User:HelenKMarks/notepad

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General
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List of dead comic book characters
Below is a list of characters who have died in American comic books, and thus far have not returned.

While characters frequently die in comic books, it is just as common for them to be resurrected. Writer Peter David split the blame for the phenomenon between creators, publishers, and fans: creators and publishers kill characters to increase drama and sales, while fans demand that characters they don't like be killed. However, if a character is killed, fans who liked the character vocally support their resurrection, creators often wish to use characters who have died, and publishers find that returns of popular characters lead to a boost in sales. This causes a vicious circle: after witnessing several improbable returns, fans begin to doubt that the characters are permanently dead at all, and death begins to lose its dramatic impact. A death thus reversed is called a comic book death.

While it is a recurring theme that no character ever remains dead, there are some exceptions. Usually, characters associated with the origin story of a major character (e.g. Spider-Man's Uncle Ben or Batman's mother and father), or those whose deaths significantly altered the later development of major character (e.g. Gwen Stacy or Karen Page), remain "permanently" dead. However, from time to time, a superhero or other comics character is judged by their creators to have served their dramatic purpose, and remains dead because their story is simply over.

As there are no "rules" to fiction, all characters carry the possibility of being resurrected at any time. The following characters are present exceptions to the standard conventions of comic book death. Currently, they remain deceased.

Influence
From the period from 1984 to the release of Evangelion, most highly acclaimed anime had a style somehow distanced from the usual styles of anime. For example, Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro (1988), and Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) were both low-key works, and Akira (1988) took most of its influence from American comic books. Mamoru Oshii had been quoted as saying that nobody wanted to watch "simple anime-like works" anymore. Evangelion, however, shows the reversal of this trend. It fully embraced the style of mecha anime, and in particular shows a large influence from Yoshiyuki Tomino's Space Runaway Ideon; particularly, there are scenes in End of Evangelion which are clear homages to the last movie for the Ideon series.

However, as much as Evangelion owes to the past, it has also had a large influence on many anime that followed it. The psychological nature of the show influenced later works such as Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) and Serial Experiments Lain (1998), both of which, like Evangelion, center on an ambiguous world-changing event to come. The show His and Her Circumstances (1999), which was also directed by Hideaki Anno, shares many of the techniques (the experimental 'ripping-apart' of the animation and use of real photographs) and portrayed psychological conflicts in much the same way. Evangelion started a wave of using Christian symbolism in other anime and related fields. The video game Xenogears (1998) shows signs of being heavily influenced by Evangelion, though its creators (Xenogears co-creator/co-writer Soraya Saga in particular) have denied this vehemently. RahXephon is another work that bears strong influence from this series. Evangelion also dramatically changed the design of giant robots in many animated works. Previously, almost all mecha or giant robot shows took their "mechanical suit" designs from Gundam, Mazinger, and other similar shows from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Evangelion however changed this with its fast and sleek Evas, making a noticeable contrast to the comparatively bulky and cumbersome looking Patlabors and Transformers of the past. Indeed, the style set and created by Evangelion has become the standard for most mecha shows since the late-90s. On the other hand, Gaogaigar was made partly as an anti-thesis to Evangelion's mind set.

Evangelion also introduced a new wave of fans to the soft science fiction genre, by avoiding the technical hard S.F. approach of Gundam and other popular mecha anime in favor of psychology and metaphysical symbolism.

Evangelion has also been explicitly referenced and parodied. In the Digimon Tamers series, a lot of Evangelion elements were used in the back stories for the three main children, their friends, and D-Reaper. The same can be said for both WarGrowlmon and Gallantmon Crimson Mode, as they were modeled after EVA-01. Gainax's own His and Her Circumstances and FLCL had a few Eva parodies, as did Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. Invader Zim's Christmas episode had a cameo parody of Evangelion (a reference to when Shinji was assimilated inside Eva Unit 01). In addition, in the same episode, a building can be seen with the label "MEMBRANE, friend of earth, enemy of santa" painted on it. This is possibly a reference to NERV.

