A Transfer

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"A Transfer"
Neon Genesis Evangelion episode
The classmates of Shinji Ikari (in the middle) being amazed after he confesses to being an Eva pilot
Episode no.Episode 3
Directed byHirouiki Ishido
Written by
Original air dateOctober 18, 1995 (1995-10-18)
Running time22 minutes
Episode chronology
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"The Beast" 		Next →
"Hedgehog's Dilemma"
List of episodes

"A Transfer", known by the Japanese title "The Silent Phone",

Shamshel appears, and Shinji must once again pilot Eva-01
to defeat it.

Production for "A Transfer" began after the fifth and sixth episodes. The episode analyzes the characters' relationships and Shinji's psyche in particular. "A Transfer" scored a 7.1% rating of audience share on Japanese TV and received a divided reception. Critics praised the animation, sound, and character focus, while others criticized Toji's characterization and Shinji's actions.

Plot

Angels
, which took place in the previous episode. Toji has only just returned to class for the first time since the fight, explaining that he had to care for his sister, who was injured in the battle with Sachiel. When Shinji's classmates discover his identity as a pilot, Toji, who blames him for his sister's injuries, gives him a beating in retaliation, and Shinji's protestations that he was piloting involuntarily make Toji angrier.

The fourth Angel,

Shamshel
, attacks Tokyo-3 and Shinji is mobilized in Eva-01 to defend the city. Kensuke convinces Toji to sneak out of their shelter to watch the battle from nearby. Shinji loses his nerve to fight and is tossed into the air by Shamshel, almost killing Toji and Kensuke as he lands. This also severs Eva-01's Umbilical Cable, leaving it with just five minutes of reserve power. Shinji then begins fighting a defensive battle, attempting to protect Toji and Kensuke rather than defeat the Angel. To protect them from the battle, Misato orders Toji and Kensuke to take refuge in the Evangelion's cockpit. Inside, Toji sees Shinji's great anguish and pain as he fights the Angel, and is beset by remorse. Misato orders Shinji to retreat, but he loses his temper and charges Shamshel with his knife, defeating the Angel as its power runs out. Days later, Kensuke gives Toji the number of Shinji's phone so he can apologize; Toji attempts to call but stops.

Production

Neon Genesis Evangelion director

Hedgehog's Dilemma".[12] The title was later changed to "The Silent Phone",[13] with the English title "A Transfer".[14] According to the schedule, Anno had already worked on the fifth and sixth episodes of the series at the time.[15] He felt he had to go beyond regular anime in developing realistic characters for "A Transfer" and "Hedgehog's Dilemma", so he tried to focus on Shinji's relationships in the installments.[16]

For writer Dani Cavallaro, the first scene, in which Shinji engages in a simulation with a virtual image of the Angel Sachiel intended to refine his skills, is a "characteristic example of Evangelion's self-referential use of computer technology, insofar as the video game-style images of the Eva-01 of Sachiel employed by the Nerv personnel in the exercise are indeed computer-generated to a substantial extent".[17] Specific technical terminology was used for the simulated battle, including terms such as "gain" and "induction mode".[18] In the episode, an image of a crater generated by the battle in the previous episode, "The Beast", was introduced, in which a mountain named Mount Takanosu was depicted.[19][20] Tokyo-3 is also shown in a battle for the first time in "A Transfer";[21] for the landscapes of the city, Anno took inspiration from Tracy Island from the Thunderbirds series and the headquarters of UFO's SHADO organization.[22] An imperfect three-dimensional representation of the Entry Plug was also added at the end of the episode, produced by Kensuke on his laptop according to his memories.[23]

Several voice actors were used again to portray Shinji's classmates in the installment; the female companions, in particular, are voiced by Yūko Miyamura, Kotono Mitsuishi, and Megumi Hayashibara, who also voices the characters of Asuka Langley Soryu, Misato Katsuragi, and Rei Ayanami.[24] At the beginning of the episode, a radio program with two female speakers talking about Matsuzaki city[25] was included, revealing details about the geography of the world of Evangelion in "A Transfer".[26] Junko Iwao and Yūko Miyamura voiced the two female speakers of the radio program.[24] Eiji Maruyama, who worked on Mirai Keisatsu Urashiman and other anime series, also voiced Shinji's math teacher.[24][27] British singer Claire Littley sang a cover of "Fly Me to the Moon" which was later used as the episode's closing theme song,[28] replaced in late home video editions by another cover by Yoko Takahashi.[29]

Cultural references and themes

Angel Shamshel's design was informed by the Alien Bira from the Ultraseven series (1967).

