“Neon Genesis Evangelion” is one of the strangest shows in existence. Initially, it looks like a typical mecha anime series like “Mobile Suit Gundam” but it’s anything but typical. Rather than focusing on the giant robot action, the focus is on the psychological trauma experienced by the characters. Things get increasingly existential and wrapped in elements of Judaeo-Christian concepts.

Set in a futuristic world shaped by an earlier cataclysmic event, we meet Shinji Ikari. Aged just 14, he is recruited to pilot a giant robot to fight mysterious alien creatures, known as ‘Angels’. Shinji, Rei and Asuka must repeatedly go into battle to defend the Earth but the fighting takes an extraordinary toll on their minds and bodies.

I like Shinji. Maybe he’s a little bland at times but his constant mental struggles come across as quite believable considering the crazy situation he finds himself in. Rei is rather mysterious. We eventually find out where she came from. My favourite has to be Asuka. She is competitive and full of spirit. Asuka and Rei could not be more different with Shinji being somewhere in the middle (probably closer to Rei though). There is also Misato Katsuragi, who mentors the three pilots and she’s great too. She also has a pet penguin. The giant robots are okay but we don’t get to see enough of them for my liking. I love a lot of the “Mobile Suit Gundam” material so I was hoping to see more action like that. The Angels are interesting.

“Neon Genesis Evangelion” is a weird show. It’s so confusing and there are times when it doesn’t really seem to be going anywhere. The first handful of episodes may trick you into thinking this is a more generic mecha show but it gradually reveals layers of complexity. I don’t always understand what the makers were trying to accomplish but I respect their vision. They have created a psychological drama with an epic sci-fi aesthetic.