Evangelion has been referenced in American media as well. In the 2002 movie "One Hour Photo" starring Robin Williams. Jake (Dylan Smith) begs his mother to buy him the "Eva" 05 action figure, and Williams' character later offers it to him for free. However, Jake rejects the offer after telling him that his parents do not allow him to accept gifts. Unusually, the series name Neon Genesis Evangelion and that the graphics on the blister card are left untouched; many movies and shows rename or repackage existing products with a generic name and graphic logo.

In the game Final Fantasy VII, a suit of armor is located in the Battle Arena of the Golden Saucer. It is the same armor that Asuka used in the episode "Magma Diver," and when searched it shows that it is "Type D" armor, the same name as Asuka's in that episode.

Even Anno himself decided to poke fun at his work. In the Eva soundtrack Addition, a twenty minute audio drama was included that reunited the entire voice acting cast, titled "After the End." The drama is set after episode 26 and has the characters discussing a sequel to the show, clearly breaking the fourth wall. Anno is believed to be featured as a guest voice in the piece, taking on the roles of the "Space God" and "Black Space God."

A fandub parody was also made, Evangelion: ReDeath, during the wait for Manga to release the films. The film features Gendo Ikari as a pimp with his own theme song, and Shinji is just oblivious.

In the online community, Eva is a common source of parody. English image board 4chan has a meme ("zOMG! Teh Rei!") based on the character Rei Ayanami. Numerous webcomics, such as Tsunami Channel and Punks and Nerds, have featured Evangelion tributes.

Psychology and psychoanalytic theory
Anno made reference to Freudian psychoanalytic theory in Neon Genesis Evangelion. Several titles of episodes and background songs come from Sigmund Freud's works, and the characters and their desires represent various drives and concepts. In many cases the experiences of the characters represent a literal manifestation of the metaphorical concepts of psychoanalysis. Literary analyst Victor Burgin described one of the major tenets of psychoanalytic theory thus:

In the terms of the thermodynamic model which informs Freud's concept of the death drive, what is feared is the "entropy" at work at the heart of all organization, all differentiation. By this same token, however, the woman also signifies precisely that desired "state where everything is the same": the pre-Oedipal bliss of the fusion of bodies in which infant and mother are "inextricably mixed", that absence of the pain of differing, condition of identity and meaning, whose extinction is deferred until death.

That is to say that the AT Field represents the barriers in communication between humans. The Human Instrumentality Project represents a return to a state where all people are one, as the mother (Yui, or Eva-01) and child (Shinji) are one when synchronized in the womb-like LCL bath.

The series also makes use of the existential philosophy of Jean Paul Sartre, who was critical of both Freudian psychosexual explanations and behaviorist theories. The criticism is important in the context of the series: Freud's model was materialistic and based on mechanical drives of the mind, whereas Sartre focused on challenging fixed "essences" and defining one's self by choices. Sartre was also fascinated by Jewish mythology- yet another theme present in Evangelion, from the story of Lillith to the Chamber of Guf.

Some reference is made to other branches of clinical psychology.

While Shinji, Rei, and Asuka arguably represent the ego, super-ego, and id respectively, this is only one simple analysis.

In the U.S., one of the most popular theories is that the main characters represent the different methods people use to validate their own existence and individuality (analogous to the concept of AT-Fields). For example, Asuka validates herself on the basis of her competence and superiority, while Rei is dutiful to a fault.


 * The Magi Supercomputers (revealed in the series to contain aspects of their creator, Dr. Naoko Akagi's mind) have also been seen by fans as representing the Freudian psyche, namely Balthasar (Naoko Akagi as a mother) is ego, Melchior (as a scientist) is superego, and Caspar (as a woman) is id.


 * Rei and Asuka represent the Freudian Thanatos (death, self-destruction), and Eros (life, sex) drives. Shinji himself represents the Destrudo (the impulse to destroy), and Misato Katsuragi may represent its opposite, Libido (the drive for sex, personal development, and creation).


