isabella.stehr - 2014-11-08 01:58:04

The pinnacle of my time watching anime.
Told with such power and emotion, Neon Genesis Evangelion is an experience that will stay with you to the grave.

zoey.stehr - 2014-03-28 19:46:26

What else is there to say?

This movie is basically about the human condition, our innate connections to one another. It's also a character study of the main character, explaining that all people suffer the same innert fears and sorrows. This is explained through the idea of Human Instrumentality, the merging of all human minds and souls into one entity, a living God composed of humanity itself. This is the final step in human evolution, and as you can see, is quite metaphysical and draws many paralelles between religious concepts (especially Hebrew mythos and jewish Quabbalah).

And of course, if you're not interested in quasi-religious conceptual symbolism used to explain and translate Freudian psychology, well, for those who prefer more visceral, there's also a hell of a lot of giant robot fighting ;)

The mecha genre is really the vehicle that this movie used to put across the ideas to a larger audience, and even those are not dumbed-down for typical wrestling-watching, beer-chugging westerner mentality like so many movie makers seem to feel they're required to do in order to sell. Nope, this is a movie that treats the audience with respect and doesn't tread them like an idiot. Instead, it challenges you to think, rather than sedate your mind with pointless candy-crap.
Because of the fact that it treats the audience as mature, thinking people, you need to give this movie a lot of thought in order to draw the most from it. Someone once told me that they found no character development in this movie and it's presceding series, and all I could do was laugh. In our culture, people are so used to having movies present their concepts and ideas on large silver platters and then shoved forceably down their throats with large dashings of cliche and trite, that it doesn't surprise me at all when someone becommes so numbed by this that they miss out the subtle, tactful elements that this movie relishes in.
A thinking man's anime. A movie for someone who wants to be entertained, and to be challenged. Enjoy.

blair.borer - 2013-11-12 03:01:11

You can't say you've watched Evangelion without watching End of Evangelion. The story comes to a pompuos, controversial and traumatizing conclusion in this movie that is a masterpiece in it's own right.

glind - 2013-10-21 01:49:43

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion - Spoiler-free review

You probably have a ton of questions after finishing the original Neon Genesis Evangelion, such as, what will happen to Asuka now? or What kind of ending was that? or Will Shinji ever stop being a pussy? The End of Evangelion movie will answer all questions left unanswered in the show, give you a proper ending, (not really) and give you the biggest case of Mindfuck in anime history.

Story: 9/10
Complex is not enough to describe The End of Evangelion. After watching this movie, you'll probably ask yourself "What the hell did I just watch?" Understanding The End of Evangelion will take more than just watching it once. You have to have background knowledge of the show and have to understand the science of Evangelions. And because it's so complex, the story is so good. (at least in my opinion it is) You learn new things by rewatching it and see what you didn't see the first time around and make your own theories of what just happened. And because of this, it's hard to get tired of rewatching The End of Evangelion. And one more thing, there are different opinions about the movie's ending, some say it's a work of art, and others say that Anno, Hideaki (the creator of the Evangelion series) just took and dump and threw it in the end of the movie. But it all really depends on your personal taste. I honestly think the ending was not that good, but it fits well with The End of Evangelion.

Art/Animation: 10/10
If there was one word that described the animation it's that it's beautiful. The animation is absolutely flawless and is consistent unlike the original series. Never have Evangelions look so powerful while fighting. Never Have explosions and destruction looked so artistic. Never have enemy's bones being crushed and their blood being splattered looked so graceful, or maybe that's just my twisted taste. But I'm not exaggerating when I say the animation is absolutely phenomenal.

Sound: 10/10
The soundtrack was fantastic. There are quite a few soundtracks in the movie and boy do they sound damn good. And without doubt, it's one of the most memorable soundtracks I've ever heard. The soundtracks consist of violins, pianos and actual singing. And although the soundtrack may sound a little off at times, it perfectly matches with the situations and scenes. For example, the song "Komm, susser Tod" AKA, "Come on, sweet death" (the one that goes "Tumbling down, Tumbling down, Tumbling down") may sound a bit weird during it's scene, but it watches really well because of the lyrics.

Characters: 10/10
If it's one thing I really love about Evangelion, it's the characters. Even if the characters are sometimes a bit annoying *cough* Shinji *cough* Asuka *cough* they are still amazing characters with different and quite personalities. What I love about the characters are that most of them have their own story to tell and the struggles they have to reach their goals. The End of Evangelion movie has all that and improves upon it. More characters receive development and growth especially Shinji. Despite me losing most of my respect for Shinji, due to the first couple minutes in the movie where Shinji was in the hospital doing god knows what, (those watched it know what I'm talking about) his resolution and growth makes him an amazing character. But then again, who had respect for Shinji anyway? Even characters like Rei Ayanami the mute and Gendo Ikari who was such a great father throughout the series (sarcasm) received a bit of character development. The characters in the Evangelion series are one of the best I've seen so far in anime.

