FGC:Episode 05 Scene 05

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The Keepsake


Commentary Navigation
<< Back to Scene 04 Episode #05 Scene List Continue to Scene 06 >>
Screenshots Cut # Description/Dialogue Commentary

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Title2
EYECATCH B


K9Thefirst1: Ahhhh yes. THAT scene, second in infamy after the Hospital Scene from EoE.


thewayneiac: Are you refering to the upcoming grope scene? I don't think it's actually more infamous than say, Misato & Kaji's off screen sex scene, Unit-03 getting dismembered, Zeruel getting eaten, or Rei 1 getting throttled.

K9Thefirst1: Yes I am. And in terms of Shinji and his relationships, everyone talks about the Wank, and if they aren't it's tied either with the "Fall-And-Group" deconstruction here, or that kiss with Misato in 25'.

At least, that's been my experience.


174
The Mammoth apartment blocks.

SE <<Sound of building demolition activities.>>

One side has already been demolished. The sound of breakers can be heard.

Dr. Nick: Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Moscow...


Sailor Star Dust: The demolition sound effects give off a touch of creepiness, somehow.


FreakyFilmFan4ever: (174-178) The buildings almost seem to be looming over Shinji, with the buildings filling the frames previous to the shot of the camera looking down upon Shinji. He's probably in way over his head, here.


NemZ: Why exactly are they being demolished anyway? Just designate the area a preferred location for confronting angels and let things play out. Besides, if the world’s going to end soon anyway and the city’s population is dwindling what do they really need the space for?

Additional Commentary  

Kendrix: Ah, Anno's use of urban imaginery/aestetics. I've always loved it. Probably, you get to like what you're used to seeing when you're a kid - I spent the first four or five years of my life in such a building, and I could never find any beauty in any sort of natural landscape. I've heard that Anno grew up in an industrial town, explaining why he uses that sort aestetics a lot.

I always found this particular location/setting to be a brilliant work of art, after all, the house one lives in is an integral part of someone's personal world and says quite a lot about its owner/ can be an efficient tool of characterization. Of course, a stark grey, artificial location with "technological" background noises is the perfect environment for an unhappy artificial girl. Also, the way the many identical houses fade into the distance evokes the one shot from episode 14 and the idea of "clones" in general, a percieved "lack of uniqueness". Further, the fact that she lives in an "abandoned" part of the city, a sort of mini "ghost town" reinforces her assotiation with being a "faded afterimmage of the past"


175
The apartment veranda. The rain doors are shut. There’s no indication of anyone living there.
Kendrix: It's all in a state of decay because it hasn't been mantained properly. Sort of like Rei.

But that also makes it like something out of a surreal dream, a place where the usual rules don't apply because there's no one there to enforce them... technically, you could just walk in all of the empty buildings and sit on the dusty furniture...


176
Around the stairs. Scraps of old notices and rusty drain spouts can be seen.
Xard: The whole 174-177 sequence is highly reminiscent of Anno's second live action film Shiki Jitsu (2000) in terms of cinematography and editing. 176's striking use of architecture in composition is particularly reminiscent of style Anno depicts similar staircases and rundown apartment building in the film with. The never stopping sound of building demolition is another link between two works. Given that SJ takes place in Ube, Anno's childhood hometown, I wonder if the look and feel of Rei's apartment block was influenced by his own past.


Kendrix: More images of decay and "oddness", there isn't even glass in the windows, and that pale light shines through the building...


177
A nameplate, with “Ayanami” written on it in rough letters.

TEXT:“Ayanami.”


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178
Shinji looks up in a daze. He presses the button. The demolition work is very noisy.

SE <<Sound of building demolition activities.>>

Logan Payne: I always find the demolition noises to be especially nerve wracking.


thewayneiac: Yeah, I'd probably last about five minutes.


Kendrix: The unorthodox camera angle here (from above) just helps to accentuate that "detached" feeling.


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The button he pressed makes no sound.

He presses it one more time and gives up.

EvangelionFan: I noticed the name 'Pimpom' was also used on the doorbell in Rebuild - is it actually a brand name in Japan, or is it just made up for the show?


thewayneiac: It sounds like an onomatopoeia.


