Unit-01 and its horn

[Super Chris]

First, I'd like to preface this by saying that I am well aware that the Eva were designed to look like Oni. The tone I intend to put across is one of, "Well that's an interesting coincidence."

I've been trying to get my parents recently to get into Anime (successfully, too!) and so whenever I visit I bring some along, and I just finished watching Evangelion with my mother. Being a literature major, and being particularly interested in religious symbolism, she pointed out a lot of interesting, new things to me. There was a bunch of fairly minor things, but the major thing that stood out to me regarded Unit-01 and it's having a horn.

Specifically, that having one great horn sticking out of it's forehead makes Unit-01 representative of a unicorn, and in medieval literature, unicorns were used as symbols of Christ; of course, drawing the comparison of Shinji and Unit-01 as being the series' savior allegory. Seems to me to be an accurate comparison.

I'm quite sure that when Unit-01 was designed (it was Sadamoto who designed it, right?) they did not have this symbolism in mind; like I said, I'm well aware that the Evas are supposed to look like Oni. But I also find it interesting, then, that in Rebuild Unit-06 also has a horn, since it's pretty well a given that Kaworu will pilot it, and Kaworu is the series' other savior figure.

[Xard]

Credit for Eva designs go for Anno himself and above all Ikuto Yamashita.

in b4 "OBVIOUSLY phallic symbol" pic is posted

[slothen]

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/4875/1181708881954ab8.jpg






also

[NAveryW]

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/4875/1181708881954ab8.jpg

That is awesome. Saved.

[Sachi]

@Slothen: WIN

I read somewhere that Anno just wanted it to look evil, like a devil (oni).

[UrsusArctos]

The head design is more like a ceratopsian dinosaur than a unicorn.

[Eva Yojimbo]

Undoubtedly one of the greatest Eva images ever. Props to whomever thought of that.

[Super Chris]

@Slothen: WIN

I read somewhere that Anno just wanted it to look evil, like a devil (oni).

As I mentioned, I realize this, I just found it to be an interesting coincidence. And even moreso that the analogy could also, now, be applied to Unit-06. One thing that has always impressed me about Eva is that, despite how much pointless religious symbolism they threw in, just how much of it they still got right, even if some of that is by accident.

[Ornette]

There is also:


and this: http://www.gainax.co.jp/gallery/0256.html

[slothen]

not quite as awesome

[Zuggy]

The horn houses a radio antenna - it's only after the horn goes under during the episode with Leliel does NERV lose radio contact with Shinji. EVA-00 also has a radome and radio dish on it's head - the production models intended for combat from EVA-02 onwards don't seem to have any of this equipment on the outside of them at least.

[AyrYntake]

That reminds me...the new design for EVA-02 in Rebuild has two oni-esque horn-like protrusions from its head as well.

[Zuggy]

Your avatar just reminded me that there is a spirit in Japanese folklore that has one eye - I think I remember reading about it on this site http://www.obakemono.com/ when I was looking for owlman-type parallels across the world. There was some manga that had it as one of the main characters as well iirc.

[bioweapon680]

First, I'd like to preface this by saying that I am well aware that the Eva were designed to look like Oni. The tone I intend to put across is one of, "Well that's an interesting coincidence."

I've been trying to get my parents recently to get into Anime (successfully, too!) and so whenever I visit I bring some along, and I just finished watching Evangelion with my mother. Being a literature major, and being particularly interested in religious symbolism, she pointed out a lot of interesting, new things to me. There was a bunch of fairly minor things, but the major thing that stood out to me regarded Unit-01 and it's having a horn.

Specifically, that having one great horn sticking out of it's forehead makes Unit-01 representative of a unicorn, and in medieval literature, unicorns were used as symbols of Christ; of course, drawing the comparison of Shinji and Unit-01 as being the series' savior allegory. Seems to me to be an accurate comparison.

I'm quite sure that when Unit-01 was designed (it was Sadamoto who designed it, right?) they did not have this symbolism in mind; like I said, I'm well aware that the Evas are supposed to look like Oni. But I also find it interesting, then, that in Rebuild Unit-06 also has a horn, since it's pretty well a given that Kaworu will pilot it, and Kaworu is the series' other savior figure.

I thought the EVA just had to look like it had an ominous, uncontrollable dark side besides just being a combat exoskeleton. The eyes already give this effect when they black out sometimes or when they get wider than normal. Note the shadow effect in the animations when it is at rest. Looks kinda freaky to me.

[Incisivis]

@ Ornette:

That's my picture.

What's the context for the Eva at Work image? Hm?

Whatever the source, it's a beautiful and striking design.

[Sailor Star Dust]

I should get those Newtype USA Scans (not transcripts but SCANS ooh) up sometime next week; its mentioned in one of the issues. Basically, this one was an Eva at Work project based on Noh (I believe, given that's where the Rebuild title names come from) theater that decpits Yui/Eva-01 throughout the series.

[The Goose]

I still think that Unit-01 looks silly with that horn and its color of purple, green, and orange. I hate how popular Unit-01 is with fans. It's treated like it can beat anything in the world, but that really isn't true. Call the Ideon and then we'll see how powerful it is. Unit-01 can be scary sometimes when its showing it's teeth, howling like a wolf, and only having bits of his armor on, but, most of time, I can't take it really serious.

[Vegeta 20XX]

The horn houses a radio antenna - it's only after the horn goes under during the episode with Leliel does NERV lose radio contact with Shinji. EVA-00 also has a radome and radio dish on it's head - the production models intended for combat from EVA-02 onwards don't seem to have any of this equipment on the outside of them at least.

No, Unit 01's horn is a horn. In EoE, right before Gendo is tangified, he is shown being held in an armorless Unit 01's fist, about to be devoured. The armor horn simply covers a real biological horn.

Also, the word "horn" is used six times in this post.

[master_lloyd]

No, Unit 01's horn is a horn. In EoE, right before Gendo is tangified, he is shown being held in an armorless Unit 01's fist, about to be devoured. The armor horn simply covers a real biological horn.

Also, the word "horn" is used six times in this post.

Pics or it didn't happen.

[swamp147]

Can't tell if it's a biological horn or if it's part of the armor.

Also, in the NGE opening, isn't there a really quick flash of an armorless Shogouki without a horn? At least I assume it's Shogouki because of the eyes.