This is something that has been wracking my brain for as long as I can remember. Help please?

Good question...

At times it seems they're able to control without the handles, but then sometimes they move with handles. Maybe 2nd nature movements are controlled via brain and combat movements by control...? Just a thought.

Can I vaguely answer you 'LOVE'? The love of the mother in her son/ daughter.

Probably it's the same old trick all over again. Connect your brains to the nerve system of the Eva through the A10 nerve clip, so virtually everything you think will be carried out physically by the Eva. Think walk and it walks, think punch and it punches the angel.

Ay, but Eva 01 doesn't scream when Shinji screams...

What about the handles?

Someone once posited the hypothesis that the handles are just there for the pilots to feel as if they are somehow physically moving the Evas. When in reality it is all their own mind.

I can see how that would be true.

I think that the idea that they are moved by the pilots mind is the most correct answer so far. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense...

These threads might have something.

http://evageeks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1512
http://evageeks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2566
http://evageeks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1475
http://evageeks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479

Relevant material is scattered across a gazillion threads, I'm sure, but not gathered all into one place. I don't think the Eva-pilot issue has ever been satisfactorily dissected. I know I still don't completely understand it, or have even fanwanked an understanding of it.

If you can fashion a logic of all the gobbledygook used in association with Eva-pilot stuff, then a winner is you.

ep01 plat subs wrote:Ibuki (RADIO - OFF):
Commencing secondary contacts. A-10 nerve connection, normal.

Ritsuko (RADIO - OFF):
Set the thought configuration to Japanese. All preliminary contacts
established. Performance nominal.

Whatever that means...

ep01 plat subs wrote:
RITSUKO:
Shinji, just concentrate on walking right now.

Shinji (MONO):
Walk...

RITSUKO:
It walked!

Shinji:
Walk...

But for a more literal take on what Ritsuko said about "Concentrating"

ep01 LTP Translation wrote:Misato: Shinji-kun, think only of walking now.

Shinji: Walk...

Ritsuko: It's walking!

Shinji: Walk...

(Although they got it wrong, it's not Misato saying that).

So it's pretty obvious the Evas more or less does what the pilot "thinks". The handle controls discussion exists in this thread: http://evageeks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1512

So, it's obvious the pilot controls Evas with their thoughts, but beyond that, we know nothing of the actual mechanics of how this system works.

Ornette wrote:

ep01 plat subs wrote:Ritsuko (RADIO - OFF):
Set the thought configuration to Japanese. All preliminary contacts
established. Performance nominal.

Whatever that means...

Probably has something to do with this:

Episode #08 (Plat Subs) wrote:Asuka: <GERMAN STUFF>

Shinji:
Program error? What happened?

Asuka:
Thought noise! I told you not to disturb me.

Shinji:
What do you mean?

Asuka:
You're thinking in Japanese, aren't you? Think in German.

Shinji:
Oh, okay. Baumkuchen...

Asuka:
Idiot! Just forget it. Switch the base language to Japanese.
Evangelion Unit 02, activate.

So it's pretty obvious the Evas more or less does what the pilot "thinks".

I wonder how a distinction is made between thoughts that are relevant for piloting and ones that, well, aren't.

So, it's obvious the pilot controls Evas with their thoughts, but beyond that, we know nothing of the actual mechanics of how this system works.

Plenty of gobbledygook and weird graphs in the series to filter through. And more technobabble has been added to the 5.1 supplemental dialogue -- but most of that hasn't been translated yet.

Reichu wrote:I wonder how a distinction is made between thoughts that are relevant for piloting and ones that, well, aren't.

If it's a matter between thinking "Move my arm and point to that restuarant" or "I wonder what kind of food that restuarant has", the first has to do with movement and the second doesn't. If it's a matter between thinking "Move my arm and scratch my stomach" or "My stomach itches" and actually scratching it, the line is a little fuzzy, but I assume the actually scratching part doesn't require the same type of thought.

There's (at least for me) the literally, intentionally thinking about something, as opposed to the regular non-thought related brain activity of say, typing, scratching an itch, dodging a rock, etc. The literal, intentional thought is probably what moves an Eva, the rest is probably just thought noise that gets filtered somehow.

Does Sadamoto's babblings in the back of the first manga volume help with anything anime-wise?

To paraphrase since I don't have time to look up the exact quote in my copy: "Something about A-10 neural brain connection; positive thoughts like the love of a parent for a child, and how the power of love moves this machine. What a corny, and heartwarming, etc concept."