Kendrix: It's cheap, it doesn't work, and Rei doesn't seem to mind. All those little things telling you of her astonishing lack of discomfort with what others would discribe as unbearable living arangents. "She only has the bare minimim of what she needs to have", as Anno puts it. "Conditioned to accept horror" being big keywords here.


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Shinji stands there.

He tentatively tries to open the door.


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The door, viewed from inside the room.

There are piles of junk mail. The door knob moves. Shinji fearfully opens the door.

SHINJI:“Excuse me?”

jetatomic: Why don't you knock the door first?


thewayneiac: Now be fair, he did ring first.

Hmmm... Why do I think she should have come out and said "Can't you read the notice?!"


Kendrix: Again an odd angle, the room is shown from the inside, giving the audience the feeling to be standing inside its darkness... Another sign of Rei's lack of concern for her own person: The front door isn't locked. You lock stuff away because there is something valuable inside, but Rei doesn't consider herself or her possesions all too valuable. ('cept for Gendo's broken glasses, but who'd steal those?). But it just contradicts that Cave-man instinct to have a safe shelter, doesn't it?


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There are no shoes on the dirty floor, meaning Ayanami enters the room with her shoes on.

There is a mountain of mail even on the shoe rack. Shinji’s feet can be seen entering the apartment.

SHINJI:“Excuse me! This is Ikari… Ayanami! I’m coming in!”

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Shinji is about to step up into the room with his shoes on when he stops.
thewayneiac: As you might have heard, the Japanese never go past the entranceway without removing their shoes. Shinji is more conciencious of Rei's home than she is herself.


Mr. Tines: The state of cleanliness of the floor doesn't look good. I think Shinji's socks will get the worse of the encounter.


UrsusArctos: Taking off your footwear when you enter is common across nearly all East Asian cultures. On the practical side, walking into a house with footwear brings in dust and dirt from the outside. And there's the issue of footwear being made of animal products (ritually impure).


Dr. Nick: It's certainly not just a Japanese thing. I wonder if there's a world map floating around showing in which cultures shoes are commonly worn indoors and where they're usually removed.


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He debates with himself for a second, and then makes to take off his shoes.
Kendrix: He's very aware of the danger for his socks, but decides to be polite.


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Shinji tiptoes in.


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Inside Rei’s room. There’s no wallpaper, and the floor is bare concrete.
Kendrix: Like the art here, the interplay of light and shades of gray. It shows us that the inside of this place is *dark*. She really doesn't let any daylight in there... I guess her lab didn't have any daylight, either.

Also, look how the kitchen is drawn in the same generic color as the background, which sort of makes it fade into it... it doesn't really look used/lived in.


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186
There’s an indoor lamp without a cover hanging from the ceiling. Only two out of four possible bulbs are installed. There are burned-in soot marks leading from the wall to the ceiling.
NemZ: I thought that was black mold. This just rouses the further question of what the hell was burning to leave that much soot residue... perhaps a grease fire? Was it something that Rei did or is it leftover from previous tenants?


Kendrix: As for the source of the soot, it kinda looks like what accumulates over a heating after many years, with the lack of light making it look worse than it is... Not sure if there's even a heating beneath it, tough. Might've been any sort of domestic accident.


UrsusArctos: Fluorescent lighting is more common in Asia than North America. A burning electrical appliance at the corner could explain the soot stains. The implication could be that Rei is so bad at living she doesn't care if one of her few possessions is on fire.


187
There is a school uniform thrown across the bed.

There is also a pair of shoes facing outward. There are bloodstains on the pillow and socks on the chair.

Kendrix: The chair is cheap plastic (again, the "bare minimum") and the metal bars of the bed look cold/hospital-like, again stressing the un-personal look of it all...

Note, however, the reading lamp there. As we see later, Rei likes to relax lying on her bed, and she also likes reading, so that lamp, metal and undecorative as it may be, could be considered something of a personal touch, and is a sort of thing a "normal" introverted girl would have on her bed.

Additional Commentary  

Kendrix: Little goof here: Those blood stains (and those in the next shot) ought to be brown by now, though. (I think Rebuild fixed that) Then again, I get the need to make sure the audience gets it's blood and the charm of red on white.

