Episode 01

Episode Information
Episode #01
Title 1: {{{japanese_title_k}}} {{{japanese_title_r}}} {{{japanese_title_e}}} Title 2: Angel Attack
Written By	Hideaki Anno
Directed By	Kazuya Tsurumaki
First Aired	10-4-1995
Video Release Date	{{{video_release}}}
Angel Appearances	Sachiel
Eva Sorties	Unit-01
Episode chronology
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"(none)"	"Episode 02"

Overview

Shinji Ikari is summoned to Tokyo-3 by his father Gendo, commander of the NERV organization, to fight off an attack by a giant "Angel" monster by piloting the only weapon capable of battling an Angel: Evangelion Unit-01.

Synopsis

A mysterious figure glides underwater towards Tokyo-3, passing sunken buildings on it's way. It's the Angel Sachiel. After 15 years the Angels have begun to attack.

Meanwhile,Shinji Ikari arrives in Tokyo-3. He is waiting by a phone booth for Misato Katsuragi, who has sent him a risque photo of herself. During his wait he suddenly notices a mysterious teenage girl who seems to be observing him; she vanishes as quickly as she appeared. Before he can ponder this Sachiel appears. Shinji is rescued in the nick of time by Misato and is taken to NERV's underground base.

Meanwhile, the military is powerless against Sachiel, so they surrender command to Shinji's long absent father, Gendo Ikari.

Upon their arrival, Shinji and Misato are greeted by Ritsuko Akagi NERV's chief scientist. Shinji then learns that he has been summoned to pilot Evangelion Unit-01 into battle against the Angel. Shinji, who plainly detests his father refuses. Gendo then sends for his other pilot Rei Ayanami despite her being seriously injured, coldly telling his vice-commander Kozo Fuyutsuki "she's not dead". Rei is wheeled into the room in a hospital bed, covered with bandages and clearly in pain. The audience recognizes her as the girl Shinji saw on the street, but in her condition how could this be?. There is no sign that Shinji recognizes her as well.

Sachiel has now zeroed in and has begun to attack NERV headquarters. The room shakes and Rei tumbles to the floor. As Shinji moves to help her a bank of floodlights falls straight towards him! Suddenly, Unit-01's arm moves to deflect the lights. Ritsuko is astounded because the Eva shouldn't have been able to move at all with no entry plug inserted. Misato realizes that the Eva had moved to protect Shinji thus they have a chance to succeed after all. Cradling Rei in his arms, Shinji sees her blood on his hand, and is finally shamed into piloting. The episode ends with Shinji being launched into battle. Gendo's smile indicates his supreme confidence.

Notes

• Tokyo-3 was built on the site of pre-Second Impact Hakone. Throughout the series stray dialogue about there are various stray references to geographic locations surrounding Tokyo-3 that also surround Hakone.
• Sachiel's energy blasts look like crucifixes.
• The original Japanese title of this episode is "使徒、襲来 "Shito, shūrai". Gainax made their own English titles, and the English title Gainax created for this episode is "Angel Attack". ADV Film's translation of the original Japanese title is "An Angel's Attack".

Go Here for more notes.

Analysis

• Several explanations have been proposed for Rei's appearance on the street when she is actually serverly injured and hospitalized. Go HERE for an analysis of why we believe that it is Rei 3.
• Sachiel's design is remarkably similar to the Plug suit designs. For details, go here: Sachiel/Plug Suit Design Analysis
• According to Misato it took seven months for Rei to synchronize with Eva Unit 00. It is not clear if Rei's accident in which Eva 00 went berserk, which chronologically seems to happen right before this episode (and is seen in flashbacks in Episode 05, is what Misato is referring to as Rei's first synchronization, or if it happened sometime earlier.
• Shinji and his father Gendo have not met in three years.
• When Shinji says he doesn't get along with his father, Misato says he sounds just like her. The relationship between Misato and her father will be expounded upon in Episode 12.
  

  "Check these out!"
• Misato mailed Shinji a photo of herself to let him know what she looked like when she picked him up: it is a humorously inappropriate photo of her wearing cutoff jeans that reveal her thighs, leaning forward in a tank top revealing excessive cleavage, winking at Shinji and giving him the V-sign. She also left a lipstick kiss on it. The Japanese writing on it translates as "To Shinji: I'll be picking you up, so wait for me, okay?" (apparently written in creator Hideaki Anno's own handwriting). Misato also punctuated the photo with a highly inappropriate message, "Check these out!!" with an arrow pointing to her barely covered breasts. The Platinum Edition DVDs translate this into English as "Pay Attention!". This is an early indication of Misato's unusual personality, even before she appears on screen.
• The little green booklet that Misato hands to Shinji when they enter NERV HQ says "Welcome to NERV" on it. Apparently, Shinji has never even heard the name of "NERV" before, and yet he is a matter of minutes away from being told to pilot Eva Unit 01.

Go Here for more analysis

Quotes

Original Japanese dub

• Fuyutsuki: "It's been 15 years, hasn't it."
  Gendo Ikari: "Yes, there can be no mistake. It's an Angel".
• Misato Katsuragi: (while standing on an elevated people mover transporting her through NERV base, which is clearly visible from lower levels) "This is why I hate wearing skirts here".
• Ritsuko Akagi: "This is the Ultimate All-Purpose Humanoid Decisive Battle Weapon developed by humanity. The artificial human, Evangelion. That is EVA-01. Its construction carried out in complete secrecy, it is our — humanity's — final trump."
• Shinji Ikari: "I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away..."
• Gendo Ikari: "Go wake up Rei."
  Fuyutsuki: "Can we use her?"
  Gendo Ikari: "She isn't dead."
  Fuyutsuki: "Understood."

Go Here for dub quotes.

Credits

See "Episode 1/Credits"