Otaku Culture

Evangelion Fans Celebrate the Day We Almost Died

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Since it's September 13th in Japan, we celebrate a crucial event in the history of the franchise.Neon Genesis Evangelion“, since in the year 2000, according to anime tradition, The devastating Second Impact occurred, a catastrophic event that changed the fate of humanity forever.

©カラー/Eva Project. ©カラー/EVA製作委員会 ©カラー

Second Impact is one of the most significant events in the Evangelion universe. This disaster occurred when the Katsuragi Expedition, led by Dr. Katsuragi, conducted a contact experiment with Adam, the first celestial humanoid being or “Angel.” The experiment woke Adam, causing a gigantic explosion that melted the Antarctic ice caps and shifted the Earth's axis, generating tsunamis, extreme climate change and rising sea levels. These natural disasters, combined with subsequent war conflicts, resulted in the loss of half of the world's population.

SEELE, the mysterious organization behind much of the events in Evangelion, hid the truth about Second Impact, claiming it was caused by a meteorite that hit Antarctica. According to the official version, the alleged meteorite measured only 10 centimeters and was moving at 95% of the speed of light, so it could not be detected in time. This information was supported by Mexican astronomer Ceimoa Nan, who supposedly spotted the object minutes before the impact.

  • «The object that fell in Antarctica was less than 10 centimeters in diameter, a very small meteorite. However, with an enormous speed of 95% of the speed of light, its effective mass was more than 4.02 times 20 squared to the 10th power. Fifteen minutes before its impact, it was spotted by Mexican astronomer Ceimoa Nan.».
©カラー/Eva Project. ©カラー/EVA製作委員会 ©カラー

However, in the anime's reality, Second Impact was an intentional act orchestrated by SEELE, following the predictions of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The organization sought to reduce Adam to an embryonic state to prevent him from coming into contact with his descendants, the Angels, who were scheduled to arrive 15 years later. Despite being aware that this plan would result in the deaths of billions of people and permanent changes to the planet, they decided to go ahead. Gendo Ikari, one of the main characters in the series, left Antarctica shortly before the experiment began, knowing full well the destructive consequences it would unleash.

In addition to the devastation caused by Second Impact, this day is also remembered for the birth of one of the most enigmatic characters in the series: Kaworu Nagisa, the human angel. who plays an essential role in the development of the plot and in the life of the protagonist Shinji Ikari. The symbolism of Kaworu's birth on this same date adds another layer of meaning to the present day in the Evangelion narrative.

©カラー/Eva Project. ©カラー/EVA製作委員会 ©カラー

Over the years, fans have used September 13th as an anniversary to reflect on Evangelion's deep and complex history.as well as sharing theories and tributes to Hideaki Anno's work. On social media, Second Impact Day has become a recurring trend, where both the anime's plot and its impact on popular culture are discussed.

Source: Live News