Then again, she has one without stains by the next time we see her room, and ep 14 suggests that the scent of blood is one of the things that do bother her, so maybe the stains are fresh and the poor girl has recently been coughing blood or something like that...


188
The refrigerator, and beside it a cardboard box filled with bloody bandages. On top of the fridge there is water in a beaker and pills in bottles.

There’s a bag with empty cans it in on a hook.

UrsusArctos: The whole room must have been reeking of dried blood. I'm surprised Shinji didn't put his hand over his mouth and run for it.


Dr. Nick: You are a dirty, dirty girl, Rei. Not as dirty as Yomiko Readman, though.


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A shot of the chair with the socks on it (in the foreground), and Shinji looking around in a daze.


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The layout of the room, close to the bed. The room is dark because of black vinyl curtains, but a few rays of light shine through.
Mr. Tines: Rei manages the feat of having spartan quarters that are more squalid than Misato's apartment was back when we first saw it.


Kendrix: And now, the full view to let it all sink in... the silver lining is, it seems that she does wash her clothing (and, as we'll soon see, herself) since some of it is hung out to dry here.


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191
Shinji is still dazed. He looks around again and notices something.


192
Ikari’s glasses are on top of the chest of drawers.

There are also German medical books (psychology, genetics, etc.) with several pieces of paper shoved between the pages.

Azathoth: Interesting that they're specifically identified as German - Rei can read it? There might have been potential for Asuka-related shenanigans with that down the road if Yuko Miyamura could actually speak the language.


thewayneiac: Yes, Rei reads German. The book she's reading when Asuka tries to befriend/annoy her in Ep. 09 is in German.


Dr. Nick: Books about psychology and genetics? Is Rei trying to learn about her origins?


NemZ: Could be a sign that she’s strongly predisposed to following in Yui’s footsteps academically. Heck, they might even actually be from Yui’s library, given to Rei as a gift.


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A close-up of the glasses.

Shinji is reflected in the lenses. He draws closer.

SHINJI:“Are these Ayanami’s?”

Mr. Tines: These glasses are the only things in the whole place that might be considered frivolous (rather than utilitarian or refuse).


EvangelionFan: And the only decorative item in the entire room seems to be Gendo's broken glasses.


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Shinji picks up the glasses and tries them on.

All outside noise stops at the same time. Shinji startles at the sound of the curtain being drawn.

SE <<shhaaa!>>

EvangelionFan: ... and then he puts them on. Why, Shinji, do you put the glasses on? What did you think you would see with those anyway?


Cody MacArthur Fett: One really has to wonder why in the world Shinji decided to try on his father's glasses. It's certainly not the weirdest thing he's done or said, but still, why?


Azathoth: What a bizarre thing to do - one of the least understandable things Shinji does in the entire series, frankly. It's not even really exploited to make Shinji resemble Gendou, which is the only thing I can think of motivating Shinji in this situation - but even that seems out of character. Does Shinji really want to become like his father? I can't imagine that.


thewayneiac: Because when you find eyeglasses lying around unattended, it's normal and natural to try them on; I've probably done it dozens of times myself. I least I thought it was normal and natural. Am I a weirdo???!!!


Fireball: No, I remember, I did this once before too. It's really not that odd. As someone who does not wear glasses, you just want to know how the world looks with 4 eyes.


Kendrix: Sometimes, Glasses exude an irresistible desire to put them on.


thewayneiac: Ah! So I'm the normal one after all. Good!


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He turns around nervously.
Dr. Nick: The ratings are falling! Insert some accidental groping!


Xard: Whatever the in-universe reasons for the act were (I think simple curiosity is enough) I think there's important thematic subtext in this scene/act and with Gendo's old glasses in general and what their usage says about relationship between Shinji and Rei in this two-ep "Rei Arc". For one there's Shinji's symbolic "identification" with Gendo by the act of putting glasses on - given what follows right after the Oedipal overtones are hard to miss.

More importantly however Gendo's glasses work as a medium that conveys what defines relationship between Rei and Shinji at this point. Or to be more specific, how they see each other. The previous scene in the episode where Shinji literally observed/gazed at Rei was defined by Gendo's presence and bewilderment and jealousy Shinji felt when he saw Rei talking with Gendo. "Who is this girl and what is her relationship with my father?". This is the main driving motivation behind Shinji's wish to know more about Rei.

