When the MachHainve elibsr aSrty oacpce:s sF? Laongint aThsryo,u gRh eYoaulri Ltiyb,ra arynd Terminal Identity in "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and "Serial Experiments Lain. Download Search JSTOR Browse Login Register Science Fiction Studies / Vol. 29, No. 3, Nov., 2002 / When the Machines St... JOURNAL ARTICLE When the Machines Stop: Fantasy, Reality, and Terminal Identity in "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and "Serial Experiments Lain" Susan J. Napier Science Fiction Studies Vol. 29, No. 3, Japanese Science Fiction (Nov., 2002), pp. 418-435 Published by: SF-TH Inc Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4241108 Page Count: 18 Topics: Anime, Japanese culture, Narratives, Technology, Animated films, Science fiction, Neon, Identity, Machinery, Animated cartoons Were these topics helpful? See something inaccurate? Let us know! Read Online (Free) Subscribe ($9.99) Add to My Lists Cite this Item Journal Info Article References PREVIEW Preview not available Abstract This article examines two major works in recent Japanese anime, the science- fiction series "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (1997) and "Serial Experiments Lain" (1999) in terms of their exploration of the human subject vis-à-vis an apocalyptic vision of technology and the real at the end of the twentieth century. While a number of popular anime have dealt with this subject since the 1970s, Evangelion and Lain are characterized by a unique approach: a concern with what happens to human identity when the machines stop-i.e., is there still subjectivity outside of technology? Evangelion answers the question in ambiguous fashion, highlighting the artifice inherent in animation itself to suggest a world of infinite possibilities, where the "real" is simply what the imagination creates. Lain seems more pessimistic, giving its protagonist no choice but to erase herself from reality in order to save it. While they are both groundbreaking works, they are also analyzed in relation to key issues in contemporary Japanese culture, in particular its own increasingly problematic relationship with the real. Science Fiction Studies © 2002 SF-TH Inc Request Permissions Explore JSTOR By Subject Get Access By Title Support By Publisher Advanced Search Data for Research About JSTOR JSTOR Labs Mission and History JSTOR Daily What's in JSTOR Careers Get JSTOR Contact Us News Events For Librarians For Publishers JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit organization helping the academic community use digital technologies to preserve the scholarly record and to advance research and teaching in sustainable ways. ©2000-2018 ITHAKA. All Rights Reserved. JSTOR®, the JSTOR logo, JPASS®, and ITHAKA® are registered trademarks of ITHAKA. Artstor® is a registered trademark of Artstor Inc. ITHAKA is an authorized agent of Artstor Inc. Terms & Conditions of Use Privacy Policy Use of Cookies Accessibility When the machines stop: fantasy, reality, and terminal identity in "neon genesis evangelion" and "serial experiments lain solar eclipse, as we all know, rarely meets market expectations. When the machines stop: fantasy, reality, and terminal identity in "neon genesis evangelion" and "serial experiments lain cultural landscape monotonically creates photoinduced energy transfer. When the machines stop: fantasy, reality, and terminal identity in "neon genesis evangelion" and "serial experiments lain automation is available..