The Eva 3.0+1.0 Title

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

Just so we all know, the color white is noting new to Eva. In NGE all of the title cards that display the title for the current episode are white text on a black screen with the exception for Episode 24 (OA and DC), which uses black text on a white background. Neither versions of Ep 25 or 26 revisited the white background, and instead just went on to using the same white text on a black background that all of the other episodes did. White is used to mark the final stages of an Eva series, and the reasoning of why may or may not go beyond basic aesthetics.

Maybe the proper question isn’t to ask “Why is Eva Shin color coded as white?” Even though I believe that both NGE and NTE should be thought of as separate continuities or canons, any reasoning there might be behind color coding the initiation of the final stages of an Eva series white share similar features. If one can decipher one then that person has a fairly decent chance of deciphering the other. The more helpful question to ask here might be “Why are Jo, Ha, and Q color coded red, orange, and blue respectively?”

[GoatJesus]

“Why are Jo, Ha, and Q color coded red, orange, and blue respectively?”

I always assumed it worked like this.
Red = Earth
Orange = LCL/Blood
Blue = Sky

I also looked into the colors and general symbolism. Now, there isn't exactly a criteria for color meaning. To be frank, you could probably keep looking stuff up until you found something that fits because of how vague the concept is (sort of like a horoscope reading). I just found the first link sources I could find with google and latched onto a few definitions.

RED/MAROON:

"It signifies a pioneering spirit and leadership qualities, promoting ambition and determination. It is also strong-willed and can give confidence to those who are shy or lacking in will power."

This reflects the ending scene of 1.11 where Shinji learns to press on to defeat Ramiel.

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-red.html

ORANGE:

"Orange offers emotional strength in difficult times. It helps us to bounce back from disappointments and despair, assisting in recovery from grief."

This reflects the entire spirit of 2.22 where Shinji is on the high end of his arc.

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-orange.html

BLUE/CYAN:

"has more to do with feeling and creative expression than with rational thought."

This reflects the piano segments as well as the last scene of great importance in 3.33, where Shinji becomes irrational and pulls the spears.

http://www.beading-design-jewelry.com/meaning-of-turquoise.html

3.0 (blue) + 1.0 (red) = PURPLE OR WHITE (because of evangelion.jp's current color scheme):

Purple~
"Purple is the color of mourning or death in many cultures"
(Reference to Kaworu's death and how Shinji is handling it?)

http://www.colormatters.com/purple

White~
"White may indicate the completion of a cycle in your life as well as death"
(Shinji might come to a great resolution? Death? Mourning?)

http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-white.html


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Take everything with a grain of salt. These aren't exactly academic sources. But still. Food for thought I suppose. It would be cool to have a Japanese color theory expert talk to us or something. I'm sure colors have different meanings depending on the culture.

[Shinoyami65]

^Certainly interesting interpretations, at least.

The idea of white indicating the cyclical nature of events could be significant; in EoE we saw mankind's journey coming full circle, as the Earth returned to its original state untainted by the actions of man and the Fruit of Knowledge. To me the white suggests nothingness, as in 'it all returns to nothing'. I think that in 3.0+1.0 Final Impact or whatever it is will be triggered and the protagonists will finally reach the conclusion of their journey.

[ElMariachi]

Damn, it's me or lately everyone is talking about Shinji or even everyone dying in Shin Eva? It's the approaching winter that put everyone in a bad mood like that?

Anyway, isn't white supposed to also represent a new beginning in life or something like that? That could also tie with Shinji's journey: his old life as a middle-schooler Eva pilot for NERV in Tokyo-3 and the one as an alone boy in the care of his Teacher are gone, time to move on and start a new life, ie find his place in this new and strange world.

[Jäeger]

^Certainly interesting interpretations, at least.

The idea of white indicating the cyclical nature of events could be significant; in EoE we saw mankind's journey coming full circle, as the Earth returned to its original state untainted by the actions of man and the Fruit of Knowledge. To me the white suggests nothingness, as in 'it all returns to nothing'. I think that in 3.0+1.0 Final Impact or whatever it is will be triggered and the protagonists will finally reach the conclusion of their journey.

I hope not, seriously. After Ha and Q, an impact per movie would be just ridiculous, IMO.