In other words: Shinji sees Rei first and foremost through "Gendo" and nature of his connection with Rei,

and in this scene Shinji sees Rei through Gendo's glasses which symbolize him throughout the series! The fact Shinji put on his glasses also is literally the trigger for the first real interaction (haw haw) between the two.

( And of course the fact they needed something that would get us the uncomfortableness of what soon happens is important factor )

Additional Commentary  

Kendrix: Thanks for pointing it out, but I'd interpret this a bit differently: When you put on someone else's glasses, you see the world as blurred as their owner sees it without glasses.

This glasses are Rei's most valuable possesion (they were placed in the way of the only ray of light entering the appartment. Someone's house is aways a private place that shows that person's way of living, an intimate 'inner sanctum'. And the glasses are the relic of Rei's sanctum) and perhaps Shinji even figured out that they're Gendo's. He's trying to understand both Rei and Gendo, so him putting the glasses on could simply mean that he's trying to see the world through their Eyes, which is what the eloborate perspective cut is meant to emphasize - and of course, while he has been fascinated by her all the time, her connections to Gendo are a further incentive for Shinji to seek her out - He wants to become part of Gendo's world, his efforts to 'see the world like Gendo does' are one of the many things that draw him to Rei, a person that Gendo puts his trust in - However, I don't think Rei's connections to Gendo are EVERYTHING that intrests Shinji about her or influences the way he sees her. He is about to make his own experiences with Rei.


Xard: The other half of this interprepation depends on ep 6 and so I can't really touch it yet. In fact it was the ep 6 scene that initially gave me the idea. In any case I don't think the full picture I got is compatible with this, though I'm not 100% sure.


196
The view through the broken lens. Rei is looking at the camera, naked with a bath towel draped across her shoulders.
Xard: ...and right next we get pov shot from Shinji's perspective in which we see blurred figure of Rei through said glasses. They went to the point of blurring the shot and adding cracks as if the glasses were pressed against fictitious "camera". This level of accuracy in pov shots isn't very common and calls attention to itself - they really went to extra lenghts to give us shot of Rei through Gendo's glasses.

The ramification of the motif and "countershot" for this cut must wait 'till ep 6, however.


Fireball: Now where the hell did she came from? How could she not have heared Shinji?


thewayneiac: She could have easilly missed him if she was still in the shower with the water running when he came in, but then you'd have to ask why he didn't hear the water.


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Rei appears to be a little surprised too.
flapjack: My favorite scene of all time. YES it is because she could care less about being naked, YES she's a teenage boy's dream, yes, yes... I'm in love at this point.


Kendrix: "...appears a little surprised, too." Somehow, that made me laugh out loud.


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Close-up of a visibly shaken Shinji.


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Rei marches towards the camera, clearly unhappy.

SHINJI:“No…Uh, I…”

Kendrix: She didn't show anything but mild surprise - untill she noticed her precious keepsake on someone elses face.


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Rei’s feet as she strides forward.


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Top down shot. Shinji retreats without thinking.

Rei gets even closer. She stretches her hand out towards the glasses.

SHINJI:“I wasn’t really…”

K9Thefirst1: There are two things that could be going through that boy's mind: 1) Oh crap I'm gonna lose teeth! or 2) Oh wow I'm gonna get laid!...


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Rei’s hand taking the glasses.
K9Thefirst1: ...Both of which are quickly proven wrong.


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Shinji’s feet, as he steps back on tiptoe

SHINJI:“Ah…”

Rei’s feet move forward. Shinji’s feet slip.


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Shinji’s body starts to fall.

SHINJI:“Waah!”

Rei is dragged along too, but Shinji struggles desperately to step forward and keep his balance

Reichu: I find Shinji's reaction here to be quite amusingly drawn. Especially this part.


UrsusArctos: In the second-last image it looks like Rei was about to cuff Shinji before he fell on her.


EvangelionFan: It's a shame Puchi Eva didn't parody this scene.


