"Rei II", also known by the Japanese title is the sixth episode of the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, which was created by Gainax. "Rei II" was written by Hideaki Anno and Akio Satsukawa and directed by Hiroyuki Ishido. The series is set fifteen years after a worldwide cataclysm named Second Impact, and is mostly set in the futuristic, fortified fictional city of Tokyo-3. The episode's protagonist is teenage boy Shinji Ikari, who is recruited by his father Gendo to the organization Nerv to pilot a bio-machine mecha named Evangelion against beings called Angels. In the episode, Shinji must annihilate the fifth Angel Ramiel, who is able to destroy every enemy in its vicinity with an accelerated particles cannon. A plan called Operation Yashima is worked out, which involves Shinji shooting Ramiel from a distance with a Positron Rifle. Production of the sixth episode took place simultaneously with the fifth, "Rei I", before the third, "A Transfer" and the fourth, "Hedgehog's Dilemma". The final scene, in which female pilot Rei Ayanami smiles at Shinji, has been described by staff and critics as the end of Evangelion's grand narrative. "Rei II" first aired on TV Tokyo on November 8, 1995, and scored a 7.7% rating audience share on Japanese TV. The episode was positively received by critics, who praised the interpretation of the Japanese voice actors, the deepening of the relationship between Shinji and Rei, and the realism of Operation Yashima. The Operation entered Japanese popular culture, being referenced on other shows. Merchandise based on the episode was also released. Plot Shinji Ikari, the pilot of the giant mecha Evangelion, is attacked and damaged by Ramiel, the fifth of a series of enemies known as Angels. His Evangelion Unit-01 is recovered and Shinji is rescued and hospitalized. The Angel then settles over the headquarters of the special agency Nerv and began to drill the land to reach it, destroying every enemy that approaches with a particle cannon. While Shinji is recovering, Nerv's Major, Misato Katsuragi, comes up with a plan named Operation Yashima: to destroy Ramiel with a positron beam rifle, fired from outside Ramiel's attack zone. For the plan, the rifle must be able to withstand a high amount of electric energy, and is determined that it needs power from the whole Japan. While the countdown for the shooting is starting, Ramiel starts to charge to attack the Evangelion and shoots