The key theme of "A Transfer" and the following episode, "Hedgehog's Dilemma", is interpersonal communication.[30] "A Transfer" focuses on Shinji's communication difficulties, rather than his battle with Shamshel. The assistant director of the series, Kazuya Tsurumaki, noticed that at the beginning of the episode Shinji talks to Misato without going into her room or them looking at each other, "Like they are looking through a slightly opened door, but not connecting".[31] Tsurumaki also pointed out how the same "distant, awkward communication" can be observed between Shinji and Rei and Shinji and his father.[31] Multiversity Comics' Matthew Garcia traced an influence on the episodes to Hideaki Anno's personal experience, particularly the production of his previous work, Nadia; according to him, like Anno on Nadia, Shinji is thrown "into a situation he didn't understand or have much investment in".[32]

Shinji struggles to make friends and has a cold, laconic, reserved attitude in the episode;[33] Ritsuko mentions the hedgehog's dilemma, a psychoanalytic term, to describe his behaviour.[6][34] Like the hedgehogs of Arthur Schopenhauer's Parerga and Paralipomena, Shinji is afraid to be hurt and withdraws from human contact.[35][36] Akio Satsukawa added the term while writing the script,[37] and it would later become one of the show's main themes.[8][38]

One of Shinji's classmates seen in "A Transfer" resembles Nadia Arwol, a character from Gainax's previous work,

Ultraman franchise.[40] Torii are also framed during the battle against Shamshel, which are also a reference to previous tokusatsu series.[41]

Reception

"A Transfer" aired on October 18, 1995, and scored a 7.1% rating of audience share on Japanese TV.[42][43] Official merchandise based on the episode has been released,[44] including lighters[45][46] and t-shirts.[47][48]

The episode met with a divided reception.

Hedgehog's Dilemma".[54] Noah Black similarly praised the characters' development, as they have time to comprehend and begin to deal with the issues and duties forced upon them.[55] Supanova Expo's official website ranked the scene in which Shinji rescues his classmates from Shamshel among the best moments of the character.[56]