NemZ: I’ve watched this several times and the mechanics of how he slips backwards but ends up falling forwards still makes no sense to me. I might as well be watching the JFK Zapruder tape.


Fireball: C'mon man, it's freaking Rei standing infront of him. Naked and wet!! You would lose balance too!


Xard: Editing through this whole scene is marvelous but I'd like to give a shout out to the way cuts are spliced together through 202-209, something even platinum booklet noted:

"The eccentric way the cuts were split up when Shinji visits Rei's apartment was also memorable."


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Shinji pushes Rei and falls down.

Shot of their feet as they lose balance.


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Rei’s hand, holding the glasses.

They’re facing up.

Kendrix: She holds on to them untill the very end.


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The strap of Shinji’s bag catches a corner of the drawer and pulls it forward. The drawer flies out, scattering bras and panties everywhere.
Kendrix: Because clearly, the entire experience just wasn't humiliating enough yet.


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Shinji falls down on top of Rei.

SHINJI (off):“Waaaaaah!”

SE <<thud>>

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The bras and panties fly everywhere!


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The water in the beaker on top of the fridge ripples slightly from the thud.


SE <<Demolition work noise starts up again.>>

The glass glitters in a ray of sunshine.

Dr. Nick: So, is this like some ripple symbolism that's telling us Shinji has stirred Rei's maiden soul?


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The two of them are fallen on the floor, with Rei covered by Shinji.

The shining glass projects a spectrum on the walls and ceiling.

Sailor Star Dust: An EGF member once pointed out how this Rei and Shinji shot has a visual parallel with a scene in EoE... Excellent catch by them.


Reichu: Excellent memory! I forgot about that post. :3

Magami no ER kinda sorta made the observation first, but I posted the image comparison, so I steal the credit. (Honestly, I don't care.)


Fireball: Ah yeah, the good ol' I-accidently-slipped-and-landed-on-top-of-you incident. Don't kid yourselves guys, this will never happen in real life.


thewayneiac: And if it does she'll never believe it was an accident. Oh well, at least the accidental fall-and-grope is slightly more believable than the accidental fall-and-kiss.


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Shinji, on top.

One of his eyes, UP. He’s frozen stiff.

Reichu: Uh, huh huh huh, they said "sti--


Sailor Star Dust: (211-215) Silent staring contest! Interesting how the script notes Rei as being calm. I initially thought maybe there was a hint of fear in her eyes, but... *Shrug* Shinji, of course, isn't sure what to think!


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Rei’s eye, UP. She’s calm.


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The camera pans across from the glasses in Rei’s hand to the two of them together on the floor.
Dr. Nick: Notice the rainbow. I bet that's symbolic, too.
Additional Commentary  

Kendrix: Well, the rainbow is in the story of Noah, a symbol of a promise/bond between god and humanity. This is the beginning of a bond between a human and a divine being that will eventually influence the fate of humanity.


thewayneiac: Aren't you probably overthinking the religious symbolism there?


Dr. Nick: Good lord man, I wasn't being serious.


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Rei’s face, and Shinji. They are completely still.


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A top-down shot of the pair lying still.
thewayneiac: The only thing missing from this scene is another character walking in and catching them.


jetatomic: If someone walked into the room in this scene, what would they think?

Additional Commentary  

thewayneiac: That depends:
  • If it's a guy he would assume he was witnessing an intimate moment, turn red as a beet, blurt out "sorry for interrupting!", and dash out of the room.


  • If it's a girl, she would angrily accuse Shinji of pushing Rei down to have his way with her.

K9Thefirst1: Ya know, if it was Gendo that came in right now... Gendo: ...Well, this brings back memories.


Kendrix: Look where his knee ended up.


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Rei speaks without even trying to move.

REI:“Could you get off?”

thewayneiac: I'll bet all the girls say that.


Cody MacArthur Fett: I think this scene makes it pretty obvious that Rei is not only a stoic to rival Spock, but that she is also asexual. Coincidently, this scene also cemented in my mind the idea that naked women are not "fanservicey" -- then again I'm asexual myself, so make of that what you will.


thewayneiac: Given the symbolism inherent in this scene, I doubt you are right about the asexual part. As I note in Cut 223, it's likely that she simply doesn't know how she's supposed to react. If you mean that naked women are never fanservice, I can't say that I agree. However, this scene is certainly not fan service. Fanservice includes gratuitous nudity; this is giving us important information on the characters.

