FGC:Episode 03 Scene 04

The New Kid ~ Emergency

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Screenshots	Cut #	Description/Dialogue	Commentary
	080	Corridor. The 2-A doorplate. Hikari's voice resounds. Hikari (OFF):“All rise!” SE <<Sounds of students moving and chairs pulled back>>	Keisuke: Reichu, this isn't a court, it's a classroom. Just "stand" is fine. Reichu: Yeah, but Hikari sounds more authoritative this way. ;;> HeWhoPostsStuff: Seeing as the teacher is more or less a joke, you couldn't blame Hikari for trying to create at least some fleeting sense of decorum in the classroom.
	081	A passage. Old Teacher:“Ahh… And so, humankind was about to face its greatest trial.”
	082	A classroom that is in disuse. The evacuation has been progressing. Light shining in from outside the window, particles seem to flutter about. Old Teacher:“In the last year of the 20th century, the massive meteor from space slammed into the continent of Antarctica. The continent of ice was melted instantaneously.”	Keisuke-kun: And all the other classrooms are (most likely) empty… Christ, how many people live in Tokyo-3? Is it just Nerv personnel? Probably. Magami No ER: What the teacher says in these early episodes builds up our understanding of the setting. Reichu: Or misunderstanding, as the case may be regarding one, ahem, rather large detail. Keisuke-kun: This is one conspiracy that Kensuke hasn't picked up on. The most important thing in the teacher's speech is untrue: It wasn't a meteor. Reichu: Although he says here that it was "massive", this contradicts with somewhat more specific information we see later. It's worth mentioning that, aside from the whole meteor thing, the teacher's account seems to be pretty accurate.
	083	Missing number
	084	The old man speaks in front of a blackboard lined with mathematic formulae. Old Teacher:“The water level of the oceans rose, the Earth was thrown off its axis, and abnormal weather patterns throughout the world threatened the lives of all living things.”	Mr. Tines: Did the chalk monitor forget to clear the board at the end of the previous lesson — or previous day? Dr. Nick: From Kiyone of ANF's collection of nitpicks: In the original sketches for the classroom, shown in [Newtype 100% Collection], "blackboard" was originally going to be a white Liquid Crystal Display with the words appearing in black! (This would have been similar to the "blackboard" as seen in the opening theme song sequence to the first episode of Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, but that one was in colour.) In the end, they just went with a regular green blackboard. Mr. Tines: The katakana ("Second Impact") give the subject of the current class, and have no relationship with the simple algebra that covers most of the board. (And what a difference a few years make — no chunks here of the introduction to 'C' programming like there was on the board in Serial Experiments Lain.) Reichu: Note the bit about the Earth being thrown off its axis. This elaborates on what Weather Girl told us earlier about Japan losing its four seasons. Mr. Tines: How old is the teacher? On the high side of 70, I'd guess by appearance. Which would mean old enough to have childhood memories of the immediate post-war reconstruction, if not of the war, in addition to having had to cope with 2I in middle age. HeWhoPostsStuff: I guess that early retirement in a post-2I world really isn't much of an option…though supposedly teachers in Japan are paid better than they are around here. Then again, so are garbage collectors.
	085	The students are all bored, as if they're thinking, "Not again." Old Teacher:“Thousands of species and half of the human population were lost forever. That was the so-called 'Second Impact'.”	Mr. Tines: The class is full again, ready to mob the new kid. AchtungAffen: It seems that they didn't let go of any students after all. Reichu: So Kensuke was misinformed? :gasp: OMF: I don't think he was. Given the empty classrooms shown in 082, it might be reasonable to suggest that they've lumped the remaining students — who are only be here because… well, you know — into one or more classrooms. Everyone else has moved due to the crisis, including the previous teacher, so they drafted in a retired old guy living in the general area. That's my idea anyways. Mr. Tines: Note here that the laptops only have one cable — so either they're all running on batteries or all using wireless networking. Ah, the innocence of the days when the 'net was only just starting to reach the general public.