 * The hedgehog's dilemma is a concept described by philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and later adopted by Freud. It is the subtitle of episode 4 and mentioned by Misato Katsuragi as descriptive of her relationship with Shinji.


 * The characters exhibit behaviors that are archetypal of certain personality disorders: schizoid (Rei: prefers solitary life, unemotional), narcissistic (Asuka: grandiose, unempathetic, arrogant), and avoidant (Shinji: fearful of rejection and shame, socially inhibited).


 * Shinji may suffer from taijin kyofusho, a form of social anxiety that involves the fear of harming others through one's flaws.


 * Episode 16's title, "The Sickness Unto Death, And..." (死に至る病、そして) is a reference to the existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard's book The Sickness Unto Death. Rei, Asuka, and Shinji may represent Kierkegaard's three categories of existential despair:  Despair at not being conscious of having a self (Rei); Despair at not willing to be oneself (Shinji); and even Despair at willing to be oneself (Asuka).


 * Shinji (or Rei) and Asuka (or Misato) represent Orient and Occident, specifically the culture of Japan and Japanese values as opposed to Western culture and specifically American individualism.


 * Ritsuko and Misato represent the antagonism of intellect and emotion.


 * The five children represent the Kübler-Ross model's five stages of mortality acceptance: denial (Rei), anger (Shinji), bargaining (Asuka), depression (Toji), and acceptance (Kaworu).


 * Terminal Operators Shigeru Aoba, Motoko Hyuga and Maya Ibuki represent the adult versions of Toji, Kensuke and Hikari respectively.


 * The entry plugs and dummy plugs represent the phallus, a symbolic representation of masculine power.


 * Toji and Kensuke represent pacifism and militarism, respectively, and may be parodies of Harry S. Truman and Douglas MacArthur.

Religion
thumb|right|350px|NERV's logo featuring half a [[fig leaf. The caption reads "God's In His Heaven, All's Right With The World," a quote from a song from Pippa Passes, a dramatic poem by Robert Browning.]] The most prominent symbolism takes its inspiration from Judeo-Christian sources and frequently uses iconography and themes from Judaism, Christianity, and in some cases Freemasonry.

Some staff members from the project have said that they originally used Christian symbolism only to give the project a unique edge against other giant robot shows. Christianity is practiced by only about 1% of the population in Japan. Assistant director Kazuya Tsurumaki stated in an interview: "We just thought the visual symbols of Christianity looked cool." Whether this mindset changed over the course of the series' production, or has any relation to creator/director Hideaki Anno's symbolic intentions, is still a point of contention among fans.

The list of references goes on and on, with multiple equally plausible interpretations existing.


 * Adam and Eve (known in many other languages as Eva) are a direct reference to the first human beings from the book of Genesis.


 * The Christian cross is often shown, frequently represented by energy beams shooting up skyward.


 * The second angel Lilith is shown being held on a cross. In Jewish folklore, Lilith is the first wife of Adam, and the first vampire.


 * Lilith is impaled with the Lance of Longinus, the spear used to pierce the side of Jesus during his crucifixion.


 * The Angels are a reference to the angels of God from the Old Testament. Their origin is never explained in the series, however.


 * It has been theorized by some that the 17th Angel, Kaworu, represents Jesus due to his forgiving and thoughtful nature. On the other hand, Kaworu may represent Judas, who betrayed Jesus.


 * The Magi supercomputers are named after the Magi (the three wise men) who were mentioned in one of the synoptic Gospels as having visited Jesus at his birth: Melichior, Balthazar and Caspar.


 * Some have theorized that the triplet nature of the Magi to represent the Holy Trinity.


 * The Tree of Sephiroth (Tree of Life)&mdash;an illustration of ten orbs showing the relationship between heaven and earth&mdash;is also mentioned.


