Heaven Can Wait: Transhuman Evolution and its Alternatives in Anime

What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god, the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals. And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me no, nor woman neither. ! Hamlet, Act "", #cene $, %%&'%%( What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets. )ut enough talk, have at you. ! *racula, from the prologue to Castlevania: Symphony of the +ight

#ince the dawn of their existence, human beings have striven to improve their position, both in regard to one another and also with respect to the universe at large. ,owever, it was only with the advent of the theory of evolution not even two centuries past that humans struck upon the idea of evolution beyond the human and only much more recently that they have considered the real possibility of turning this dream into a reality. -recisely because it is such a recent development, many questions exist at the moment concerning the feasibility, desirability, and the specific details of a transhuman evolution. And since animation constitutes perhaps the single best way to graphically depict the future and all its possibilities, many creators of anime have taken it upon themselves to explore the questions, speculations, hopes, and fears surrounding the issue of transhuman evolution. .hree series in particular/ Neon Genesis Evangelion, Serial Experiments Lain, and Vandreadstand out in their introspective and enlightening treatment of this sub0ect matter and, consequently, my discussion of transhuman evolution will center around the stories they tell. ,owever, one of the most important aspects of all three anime lies in the protagonist1s eventual re0ection of the dominate form

of evolution presented in each of the series. As such, since these re0ections are likely to offer as much insight into the sub0ect as the presentation of the various forms of transcendental evolution proffered in these series do themselves, the reasoning behind the re0ections will be examined alongside the qualities that define these evolutions. .hus, it is my contention that while these anime leave open the possibility of a future transhuman evolution, they clearly state that humanity as it exists now remains woefully unprepared for such a progressive leap. The Limits of Human Understanding .he first question with respect to transhuman evolution, then, regards what the phrase 1transhuman evolution1 even means. .he obvious solution to this inquiry lies in breaking the phrase into its constituent parts/1transcend1 or 1transcendental1 and 1human.1 *efining 1transcend1 remains easy enough. .he American ,eritage *ictionary of the 2nglish 3anguage defines 1transcend1 as 4to pass beyond the limits of5 or 4to exist above and independent of5 6*ictionary.com7. ,owever, the question concerning what makes a human human is a much more difficult one. .he only honest answer is that no one really knows. .he human faculty of perception constitutes an inexact science. While explicating all of the assumptions and logical connections involved in proving this contention lie beyond the scope of this essay, a brief outline of the argument delineating the limitations of perception will prove beneficial. )asically, the premise follows

"mmanuel 8ant1s line of reasoning in the Critique of ure !eason. .o summari9e, 8ant differentiates in between su"#e$ts and o"#e$ts, which in turn plan an important role in his division of reality into two substrates: the noumenal and the phenomenal. A sub0ect

exists only as a conscious entity 6i.e., a human being7, aware of itself and able to perceive ob0ects. An ob0ect, on the other hand, denotes anything that possesses some degree of actual existence and is thereby capable of being perceived. ;orrespondingly, the

noumenal is the world as it actually exists/the world in itself as it were/and is effectively unfathomable to the human mind and the phenomenal is the world as it is perceived by the mind. .hus, one desires a noumenal understanding of the human when one wonders what truly makes a human human. ,owever, to put it as simply as possible, understanding requires reflection, reflection requires an o"#e$t upon which to reflect, the only access sub0ects have to ob0ects lies through perception, and therefore any understanding of anything, including what it means to be human, can only be phenomenal. And the only path by which one can move from a sub0ective 6phenomenal7 understanding to an ob0ective 6noumenal7 one lies through the possession of omniscience. .hus, a true human understanding of what it is to be human is impossible. "ronically, the preceding argument highlights perhaps the greatest failing of humanity that people wish to overcome through transhuman evolution and several anime reflect this belief. Arguably, Masami 2iri1s attempt in Serial Experiments Lain to link all people and information through an organic and more complete version of the World Wide Web represents a desire to achieve omniscience. #imilarly,

8usanagi<-uppetmaster1s comment that 4.he +et is wide and infinite5 suggests that he<she<it sees his<her<its reason for existence tied up in the acquisition of more and more knowledge, until/one would assume/he<she<it knows all there is to know 6=shii7. ,owever, not only are human beings inherently incapable of figuring out exactly what it is that makes them human, they also cannot discern what it might be like not to be

human.