Enjoyment: 8/10
I enjoy almost everything in The End of Evangelion. It had jaw-dropping action scenes, mind-blowing events, fantastic characters, and resolution. I'm not trying to be bias, even though I might sound like I am, but The End of Evangelion is one of the best anime films I've ever seen. The only things I didn't enjoy was how confusing it was to me after watching it. But after watching it a few more times, I learned new things and liked the movie even more. Never have I like the mecha genre so much after watch the Evangelion series.

Overall, The End of Evangelion is a movie you mustn't miss. If you like over the top action, memorable characters, and like to use your brain, check this movie out 'cause it's definitely for you. I do warn you that this movie is pretty bloody and filled with gore and has nudity so I don't recommend watching this with your family, so watch this alone, unless you're too much of a pussy like Shinji and need someone to always comfort you. I'm ohhenry2 and I give Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion, an amazing 9/10.

drake.mosciski - 2013-09-18 05:06:01

Critic's Log: Earthdate - May 21, 2012. Review #5: Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End Of Evangelion

If you have read my review of Neon Genesis Evangelion (The TV Series) and its movie Death and Rebirth, Well this is it. This is the big one. This is THE END OF EVANGELION.

This is the movie that either replaces the ending entirely, it can also be viewed as an alternate ending, and it can also be viewed alongside the final 2 episodes of the show, which I pretend it doesn't exist. This was a highly anticipated anime feature film for its time and the experience is unforgettable. Either you were mesmerized by its visuals, or you absolutely loathed its Artistic approach. Either way, this is a love/hate type of series. Here is The End of Evangelion.

Third Impact has been prevented and the planet is saved. NERV unexpectedly finds itself under attack. Gendo starts to set up his main goal, and SEELE launches a massive raid towards Tokyo-3 in order to conclude their main goal at any cost. NERV must now fight its most fearsome opponent: Humanity itself.

I apologize if this is slightly spoilerific, but that was just a little plot summary for this review concerning this movie. If there's anything I should warn you about, there is an off-screen masturbation scene right in the first 2 or 3 minutes of the film.

Congratulations Anno-san! You just disturbed your viewers in the first couple of minutes of the film.

To be technical. This is a Gainax production and they really made quite the impression for most people. The first half is very good. The spectacular action scenes present from the TV show go full force and all out in this first half. Asuka rising from the lake was the most epic action scene in the series. This leads into a gut wrenching twist of events during the last 10 minutes of the first half and hell is starting to break loose. The second half starts out nicely until Shinji gives up. After Shinji gives up, we are given philosophical, metaphorical, artistic, and ambiguous imagery and dialogue for the next 10 minutes until Third Impact begins. The human race appears to be raptured and then we get a glimpse of a really odd but interesting live-action scene of the film, I kind of understand the reason for the live-action clip but the meaning is a bit ambiguous. After the live-action scene, we finally start seeing the series wrap up into a somewhat interesting set up for the final scene.

If you wonder why I am not mentioning much detail about all this. Because this is another mindboggling mind frag ending filled in with this philosophical psychological metaphorical mindboggling IMAGERY that is a bit hard to decipher which makes this ending a bit ambiguous just like the TV show's ending, but more visual. The Final Scene is both hard to accept and is ambiguous. Shinji and Asuka are the only ones left in the world (how Asuka came back is hinted a little bit before the final scene, but still confusing) Shinji decides to strangle Asuka and then he starts breaking down, and that is how Neon Genesis Evangelion ends. The ending sure has a lot to chew on, but I can't say the second half's story isn't much since all the imagery makes the story hard to analyze.

The animation in this movie is a huge upgrade to the show. It looks twice as better than the show and the obvious reason is that the movie has a bigger budget than the TV show (which had a hard time keeping up with the budget). It is done well for its time, and the action scenes are spectacular in this movie. Gainax really went balls to the wall in 1997 and this movie proved it by then.

The live action scene was a ballsy approach, but I don't know how that would help the movie in any means.

When it comes to voice acting, The Japanese cast goes all out here. They have reached their peak with the characters in this movie. The English dub is nowhere at the same level. The dub is below hit and miss than the TV Show. I have watched this movie both dubbed and subtitled. I did not enjoy the dubbed version that much.