Additional Commentary  

Cody MacArthur Fett: Hmm, I didn't remember that scene, not surprising since I tend to filter out most of the symbolism in Eva. Still, that doesn't at all mean that Rei isn't asexual, since asexuality is, quite simply, the absence of sexual attraction. We can still gain pleasure from sex on some level, and we most certainly still seek out human companionship, but things like breast size or pectoral muscles and the like just don't factor into that equation. So for me (and other asexuals) no [half-]naked man or woman in anime is ever fanservice, it is only annoying, disturbing, or meh.

Make sense?


thewayneiac: Understood. It was your phrasing that confused me. You seemed to me to be making a blanket statement that in your opinion naked anime women are not fan service, while admiting that this opinion might be a product of your own lack of enthusiasm. You were actually simply stating your own lack of interest in naked women as fanservice.

However, I still don't understand your basis for declaring Rei asexual. I wouldn't expect her to show sexual attraction for someone who just inadvertantly pushed her down and groped her. Could you elaborate on how her behavior in this sene demonstrates that she would have no sexual attraction toward others under other circumstances?


Cody MacArthur Fett: Why certainly my good man, I'd be happy to explain my conclusion. Basically it boils down to Rei's total lack of reaction throughout the entire series to anything that could possibly considered sexual outside of the mind screw moments when the viewer has so much symbolism flying in their face that they'd be crazy to take anything seriously – or vise versa, depending on how confusing things are. This, combined with the fact that Rei is shown not to be above natual impulsive reactions (as evidenced by reactions while in pain and her being embarrassed by Shinji's elevator comments in episode 15) leads me to believe that she simply doesn't care about matters sexual or people touching her beyond, “You're in my way, sir.”

I'll admit though that this could also just as easily be a case of projection on my part, inconsistent character development on the dev team's part, or simply Rei never having been told about “the bird and the bees.”


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Shinji. He regains awareness of his surroundings with a shock and lifts himself up. He looks at his left hand.

SHINJI:“!”

Mr. Tines: Shinji so wants to hang his head in shame, but at the same time knows that that action would land him in a world of hurt.


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Shinji’s hand is on Rei’s breast.

SHINJI:“AH!”

FreakyFilmFan4ever: The blocking in this shot is completely reversed from the shot of Gendo planting Adam in Rei in EoE. According to Kabbalah (one of the religions Eva references many times), the right side of the body is meant to attack, the left side to defend. (Hence the stance of the Evas before a fight.) Whereas Gendo's right hand penetrated Rei's left breast later on in EoE, Shinji's left hand is blocking himself from Rei's right breast.


Quiddity: A scene extremely similar to this happens in the absolutely horrific OVA Eiken(arguably the worst anime ever IMHO). Our weak willed male main character accidently topples over a quiet, mysterious girl, and finds his hands on her breasts. The big difference being that the girl's boobs in Eiken are about 50 times larger than Rei's. Whether this is a homage to Eva or not I can't say, after all this type of scene is quite a cliche. I'm quite surprised a high quality show like Eva stooped so low.


Dr. Nick: If there's nothing else to that scene, then it's certainly not a homage to anything in particular.


thewayneiac: Rei's reaction, or rather her lack of reaction is important character development. This is not just another fan service scene (as I noted above).


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Shinji hurriedly removes his hand.

SHINJI:“U...Umm..!”

EvangelionFan: The only time in this scene when Shinji blushes is when he realises his hand is ontop of Rei's breast. Once he removes it, the blush is gone and the nervous lines from earlier return.


NemZ: Of course, because he expects punishment for this. After that he’s just plain baffled at her reactions or lack thereof.


Fireball: And now just think about how alternate Rei would react.


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Rei looks at him with cool eyes. She sits up as if nothing happened.
Quiddity: Shinji wanders into her home, sees her naked, then topples over her and grabs her breasts and Rei could care less. Take a wild guess why an albino who acts like a robot is among the most popular female characters in anime among boys. :P


thewayneiac: Rei a robot? Au contraire...