,uman experience intrinsically limits knowledge to a wholly human .hus, it is not even possible to know with any certainty the form that a

perspective.

transcendental evolution might take. *espite this fact, the imagination allows people to hypothesi9e at least some of the characteristics a transcendent being might possess. The Problem of Representation At least with respect to the three anime series mentioned above, the limitations of the human appear to be completely wrapped up with the necessity of reliance on imperfect bodies. While some of the qualities attributed to the body are possibly more appropriately attached to the mind, it still does not solve the problem of how to pictorially represent a transcendental being. )oth endings of Neon Genesis Evangelion especially exemplify this problem, but Serial Experiments Lain also shows the difficulty of conceptuali9ing beings without bodies. >egardless of the form of transhuman evolution that takes place during the original episodes $& and $? of Evangelion, #hin0i and the others still appear in bodies after #hin0i1s 1breakthrough1 at the end of episode $?. "f we borrow the idea that A. fields are what hold bodies together/demonstrated by >ei literally falling to pieces as @endo remarks that her A. field is weakening in the End of Evangelion/then we conclude that the "nstrumentality -ro0ect did not, as has been suggested, combine the entirety of humanity into one collective consciousness,as the bodies 6i.e., egos7 of #hin0i and the others are still distinguishable from one another. Alternately, in the feature film End of Evangelion, bodies do end up dissolving as individuals are presumably assimilated into the unified multiplicity that is >ei. "f we take this representation literally, transhumans look like orange .ang. ,owever, the honesty of these portrayals 6as opposed to depicting

the transhumans as beings of pure light or some other such cheesy stereotype7 serves to highlight the lack of knowledge and understanding surrounding what will happen after this type of evolution occurs. .herefore, the viewer is, in effect, left wondering whether the "nstrumentality -ro0ect succeeded and the people who turned to goo still retain some manifestation, albeit invisible, in physical reality. "nterestingly, the same ambiguity surrounds the questions of life after death. "n this regard, the lack of clarity with respect to something so vital as the success or failure of the "nstrumentality -ro0ect in the End of Evangelion holds true to human limitations. .hus, the choice of the producers of Neon Genesis Evangelion to leave the fate of "nstrumentality undecided represents an acceptance of their own limitations and an adherence to the truth that is admirable. .he transhuman evolution in Serial Experiments Lain, on the other hand, is never fully implemented, so it would be difficult to make any legitimate claims about how the new post'human entities would appear. ,owever, it is certain that the next evolution in Lain involves a complete synthesis with the already'existing Wired, so one can make some inferences about the unfinished transcendence. "t is interesting to note that during one of her quests for information in the Wired, 3ain/the very catalyst for the series1 transhuman evolution/is praised by a bodiless mouth for her ability to manifest a reproduction of her body 6" believe they called it 1residual self'image1 in the %atrix7 so completely 63ayer:A?7. Also, in spite of his desire to play 4@od5 and exist everywhere at once, 2iri himself chooses to manifest himself in the form of the body that was once his to the point of him even having bandages where his body was presumably cut into pieces by a train. #o, even though the depiction of bodies in Lain might 0ust constitute a sacrifice to appease the viewers who wish for something to attach voices to, the

impression that humans are incapable of conceiving that which is beyond the human still remains. The Role of Bodies .he difficulties with representing a transhuman evolution only highlight the importance of the body to our collective conception of what it is to be human. )odies at least appear to serve many purposes. .hey act as containers for the ego/in other words, bodies allow a person to differentiate and distinguish one person from another. "n this way bodies separate the human race into a collection of individuals and keep these individuals distinct from one another. .hey also provide a proof of one1s attachment to physical reality/one can look at one1s body and know that one exists. )odies limit what a person can and cannot do. Moreover, the physiological composition of the body affects one1s conception of one1s self the way in which one perceives one1s surroundings is determined by the physical makeup of bodily components 6eyes, ears, et cetera7 and the body1s chemical reactions to these perceptions inform people how they should feel in response to changes in their environment. .he differentiation and separation of the human species into distinct selfs plays a ma0or role in Neon Genesis Evangelion. .he masterminds behind the

