The monitor fills the screen. Shamshel advances in the air above a forest.
SE <<Command Center>>
Misato (OFF):“The fourth Angel would show up while Commander Ikari is away.”
Man (OFF):“Target has landed. It is advancing from the direction of Manazuru, heading to mark 0.”
Reichu: This is the first reference to "patterns" or "blood types" in the series. While Shamshel here, and most other Angels, are said to be "blue", we'll also encounter orange, green, sepia, and red over the course of the series. Although many theories have been put forward, no one to my knowledge has really cracked the mystery of what the hell the blood types refer to.
MDWigs: "Blood Type: Blue" is a reference to the 1978 sci-fi movie "Blue Christmas", which is also known as… "Blood Type: Blue". Anno, of course, loves his SF references, and this is one of his favourite movies.
Keisuke-kun: Shamshel's head (seen in aerial view) recalls the owl face associated with the Angels.
Reichu: It's also worth pointing out that, in Shamshel's case, the "eyes" aren't eyes at all, but are "eye spots" — facsimiles, mere patterns on the head. This is a defensive measure employed by some insects (such as caterpillars or butterflies) to fool potential predators. Although in Shamshel's case, her enormous size and formidable weapons are the only real deterents she needs; the "eyes" just make her all the more endearing, IMO. Interesting, in episode #03's storyboards, Shamshel doesn't have them.
