Episode 22 Flashing Image Sequence Analysis

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ShockTrance
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Episode 22 Flashing Image Sequence Analysis

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Postby ShockTrance » Mon Sep 14, 2015 9:50 pm

Though an analysis of the image montages that occur near the end of episode 22 has already been done, it seems that the image sequence at the beginning of the episode was overlooked. Thus, I've concocted an interpretation:

Shots 1-6:
Image Image Image Image Image Image

In the first four shots, we see Asuka as she behaves when around others: Piloting her Eva whilst brimming with smug confidence, leaving eyebrow-raising voice messages in steadfast pursuit of Kaji's attention, acting as a confidant and a supporter for Hikari, and stealing away the hearts of many a schoolboy. Immediately following these shots is one of Asuka pointing at the camera, as if to say, "This is you!" This image, however, is upside-down, which seems to suggest that the message is similarly inverted: "This is NOT you!" The persona that she presents to her friends and coworkers is a carefully constructed mask, specifically one of being a grown woman, one of adulthood and maturity -- as the montage flashes on-screen, Asuka proclaims, "I'm an adult! I'm an adult!" The sixth shot shows Asuka happy and excited, but the image is again upside-down, and the colors are inverted. She's not at all pleased with how she acts; rather, she hates it, is disgusted by it.


Shots 7-12:
Image Image Image Image Image Image

With the next series of shots starting with the seventh, we see Asuka looking confident and determined. The eight shot has her surprised -- something unexpected has come up and disrupted her cool exterior. In the ninth, we see that it extends beyond surprise: Here, she's visibly angry. The tenth further suggests that, while she tries to maintain her outward poised and prideful composure (as in the scene from episode 16 from which the still is taken) to show that this development doesn't trouble her, the upside-down orientation and inverted colors indicate that this matter is actually affecting her deeply. But what is it that is affecting her? The eleventh is taken from a cut wherein Asuka asserts that "Kaji is the only real man around," an attitude she's held since before this development, before the events of the plot, back when she was a confident, self-assured Eva pilot; this hints at the nature of the issue at hand.

The twelfth shot makes it clear that the issue is none other than Shinji -- the image has both Asuka and her cartoon heart color-inverted in Shinji's presence. Indeed, no sooner than when Asuka met Shinji did he begin disturbing her: Much to her surprise (shot #7 --> shot #8), he had outperformed her as a pilot with his sync ratio on his first battle. From that point onward, she began floundering with her piloting and combat in comparison to him and she "lost" the romantic competition with Rei for him, to her intense frustration and dismay (shot #8 --> shot #9). As witnessed in the "Wall of Jericho" scene in episode 9 and in the Kiss scene from episode 15, she continues to put up a front of casual disinterest (shot #10), still proclaiming undying affection for Kaji (shot #11), as if unperturbed by it all, but we see later in the episode that she's been hurting badly on the inside on those occasions due to him (shot #10).


Shots 13-17:
Image Image Image Image Image

In the thirteenth shot, we see Asuka looking tense and contemplative, but what is she contemplating? Shot fourteen shows her berating Shinji and Misato, but the color-inversion suggests that she is criticizing herself as much as she is them. Shot fifteen shows her and Shinji together, an icon of the relationship that's acted as a source of stress for her for some time. The sixteenth shot is an upside-down image of her covering her nude body, as though hiding from leering eyes; this composition brings to mind an oft-repeated phrase: "So look at me!" Anger and disgust color Asuka's expression in the seventeenth and final shot. This, then, is what she's contemplating: Her hatred of herself and others, her failed relationship with Shinji, her desire to be noticed, and how much the whole thing enrages and nauseates her.

Considering the placement of this montage -- the beginning of the episode, rather than during the Mind Rape sequence with the other montages -- and the apparent message as detailed above, it appears that this is intended to establish Asuka's state of mind at the start of this episode as a lead-in or introduction to the complex examinations of her character that occur later on.

unz
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Postby unz » Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:03 am

Nice, will check this out.


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