Neon Genesis Evangelion

The villain of this long running Japanese animation franchise is Seele, a secret group of at least twelve prominent people referred to as the "Old Men." This secret organization, its origins shrouded in mystery, controls the United Nations and allegedly most of the world's governments. Seele's leader is Keel Lorenz, Seele 01. The group—only ever seen as numbered monoliths— first appears in episode 21. In the director's cut of episode 24 there is a scene in which 15 Seele monoliths are visible. This is the only instance where more than twelve are seen.

The crest of Seele has seven eyes drawn over an inverted triangle. The logo was changed for the movie series Rebuild of Evangelion with a snake curled around an apple between the seven eyes. The organization's motto, "Ueberm Sternenzelt richtet Gott, wie wir gerichtet", is a quote from the German poem "Ode to Joy," : "Above the starry-sky judges God, the way we judged".

Production materials for the series indicate that Seele was at some point referred to as the Essenes. The eyes and triangle have been long-standing symbols for deity, while the later introduction of the apple is reminiscent of the discordians. There is nothing masonic in the symbols or themes presented.

Based on a 1994-launched manga by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Neon Genesis Evangelion was written and directed by Hideaki Anno as a 26 episode television series,later recreated as—to date—seven feature length animated movies.

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