OMF: Shinji's clenching at his knee here reveals frustration with his reinstated powerlessness.

Otaprince: Tying back to #02/C-034… Notice how, here, the cut focuses on the telephone pole while we only hear the car pulling up to a stop. This is, of course, because animating that car would've cost money. However, in my opinion corner-cutting like this is not necessarily a bad thing, as limits on creativity (such as financial restrictions) lead to the most interesting creative innovations. For example, back when film was in black and white, filmmakers were forced to come up with creative ways of utilizing the limited palette (think film noir).Similarly, budgetary constraints in anime have led to many of Anno's most recognizable techniques, such as his tendency to linger on a single shot (as at the end of this episode) and his "rapid-fire succession of shots" technique (very prevalent in later episodes) in the place of actual animated movement.

Incisivis: This scene is where the friendship between Shinji, Toji, and Kensuke is cemented, I think. Often I wonder if their relationship sprang from guilt, at least on Toji and Shinji's account.

OMF: From the sound of it, I think Shinji's laptop is in that bag. It's likely the only item, along with other school gear, that Toji and Kensuke would have a reason to bring.

Reichu: For some strange reason, I'd assumed that they were just returning the duffel he had left in Kensuke's tent — but, uh, yeah, that isn't the same bag, is it? :P So what DID happen to the stuff Shinji was carrying around?

MagicianCamille: Why does the intelligence worker look like a 20-year-old Shinji? o_O

OMF: It's Shinji! Sent back in time to save the world from annihilation! However, without Asuka or Misato to boss him about, he does little except get a rather menial job in Nerv intelligence guarding his younger self. He'll only be able to leap once his younger self falls in love with Asuka, though, and, as you've already guessed, even Ziggy won't be able to help him with that one.

(Dr. Nick: Christ!)

Reichu: Do I smell a fanfic? :D At the very least, somebody has to draw a Sadamoto-ized version of Al and doctor him into this scene in or something. ^_^

OMF: Shinji "Al, why haven't I leaped?!"

Al "Ziggy says Asuka's gotta love you back."

Reichu: Toji is so funny! ::D He's really quite nervous here, but desperately trying to keep up his "tough guy' façade.

While he's not my fave, I've always found him to be intensely charming and likable … in that uniquely Toji sort of way. Considering the rather ugly entrance he made last episode, it's amazing how quickly we get to see this lad's heart of gold.

HeWhoPostsStuff: It is easy to label Toji as a "stock" character at a glance, but I wouldn't say that he is one. While most of the time he's portrayed as the stereotypical "goofy tough guy," there are some insights into deeper aspects of his character out there, this scene among them. He apparently has a deep devotion to those who are able to crack his "shell," is willing to make sacrifices for those he cares about, prefers receiving just punishment for wrongs than feeling guilty about them, and, like many of the other characters in Eva, hasn't completely "found himself" yet. There are other aspects to him, as well, but unfortunately he doesn't get much screen time once he begins to really develop…

Incisivis: Everyone's going to hate me for saying this, but both of your descriptions of Toji remind me so very much of Katsuya Jounouchi from Yu-Gi-Oh!, a character I really like. Conversely, I'm not very interested in Toji, but I don't dislike him, anyway. And he deserves points for his quote in 223, though I doubt even he could take 'em all at once. :P

Gundampilotspaz: And on the deeper psychological end of things… Toji is a very physical character. Of the entire main cast, he must be in the best physical shape, and he shows his emotion openly though physical violence, like when he needed to hit Shinji in #03 to "feel satisfied". Here, he NEEDS to have Shinji hit him back because that is the only way he can achieve emotional consumation.

Also, when Hikari is interested in Toji later on, he doesn't notice until she offers to feed him. Hunger is a physical characteristic, and that's how he figures out that she likes him.

OMF: Shinji cringes at the very thought of violence. Couldn't Toji just write a formal apology or make do with some other non-violent act of contrition?!

Reichu: Well, this IS Toji we're talking about! Is Toji even capable of writing? :lol: (But I kid.)

Incisivis: That Shinji doesn't want to punch Toji is yet another indication that Shinji is not a "typical" teenage boy. He can't understand the connection between punching and atonement, the sort of male-bonding-through-mild-violence that we in the West recognize as a clap on the shoulder, an elbow in the side. It also ties into Shinji's dislike of violence at this point in the series.

Reichu: More of Kensuke's characteristic nonchalance, which we saw in C-111 last episode. He certainly knows his friend well, doesn't he? (Perhaps Toji/Kensuke slash is not completely out of the question… >::D)

Reichu: The script comment is surely being sarcastic. Either that, or it's my Engrish hard at work again!

