So the first thing that sticks out to me is how much the Terrestrial Administration Center (TAC) is effectively "What if NERV didn't have their act together?"  The show opens with the director Kunikada approaching some situation and he learns that Kaede, who I think is connected to the demons TAC is guarding against, is down in some mine or something.  Kaede's importance isn't revealed yet, but she clearly makes it to "The other side" where that's defined by demons or angels or -something- supernatural.  There's a haunting music here when that happens, where she smiles and walks into her fate and then a light to the heavens opens up, a demon appears lamenting how he's too late to stop it, and no one knows what's going to happen next. 

Then OH MAN the theme song shows up.  I love this song I love it so much but the opening animations occupy a point in time when 3D in anime was fresh and new and oh so bad. It's truly the best 1995 had to offer.  The song itself is a bop though and I could listen to it all day. The part where the battleship fires three shots at the exact time as three song beats?  Perfect. 

Once you get past the 3d though, the opening song gives you an idea of what the show is really about. Supernatural invasion of Tokyo, brutal demons imposed on a modern landscape and the only way to drive off the invaders is by mixing science, magic, bazookas and prophecy. I LIVED for this sort of thing as a teen, maybe because I thought isekai itself was a little farfetch'd but if the demons came to me well then I could be a hero if I tried hard enough! (or maybe die quickly who knows, teens bounce back from stuff easily)

This really is shaping up to be "What is NERV but gentle" though. This director is just, like, letting the chosen one have a normal life where they don't even know what's what. Shame they have like, 0 budget though.  What world saving org works in a two man office that smells of mold?

Momiji, the chosen one, was -really- unprepared for what's happening. "Yes yes, my life doesn't belong to me, it belongs to all of Japan. don't be tempted by trivial matters, when the time comes you may have to sacrifice your life for the good of humanity, right?"   Like she never really thought about what that might mean until right now when there's a demon assassin all up in her grill. 

So far, there's implied violence.  The demon dragon plant thing shows up and blood splatters all of the adults teaching in the school but the kids seem to be ok.  There's a feeling of oppressiveness here, towards the end, where even the trees become tainted with demonstuff. Like, if you don't turn the tide now those things will be here to stay and the face of your world will be forever altered by an alien presence.  Really cool stuff. 

Ok, so this is hitting all of the notes TeenChris would've had. 

• Is an anime (hey it was 1995 we took what we could get)
• Teen chosen one
• Magical world bleeding into real world
• Magical world is susceptible to guns so it's not a complete loss
• It's your destiny to die, but destiny can be changed so fight back!
• Slightly haunting background music. 

I dunno what you're looking for or what other insights whoever reads this wish I posted.  I just did train of thought as things popped in my head but do let me know if there's something you'd like me to touch on.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MihlQ4aLh8&ab_channel=RetroCrush