Neon Genesis Evangelion closes its first half with a pair of tightly edited showdowns, one that gives its secondary cast plenty of moments to shine, and one that foregrounds Misato Katsuragi. Ian and Joseph take this opportunity to re-examine Katsuragi, her backstory, her uncommon resonance with the millennial generation, and the small touches that make her maybe the best-written character in Eva. First, your hosts speculate at the hinted-at daily lives of “the bridge crew,” and evaluate the tight-but-hyperactive editing pace that makes Eva’s humor work - and why it only works in the animated medium. Finally, no breakdown of episodes 11 and 12 would be complete without unpacking the cataclysmic “Second Impact” that defines Eva’s worldbuilding Analysis: 13:38