Mr. Tines: This episode so reminded me of this scene from Garth Ennis' Preacher — only Shinji doesn't get the professional advice.

Reichu: I'm suddenly getting this craving for ice cream…

OMF: Something tells me Toji's taken martial arts lessons. My instructor used to come out with these exact lines. Same tone and everything! And in Japanese, naturally.

Reichu: Now we just need an NGE fighting game where Toji and Asuka can see whose kung fu is weaker. (Too bad the closest we have to a doujinshi fighting game are a paltry three screenshots.)

OMF: Asuka "I vill break yOu in hAlf puny girly mAn!"

Toji "KKIIIIAAAIIII!!!"

tv33: Is this a good time to bring up the rules of Fight Club?

Reichu: Good idea! I always wanted to see Toji and Shinji engage in a hawt shirtless brawl!

thewayneiac: One wouldn't think that Shinji could hit that hard.

tv33: The Nerv security forces must be deeply confused by this time. "Kids these days…"

Reichu: Judging from 215, they seem to be at least mildly amused.

Otaprince: I like how the Nerv guys are amused…

Gundampilotspaz: Nerv Agent 1 "He punches like a girl."

Reichu: Don't let Misato catch you saying that…

BGM START: "Bay side love story —from Tokyo—"

OMF: Such touching male bonding. This kind of thing never works in real life, though.

Reichu: You'd be surprised. I've heard stories.

Here we have the first of the songs by J-Pop artist Masami Okui that turn up in NGE. (They'll all from her album "GYUU". Incidentally, it was published by King Records. Coincidence? I don't think so. ;;> ) You may have already heard her in Slayers or Utena.

An interesting thing about these vocal insert songs (from either "Lilia", which we met in episode #02, or "GYUU") is that they all occur within NGE's environment — playing on a radio, or Shinji's S-DAT, etc. Actually, this is the case for all of the music in this particular episode. Was there some kind of artistic reason for this lack of true BGM?

Mr. Tines: Getting nagged by Misato — check. Going ape — check. Suffering? Must have been after we drew back to the still life scene.

Reichu: He vicariously got his torso impaled twice (after the whole palm-scorching ordeal) — not to mention whatever issues he was sobbing over when it was through.

Mr. Tines: I suppose the tenor of his continuous screaming might have given them some feedback as to whether it was to express fury or pain or both.

Incisivis: Kensuke and Toji are a big part of what will keep Shinji at Tokyo-3, though they don't mean to be. At this point, Shinji would gladly put others' happiness above his own, and he stays so Toji and Kensuke won't have to leave.

BGM END: "Bay side love story —from Tokyo—"

thewayneiac: Right. Uhuh.

MagicianCamille: (234~236) I actually felt some pity for Shinji in this scene.

Reichu: It's certainly a very powerful performance by Ogata, IMO.

Incisivis: When Shinji protests that he deserved to be hit, not Toji, he's exempting himself just a little bit, again. Even if he doesn't act on it, I still consider recognition to be better than denial. Also, Shinji is showing some backbone, going against the orders of some big and tough Nerv MIBs to say what he feels needs to be said.

OMF: Shinji couldn't leave Tokyo-3 knowing people had a good impression of him. He feels his actions are undeserving of any respect, and he has to make sure everyone knows it. Really, he doesn't have any self confidence at all.

Reichu: Poor lad. Although my life hasn't sucked anywhere near as much as Shinji's (thank gawd), I can really relate to the sort of mentality being expressed here.

thewayneiac: Yep. Check.

Mr. Tines: We don't really see any evidence of Shinji's self-assessed dishonesty, or indeed anything that would qualify him particularly as a scoundrel. And he misses "impulsive", "indecisive", and "insubordinate".

Reichu: Shinji's self-descriptors (卑怯, 臆病, ズルい, 弱虫) are difficult to translate, being as (I think) three of them can refer to cowardice of some form or another.

Check out those projectile tears! I wish I could do that with my saline orbital secretions!

Reichu: Where are they taking him? What're they going to do to him? :shifty:

Magami No ER: There should be an anime law that states that all bodyguards/suits are hardened, quick-to-anger bastards who use intimidation to sound fierce. These guys remind me soooo much of Kaiba's suits from Yu-Gi-Oh. Weird.

Reichu: Still, they sound much more professional (as opposed to stereotypical-badass) in Japanese. The dub really overdoes the stereotype.

Dr. Nick: Looking at the top-most storyboard here, it almost seems as if the MIB on the right used a taser gun on Shinji's back. ZAAAP!!!

Reichu: (Wow, you're right!)

Reichu: "…Or else." "Or else what?" "Exactly."

Mr. Tines: "Or you'll be boarding your train a little ahead of schedule", perhaps ("Whoops, he must have tripped in his eagerness.")