The trio of teenagers at the heart of Neon Genesis Evangelion take a back-seat this week, giving your hosts the opportunity to survey one of the show’s most subtle characters: Dr. Ritsuko Akagi. Then, Joseph gives Ian an even more research-heavy run-down of the various occult and religious references at the core of Eva’s lore, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, theosophic names, and other touchstones in pop culture that draw from the same sources, including Norwegian Black Metal, and horror films like Hereditary. And while your hosts are feeling factual, a quick diversion into the often-irritating anime tradition of clip shows episodes. Analysis: 12:12 Discussing The Kabbalah & Mysticism