References
  1. ^ Japanese: 鳴らない、電話, Hepburn: Naranai, Denwa

Citations

  1. ^ Evangelion Chronicle (in Japanese). Vol. 42. Sony Magazines. p. 1.
  2. ^ "Staff". Neon Genesis Evangelion Blue Ray Ultimate Edition Encyclopedia. 2021.
  3. ^ Cavallaro 2007, p. 188.
  4. ISBN 4-04-852700-2
    .
  5. ^ Gainax, ed. (2003). Data of Evangelion (in Japanese). Gainax. p. 20.
  6. ^ a b Neon Genesis Evangelion Platinum Booklet. Vol. 1. ADV. 2004.
  7. ISBN 978-2-7234-7120-6
    .
  8. ^ a b Oguro, Yūichirō. "第36回 エヴァ雑記「第参話 鳴らない、電話」". Style.fm (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  9. ISBN 4-04-852700-2
    .
  10. ^ Neon Genesis Evangelion Theatralical VHS Box Booklet (in Japanese). King Amusement Creative. 1997.
  11. ^ Evangelion Chronicle (in Japanese). Vol. 18. Sony Magazines. p. 25.
  12. ^ Oguro, Yūichirō. "第37回 エヴァ雑記「第四話 雨、逃げ出した後」". Style.fm (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  13. ^ Cannarsi 1998, p. 20.
  14. ^ Cannarsi 1998, p. 16.
  15. ^ あんた、バカぁと、言われてみたい。（庵野秀明、宮村優子）. Animage (in Japanese). Tokuma Shoten. July 1996.
  16. ISBN 4-906011-25-X
    .
  17. ISBN 978-0-7864-3376-6
    .
  18. ^ Neon Genesis Evangelion Film Book (in Japanese). Vol. 2. Kadokawa Shoten. p. 6.
  19. ^ Neon Genesis Evangelion Film Book (in Japanese). Vol. 2. Kadokawa Shoten. p. 9.
  20. ^ Evangelion Chronicle (in Japanese). Vol. 17. Sony Magazines. p. 23.
  21. ISBN 978-2-7234-7120-6
    .
  22. ^ "Hideaki Anno Interview". Mangauk.com. Manga UK. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  23. ^ Cannarsi 1998, p. 23.
  24. ^ a b c Eva Tomo no Kai (in Japanese). Vol. 2. Gainax. 1996.
  25. ^ Cannarsi 1998, p. 45.
  26. ^ Cannarsi 1998, p. 17.
  27. ^ Gainax, ed. (2003). Data of Evangelion (in Japanese). Gainax. p. 62.
  28. ^ Eva Tomo no Kai (in Japanese). Vol. 6. Gainax. 1996.
  29. ^ Evangelion Chronicle (in Japanese). Vol. 26. Sony Magazines. p. 26.
  30. ^ Cannarsi 1998, p. 14.
  31. ^ a b Gainax, ed. (1997). "Kazuya Tsurumaki Interview". Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion Pamphlet (in Japanese).
  32. ^ Matthew Garcia (20 June 2021). "Five Thoughts on Neon Genesis Evangelion's "Silent Phone" and "Rain, After Running Away"". Multiversity Comics. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  33. ^ Evangelion Chronicle (in Japanese). Vol. 42. Sony Magazines. p. 3.
  34. ^ "Episode:3 A Transfer". Neon Genesis Evangelion Blue Ray Ultimate Edition Encyclopedia. 2021.
  35. ^ Evangelion Chronicle (in Japanese). Vol. 2. Sony Magazines. p. 23.
  36. ^ Poggio, Alessandra (2008). Neon Genesis Evangelion Encyclopedia (in Italian). Dynit. p. 77.
  37. ISBN 4872333632
    .
  38. ^ Evangelion Chronicle (in Japanese). Vol. 42. Sony Magazines. p. 9.
  39. ^ Cannarsi 1998, pp. 38–39.
  40. ^ "誰も観たことのないイメージをCGで.". ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:序 全記録全集ビジュアルストーリー版・設定 資料版 (in Japanese). Khara. 2008.
  41. ^ Neon Genesis Evangelion Laserdisc Encyclopedia (in Japanese). Vol. 2. 1996.
  42. ^ "Anime Land". Newtype (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten. January 1996. p. 74.
  43. ^ "新世紀エヴァンゲリオン テレビ本放送時 視聴率". Evangelionarchives.to (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  44. ^ Evangelion Chronicle (in Japanese). Vol. 10. Sony Magazines. p. 28.
  45. ^ "新世紀エヴァンゲリオン EPISODE TITLE ZIPPO 第参話「鳴らない、電話」" (in Japanese). Evangelion Store. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  46. ^ "Zippo ジッポー 新世紀エヴァンゲリオン EPISODE TITLE 第参話「鳴らない、電話」 メール便可" (in Japanese). Zippo. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  47. ISBN 978-2-7234-7121-3
    .
  48. ^ "新世紀エヴァンゲリオン 全話Tシャツ 「第参話 鳴らない、電話」" (in Japanese). Evangelion Store. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  49. ^ Mitra, Ritwik (16 January 2021). "Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Main Characters, Ranked From Worst To Best By Character Arc". Screenrant.com. Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  50. ^ Aravind, Ajay (December 2, 2020). "Neon Genesis Evangelion: Every Main Character, Ranked By Likability". Cbr.com. Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  51. ^ Cameron, Jack (July 7, 2019). "Every Battle in Neon Genesis Evangelion Ranked". Screenrant.com. Screen Rant. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  52. ^ Covill, Max (June 17, 2019). "Every Episode of 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' Ranked". Filmschoolrejects.com. Film School Rejects. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  53. ^ "Shinseiki Evangelion Review Pages - Episode 3". Abcd.com. The Anime Café. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  54. ^ Cahill, Peter. "Neon Genesis Evangelion 0:2". Ex.org. EX. Archived from the original on February 8, 2000. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  55. ^ Black, Noah (January 21, 2020). "Get in the Robot". Mcccagora.com. MCC Agora. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  56. ^ Anderson, Kristy (June 4, 2020). "The Best Moments Of Shinji Ikari In 'Neon Genesis Evangelion'". Supanova.com.au. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2020.

Bibliography

  • Cannarsi, Gualtiero (1998). Evangelion Encyclopedia (in Italian). Vol. 2.
    Dynamic Italia
    .
  • Cavallaro, Dani (2007). Anime Intersections. Tradition and Innovation in Theme and Technique. McFarland.
    ISBN 978-0-7864-3234-9
    .

External links
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