"nstrumentality -ro0ect, especially @endo "kari, capitali9e on the observation that people are inherently drawn to one another and that people wish for nothing more than to feel completely connected with others 6the desire for which is documented so thoroughly throughout the series that listing every incidence would fill an entire book7. .hey are also aware of the pain that comes from the impossibility of connecting fully with others and from people1s attempts to do so anyway. .his imperfection provides the impetus

behind the conception of the "nstrumentality -ro0ect. ,owever, while "nstrumentality arguably gives people what they desire, it also requires an enormous sacrifice on the part of the individual, shown most notably through #hin0i1s re0ection of the transformation in the End of Evangelion. While individuals might be happier once all the differences between them are reconciled, they would also no longer exist as individuals. And since everyone, in this version of transhuman evolution, would exist in a uniform unity, the differences that cause conflict and, hence, $hange would disappear. )ut if nothing changes inside this new being, then there would be nothing to differentiate one moment from the next, so time would effectively stop for this transhuman entity as well. "n this respect the End of Evangelion might be more aptly titled 1.he 2nd of 2volution.1 .herefore, since human beings remain as unable of conceiving a happiness outside of time as they are capable of conceptuali9ing what a perfect @od must be like, an endeavor such as the "nstrumentality -ro0ect hardly promotes any certainty for the belief in a better existence after the evolution. Bor this reason, " believe, #hin0i chooses an imperfect existence with Asuka, but one he &no's possesses the potential for improvement, and the previous assertion about the uncertainty surrounding the success or failure of "nstrumentality holds true. #hin0i1s decision might condemn him as 1only human,1 but it provides a troubling take on the topic of transcendence nevertheless. Vandread(s conception of evolution is particularly interesting because it does not represent a transhuman evolution so much as it does a perfection of the human body. .he overarching plot of the series, as revealed in the second season, revolves around the fact that humans have reached their physical evolutionary potential on 2arth. .herefore, in order to continue to better themselves, the 2arthlings sent out a number of

coloni9ing ships to discover and inhabit planets that would each further evolve different parts of the human body. After this evolution had been achieved 6the point at which the series begins7, the 2arthlings will send out 1harvesting1 ships to collect the various mutated body parts which will then be grafted to the 2arthlings, perfecting their bodies and effectively killing off the colonists in the process. .hus, the colonists1 developments merely serve as tools which aid the 2arthlings1 growth. ,owever, the perplexing result of this perfection of bodies belies the ultimate insignificance of bodies in the perfection of the human itself, evidenced by the characteri9ation of the 2arthling controlling the mechani9ed harvesting fleet. .he commander of 2arth1s forces is depicted as a child/an underdeveloped member of the human species. ,owever, it is revealed that the 2arth1s representative appears as a child not because he is young, but because he is ageless. .he choice of representing a child as possessing immortality, telepathy, and some form of telekinesis merely serves to underline the debased value of and lack of necessity for the body once its limitations have been overcome. Serial Experiments 3ain, then, approaches the sub0ect of bodies with respect to their limitations and weaknesses. )odies deteriorate over time, even while the human organism still persists, and, consequently, the mental processes and memories which define the individual personality grow weaker and are slowly lost as death looms ever closer. "n order to counteract this inevitable degradation of our humanity, the deceased, albeit still functional, creator of -rotocol #even Masami 2iri offers up translation of each individual1s personality into an eternal and somehow biological computeri9ed network as an alternative to imperfect bodily existence. ,owever, this technological existence

proves to be as flawed, if not more, than one in bodies, as it becomes evident that

memories can be deleted 6by 3ain and, if one extrapolates a bit, by any other entity skilled and knowledgeable enough to do so7 0ust like they can be lost from the deterioration of the brain. Moreover, Lain suggests that an important capacity for

expression exists in direct physical contact/for example, Alice demonstrating fear to 3ain through holding 3ain1s hand to her pounding heart and their subsequent expression of love through an embrace in 3ayer %$/that could not translate to the more non' corporeal existence in the Wired. .hus, even though Serial Experiments Lain

