<(SE come ON here)>> MISATO:“Bullshit! Those damn stuck-up bastards! This is just them taking revenge for not getting a cut of the action! IT – PISSES – ME - OFF!!”
		...once again she continues kicking!!
	141	Ritsuko, her back turned, with Misato in the foreground. She is sitting with her back hunched over. From her pose she seems to be doing something. RITSUKO (BACK):“Cut it out. It's childish.”	imprimatur13: Ritsuko says that, but the only reason she's not doing the same is because she's already planning something much worse. Which is why she takes out her anger on an innocent pamphlet. It'll hold her until she exacts her real revenge. FrDougal9000: I wish the characters' pupils would thin out more often. It looks really good at the end of this cut.
	142	The same from the reverse angle. Ritsuko setting fire to a pamphlet with a lighter (her face cannot be seen). RITSUKO (BACK):“He's just a braggart who wants to be praised.”	Kendrix: Not that Ritsuko's own "private" reaction isn't just as telling. She has this cold, detached, methodical anger than in a way seems more frightening and "deeper" than Misato's more transient "hot" anger.
	143	Ritsuko, lit from below. There is an "Eko Eko Azarak"-esque atmosphere to the shot. RITSUKO (ON):“He's not worth thinking about.”	UrsusArctos: The script comment is right - it really looks like Ritsuko is cursing Tokita and Jet Alone with old-fashioned witchcraft. As Episode 13 demonstrates, Ritsuko's computer wizardry is immensely potent, and no one at Nerv would be better qualified for staging the events that happen next. ath: Are we sure that Nerv's hacking of JA wasn't planned right from the start? Ritsuko herself says later that "everything proceeded according to the scenario". I mean, as dense as Misato sometimes appears to be, I'm quite sure she would have suspected something if she saw Ritsuko messing around with her laptop with that expression on her face. imprimatur13: Most definitely, ath. See my comment on 141. By the way, the "Eko Eko Azarak" reference here is to a horror manga serialized 1975-1979; which spawned 6 (or 7? Wikipedia's unclear...) live-action movies, 2 TV dramas, and an anime OVA. SEELE-01: I second UrsusArctos' comment on "Witch-suko"; I also found her expression hilarious first time I watched it.
	144	Misato, unable to contain her anger, with Ritsuko's legs in the foreground. Only her face is turned in Ritsuko's direction. MISATO:“But how did those guys know about the A.T. Field?!!”
	145	Smoke rises from where Ritsuko is sitting. Ritsuko looks coldly at Misato. RITSUKO (BACK):“There's been a huge leak of classified information.” MISATO:“The intelligence section...”
	146	Shift to close angle. Ritsuko's expression looks like she is confident of something MISATO (OFF):“...what the hell are they doing?”	thewayneiac: Could this be foreshadowing the existence of everyone's favorite triple-agent? Sailor Star Dust: I very much think so. This nicely fits in with Cut 001, after all.
	147A	Pan through a control room.
	147B	A monitor screen suddenly coming to life. For a moment we see the startup screen, but it suddenly vanishes and the word "“DELETE"” appears.	UrsusArctos: Heh, JA's software is made by "Reset Co, Ltd"! I wonder what the little bits of Kanji say. Otherwise, the computer screen is an astoundingly good piece of work for a shot that's seen momentarily. Mr. Tines: The green screen looks like it could have been taken from, or made in imitation of, something real. The red screens look like they were built around a capture from one of the office PCs booting to DOS, but with "k" going to "T" to show it's the future. So maybe that was a 1.4PB storage disk in the trash earlier.

Commentary Navigation
<< Back to Scene 04	Episode #07 Scene List	Continue to Scene 06 >>