I also have something technical to bring up in this movie regarding language tracks, there is a cartoonish sound effect added in the dub in some scenes. It added nothing to the movie and it felt out of place. ADR Director Amanda Winn-Lee (who was the voice of Rei in the Original series and this movie) thought it would be a good idea to add this cartoonish sound effect, I could not accept this at all. If you want to know what sound effect I'm talking about, find the scene where Misato kills a JSSDF soldier in the first half of the movie. Also, some sound effects that came from the Evangelions also are different in the dub. Fine by me... But Manga Entertainment sure had the balls to include all that in the 5.1 Japanese audio track and leave the Stereo 2.0 Track with the original sound effects intact with no additions so forth. I am not kidding, compare the 5.1 and 2.0 Japanese tracks and hear it for yourself. I was a bit cheated by Manga Entertainment with their treatment of this movie.

The music by Shiro Sagisu is haunting and mesmerizing on most notes. It really fit the atmosphere of the movie. Komm, Susser Todd was a really interesting one to hear, because when the world starts, we hear a happy sounding catchy tune that is about suicide. The music is great during its first half and great during its mindfuck of a second half.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End Of Evangelion was availiable by Manga Entertainment and is out of print.

With all that said, The End of Evangelion is a visual feast. But it is not everyone's cup of tea. There are some things to like and some things not to like. When it comes to Evangelion. It is an anime that gives you a kind of feeling that can go in different ways, some will say it is awesome, some would say it is brilliant. Some people will love it, some people will hate it. All I can say is that this anime is ambitious and unique. It is ambitious that it puts in Action, Philosophy, Psychological intrigue, religious symbolism, and metaphors. It is unique that they tie in these elements and put them in with the relationships of these characters. This show is not all about giant robots, or action. It's about these characters that go through a lot of things and the show really displays that humans are fragile, whether it's mentally or physically. This is probably a safe bet that that is series' biggest strength, its weakness is probably that it has too much ambition. Is this an anime that will interest you into a psychology class? Maybe. Is this anime the greatest ever made? Not at all, I don't think it is worthy of being graded a 10 out of 10. Is this anime overrated? Yes, but I don't think it's terrible. I like it. I have already said this in my review of the TV show. This was my real gateway to anime, Pokémon was the first, but that was an Americanized version and I don't think it really counts much. This pretty much wraps up my trilogy of reviews of the Classic Neon Genesis Evangelion series from The TV show to the movie conclusion. I will review the remakes sometime in the future.

I give Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion a 8.5 out of 10. It is EXCELLENT!

Feel free to leave a comment and shine like a legend.

cummings.addison - 2013-08-30 01:51:10

Is this a ridiculously naval-gazing review about Evangelion? Yes. Is it an accurate assessment of the franchise as a whole? I have no idea. I tackled the this as an unknown. Which is part of the reason why I’ve been a little hesitant about even posting this to begin with. It seems everybody already has their opinion on Evangelion all figured out, so at least indulge me, as I scramble around for something.

The End of Evangelion is a certainly a gratifying conclusion, as we finally get to see a lot of those earlier veiled details become clearer (well, as much as one could reasonably hope for). It also reminds us of some long-standing questions. Why do the Evangelion possess such a bizarre tendency to be ill-suited for battle? How do NERV’s continue to run unabated from governing bodies? What exactly is the mystery surrounding the origin of the Geofront? These were all broad strokes of why I felt unsatisfied by the original conclusion, and though I don’t expect every minor detail to be answered about such a multi-faceted world, I still feel these were questions pertinent enough to have been resolved in some fashion. Now I’m a little more aware of the troubled events leading up to that ending and it’s quite admirable that they managed to deliver something, despite the haphazard nature of those final two episodes.

It’s clear that End of Evangelion intends to underline the original series from the start, dropping us back at the critical juncture where episode 24 had left us. Even if one could feasibly state that we reach the same point after EOE, I’d argue that we inhabit a vastly different head-space by the time we reach it here. It’s not difficult to surmise what happens between the gaps left between the final two episodes, though everything is lent much more credence, now that we are left to witness the ramifications of what the entire series has been building towards. NERV headquarters is finally attacked by SEELE, and with this, we finally see the bloody climax. Now free to depict the attack in full detail, the opening half is certainly full of action and excess, though far from mindless, with only the most unflinching of viewers, likely to derive any sort of baseless pleasure from these scenes. The various lingering shots of deaths sit uncomfortably here, but nonetheless punctuate the finality of it all. As cold as the NERV headquarters is, it’s still disconcerting to see such a familiar setting being callously destroyed in a matter of minutes, along with everyone inside. The conflict has essentially existed as a faceless one; it’s a war being played out by the pawns, and here we see the severity first-hand.

Everything is crumbling, and so are the pilots. Shinji is in no fit state, evidenced by his own bemusement over his actions towards a comatose Asuka. It may be shocking, and his actions are far from admirable, but given the context, it’s hardly surprising. After all, his confidence had been built up; only to be meticulously broken the instant Kaworu reared his head. This compounded with his earlier apprehensions after Toji’s departure, and his various disingenuous relationships, leaves his mental state in tatters. He had begun the series with an overriding sense of hate and self-loathing; which had now given way to complete apathy. “I’m so fucked up” seems to ring more an acknowledgement, than it does a realization.

