UrsusArctos: The angles and general appearance of the main battery guns firing in this and the two following cuts brings to mind similar shots of the battleship Yamato's main battery firing in Space Battleship Yamato, a classic anime which Anno is a huge fan of. Of course, the irony is that he has lavished a Yamato moment on two World War Two vintage American battleships, but big beautiful warships are big beautiful warships, no matter who builds them!
Alaska Slim: If he is making that homage, then part of irony I see is that these ships are of the same class as the Missouri-- the ship upon which Japan's treaty of surrender was signed. Mr. Anno isn't exactly the most gracious about WWII; as his "There was another war; we took Hawaii" in Gunbuster demonstrates. Still, if he was able to put that aside to give these proud girls a warrior's due my hat's off to him.
