Favorite/Least Favorite Angel and Why

[Xard]

Well, yeah. The unmasking of Eva Unit 01 was a hooker into the series for me too. But that was more of the aftermath of the fight and it's surrounding story, and not the fight itself.

I don't think I started to truly appreciate the creativity and general awesome Anno put in most of NGE's fights (on first half too) before I saw it for third time or so :P

Of course Gunbuster, TTGL and Macross helped me to grow out of silly mecha racism

[Bagheera]

I have to say Matarael, because that was the one where the pilots got their shit together.

I think I have to agree with that. My first instinct was to say Zeruel, but while it's very dramatic and visually exciting and all the angel's inconsistent handling ruins it for me (i.e., invincible until Shinji shows up, then an even fight for awhile (even though he's not doing anything the other evas didn't do), then utter wussification once Yui wakes up).

Matarael and Israfel, by contrast, are good, straight-up action fights where everything in the world behaves the way we think it should and where the pilots get to actually do something instead of waiting for the plot to put them through their paces.

Ramiel's actually a close second, for reasons already mentioned. There's a lot of tension in that fight even if there isn't much action.

[Eva Yojimbo]

So - because of this - I was just like Reichu more impressed with aftermath, in particular the whole deal with Sachiel blowing up etc.

Yeah, I sympathize with this as well. It was that battle that made me want to write-off NGE as just another giant robot anime, but I fell in love with how the flashback structure in ep. 2 was handled.

[The Abhorrent]

Best part of the Sachiel battle for me when I first saw NGE was the aftermath. I thought the Evas were just more stupid giant robots, so the exposed face blew my mind.

I suppose I come from the other side of how I approached the series; being a huge Transformers fan when I was younger meant the whole mecha aspect was a natural fit. The very different approach the series took to the mecha genre as a whole (satire, something I had been enjoying as comedy for a few years before watching NGE) ended up being a pleasant surprise. The whole drama and characterization aspects of the series is something I can appreciate, but they're still not something I naturally lean towards. If I were to summarize my first viewing of the series:

Come for the mecha, stay for the intrigue.

But back to the aftermath, the first battle of the series isn't too bad but was definitely just a backdrop to the many mysteries the series is riddled with. This is one of the reasons I enjoyed the Zeruel battle so much, it was the reveal of the entire series: it's alive. The fight itself was is still one of the best of the series, but it pales in comparison to the moment that Eva-01 adopts that feral stance and ends up eating poor ol' Big Z. It was a superb fight up until then..... but the reveal came as such a shock (the foreshadowing was there, but so subtle that a first time viewer would have no idea it was coming) that it's nigh-impossible to forget regardless of how one-sided it is. And the whole puzzle was started by the quick reveal of Unit 01's regenerating eye after Sachiel's defeat, making for the driving question for most of the series.

The rest of the battles with the Angels play a rather small role in the scope of the mysteries in the series. Many show key details of the characters, and most possess a good cerebral element.... but only Zeruel and Tabris (Sachiel and Leliel may be considered previews however) reveal much about the mysteries of the series, and the latter isn't anywhere near as shocking (because few realized it's significance at first).

[Bagheera]

But back to the aftermath, the first battle of the series isn't too bad but was definitely just a backdrop to the many mysteries the series is riddled with. This is one of the reasons I enjoyed the Zeruel battle so much, it was the reveal of the entire series: it's alive. The fight itself was is still one of the best of the series, but it pales in comparison to the moment that Eva-01 adopts that feral stance and ends up eating poor ol' Big Z. It was a superb fight up until then..... but the reveal came as such a shock (the foreshadowing was there, but so subtle that a first time viewer would have no idea it was coming) that it's nigh-impossible to forget regardless of how one-sided it is. And the whole puzzle was started by the quick reveal of Unit 01's regenerating eye after Sachiel's defeat, making for the driving question for most of the series.

The rest of the battles with the Angels play a rather small role in the scope of the mysteries in the series. Many show key details of the characters, and most possess a good cerebral element.... but only Zeruel and Tabris (Sachiel and Leliel may be considered previews however) reveal much about the mysteries of the series, and the latter isn't anywhere near as shocking (because few realized it's significance at first).

The responses here are interesting. I think they fall into three main categories:

1. Nostalgia -- the first battle you saw in NGE, or the one that told you "this isn't like other mecha shows." It's the one that'll leave an impression on you forever, no matters its actual significance on the show and its events.

2. Plot revelations -- it's hard to deny that 19 is one of the key turning points in NGE, and possibly the most important one. Anyone who's remotely interested in the plot of the show can't help but be blown away by the episode.

3. Character development/interaction -- battles like Israfel and Matarael aren't that important plot-wise, but they're huge for watching the pilots learn to interact as a team. It doesn't last, of course, but it's really, really cool while it runs its course.

It makes picking a "best" battle difficult, since there are different criteria for each category. It does help put things in perspective, though.