And this may have been asked before, or something along these lines, but what do those hairclips have to do with anything? Does it help synch the Pilots to the Evas, and what are they called, anyway (Not A-10 clips or anything like that)?
I'm just wondering since Asuka's always wearing hers (until she gives up on life--piloting--in 24') and Shinji ISN'T wearing them in EoE, not that he's in control of piloting Sho anyway.


But I agree with what Ornette's last post said that it has to do with conscious thoughts when it comes to piloting.

Ay, but Eva 01 doesn't scream when Shinji screams...

Ni screams when Asuka screams in EoE, but that's a whole other matter all together. ;) Something to do with high-synch ratio, possible partial if not full control of Ni, and Asuka having regressed. ^^; I don't get that final battle myself, but anyway...

I thought it was a simple matter of that the handle controls are used for more complex actions, specifically arm movements like shooting a gun (which when you think about it, is a handy safety feature; you don't want to be just idly thinking about shooting and have the gun go off in your hand)

the thing I don't quite understand though, is how much of it is "your mind links with the Eva's mind by synchronizing with the A10 nerve clips....and does LCL play a role in the process?

And at the same time.....was the whole "your nerve pattern links with it" thing a load of BS because it's REALLY synching with the human soul inside?

Or is it a little bit of both..

I believe they pilot the eva using their minds, I think the little triangle things on their heads are what do it.

As for weapon control I think that's what the handles are for.

Reichu wrote:Plenty of gobbledygook and weird graphs in the series to filter through. And more technobabble has been added to the 5.1 supplemental dialogue -- but most of that hasn't been translated yet.

Leave that to Webuild, I guess.

And about the 'thinking in Japanese' part of it- if the pilots think their thoughts 'aloud', and there are two pilots thinking the same thing in two different languages, the soul inside gets confused? In Episode 13, Misato says something about the same thought-pattern(I can't remember the exact term) technology being used in both the Magi and the Evas.

She might be wrong since she doesn't know about the souls inside the Evas, but if she's correct, and there's a technology interface between the Pilot and the resident soul (That very well might be, considering the dummy plugs), there would be real confusion. The computers inside probably translate the pilot's thoughts into signals for the Eva's souls to work on. (With apologies to Reichu: I haven't seen the old thread yet)

I think you mean this part:

ep13 plat subs wrote:Misato:
Hey, tell me a little about the Magi.

RITSUKO (OFF):
It's a long story. And not a very interesting one, at that.
Do you know about personality transplant OS?

Misato:
Yes, it's a system that implants an individual's personality
into a seventh generation organic computer so it can think.
It's the same technology used for operating the Evas, right?

RITSUKO:
I've heard Magi was the first of them.
My mother developed the technology.

Misato:
So, it was her personality that was implanted?

RITSUKO:
Right.

Misato doesn't need to about the souls inside the Eva to know about the mechanics to pilot them. Whatever technology was used to "transplant" the 3 aspects of Naoko into the Magi is used for operating the Evas, I don't think that was the same technology used in the CEs. But there definitely needs to be some sort of computer (for lack of a better word) interface between the pilots and the Evas themselves (and possibly with the souls). I don't think, under normal circumstances, the pilot is in direct mental communication with the souls, but more like a pilot telling the interface what to do, then the interface does something.

Knoxer wrote:As for weapon control I think that's what the handles are for.

The pilots use the induction levers in plenty of instances not involving weapons at all (running, pushing, carrying, etc.). By the same token, weapons can (be) fire(d) when the pilots' hands are nowhere near the levers -- see e.g. the positron rifle going off during Arael's "attack". The induction levers are clearly "dummies".

UrsusArctos wrote:Leave that to Webuild, I guess.

Eva =/= Weva

You know those ball things with the electricity inside them(the kids toy)?
http://www.holidayswithkids.com.au/things_to_see_and_do/__data/page/130/shocksmall2.jpg
And when you touch it, a little electricity bolt follows your finger?

I always thought it was something like that. You hold the handles, and transmit your thoughts into it.

Otherwise,

It's just a giant-robot anime afterall.

better question: what role does LCL play in piloting, as opposed to the A10 Nerve clips?

V wrote:better question: what role does LCL play in piloting, as opposed to the A10 Nerve clips?

It's called an Interface Headset. You can see Rei holding hers here. I have no idea where the "A10 ~" name came from.

Asuka's are a different beast, natch. I guess the reasons are more "symbolic" than practical.