Kendrix: If anything, this very episode should prove that she was never anything close to emotionless, but a kuudere to begin with. After all, we see her display surprise, more surprise irritation, anger/loyalty, fear and clinging to something for comfort, delight and relief.

Additional Commentary  

Kendrix: The way the shadows on her breasts are drawn/ animated here always strikes me as both surprisingly realistic and arousing.


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Shinji jumps up and moves back in a hurry.

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Rei gets up looking like nothing happened and turns her back.
Dr. Nick: Remember to buy the uncensored Blu-rays.


Xard: I find it funny they felt need to put in censoring obstacle in this shot as it's far less revelatory than anything we saw before. Maybe they inserted it because the lamp returns in the final shot of the scene as major part of the composition. Then again, common sense says that lamp is in 236 because it is here, not other way around.


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Shinji is still a little out of it.

His hand moves, as if remembering the feel of her breast.

Kendrix: So much for Shinji showing no sexual attraction to Rei. At first, he was shocked and expecting punishment, but now, he's realizing that he sort of liked it/had his first contact with naked boob.


thewayneiac: He shoots; he scores!


Mr. Tines: Damn right he is committing that to long-term memory.


EvangelionFan: It's the same hand he was staring so intently at in Episode 02. Awkward...


FreakyFilmFan4ever: "I'm never washing this hand again."


Azathoth: Twitch, twitch...


thewayneiac: Um... just what are you getting at there, Azathoth?


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Rei’s legs as she slips on her panties.
thewayneiac: Rei has had little contact with others and is thus so socially inept that she has no idea of how her nudity might affect a teenage boy. The counterpart to this scene is in Ep. 24, where Kaworu doesn't realize how Shinji will interpret his suggestion that they sleep together.


K9Thefirst1: Well, while it's there: Could someone well versed in Japanese culture explain to the rest of us the reasons sociological and/or psychological behind the Japanese and their obsession with girl's panties? Seriously: I don't even-


thewayneiac: What's to explain? You don't normally see them because they are under the outer garments and they've been in contact with the girl's privates. It's also not solely a japanese thing. If you're versed at all in U.S. college hijinx, you've probably heard of "panty raids". I'm surprised Shinji didn't grab a souvenir before following her to HQ.


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A shot of Shinji watching Rei as she puts on her panties.

She picks up her bra next.

REI (Back turned):“What?”


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Shinji realizes what he’s doing and hastily averts his eyes.

SHINJI:“Eh!? Uh…well…I- I was… um… uh…...”

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He sneaks a glance at Rei.
Sailor Star Dust: Last frame: He might be sexually repressed, but a complete prude Shinji Ikari is not.


Kendrix: He's trying to look away REAL HARD but no one can whitstand Teh Rei XD. It's the 'unkempt beauty' effect - most ppl are most sexy when they're not explicitly trying to.


Xard: JIIIII


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Rei hooks the back of her bra, with her back turned.
K9Thefirst1: This shot has many purposes: 1) Teach young girls how to put on a bra when they finally fill out. 2) Show boys how girls put out their bras [and most importantly, shows how they can take them off when the time is right]. and 3) Fanservice. Naturally


thewayneiac: It also demonstrates that it is at least as sexy to watch a girl put her clothes on as it is to watch her take them off.


Kendrix: I'm in awe at the level of detail and realism in such everyday movements, how you see those lines on her back move.


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Shinji turns his whole body away. He starts to talk, incoherently.

SHINJI:“I was…a-as-asked to…uh…”


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His left hand (UP), gesturing aimlessly in the air.

SHINJI (OFF):“what was it…card, card...”


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In the mean time, Rei is putting on her skirt.

SHINJI (OFF):“You have a new card so...”


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Close-up of Shinji’s mouth.

SHINJI:“I was as…asked to bring it…”

Azathoth: Now it's Shinji's turn to be drawn in an uncomfortably sexualized manner. That sweat? That tongue? Uhh...I feel like that's the only time in the show he ever gets that kind of treatment, really - all his other sort-of-sexual experiences are played for comedy ("thermal expansion") or creepiness (I was going to say "EoE, just...EoE", but anything from episode 16 on will do, come to think of it).


thewayneiac: Are you sure he's not just supposed to be nervous?