[Kendrix]

My fav battle, without including 1. Rebuild's Mari and Rei vs. Zeruel and 2. Asuka vs Eva Series, would be Shinji & Rei vs. Ramiel. I dunno, Ramiel is cool. Yes, even the original version - It had one little detail that sadly didn't make it into Rebuild: When Shinji shoots the Angel for the first time, the angel sends it's own beam to divert Shinji's. It shows that Ramiel may appear pasive, but it IS intelligent...
And don't forget Rei with the space shuttle.

I like Asuka vs Eva Series even better, but that wasn't an angel battle... tough the EVAs technically ARE Angels. I like it because the animators truly outdid themselves here. The movements are so fluid/organic.

While the eps containing Israfael, Leliel and Sahaquiel are plot important, the actual battles were about half a minute...

[xuefranklin]

1. Eva Unit 01 vs. Zeruel (Rebuild Version)
2. Eva Unit 01 Vs. Bardiel (both Rebuild and TV series)
3. Eva Unit 00 and 01 vs. Armisael

[SaltyJoe]

Yeah, yeah, Zeruel, Ramiel, Leliel.

Also joining those who gave props to the Shamshel battle. It's just so.. raw, focused and honest, without any frills or needless over the topness. Not to mention so deliciously Freudian. Shinji reciting his "nigecha dame da" which he first uttered when he held Rei under the scronful gaze of Gendo (how shippers love to forget that Gendo's presence in that scene!), then flying into a frothing fury and stabbing a giant penis.... I honestly like to entertain the idea that he was channeling his rage against Gendo in that moment. Would make it the best thing in this vein since Luke and Vader waving their shiny neon dicks at each other.

[A.T. Fish]

I've been trying to choose a favorite battle since the day this thread started but I couldn't, the battles are so epic, flowing with action and emotion (sometimes one more than the other) and the soundtrack that plays whenever an angel is engaged is so... engaging, I really like 'em, with one exception though, Israfel.

In my thinking about a favorite angel battle I came to the conclusion that I have a least favorite one, no, that's understating it, I hate this battle. My main complaint about the Israfel battle is that it looks too cartoonish, much more so than any other in the show, and despite the clever coreography and the nice music, this battle still doesn't appeal to me.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

Would make it the best thing in this vein since Luke and Vader waving their shiny neon dicks at each other.

I will never see Star Wars the same way again.

[shito]

Since obviously the best one is Zeruel, I'll say my second favorite which is the battle against Sachiel

[Reichu]

Shinji, Gendo, Freud, penis-stabbing

So does that mean when Shinji stabs the floating vagina version of Shamshel in NME, he's channeling subconscious rage against Mommy instead? Or is it a two-for-one deal?

[AshPhoenix]

So does that mean when Shinji stabs the floating vagina version of Shamshel in NME, he's channeling subconscious rage against Mommy instead? Or is it a two-for-one deal?

So nobody liked the Israfel battle except me?

[Rei Makes You Go Splat]

Since Zeruel is obviously the best angel battle, my second favorite would have to go to Gaghiel. Seeing Unit-02 hop around from boat to boat was the first time the series really made me go "Wow."

[NemZ]

My favorite battle angel is Allita.

Oh, you mean... yeah. Zeruel I guess.

[BornIn1142]

So nobody liked the Israfel battle except me?

Certainly not. I like it a lot too. It's possibly my second-favorite.

[SaltyJoe]

So does that mean when Shinji stabs the floating vagina version of Shamshel in NME, he's channeling subconscious rage against Mommy instead? Or is it a two-for-one deal?

It means that Rebuild Gendo is a hermaphrodite. Obviously.

My favorite battle angel is Allita.

At least it's not the neko.

[Bagheera]

Since Zeruel is obviously the best angel battle, my second favorite would have to go to Gaghiel. Seeing Unit-02 hop around from boat to boat was the first time the series really made me go "Wow."

And that tarp! It wears the damn thing like a flowing cloak! It's just so iconic. "Ha hah! I am Asuka and I am awesome!" In that scene you believe it.

[Reichu]

It means that Rebuild Gendo is a hermaphrodite. Obviously.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

And that tarp! It wears the damn thing like a flowing cloak! It's just so iconic. "Ha hah! I am Asuka and I am awesome!" In that scene you believe it.

I was kind of sad that there was no iconic moment like that in Rebuild. Asuka's introductory fight was awesome and just as fun to watch as some of Asuka's early fights in NGE, but there was no iconic single-shot still frame/simple animation in that Rebuild battle as there was in Asuka's introductory fight in NGE.

Maybe it's just a lost art now that we have computers to assist in animation and don't need to rely on making an impression with single-shot iconic still frames or simple animations as much as we used to, if at all. Not that Asuka's early fights had limited animation. Heck, most of NGE's early fights had better animation than the rest of the TV series. But pausing the moment on one still iconic image to convey a sense of awesomeness doesn't seem to happen quite as often anymore now that the sense of awesomeness can be conveyed through just more animation.