[EVA] Eva Manga Stage 77 - Part 2

[Harold Ancell]

At 11:18 AM 10/29/2007, RJN wrote:

>From: "Sailor Star Dust" <aino.senshi at gmail.com>
>Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2007 9:38 PM
>
>> The only thing I can think that's wrong (not even incorrect, necessarily)
>> about the translation is "Apostles". Yes, that is the direct translation of
>> "Shito", but Gainax themselves said they wanted it to be rendered in English
>> as "Angels" instead. (Yay for Pointless Religious Symbolism!)
>
>The "angels" are more imagery of Old Testament angels, who carried out the instructions of God, bringing death etc, & who said "fear not" to terrified spectators.

>Or, as in Raiders of the Lost Ark, as a movie (very effective) version - way more frightening!

Indeed.  "Angel" is one of the more nuanced uses of Religious Symbolism
in EVA, these are very much Old Testament style Wrath of God "messengers":

 From the "Who Forgot to Pay the Electric Bill?" episode #11 (Literal
Translation Series):

  Shinji: Listen, what do you think Angels are? 

  Asuka: What are you saying in such a situation? 

  Shinji: Angels, messengers of the God. Our enemies of Angel names....

I think he said "shito" here, but all my references are inaccessible
right now.

While shito -> apostle is a good mapping especially if angel as a
Japanese loan word does not tend to connote the ones from the Old
Testament (vs. the general "cute" modern type), I'd wonder just what
shito means to a native speaker.

Those of us who come from Christian base cultures are going to view
all this somewhat differently than the creators and primary intended
audience.  E.g. starting with the very beginning, I'm sure the cross
shaped explosions in episode 1 had a lot greater impact on us....

(Even if in the end it really all is "Pointless Religious Symbolism",
a gloss over/framework for the real story of the characters, something
I thought was made clear right in the beginning of episode 1.)

                                        - Harold