Well, this show is definitely on a roll, now. Pretty much all the praise I heaped on the previous episode continues regarding Eva being totally unpredictable, visceral exciting and its universe being genuinely intriguing apply to this tale of battleships, red Eva's and undersea leviathans. I’d say that the characters have definitely hit their stride in terms of what roles they fill and how they interact… so, of course, it makes perfect sense to throw another character into the mix to turn all of that on its head! MetalGearFlaccid and OmegaChosen were telling me to “Watch out for Asuka” and her arrival definitely lives up to the hype. She’s an immediately charming, feisty red head who serves as a welcome foil to Shinji’s emo introversion. That had to be one of the funniest gags when she accidentally flashes the two bullies (what are their names again?).  How do they respond, after getting slapped? They flash her back! Ha! Actually, this was probably the funniest the show’s been since I’ve started watching. I also liked the introduction of Misato’s old flame and his cheeky question to Shinji about her still being “crazy in bed.” How saucy! I’m sure more than a few Eva enthusiasts have probably drawn fan arts and written fan fictions about Misato being crazy in bed… which brings me to my next point. See, the promos for these episodes talk a lot about “fan service.” Now, I know what fan service, alright. At least, in principle, I do.  But how is it different enough from what Americans refer to as simply T&A that it warrants another name? Is it just a nicer way of putting it? Or is it more equal opportunity for the sexes? Because, from where I’m standing, it’s the same thing. Educate me, here! -- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Pre-order the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover now on Amazon.com.
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