 * Shinji, Rei, and Asuka represent the Japanese gods Susanoo (god of storms), Amaterasu (goddess of the sun), and Ama-no-Uzume (goddess of revelry).


 * Kaworu, Yui, and Rei represent the three parts of the Christian Trinity, although the same can be said of the Gendo, Shinji, and Rei trio.


 * The Marduk Institute is named for Marduk, a Mesopotamian god worshipped in Babylon.

ex-plot section
The secret second task, The Human Complementation Project, also known as Instrumentality, intends to start an artificial evolution of mankind. Considering the religious implications of the term "evangelion", this event was said to bring about the salvation of mankind in the context of a newly created Earth and uniting humanity into one enity. SEELE is the main driving force behind this project, for reasons unknown, but they mention that humanity must evolve or it will die, thus the need for a forced evolution. This artificial evolution strives to merge all human souls into one by disposing the individuals of their AT-Fields that separate egos from each other. This causes their bodies to revert to LCL. When everyone comes to this state, they will no longer feel the pain or loneliness that would typically precipitate from interaction between humans; it is comparable, but not equal, to death.

The plot of The End of Evangelion and the plot of the series seem to diverge at the end of series episode 24. In the series, episodes 25 and 26 consist of abstract introspection by the characters, especially Shinji. The ending is left open to interpretation: clearly, Shinji eventually overcomes his issues with others and comes to accept being with them, but whether Instrumentality follows through or if it occurs at all are left unanswered, directly. The specifics of Instrumentality are not explored in the series, either. In End of Evangelion, Shinji is directly involved in the initiation of Instrumentality, but ultimately rejects it at the last moment. There is some debate as to whether The End of Evangelion is a complement to, or a replacement of the TV episodes 25 and 26. The highly stylized nature of these episodes leaves them very open to interpretation. Some fans believe that the final scene of episode 26 where all of the characters are shown telling Shinji, "Congratulations" is a sign that Shinji accepts the Instrumentality Project and therefore is at odds with End of Evangelion. Others believe that the characters are congratulating Shinji for finding his own identity, as his realization that he is an individual identity is the deciding factor in whether or not Instrumentality will occur (therefore, the characters are congratulating Shinji because his decision to remain an individual means that they can all remain individuals) - this interpretation is reconcilable with End of Evangelion. The line is sometimes considered to be a reference to the end of Space Runaway Ideon, in which case it ironically implies a Pyrrhic victory and death. Yet another group of fans sees the final two episodes as being a part of the introspective detours from the second half of End of Evangelion.

other
Evangelion is a work with a variety of different source materials for its core composition. Its central themes are heavily based on Freudian Psychoanalysis mentioned above as it concerns the characters and general plot creation, as well as Existentialism. Freud was a target of criticism by Jean Paul Sartre. The underlying principle behind both behaviorist and Freudian theories is that the mind is nothing more than a complex machine and that emotions are a sort of mechanical evolutionary protection to the ego. This basic premise bothered Sartre, a champion of free will. Sartre had been a part of the French resistance when the Nazis occupied his homeland during World War II. The excuses people used to justify their course of actions ("I had no choice," "I was just following orders," "I was going to be killed" etc) ignored the fact that even in the grimmest of circumstances, people have options, an idea which is echoed by Misato's speech to Shinji just before her death in End of Eva. For Sartre, consciousness IS freedom, and freedom makes one responsible for the choices one makes. Freudian theory attempts to explain away choice as a result of

The excuses people used to justify their course of actions ("I had no choice," "I was just following orders," "I was going to be killed" etc) ignored the fact that even in the grimmest of circumstances, people have options, an idea which is echoed by Misato's speech to Shinji just before her death in End of Eva.

Project of Evangelion is an attempt to break down the barriers that separate mankind, and Shinji's ultimate decision is whether or not the limitations and inherent freedoms of the human condition as individual creatures are good things, or whether they should be denied.