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Shinji swallows with an audible gulp.

SE <<(gulp)>>


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Rei has put on all her clothes.

SHINJI (OFF):“So... So...”

EvangelionFan: Rei seems to be able to pull clothes out of nowhere.


thewayneiac: It might be the uniform we see on the bed in Cut 187.


NemZ: Yep. Notice the bloody pillow in the corner of the frame.


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Shinji’s nervous eyes, UP

SHINJI:“I wasn’t trying to do anything…””


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A shot of Rei’s hand putting the glasses in a case. She closes the lid carefully, as if it’s precious to her.

SE <<Click>>

FreakyFilmFan4ever: Continuing the thought of Gendo's glasses being symbolic of his barrier between him and the rest of the world, I find it interesting the Rei keeps the glasses safe in her room. This is another bit of symbolism that suggests Rei's reasons for being so open to Gendo herself. She still thinks that she is the only one that can pass through Gendo's barrier at this point, and is therefore willing to obey Gendo's every command.


Kendrix: Shinji's still in the room, but who cares. I wouldn't interpret the glasses as a 'barrier' in that context - They're more like a part of him to direct her feelings at, something that got broken to save her and thus a proof that someone treated her as if she was precious. (He saved her even tough he had two dozens of clones in the basement.)


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Rei stares at the case and smiles lovingly.
Sailor Star Dust: Weirdly enough, I didn't realize this was a smile until the script pointed it out.


UrsusArctos: When animated it looks more like a smile. It's slightly creepy, as though showing her possessiveness - indeed, those glasses are the only thing in the world Rei is glad to possess.


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Shinji turns his face away even more.

SHINJI (Back Turned):“Ritsuko-san said she forgot to give it to you, so…””

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He also looks down a little.

Rei can be heard walking away off-screen. Shinji panics even more, for no good reason.

SE <<(Off-screen) Sound of someone walking.>>

SHINJI (Back turned):“Honestly! And…”

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SHINJI:“And I rang the doorbell but nobody answered, and…it wasn’t…locked, so…”

The sound of footsteps off-screen is accompanied by the sound of the door opening and shutting. Shinji turns around in surprise

SE <<click…slam!>>


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There’s no one there any more…

SHINJI:“…?”

Xard: By having the same lamp and only slightly changed angle from 221 minus Rei really drives the point home that Shinji was just left there behind as if the embarrasing sequence had never happened. Nice shot too.


Cody MacArthur Fett: Rei, in addition to not caring a lick whether Shinji sees her naked, does not have time for his stammering or his excuses.


thewayneiac: Who would?

Commentary Navigation
<< Back to Scene 04 Episode #05 Scene List Continue to Scene 06 >>


Fan Geek Commentary: Scene Index
FGC Index:
OP/ED: OP:A | OP:B | ED
Episode 01: Scene 01 | Scene 02 | Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 | Previews
Episode 02: Scene 01 | Scene 02 | Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07:A |Scene 07:B | Scene 08 | Previews
Episode 03: Scene 01 | Scene 02 | Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07:A |Scene 07:B | Scene 08 | Scene 09 | Previews
Episode 04: Scene 01 | Scene 02:A |Scene 02:B | Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 | Previews
Episode 05: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 | Previews
Episode 06: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Previews
Episode 07: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10 | Previews
Episode 08: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10 | Scene 11 | Previews
Episode 09: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10
Episode 10: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09
Episode 11: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08
Episode 12: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10
Episode 13: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10
Episode 14: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10 | Scene 11 | Scene 12
Episode 15: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10 | Scene 11
Episode 16: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10 | Scene 11
Episode 17: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08
Episode 18: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10
Episode 19: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10 | Scene 11 | Scene 12
Episode 20: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10
Episode 21: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10
Episode 22: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10 | Scene 11 | Scene 12 | Scene 13 | Scene 14
Episode 23: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10
Episode 24: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10 | Scene 11 | Scene 12 | Scene 13 | Scene 14
Episode 25: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09
Episode 26: Scene 01 | Scene 02 |Scene 03 | Scene 04 | Scene 05 | Scene 06 | Scene 07 | Scene 08 |Scene 09 | Scene 10