acknowledges the problematic nature of the human body, it still perseveres in maintaining that something worth holding onto is intrinsically tied up in bodies. The mportan!e of "ree Will .he question of fate has always lain heavily on the shoulders of those with even the slightest philosophical bent. ,owever, in spite of uncertainty, one must

necessarily assume that one1s actions result out of one1s own free will if those actions are to possess any value and<or meaning in one1s life. As such, any time a person feels that someone or something is trying to encroach upon his free will and thereby take away that feeling of value and meaning, then that person feels obligated to take arms against this opponent on behalf of his free will. .his particular sentiment pops up again and again in these three anime to combat the imposition that the transhuman evolution represents. Vandread explicates the necessity of free will in affecting positive changes. *uring the final confrontation in the last episode of the series, ,ibiki1s adversary questions why the colonists are unwilling to sacrifice themselves for the good and the furtherance of the human beings on 2arth since they are more than willing to do so to protect their friends and family. After all, their sacrifice to the 2arthlings represents a

much greater accomplishment for the continuance of humanity than their deaths for the sake of their loved ones does. ,owever, as demonstrated earlier, human beings cannot access ob0ects in themselves and, hence, do not find meaning in actual ob0ects, but rather through their relation to an ob0ect, which is determined by their particular perspective. .he peculiar effect of this limitation lies in that while it constricts what human beings can truly &no', it also allows them to determine the value of an ob0ect by how it relates to them. .hus, the colonists1 sacrifices only gains a positive meaning through their belief in the greater value of what they save 6their loved ones7 over what they lose 6their own lives7. 3ove presents them with such a value progress simply for the sake of progress does not. "n light of this distinction, ,ibiki and his cohorts are able to maintain that if the 2arthlings have truly reached their evolutionary potential on 2arth, then it is their duty to seek out new ways to evolve by themselves rather than imposing that responsibility on others. .hus, free will determines the difference in between sacrificing one1s self/a positive, if tragic, action/and murder/an inherently negative action. Serial Experiments Lain takes a completely different perspective in the contemplation of free will by considering it in terms of its validity in the fact of possible manipulation by a transcendent being. "n this respect, Lain also presents us with the only example of an actually successful transhuman evolution/3ain herself. "mbued with a seeming omniscience and the ability to manipulate thought as well as manifest herself anywhere and even in multiple places at the same time, 3ain, the 4@oddess of the Wired,5 comes closest to the ideal of a god as one might find anywhere. ,owever, since she is by nature a caring individual that desire to help others, 3ain reali9es that her superhuman powers represent a threat to free will. .hrough her interactions with Alice,

3ain begins to understand that although she possesses the ability to erase negative emotions and memories/as 2iri puts it, 4"f it isn1t remembered, then it never happened5/and thereby ensure people1s happiness, because that happiness constitutes a contrived happiness rather than one engendered by one1s own actions, it is not true happiness. "n other words, a good deal of one1s en0oyment of the 1good times1 in life arises from one1s belief that it was one1s own efforts and choices that put one in this state of being. .hus, in order to resist the temptation to use her godlike abilities to alter a sometimes unbelievably cruel reality, 3ain removes herself from physical existence. As such, despite sharing a connection to all people in all places, 3ain simultaneously paints a picture of a perfect transcendent being as a very lonely and ultimately tragic figure and supports the contention that the greatest sacrifice a truly benevolent ;reator<@od can make is to relinquish her ability to influence her creation. Bree will thus necessitates the ability to choose in between a variety of options. ,owever, the need to make choices only arises through the provision of an impetus to change. "n the case of normal, progressive'minded human beings, this

impetus comes through the recognition of the possibility to improve one1s self and<or the environment in which one lives. "n the case of the transhuman being created via

