It is already September 13 in Japan, a crucial event
in the history of the " Neon Genesis Evangelion "
franchise is commemorated, since in the year 2000, according to the lore of the
anime, the devastating Second Impact occurred, a catastrophic event
that forever changed the destiny of humanity.
©カラー／Project Eva. ©カラー／EVA製作委員会 ©カラー
The 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 awakened Adam, causing a gigantic explosion that melted the
Antarctic ice caps and shifted the Earth's axis, generating tsunamis, extreme
climate changes, and rising sea levels. These natural disasters,
coupled with subsequent wars, resulted in the loss of half the world's
population.
SEELE, the mysterious organization behind much of the
events in Evangelion, hid the truth about the Second Impact, claiming it was
caused by a meteorite hitting Antarctica. According to
their official version, the supposed meteorite was only 10 centimeters in size
and moved at 95% of the speed of light, so it could not be detected in time.
This information was backed up by Mexican astronomer Ceimoa Nan, who supposedly
sighted the object minutes before the impact.
- « The
object that fell in Antarctica was less than 4 inches in diameter, a very
small meteorite. However, with a whopping speed of 95% of the speed of
light, its effective mass was more than 4.02 times 20 squared to the power
of 10. Fifteen minutes before its impact, it was sighted by Mexican
astronomer Ceimoa Nan .»
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 in order to prevent him from coming into contact with their
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 with it. Gendo
Ikari, one of the series' key characters, left Antarctica just 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 series' most
enigmatic characters: Kaworu Nagisa, the Human Angel, who plays an
essential role in the development of the plot and in the life of protagonist
Shinji Ikari. The symbolism of Kaworu's birth on this same date adds another
layer of meaning to this day in the Evangelion narrative.
Over the years, fans have used September 13 as a day
to reflect on Evangelion's deep and complex story , as well as to
share 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: LivedoorNews