	086	Shinji seems to be uninterested and ignoring things. Shinji gets a call sound on his laptop computer. Old Teacher (until 088):“Economic collapse, ethnic conflicts, civil wars… Those who survived them still faced every possible hell.”	Soluzar: Do they ever teach ANYTHING else? It seems like every time you see a class in school, there's a good chance of it being the history of the Second Impact. Reichu: There are some indications later on that their entire curriculum does not revolve around the repetitious musings of a senile old man, thankfully. Random question: Do the students spend the entire day in this one classroom (2-A), or is it just their "home room"? Mr. Tines: I believe that it's the former — teachers move around the building to their next class (except for things like sport, and presumably any science lessons with lab work).
	087	On the monitor, CALL flashes on and off.	Mr. Tines: And what OS are they running? For once, it's a computer shown in the media that is not running some flavour of MacOS. They are clearly networked, but are just acting like "glass typewriters", 1970s style — a lot lower tech than in cut #002, whatever the means for achieving that display. Soluzar: :Nods: This is significantly lower tech than existed at the time the show was made. Sometimes they seem to forget that it's supposed to be the future. You couldn't give those things away in 2004, let alone 2015. You can get more processing power in a fridge these days. Sharp-kun: It's Generic Inconsistent Anime OS. Mr. Tines: It's odd, though — Apple machines had pervaded the world of graphic design by the end of the '80s (in contrast to the PC dominance in the office apps market). I would have expected at least a hint of a windowing system, not the fairly retro-tech non-graphical display we see here. But then in later episodes (really anything before EoE) we see similar text-based terminals in Nerv, too. This is a place where Eva-tech is behind mid-1990s levels (as opposed to the contemporary level of telephone technology), but not in an area which one would expect to have suffered from 2I-induced effects. Is there any sub-text here? Hexon.Arq: Would it not be practical to say that in a world that has decided to provide (probably) every student with a console in the wake of the probable reaches of the economic strain caused by Second Impact (even a decade and a half later), it would be cheaper to give them all ass-ugly Tiger LCD numbers? Do you want them to hand over top-'a-the-line Macs to a bunch of snot-nosed children? Reichu: When the future of the planet rests on their shoulders, it's the least the school system could do.
	088	Shinji stealthily pushes the switch.
	089	The CALL sign vanishes on the monitor. Characters swiftly appear: "Is it true that you're the robot's pilot?" Old Teacher:“However, it has been fifteen years since then.”	Soluzar: Pssst! Hey, Shinji? I have a plan: LIE! Reichu: There are some times when lying just prolongs the inevitable.
	090	Shinji mega-UP. His face rises as he blinks, startled.
	091	Shinji's back becomes stiff. He pauses, then looks around for the sender. He faces the direction of the camera and notices something. Old Teacher:“In only fifteen years, we were able to restore ourselves.”
	092	Two girls behind Shinji chat as they look in his direction. One lightly waves her hand while the other uses her personal computer. SE <<Faint sounds of movement>> Old Teacher (until 094):“This is certainly proof of the human race's resilience, but even more so, it is the fruit of the blood, sweat and tears your fathers and mothers have dedicated to this cause.”	tv33: Some more than others… Sharp-kun: And Shinji refuses to appreciate it. Soluzar: A bit insensitive of the teacher, considering that none of the kids in this class have mothers.
	093	Two more lines appear: "It's true, isn't it? [Y/N]"
	094	Shinji front UP. At the end of the cut, he thinks "Hmm…", then faces his keyboard.
	095	The cursor moves as Y-e-s appears letter-by-letter. At the cut's end, a Return Mark appears. SE <<Key-touch sounds>>	tv33: Jeeze! What kind of secret organization is this? Hasn't Shinji ever heard the expression "loose lips sink ships?" Reichu: I'm surprised there aren't any men in black following Shinji around solely to prevent muck-ups like this. Magami No ER: Like most kids my age dealing with "secret organizations", he either forgot (what would've happened to me) or just didn't even care. However, I don't know how secretive Nerv would be in Tokyo-3 anyway. If these girls posing the questions were in a evacutation shelter, how did they know about a "giant robot" in the first place? OMF: Maybe Shinji tells them because he's trying to impress them. Maybe he's trying to make friends. If I had to guess though, I'd say he simply tells them the truth because not responding would be impolite, and lying would be just… well… wrong! Both Shinji's morals and sense of propriety are equally inflexible. Besides, what could possibly go awry! Though this question could easily be asked at many points throughout the show, why the hell is Shinji using Latin script and English words here? Is this solely for the benefit of internationalisation costs? Reichu: Because English is "kuuru ando hippu" (which is how you'd probably say "cool and hip" if you were a Japanese kid with such a misguided appreciation for English).