[Ray]

Anyway, isn't white supposed to also represent a new beginning in life or something like that? That could also tie with Shinji's journey: his old life as a middle-schooler Eva pilot for NERV in Tokyo-3 and the one as an alone boy in the care of his Teacher are gone, time to move on and start a new life, ie find his place in this new and strange world.

In a world where his old friends are dead or have moved on without him, the Wunder crew hates him, he betrayed what little remaining trust and respect he had left by piloting another Eva, he gave his super villain Father exactly what he needs to end the world, Misato and Asuka all but abandoned him, oh and there's the little fact that he's responsible for ENDING THE FREAKIN WORLD!

It's gonna take something major to convince me that living his life in this new world won't be a fate worse and more cruel than death.

Back on topic. . . In Christianity white is the symbol of purity, grace, and often a color associated with forgiveness.

Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

So. . . Shinji (somehow) being forgiven despite his seemingly unforgivable sin of accidentally commiting genocide and gaiacide?

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Damn, it's me or lately everyone is talking about Shinji or even everyone dying in Shin Eva? It's the approaching winter that put everyone in a bad mood like that?

There were a lot of (initial) deaths in EoE; I'm not surprised that some of the sentiment that we'll see some character losses is carrying over into speculation for Shin. That, and it's the final installment-- the worry of having to keep characters alive for future productions in the same universe isn't a constraint anymore.

[ElMariachi]

^
Well, some deaths are more than probable, if only Gendo and Fuyu, but going as far as a planetary TPK? I don't think so, not after Anno said that he wanted to show a different ending with Rebuild.

@Ray: I won't ever bother replying, we have gone through this conversation enough time in other threads already.

[qu4d]

Ha throws that out of whack. Magenta, cool. Cyan, cool. Orange? Nope. If Ha had been yellow it would have worked, but orange tanks it.

Erm... no? Why doesn't orange work for you?

[Bagheera]

Erm... no? Why doesn't orange work for you?

Primary colors.

[Ray]

Orange is my favorite!

[qu4d]

Primary colors.

Erm... and why is there a need for them to be primary colors? Are there some secret rules for color coding by Khara that you don't like to share with us?

[pwhodges]

No need; but people like patterns, both to see and to make.

[Monk Ed]

EDIT: @qu4d below: Ah, okay.

[qu4d]

I read that. Lunchbox mentioned the color spectrum. Orange is part of that. Bagheera said nope, because... why? Why would it have to be yellow?

1.11 = red.
What comes after red? Orange.
2.22 = orange.
What comes after orange? Yellow. And after that: green.

We don't know what happened in those 14 years. There is a huge gap.

What comes after yellow and green? Cyan.
3.33 = cyan.

So... what's the point of primary colors?

[robersora]

^
So, what about white?

[Monk Ed]

I think the context of the discussion was theories people had before the revelation that the final movie is themed white.

[qu4d]

I don't know. What about black?

I just asked him, why orange doesn't fit. He only gave the reason "primary colors" out of nowhere. The color spectrum (we see rainbows in NTE all the time) is the only thing that makes sense at the moment, because it perfectly fits, when you apply the NTE timeline to the spectrum.

Does that make it the only answer or does that make it even the correct answer? Nope. If you have any other explanation for why they chose those specific colors for those movies - be my guest.

And by that logic: if they would make another tv-series or a manga that tells the story of those 14 years, that story would have to be presented by green and/or yellow.

I think the context of the discussion was theories people had before the revelation that the final movie is themed white.

But this doesn't explain why "orange tanks it"... he gave no reason for that, besides "primary colors".

[Monk Ed]

But this doesn't explain why "orange tanks it"(snip)

It wasn't supposed to. I was informing robersora.

[robersora]

Well, that's fine and dandy with me.
Again, I don't know the significance of the Maroon colouring of 1.11, but I really like the idea that Cyan was used for a stark contrast, to show the different nature of 3.33 from the movies before it. That's mainly because I also suggested that idea.

Now, if the colouring has any significance, I guess, Shin will be a departure of some sort from the previous instalments; since white is another big warp away from the other colours.

Or it's just one colour to unite them all, lol.

Combined with the wonky English and Japanese names for Shin, I guess we are bound to get something interesting, at least in terms of structure.