For instance, episode 16's title was translated as "Sickness Unto Death, And..." in the English subtitled version. The Sickness Unto Death is a book written by Søren Kierkegaard (one of the first, and most religiously-oriented Existentialists) regarding the human condition as a type of Despair. Namely, that Despair comes in three forms: Despair at not being conscious of having a self; Despair at not willing to be oneself; and even Despair at willing to be oneself. Viewers will note that Rei, Shinji, and Asuka can each be seen to resemble a different kind of Despair. Rei has no soul of her own, and loses her "self" in each reincarnation; Shinji is desperately trying to overcome a lack of self confidence; and Asuka covers up her own despair and inner turmoil by acting overconfident, and giving the appearance that she is self-assured.

The series was under production at the time of the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway on March 20, 1995, and began broadcast about six months after the attack.

Characters
The main character of Evangelion is Shinji Ikari, a shy, dour, and adolescent boy, who becomes an Eva pilot. For years, up until his mysterious summoning at the start of the series, he lived apart from his father with one of his teachers.

Other primary characters include:
 * Shinji's fellow pilots Rei Ayanami, a silent girl frequently accused of being unemotional and Asuka Langley Soryu, a fiery, proud, red-headed girl. Shinji is afraid and jealous of Rei but also feels sympathy for her, and he dislikes Asuka's overbearing attitude but is sexually attracted to her.
 * Gendo Ikari, Shinji's mysterious father and NERV's commander.
 * Misato Katsuragi, NERV's head of strategy and tactics. She becomes Shinji and Asuka's guardian.
 * Ritsuko Akagi, NERV's head scientist.

Most of the characters are struggling with their relationships with those around them, their inner demons, and their pasts. The pattern of relationships between the characters is complex.

According to Hideaki Anno, Evangelion was an attempt to make all perspectives into one, creating characters that represent different things to different viewers to make it impossible for everyone to arrive at a single theory. To some viewers, the characters are psychological representations, while to others; they are philosophical, religious or even historical.

The character designs have also contributed to the popularity of Evangelion. The attractive designs of the three main female leads, Asuka, Rei and Misato, have been immortalized in the dōjinshi community and in subsequent anime.

Many of the characters' surnames come from the names of Japanese warships in World War II.

Manga
The manga of the series, written and illustrated by series character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, has been serialized in Shonen Ace, published by Kadokawa Shoten, since February 1995. The manga has distinct differences from the show. It is based on the original story outline, the completed anime series, and Sadamoto's own vision. The series is still in production with ten out of twelve planned volumes completed.

Two other manga based on the series have been created: Girlfriend of Steel 2, written and illustrated by Fumino Hayashi, published in English by ADV Manga under the title Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days. There is also a Shinji Ikari Raising Project manga, based on a computer game of the same name.

Merchandising
Merchandise for Evangelion still comes out fairly regularly despite the fact that it is eleven years old. A number of action figures of the Evas, the Angels, and the pilots have been released. Asuka and Rei in particular are popular subjects for garage kits and models. A great deal of the merchandise has a much lighter tone than the series, which is why Hideaki Anno is so opposed to them.

Video games
The series has also spawned numerous computer games. Aspects of Evangelion have also made appearances in the Super Robot Wars series by Banpresto.

Live action movie
Pre-production of a live action version of Evangelion was announced in May 2003 by the American company ADV Films, and will be made by ADV, Gainax, and Weta Workshop Ltd. It is estimated to be released as late as 2010.

deathstroke

 * A similarity between Deathstroke and the Marvel Comics mercenary Taskmaster was noted in Wizard Magazine #177: ""Both Tasky and Slade are amoral profiteers, and thanks to mutual designer George Pérez, even their original costumes are similar." They share an orange/blue colour scheme and many design elements (such as buckaneer boots, flared gloves, and a near-identical collection of weapon belts). The largest differences were their masks, Taskmaster's cloak, and the white in Taskmaster's costume. Both characters were designed by George Pérez in 1980, within a few months of each other.