'Neon Genesis Evangelion' Just Released An Actual Dictionary

Neon Genesis Evangelion is such a prolific anime, its eventual branch into licensing and product placement was embraced by fans despite the tone of the series itself seeming anything but meant for house products.

But oddly enough, Evangelion makes sense as a series of licensed dictionaries.

Gakken, a company known for its language reference books, dictionaries, and pocket versions of these texts for word inspiration, has licensed Neon Genesis Evangelion to release a line of Evangelion covers for its texts.

The texts promise to cover everything from business emails, poetry, as well as obscure, foreign, and multiple outdated words. Each of the line's five volumes will have a cover graced by one of Evangelion's main characters.

Rei Ayanami will be the cover of a book of emotion based words, Shinji Ikari is the cover for the volume covering practical and common words, Asuka Shinkinami Langley is the cover for the "creative naming volume" (synonyms for words in eight different languages), Mari Makinami covers the volume on word choice and "linked" words, and Kaworu Nagisa is the featured cover for the volume full of uncommon and outdated words.

Gakken will be releasing the five volume box set starting February 6.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a pschological drama by way of giant monster versus mech anime. The franchise debuted as a television series in 1995-1996. Two films followed in 1997. Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth is one part drastically abridged retelling of the first 24 episodes of the television series, and one part new animation. The End of Evangelion, the second film, would incorporate some of Death & Rebirth's original animation and offer an alternate take on the original series' controversial final two episodes.

The series follow Shinji Ikari, who is recruited by his father to pilot the giant mech Evangelion in the fight against giant monsters known as Angels in the futuristic city of Tokyo-3. But Shinji is unwilling to bear this huge responsibility and is often conflicted about taking part in a war he was dragged into. This conflict of emotions leads to many introspective episodes that cover the range of religious, philosophical, and existential concepts. This has also meant that series fans have eventually made a joke out of Shinji's refusal to pilot with the often uttered, "Get in the robot, Shinji." The series itself is known for its first abrupt finale during its first broadcast run featuring a complete collapse of its world.

via Crunchyroll