A Cruel Angel's Thesis

"A Cruel Angel's Thesis" (残酷な天使のテーゼ) is the theme song of the popular anime Neon Genesis Evangelion performed by Yoko Takahashi. It is used as the opening to the series, and two instrumental versions of it are played in the finale episode, "Take care of yourself." These are "The Heady Feeling of Freedom" and "Good, or Don't Be", scored for violin, piano, and guitar. "The Heady Feeling of Freedom" is a somber and reflective piece for bowed strings and guitar, while "Good, or Don't Be" is played to a light piano and guitar tone. A similar version can also be heard during the intermission between the two parts of Evangelion: Death and Rebirth.

The single was released on October 25, 1995 with the part number KIDA-116 and it also reached a peak rank 17 in the Oricon album database, appearing in the ranks 61 times.

Unlike it is commonly assumed, this song was written without any involvement from the show's creators. Oikama had next to no knowledge of the show. Oikama simply skimmed through a proposal of the show (possibly Neon Genesis Evangelion Proposal) and watched unfinished versions of two episodes on fast-forward, only serving to broadly "fit" the anime after the fact. Oikama took inspiration for the title from the manga A Cruel God Reigns. She said the lyrics "become a legend" were originally "become a weapon". She was orientated that the show was "difficult and philosphical". Oikama described it as: "older women", "mothers" and "14-year-old boys and girls", and decided to make it about the perspective of a mother when her child "leaves the nest". The original song included a male chorus, which was cut at director Hideaki Anno's request in order to "emphasize maternal affection". The writing process for Episode:01 took as long as six months, and the opening sequence was not yet finished. Anno originally wanted to use an excerpt from Borodin's Polovtsian Dances in the opening, but the producers did not approve of this and instead decided to use a J-Pop song, which eventually resulted in the creation of "A Cruel Angel's Thesis".

TV Size
Romaji = Zankoku na tenshi no you ni Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare...

Aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataitemo, Watashi dake wo tada mitsumete Hohoenderu Anata Sotto Fureru mono Motomeru koto ni muchuu de, Unmei sae mada shiranai itaike na hitomi

Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshou Sono senaka ni wa Haruka mirai mezasu tame no Hane ga aru koto...

Zankoku na tenshi no tēze Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu Hotobashiru atsui patosu de Omoide wo uragiru nara Kono sora wo daite kagayaku Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare English = Like an angel who has forsaken empathy, Rise up young boy and make yourself a legend...

Even though clear blue winds Beat on the door of my heart, You just smile, looking straight at me Too involved in yearning for Something to hold on The innocent eyes still know nothing of fate yet.

But someday you will notice On those shoulders of your There are strong wings To guide you to the far future.

A cruel angel's thesis Will someday fly high from the window If memories are betrayed by The overflowing, burning pathos (emotions). Holding the sky in your arms, Rise up young boy and make yourself a legend.

Full Size
Romaji = Zankoku na tenshi no you ni Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare...

Aoi kaze ga ima mune no doa wo tataitemo, Watashi dake wo tada mitsumete Hohoenderu Anata Sotto Fureru mono Motomeru koto ni muchuu de, Unmei sae mada shiranai itaike na hitomi

Dakedo itsuka kizuku deshou Sono senaka ni wa Haruka mirai mezasu tame no Hane ga aru koto...

Zankoku na tenshi no tēze Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu Hotobashiru atsui patosu de Omoide wo uragiru nara Kono sora wo daite kagayaku Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare End of the TV anime opening

Zutto nemutteru watashi no ai no yurikago Anata dake ga yume no shisha ni Yobareru asa ga kuru Hosoi kubisuji wo tsukiakari ga utsushiteru Sekai jū no toki wo tomete Tojikometai kedo...

Moshi mo futari aeta koto ni imi ga aru nara, Watashi wa, sou, jiyū wo shiru Tame no Baiburu

Zankoku na tenshi no tēze Kanashimi ga soshite hajimaru Dakishimeta inochi no katachi Sono yume ni mezameta toki Dare yori mo hikari wo hanatsu Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare

Hito wa ai wo tsumugi nagara rekishi wo tsukuru Megami nante narenai mama Watashi wa ikiru...

Zankoku na tenshi no tēze Madobe kara yagate tobitatsu Hotobashiru atsui patosu de Omoide wo uragiru nara Kono sora wo daite kagayaku Shounen yo, shinwa ni nare English = Young boy, like a cruel angel, Live up to be a legend...

Even though clear blue winds Beat on the door of my heart, You just smile, looking straight at me Too involved in yearning for Something to hold on The innocent eyes still know nothing of fate yet.

But someday you will notice On those shoulders of your There are strong wings To guide you to the far future.

A cruel angel's thesis Will someday fly high from the window If memories are betrayed by The overflowing, burning pathos (emotions). Holding the sky in your arms, Young boy, shine like a legend. End of the TV anime opening

The cradle of love that sleeps within me There will be a morning that A servant of dreams will come for you. The moonlight shines on your thin neckline. I'd stop time in this world And lock it away for myself, but...

If there is any meaning In the fate that pulled us together, Then I am, yes, the Bible That teaches you of freedom.

A cruel angel's thesis And then sorrow comes forth When the shapes of the dreams you hold in your arms Come to life within you. Young boy, who shines brighter than anyone else, Rise to become a legend.

People weave together love to create history And so I live on, Unable to become a goddess...

A cruel angel's thesis Will someday fly high from the window If memories are betrayed by The overflowing, burning pathos (feelings). Young boy, shine like a legend, Holding the sky in your arms.

Notes and references
During the instrumental break in the middle of the song, a chorus can be heard. The lyrics to the chorus are not in Japanese, nor in any other recognizable language. According to the January 1996 issue of Newtype magazine, the lyrics can be phonetically transliterated into Japanese as 「ファリィア. セタ(or セパ）メッソ. ファリィア. トゥスェ」 "Fariya. Seta (or sepa) messo. Fariya. Tuse", and they are supposedly written in an untranslated language passed down from ancient times. One could entertain the possibility that they are written in the same language as that of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Trivia

 * Since this song's release in 1995, lyricist Neko Oikawa and composer Toshiyuki Omori would not collaborate for another 23 years. In 2018, the two came back together to create "Fighting Gold", the eighth opening for the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure TV Anime.

A Cruel Angel's Thesis