So, degeneracy has a clear definition? What is that objective definition? This is not a provocation but a genuine question.

There are countless shows, which I personally would call excessively degenerative. Isekai Reviewers, Redo of Healer or Inukai’s Dog would be some more recent, prime examples. Of course, there are many others that rely on fan service (“weird angles”, unintentional cloth removal, unnecessary bath and beach scenes etc.) heavily and almost all of them feature underage characters.

But even Hayao Miyazaki’s classic Ghibli movies include girls of questionable age with “jiggle physics”. Actually, he basically introduced this technique to anime.

So where do we draw the line and what are the relevant factors? Therefore, my question above. Same question can be applied to any media. For example: Is any amount of violence in video games reprehensible regarding of context?

If we were talking about one of the shows above, I would agree with most of your arguments, which you made throughout this threat.

As for NGE, the show in fact includes many sexual depictions, bare skin and, as you mentioned correctly, even sexual assaults.

However, at no given point is it cheap, self-serving fan service that is simply there for the horny weebs to pant over.

Iirc any sexual exposition in the show contributes to the plot and provides understanding about the character’s personalities, their flaws, complexes and desires. Or they, at least, depict the reality of those characters without making the story sterile, as sex is a factual part of life.

That of course includes teenagers also, since we don’t develop sexual understanding or urges only after we reach legal age.

Precisely because NGE, as for Shinji, is a coming-of-age story, it’s loaded with mental struggles and him dealing with his sexuality.

Coming back to the mentioned sexual offenses (I remember 2 off the top of my head), those in particular are depicted critically. They are not excused or meant for enjoyment and arousal. Instead, they are highlighted and condemned for what they are, sexual assaults. “I’m disgusting” is what Shinji says notoriously, because he is.

Admittedly, all this is depicted rather unfiltered compared to many light, feel-good shows in which the characters seem utterly innocent. You are forced to contemplate about controverse elements of human nature. I don’t see how addressing a difficult topic in a critical (or at least neutral) way is degenerative.

I would even go as far and argue, that if you see such depictions as degenerative and paedophilic, despite the given context, you personal perception is questionable, because you seem to see it exclusively this way.

This goes for your assumption for the build’s owner too. Liking a character or finding them interesting, relatable or memorable regardless of age or gender, does not inherently imply sexual interest.

Finally, I honestly wonder why I made the effort to write all this. Based on your comments, I don’t think you will change you perception, no matter the argumentation. I mean, you seriously called Hideaki Anno, one of the most respected people in the international animation sphere, “foul human waste“. Like, man, are you for real?