	096	Panoramic view of the classroom. Everyone notices Shinji and becomes uproarious. Shinji is caught with his pants down. Students:“Whaaaaaat!?”	HeWhoPostsStuff: Seems like the girls sent him a ENPM (Extremely Non-Private Message). Reichu: Yeah, how was the entire class in on it? Incisivis: I just find it funny how the whole class starts looking at the one kid who wants attention the least.
	097	The old teacher goes into his own little world. Old Teacher (from behind) "At the time, I lived in Nebukawa. But now it's at the bottom of the sea…" SE <<Students getting up from their seats>> Students:“Eh? The new student was?” “I knew it.” Classroom Chatter:“Say what?” “Really~!” “Cooool. Ohhhhhh. Etc.”	Magami No ER: I wish my teachers would go off into their own little worlds. ;p Reichu: Nebukawa is (or was, here) a fishing village just southeast of Tokyo-3.
	098	The class representative (the type to be shunned by boys) stands up from her chair and calls the other students to attention. Hikari:“Hey, you guys, we're still in class, you know.”	Incisivis: "The type to be shunned by boys", eh? HeWhoPostsStuff: Her comment here suggests that she's as eager to find out about Shinji as everyone else, but that her duties as "iincho" are trumping her desire to know for the moment. Guess she takes the job pretty seriously… OMF: The life of a class rep is a solitary one it would seem, and thankless as well. I'd hate to be one*. Reichu: We see Hikari chatting with some girlfriends later, in the shelter. OMF: Sycophants, I say! Well, in any case, being a rep is a tough job sometimes. *On re-reading this during transferring the commentary, it dawned on me that in ages past I was a class rep. However my position entailed none of the authority, or responsibility, that Hikari's seems to.
	099	Alone and unaffected, Rei gazes outside. Hikari (OFF):“Please take your seats!!” Girl D (OFF):“Again! You always boss us around.” Boy (OFF):“It's okay, it's okay.” Hikari (OFF):“It is not okay!!”	AchtungAffen: Rei seems to have swapped seats from where she was in 056. HeWhoPostsStuff: "*sighh* "There he goes, revealing vital secrets about the organization which gives me reason for living… dum-de-dum… Hey, look, a bird!"
	100	A fidgety Shinji is surrounded on all sides. Students:“That's so awesome.” “Cool.” Shinji:“No… That is…” The girls who are still standing lean forward and bombard him with questions. Girl A:“Hey, hey, how were you chosen?” Girl D:“Were there any tests?” Girl B:“Weren't you scared?” Girl C:“What's the cockpit look like?” Shinji:“Um… (looks away) That's all secret…” Classroom Chatter:“That's so incredible!” “Cool.” Etc.	Reichu: This would have been an opportune moment for Shinji to spin some elaborate BS. His classmates look like they would buy just about anything. Dr. Nick: Sweet Jesus! Groupies! Mr. Tines: Shinji's fangirls have no staying power. We never see them again after this. thewayneiac: What about Ep. 05 when they girls at the school pool complain that Toji is watching them, and then cheerily call out "Hi, Shinji!"? Soluzar: Maybe Asuka warns them off… Reichu: All of them utilize seiyuu recycling, BTW: Girl A = Yuko Miyamura (Asuka) Girl B = Miki Nagasawa (Maya) Girl C = Kotono Mitsuishi (Misato) Girl D = Megumi Hayashibara (Rei)