"nstrumentality, the impetus to change does not exist, since the new entity exists non' corporeally/demonstrated by the dissolution of bodies in the End of Evangelionand perfect harmony reigns in between its now indistinguishable constituents. ,owever, as Neon Genesis creator Anno ,ideaki states in a letter discussing the show, 4"t is said that 4to live is to change.5 " started this production with the desire that Cthe charactersD and the world change by the time the story reaches its conclusion5 6*ra9en EA$7. .herefore,

the end of evolution/i.e., the end of positive change/constitutes the end of the existence of human beings as human beings. And while it remains inhumane for one to desire the continuance of human suffering, it is inhuman to desire the cessation of change and free will. #o Matt 3eporati possesses a valid point when he maintains that 4Fet, this manifestation through division, wrought with pain though it may be, is preferable to the non'existence that #hin0i finds himself immersed in during episode $? and in 2nd of 2vangelion 6in the world of no A. Bields75 6website7. .hus, although the end of

evolution altogether might represent humanity1s final goal, it will only become desirable once all other alternatives except extinction, have been exhausted. rrationalit# and Emotion 2motions play a central role in the lives of human beings. .hey act as both humanity1s greatest asset and its most disturbing weakness. #ince all three of these anime series postulate that a transhuman evolution involves the sacrifice of the highs and lows of emotional stimulation for a more stable but unchanging middle ground, we must ask if what is given up is worth what is gained. #ince all three anime ultimately re0ect the possibility of transhuman evolution presented to them, we must assume the answer to this question is a resounding 4+o.5 Serial Experiments Lain provides the most thorough defense of the irrationality of emotions. .he word 1irrationality1 itself has come to possess a very negative connotation in its usage. As such, it inherently implies that a logical existence through the use of reason is preferable to an irrational one that depends upon emotions and feelings for the motivation of action. While this contention maintains a degree of validity, it ignores the positive benefits emotions reap for logical causes. ,uman civili9ation 0ustifies its

existence because it attempts to protect the human race from extinction through self' annihilation and also fosters growth. ,owever, communal existence only comes about through the repression of perfectly natural, albeit intrinsically anti'social, desires. And the need for the repression of these desires finds its most powerful 0ustification not in the desire for a greater assurance of the likelihood of survival 6although it does factor into the equation7, but in the emotive expression of love and feelings of concern for one1s fellow human beings. ,owever, as previously mentioned, love seems to possess an intangible connection to direct physical interaction. And if one remembers, it is Alice1s touch and tears that first cause 3ain to question whether these emotions, as fleeting and inexplicable as they are and which she knows to be irrational, do not represent something higher and better than the 1perfect,1 entirely logical world 2iri is trying to create. ,er moment of indecision, then, brings us back to the discussion of the limitations of the human body. 3ove, it is true, can exist over great distances and without the lovers ever actually seeing each other, but this separation causes a fair amount of pain as well/a pain expressed in every 4" miss you5 that passes between lover1s lips. #o, while advances in technology allow for the increased communication despite physical separation, the sensation that something is missing from interactions where all parties are not physically present still persists. .hus, 3ain1s re0ection of 2iri1s transhuman evolution clearly states that these questions must be conclusively answered before the next step is taken. )oth Evangelion and Vandread, on the other hand, highlight the negative irrational emotions that exist not simply in imperfect human beings, but also in the foundation of the push towards transhuman evolution itself. As ,ibiki, the incorrigible

protagonist of the Vandread series, points out in the episode entitled 4.rust,5 4Fou guys Cthe 2arthlingsD are scared too. .hat1s why you list stupid reasons to convince yourself.5 2ssentially, what he is suggesting is that the 2arthlings1 drive for evolution exists out of fear and, perhaps even more importantly, logical 0ustification acts, to a large degree, merely as a facade covering up emotions one does not wish to face. "n episodes $& and $? of Evangelion, the mysterious "nstrumentality -ro0ect is brought to fruition. .he "nstrumentality -ro0ect, insofar as it can be discerned, appears to delineate a process through which a person is placed in a liminal, dream'like state and forced to confront his or her fears, doubts, and reservations about life until he or she discovers his or her own reason to live. #o, in other words, one1s emotions provide the raw material that reason subsequently shapes into a positive or negative outlook on life. As such, both series seem to suggest that emotion and logic share an inseparable bond and the motivation to continue living could not exist with one or the other. Alternative Evolution @endo "kari maintains that humans must evolve in order to survive. =ne wonders, however, if evolution on the scale of the "nstrumentality -ro0ect remains truly necessary after the destruction of the seventeenth and final Angel 8aoru. After all, even though the possibility of a future threat to humankind exists 6the most immediate one supposedly having 0ust been taken care of7, one would assume that humanity, even merely in its current form, can rise to the challenge and defeat this new foe like they did with the last. Admittedly, the human were relying on the advanced and not'quite' understood biotechnology that were the 2GAs, but that hardly differs from our current age, where our understanding of modern technology and even our own human bodies is

