Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone 2008

In the aftermath of the catastrophic Second Impact in 2015, the world found itself in a state of upheaval. For 14-year-old Shinji Ikari, the sudden summons from his estranged father, Gendo Ikari, was a shocking wake-up call. Gendo, who serves as the commander of the Nerv organization, had been absent for years, but now, he needed his son in Tokyo-3, where the stakes were impossibly high and the landscape, riddled with scars of battle, served as a haunting reminder of humanity’s vulnerability.

Shinji’s tumultuous journey began amidst a chaotic clash between UN forces and a mysterious entity known as an Angel. Just when everything seemed bleak, Misato Katsuragi arrived on the scene with determination, managing to rescue Shinji from the chaos and transport him to the Nerv headquarters. Here, Gendo’s insistence escalated; he needed Shinji to pilot the magnificent Evangelion Unit 01, a colossal biological machine capable of causing unimaginable devastation.

Though initially reluctant, Shinji found himself persuaded by his father’s arguments. Just as he prepared for battle, Rei Ayanami, the injured pilot, was prepped for deployment instead of him. During the fierce clash with the Angel, Shinji succumbed to injuries, his consciousness dimming like a faint spark. Yet, in a moment of unexpected synchronization, the Evangelion unit sprung back to life, acting of its own accord and ultimately triumphing over the Angel.

Following this harrowing initiation, Misato took on the role of both caregiver and mentor to the bewildered Shinji, who also found himself enrolled in a nearby junior high school. As he struggled to navigate this new reality while confronting the haunting memories of his past, another Angel emerged, heralding a crisis that would test his friends, Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida.

In a nail-biting twist, these friends defied orders and plunged into the chaos, only to find themselves trapped in the cockpit of Unit 01 on a mountainside. Misato’s voice echoed through the comms, urging Shinji to retreat, yet his rebellious spirit surged forth as he chose to unleash the might of Unit 01’s deadly knife against the enemy.

Misato’s frustration was palpable as she reprimanded Shinji for his disobedience, but even her sternness couldn’t extinguish his fiery resolve. As he wandered into the unknown, the agents of Nerv were quick to return him to Misato’s watchful supervision. The seismic shifts of these events altered the course of Shinji’s life irrevocably, thrusting him into a path woven with turmoil, self-discovery, and a growing comprehension of his existence.

As the Sixth Angel emerged, Shinji was ordered back into Unit 01 to confront this new threat. The formidable adversary fired a devastating laser blast, critically injuring him. As the Angel advanced toward the Nerv headquarters, penetrating Tokyo-3’s core like a lethal spear, a desperate Shinji awoke from unconsciousness. He was faced with an unsettling reality: Rei had taken his place to neutralize the Angel, leaving behind the burden of her sacrifice that weighed heavily on his heart.

Misato laid bare the true intentions of the Angels: they sought to reach Lilith, the Second Angel confined deep within the depths of Nerv headquarters. Should they succeed, it would ignite a cataclysmic chain reaction, leading to the extinction of all life on Earth. With everything hanging in the balance, Shinji resolved to join forces with Rei in Unit 00, equipped with an experimental positron cannon capable of striking with precision like a sniper. Together, they managed to destroy the Angel, yet not without danger; Rei narrowly escaped death, defending Shinji from its vengeful onslaught. In a breathtaking rescue, Shinji cooled Unit 00 with water and broke open the cockpit with Unit 01’s knife, sparking a fleeting moment of warmth on Rei’s otherwise stoic face.

Meanwhile, on the barren surface of the Moon, Kaworu Nagisa, a young boy, emerged from one of nine eerie containers resembling coffins. Before him lay a magnificent giant, wrapped in white bandages and wearing a seven-eyed mask. A foreboding black monolith appeared, leading Kaworu into a mysterious dialogue that hinted at ancient prophecies. Gazing longingly towards Earth, he mused that “the third one” remains unchanged, eagerly anticipating his connection with Shinji as if drawn by an invisible force.