	101	A dubious Kensuke. Students move around in the foreground Students:“Oh, don't be so boring.” “What's that supposed to mean?” Girl D (OFF):“Hey, what's the name of the robot?” Shinji (OFF)(mumbling):“I don't know much, but everyone calls it Eva, or Unit 01.” Kensuke listens intently. Abruptly he types a memo into his personal computer. Girl (OFF):“Eva?” Boy A (OFF):“And what's its ultimate attack?” Kensuke draws near again and twitches his ear. Shinji (OFF):“Um… Some kind of knife that vibrates. No, more like ultrasonic waves.” He types some more. Girl A (OFF):“That's amazing. You're the pride of the school.” Students:“Awesome!” “Yeah, yeah.” SE <<Chime for the end of school>>	Soluzar: The Prog Knife sounds so dull when you say it like that. Incisivis: "'Ultimate attack'"? I'm going to go out on a limb here and wonder if the kids are looking at the Eva battle as if it were something out of a mecha anime, even though it was real. When they cheer on the Evangelions in episode #06 might be another example, though since I haven't seen much "classic" mecha and nothing Super Robot, I can't say for sure. Kensuke's reverent attitude towards Eva piloting that we'll see in the next episode is another example. It might all be an attempt to "de-glamorize" Shinji even more, since he doesn't live up to the "heroic" standards that other anime suggest, and I've noticed that even with characters considered analogous to Shinji, their suffering seems more romanticized and tame compared to his. Or it may be promoting the distance between Shinji and his classmates; they have no idea what he's experiencing, so they project their own mythical notions onto it. Reichu: Uh, huh huh huh, he said "vibrates". (Sorry, I had to.) OMF: Kensuke's laptop is a different color from the others; I'd guess his hardware is a cut above the standard issue school laptops. thewayneiac: Wasn't that an awfully short school day?
	102	The teacher. SE <<Chime>> Old Teacher:“And consequently…” He notices the chime and turns around. Old Teacher:“Ah.”	Soluzar: Ahh. I see that the teacher's three remaining braincells have banded together to remind him what the bell means. Keisuke-kun: He noticed the chime, but not his own students? He must be senile
	103	Everyone gathered around Shinji. Facing them from the last seat is a boy (Toji) with his feet together and an insolent attitude. Old Teacher (OFF):“That's all for today.” Hikari (OFF):“All rise! Bow! Hey, you guys, show some manners at the end.” Girl A (OFF):“Ikari-kun, where do you live?”	OMF: Hey, they know his name! But has anyone actually tried to talk to him before now?
	104	Toji, arms folded, has a face of hate. Girl B (OFF):“Do you live in the old part of town?” Shinji (OFF):“Um… That is…”	Reichu: The "old town" seems to be in the northern part of Tokyo-3 and refers to the blocks that aren't "accomodated" when the city enters battle mode. They're probably whatever remains of old Hakone — so, of course, they're okay to trash when battling with the Angels. Provides a great excuse for urban renewal!
	105	Gymnasium. The sun reflects off the glass. SE <<(OFF) Sound of face being hit>>
	106	Shinji falls back violently.	Sharp-kun: By the end of EoE, I wanted to do that so badly. Mr. Tines: It took that long? OMF: Not me, man! I was with Shinji all the way! For the whole series I was waiting for him to do this to everyone else — and, in a way, he did. HeWhoPostsStuff: So where are all of the impressed students ready to defend the "pride of their school?" Gotta give Gainax one thing, they definitely capture the spirit of classroom comraderie to a tee… Incisivis: Ow! I like this scene for a few reasons. The major one is that here is the protagonist, getting punched out like anyone. Despite his role, despite what Misato said, the ordinary citizen hates Shinji for what he's done. Also, I like Shinji's response, that he was forced to. It may not make him more lovable, but it goes a long way towards showing that everyone has their petulant, graceless moments, no matter their place in the story. Yeah, it may just be Shinji being Shinji, but the angry look on his face in 110 makes it look like he's making a sullen retort rather than trying to invoke pity, which makes him look even worse. It's not having flaws (every hero has them), but about handling them poorly that makes Shinji stand out.