incomplete, to say the least. .he End of Evangelion, produced as an alternate ending to the series provides a different perspective to this dilemma, posing that humankind itself represents the greatest threat to humankind. .he action of the 2arthlings against their colonies in Vandread also appears to support this conclusion. ,owever, in spite of the need of humanity to protect itself from itself, these anime still contend that a transhuman evolution consists of the wrong way to go about doing so. .hus, to address this issue, each offers up alternative ideas for the continuation of evolution instead. "n all of these series, technology plays a significant role in their conceptions of evolution. .echnology/the manufacture and use of tools/remains an almost

exclusively human endeavor and plays a unique part in the progression of human history. Arguably, technology has 4evolved5 alongside, or perhaps even in place of, humanity for at least the past five thousand years. .he difference we find ourselves facing in modern times exists in the changing role of technology from an outside aid to something that may possibly constitute a part, or the whole, of ourselves. +ow, while it has been

demonstrated in Lain that human beings do not desire to lose their humanity if some form of fusion with technology were to occur, people cannot deny that further melding of technology with the human body possesses innumerable benefits. Moreover, the

development of new technologies opens up the possibility of new evolutions not directly embedded in the meshing of humans and technology. Vandread, especially, illustrates this idea through the use of complex spaceships for intergalactic travel and coloni9ation. And since new planets mean new potential for human adaptation and evolution, technology enables human beings to grow in other ways as well. At the outset of this essay, " contended that, perhaps for the first time in

their history, human beings are on the verge of being capable to enact their own evolution rather than waiting for the processes of nature to take their course. Moreover, since human beings are alone in their capacity to alter their surroundings and have done so with the aid of technology, it stands to reason that not only can humans bring about their own evolution, they have come to a point where they must do so. .he utili9ation of technology has tamed many of the natural forces that formerly provided the impetus for adaptation and evolution. As such, people are less likely to evolve in response to harsh environments because they can alter the environment to accommodate them better rather than adapt themselves to the rigors of their environment. #o, because the possibility of evolving unconsciously as a result of exposure to one1s environment has diminished, the next evolution must constitute a $ons$ious evolution. ,owever, as Masami 2iri maintains in 3ayer %$ of Lain, while 4,umans can evolve by themselves. "n order to do so, they have to know their actual structure.5 .his statement, in essence, sums up the entirety of the difficulties in representing and approving a transhuman evolution that Neon Genesis Evangelion, Serial Experiments Lain, and Vandread illustrate. .o know what a transhuman evolution is, to know

whether it constitutes an improvement to be desired or a degradation to be avoided, a true understanding of what it is to be human is necessary. ,uman beings remain far from understanding themselves/psychologically, physiologically, and philosophically.

,owever, the inherent human desire to improve one1s situation often leads people to press forward and attempt to advance without first gaining a complete comprehension of their current situation or questioning how they know their supposed advance truly represents a positive change. "t is likely that once human beings reali9e the destructive irrationality of

this impulse and learn to allow time for their understanding to catch up with their development, evolution will occur at a much faster pace. Moreover, it will only be at a point where human beings have truly reached their evolutionary potential and thus can be certain in their knowledge that they undeniably know what it means to be a human being that they can 0udge the desirability of a transhuman evolution. .his idea belies the true meaning contained in these three anime series: #low down, attempt first to understand yourself, then when you are sure about where you want to go, take the first step. ,owever, more importantly, do not forget to en0oy yourself and those around you along the way. After all, human beings have existed for a long time and it will most likely be even longer until they reach perfection. "n the meantime, heaven can wait.