Ambivalence (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Production

Gainax put together a presentation document for Neon Genesis Evangelion in 1994 that outlined synopses for the planned episodes. The first twelve episodes mostly stuck to that schedule, with only minor script changes. The proposal already included an American-built Eva-03. Starting with the thirteenth episode, however, the production moved away from the original plan and the submission document.

According to Michael House, Gainax's American translator, director Hideaki Anno originally wanted a happy ending, but changed his mind after realizing he had created problematic characters. Culture critic Hiroki Azuma noted that during the series' broadcast, Anno began criticizing obsessive anime fans—otaku—whom he saw as closed-minded and introverted. Anno shifted his approach, crafting a more dramatic and introspective story for the middle of the series.

Production hit severe scheduling problems starting with "Lilliputian Hitcher" due to delays in episode delivery. After nearly two years of work, Gainax had only completed twelve episodes by the time the series started airing. The staff then had to produce the remaining fourteen episodes in just six months—roughly one-third the time spent on the first twelve. This disastrous schedule cut the number of available animation cels, lowering animation quality and causing disagreements among the staff.

Around "Ambivalence" and the episode that followed, Anno and Gainax realized they could no longer meet the broadcast schedule while maintaining a satisfactory standard, though they kept trying until the end. These episodes became the last to fully use the studio's remaining resources before the production system completely collapsed. Anno compared the process to a "live performance" with no strict plan, letting the series evolve with changing circumstances and production limits. He finally decided how the series would end around the eighteenth and nineteenth episodes.

Cultural references

The English title of this episode borrows from a psychological term introduced by Eugen Bleuler, describing the state of holding contradictory feelings. This idea plays out in Misato’s hesitation to reveal who is piloting Unit-03 to Shinji, and in Shinji’s approach to Kaji—seeking him out to understand Gendo, then pushing him away after the fight with Bardiel. Bleuler’s concept also applies to a child’s mixed emotions toward a parent, which mirrors how Eva-01 shields Shinji while following Gendo’s command to destroy Unit-03.

The episode also includes scientific vocabulary like apoptosis, amygdala, parietal lobe, hippocampus, motor cortex, and ganglion. In the opening scene, English-speaking Nerv operators refer to control towers as Ekta 64 and Neopan 400, names taken from the film brands Ektachrome and Fuji Neopan. Eva-03 touches down at Matsushiro in Nagano, the site of Nerv’s second test facility and historically the location of the Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters from World War II.

A sunset argument between Hikari and Asuka over Toji mirrors a scene from Osamu Dezaki’s anime Dear Brother. During this moment, a small drop-shaped symbol appears on Asuka’s forehead; official filmbooks link it to a “certain magical girl anime.” Hikari’s sisters, Kodama and Nozomi, are named after high-speed trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. A building visible from Misato’s apartment resembles Ieoh Ming Pei’s Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong.

Writer Dennis Redmond hears the infected Eva-03’s scream as a nod to Godzilla and points out that the mech is shown against the setting sun, evoking the Japanese flag. He describes this visual as “a dead ringer for John Woo’s Hong Kong thrillers,” with the finale subtly quoting Woo’s theme of warring brothers or battling doubles.

Themes

The second episode of a trilogy centered on Toji Suzuhara, the Fourth Child, is titled "Ambivalence." Official filmbooks for Neon Genesis Evangelion describe it as offering intense psychological portrayals of the cast. Writer Álvaro Arbonés observed that the episode’s first half treats everyday life with a heavy seriousness, while the second half is filled with unspoken tensions and misunderstandings; everyone, both characters and audience, already knows who the new pilot is, and the episode concludes with a disaster.

Protoculture Addicts stated that this story arc "pushes the horror to a paroxysm as yet unattainned in the series." The narrative centers on the protagonists’ relationships and the violent conflict with the Angel Bardiel. Critic Kenneth Lee pointed out that Toji helps Rei realize she has a purpose when he confronts her on the school rooftop. Through this conversation, Rei becomes aware of her feelings for Shinji, while Hikari reveals her own feelings for Toji to Asuka.

Asuka’s pride is hurt by Toji’s selection as an Eva pilot, and upon discovering it, she attacks him verbally. Toji’s actions are driven by a sense of duty toward his sister, comparable to the Japanese concept of giri. In a scene with Shinji, Kaji argues that mutual understanding is an illusion; the filmbooks note this line is essential for understanding the series. Writer Hans-Georg Eilenberger observed that Shinji admits he does not understand adults at the conversation’s end, highlighting that children and adults alike struggle to achieve even partial understanding of one another.

Reception

"Ambivalence" was first broadcast on January 31, 1996, and drew a 9.6% audience share on Japanese television. In 1996, it ranked sixteenth among the best anime episodes of the Anime Grand Prix, a large annual poll made by Animage. In July 2020, Comic Book Resources reported an 8.9/10 rating for the episode on IMDb, making it second among the highest-rated Evangelion episodes. Merchandise based on the episode, including a line of official T-shirts, has been released.

The episode proved controversial. According to Nikkei Business Publications and writers Kazuhisa Fujie and Martin Foster, the depiction of violence was criticized as being "unsuitable on an anime show that is viewed by children". Kenneth Lee of Anime News Network criticized the script and characterizations in this part of the series, noting a similarity between Gendo's and Shinji's stubbornnesses but finding these parallels "inconclusive". Akio Nagatomi of The Anime Café criticized the script, which he said has "more holes than Swiss cheese", and criticized the decision to reveal the identity of Eva-03's pilot at the end and Eva-03's airlift as "plain idiotic" symbolism.

Despite this, Nagatomi praised Kotono Mitsuishi's performance as Misato and the direction, saying: "It's tight, it's suspenseful, and it's very disturbing to watch".

Did You Know?

• Shinji Higuchi conceived the episode as a diptych with the previous episode "Fourth Children", and was inspired by the Ultraman franchise.
• The conflict between Gendo and Shinji has been compared to the dilemma of the Carneades table.
• The episode's direction has been compared to the works of Sergei Eisenstein, Jean-Luc Godard, and especially Akio Jissōji.