	107	A clenched fist, quivering. Kensuke looks on with a face that says, "That's gotta hurt."	Reichu: This is one place where the manga diverges. Sadamoto has Kensuke attempt to restrain Toji, but he only prevents the second punch from flying. It seems like, overall, Sadamoto made Kensuke more likeable, although, seemingly as compensation, his Toji is quite a bit less charming to start with. Soluzar: Recalling Kensuke's remarks from 076, it's odd that he feels no guilt over his part in Shinji's beating. Granted, I don't think Kensuke is in any way horrible, just strange. Reichu: He is a little strange. He tends to behave in a rather detached manner about most things (and is overtly zealous about the rest…), but, as the script for Scene 09 seems to imply, this is just a pretense on his part. Still, standing by and just letting Toji punch Shinji around seems rather cowardly, especially since we know he doesn't approve.
	108	In pain, Shinji gets up. Shinji:“Ugh…”
	109	Toji looking down, resembling Bunta Sugawara. His eyes are narrowed and he is deliberating putting on an air of calmness. Toji:“Sorry, transferee, but I've gotta beat you up! I won't feel right until I've smacked you.”	Soluzar: "Ahh. I see, well, that makes it OK then. Go right ahead." thewayneiac: Isn't Toji risking getting hauled off to the Gulag for this? Reichu: This is the real reason Toji is the only candidate from Class 2-A who was ever used. ;;> OMF:: Toji is, in his own way, immediately apologetic here. He's not a sadist; I think he's really doing this reluctantly. Reichu: Certainly, it doesn't improve his mood any, even though he seemed to think it would. HeWhoPostsStuff: A quick search for "Bunta Sugawara" reveals that he's an old Japanese actor who played a lot of "yakuza" (Japanese gangster) parts. Here's a picture; maybe looks a little like ol' Toji. Reichu: The haircut looks vaguely similar, if nothing else. Anyone want to look deeper into it?
	110	Shinji averts his eyes. SE <<Footsteps walking away>> He looks up.	OMF: Note that Shinji can still scowl insolently here. He doesn't know yet.
	111	Shinji's point of view. About to depart, Kensuke leans forward into the foreground. Kensuke:“Sorry. His little sister was injured in the incident the other day. Well, there you have it.”	Incisivis: Yes, Kensuke does seem rather nonchalant, doesn't he?
	112	Shinji's mouth UP. He appears to have a nosebleed. We can't see the expression of his eyes. Shinji:“…I'm not piloting it by choice either.”	Keisuke-kun: When doesn't Shinji pity himself? OMF: I think Shinji's is specifically responding to the news of Toji's sister here, rather than to just being hit. The revelation that someone has been hurt because of his actions is deeply unsettling to Shinji. He's trying to alleviate his own guilt here, I think, not simply make Toji feel guilty.
	113	Toji comes to a halt. Kensuke stops, thinking, "I knew it." Toji slowly turns around and pushes Kensuke aside, walking with quick, brisk steps. He leans over in front of the camera.	HeWhoPostsStuff: Note that Toji really didn't seem outwardly angry when he first whalloped Shinji for injuring his sister: When Shinji basically says, "You can't blame me for what happened," THAT'S what sets him off, since Toji can no longer feel any peace about having made the "scapegoat" pay for what he did. Reichu: Or didn't do, as the case may be. OMF: Either way he meant it, it really isn't good enough for Toji. He's not letting him off the hook.
	114	Toji grabs Shinji by the collar and lifts him up.
	115	Toji glaring at Shinji, super-UP.	OMF: Toji is waiting for the rest of Shinji's excuses, but he won't get any.
	116	Quick turn, super-UP. Shinji averting his eyes.	OMF: It isn't surprising that Shinji simply can't look Toji in the eye now. The fate of Toji's sister is something Shinji never really forgets; he bottles the guilt away, but it's still there.
	117	At the end of the cut, Toji's rage deepens.	OMF: As with Misato, Shinji's silent acquiescence is making this even harder for Toji. If only the boy would fight back a little, he wouldn't feel like such a heel. If there's one thing Toji isn't, it's a bully.
	118	Three people seen from inside the gymnasium window. Toji punches Shinji, knocking him down. Toji and Kensuke walk away, leaving Shinji there collapsed.
	119	From Shinji's viewpoint; the clouds move slowly. SE <<(OFF)-Footsteps>>	Reichu: Sky. Blue sky. Something the eyes can't see. Something the eyes can s— Oh, wait, wrong episode…
	120	Shinji looks in the direction of the sound. A girl's feet are in the foreground.	thewayneiac: Shinji: Hey, nice view; there's something good about being punched out after all.
	121	Shinji's viewpoint. Rei stands there, expressionless as always.	OMF: Do you think she saw the whole thing? Reichu: Which reminds me — were the MIBs who follow Shinji around on lunch break when this happened? OMF: Here's another question: Do the MIBs follow just the pilots, or are they tailing ALL the candidates as well? If the latter is the case, then incidents like this would hardly call for intervention at all. MIBs have better things to do than intervene in teenage squabblings! ;)
	122	Disconcerted, Shinji wipes his bloody nose. Rei looks down at him. At the end of the cut, Shinji glances at Rei.
	123	Rei informs him without changing her expression. Rei:“An emergency call. I'll go on ahead.” She leaves.	OMF: Apart from two "Hai's and a few painful gasps, Rei's first words are ones of duty. Duty, and a sense of it, is really key to her whole character, I think. Duty to what and to whom, though? Now that's really what makes Rei so interesting. Magami No ER: It's nice that the show doesn't wreck this moment with unneeded fan service, as a panty-shot. They go straight for nudity (two episodes from now). ;p Mr. Tines: And I don't recall Rei putting on a petticoat or slip in any other scene. Magami No ER: I'm pretty sure that's just the interior fabric (white cloth with some ruffles) sewn underneath the skirt. We see her get changed into her uniform in episode #05, and she puts on no petticoat. :lol:
	124	Rei running off. Shinji, further in. Shinji is left behind, alone. Slowly, he gets up. —Pause— SE <<An alarm siren resounds from in the distance.>>	Reichu: Well, look on the bright side, Shinji… At least you get out of school early. Magami No ER: Why does she go to HQ if she still can't pilot and basically does nothing? Reichu: Shinji was originally sent as her backup, but now she's become his. If Shinji for whatever reason didn't comply, Rei certainly would have gone into battle instead, despite her injuries. Beer Goggles: So did Rei know of the impending Angel attack or was it visual confirmation on her part? Maybe Misato gave her a cell phone as well… Reichu: Maybe her Angel Sense was tingling. ::D
	125	Panoramic view of Tokyo 3 from the school. The siren and announcement echo throughout. Female Announcer (OFF):“A special state of emergency has now been declared for the entire Kanto-Chubu region surrounding the Tokai district. Please take refuge in your designated shelter immediately. Repeating…”	OMF: How do the pilots get down to the Cages so fast? The school must be kilometers from the city and kilometers above Central Dogma. That pole better be greased up good. Reichu: The efficiency of Japanese mass transit! Actually, the school is just on the outskirts of Tokyo-3
	126	In the light blue shimmer of hot air, the polarized silhouette of something can be seen. SE <<Ultralow sounds, faint>>
	127	Seen from a great distance, a closeup of the Fourth Angel, Shamshel.	Reichu: It's big, it's purple… but what the fsck is it? thewayneiac: And how can you have a close-up from a great distance? Soluzar: From the front elevation, Shamshel sort of resembles a spider. Don't you thinK? Reichu: She does have eight arthopod limbs in her favor there, yes. Magami no ER: Shamshel really does remind me of some kind of ocean dwelling organism (or perhaps a swimming dragonfly larva). OMF: I always thought Shamshel was meant to resemble some giant shrimp or other pleocyematid (= fancy word for "lobsters"). Reichu: The atmospheric perspective here is confusing; it gives the impression that Shamshel is swimming, rather than "hovering mysteriously just above the water's surface". Hexon.Arq: Is Shamshel not the Angel of Daytime? Other than the appearance of the sun on this wonderful day (which has a 50/50 chance of being present anyway), what is the core attribute that does anything to illustrate this role? She's a bug?
	Eyecatch A	Eyecatch

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