Like Shinji, Asuka too has succumbed to her trauma, but on a much more literal scale, being broken in both mind and body. They are two characters that are seemingly analogous to one another. But again, first appearances can be deceiving, as by the point of Asuka’s introduction, we are already keenly aware of Shinji’s nature. Meanwhile, Asuka is brash and outspoken, embracing her identity as a designated hero, rather than cowering behind it. How they choose to define themselves is different, but the underlying reasons are gradually revealed to quite similar. Both driven by an inherent self-loathing, we witness the pair at varying levels of despondency, though rarely at the same time. In fact, for as consistent as emotional turmoil is through NGE, it is rarely overt, leaving most characters to wallow in their own abject misery. Almost everything operates on a certain level on duplicity, some of which, admittedly, isn’t apparent upon first viewing.

Rei is ostensibly disconnected from the very beginning, though that makes the act of attempting to interpret the character, quite difficult. Very little is revealed about her, and most of the development is concerned with what she is, rather than what she does. Her role is pivotal to the overall narrative, and the themes being explored, as she is, by design, a doll that emotes. Which I guess is where her appeal lies. The mystery intrinsic to the character is never completely done away with, even at the very end. And the case could be made if the third Rei incarnation is even the same character that we’d become accustomed to, as her eventual rejection of instrumentality is a stark contrast to the cold pragmatist that bookended the TV series.

All of which (in keeping with tradition), means the imminent attack is at the worst possible time, with each pilot being indisposed. The first big sequence, the NERV attack, is a veritable massacre. Everyone’s fates are conclusively played out, whilst the Evangelion become the focal point, 01 is promptly captured, whilst 02 (along with Asuka) is sunk to the bottom of the lake. This leaves Misato to attempt to galvanize an unstable Shinji. It’s kind of galling to see Shinji act so despondently in the face of her imminent death, though his selfishness probably obscures that fact until it’s too late. For me, Katsuragi is probably the most well-meaning of the entire cast, but tragically, is someone woefully inept of providing the emotional support that others around her need. Her own foils are clear to see, and although many of her problems are often emphasized for comic affect, she is still one of the few who straddles the line between her duties and profession life, perhaps the most convincingly. Like most other characters, she serves as juxtaposition to Shinji’s own conflict, and highlights how everyone is dealing with their own issues, just with varying levels of inadequacy. Her final actions echo her previous (failed) attempt at comforting Shinji, with her own loneliness giving way to fleeting intimacy.

Everything hits a crescendo once the Evangelion finally make their appearance, quite literally. Asuka awakens, and with it, her centrepiece battle takes place. I’m sure that it isn’t really something that I need to go into exacting detail about, because the following scene is enduring all by itself. Though it is notable as a culmination of the various elements all coming together, the music, the animation, the story. This is where EOE leverage’s its theatrical status for all its worth, eschewing the patchwork TV ending in favour of something grander.

As previously mentioned, the actions scenes are often impressive and horrifying in equal measure, and there is probably no greater proof than here. Asuka’s death is certainly disturbing, and much of that is down to how they chose to portray that violence. For me, it recalled earlier moments, where the Eldritch Abomination status of the Evangelion had been evoked. These moments give the audience a brief pause for thought, where much is suggested of how horrifying their (The Evangelion) unshackled nature truly is. The unease which these moments produce, suggest that something is terribly untoward. Most of which is conveyed in how we (the audience) see others react, gleaning what we can from cutaway shots of onlookers recoiling in horror. If recollections of Unit O1’s previous ‘feast’ already served to perturb, then this surely toys with our imagination, yet further. We only see Unit 02 being devoured, and now knowing what we do about the distinctly human aspect of the Evangelion, the horror of Asuka’s fate here now inhabits an altogether more unsettling space.

I made a quick reference to the original series ending after watching it, and although I did appreciate it, I was suitably invested to the point where the abrupt ending didn’t wholly satisfy me. It was nice to see Shinji’s own paradigm being settled, but I felt like it would have been more effective with a little more of that ambiguity stripped away. For as much as Evangelion likes to steep itself in duplicity, this is where it’s felt like it was something of a compromise.

The inner turmoil was my key takeaway from the work as a whole; it forms the crux of every relationship, and dictates the course of every action. It’s a lonely show, something which if not apparent from the get-go, slowly permeates throughout the narrative. Shinji is an initially an awkward character to relate to, bumbling his way through his scenes, though much of this weak nature is revealed to be a product of his environment. The world in which this all takes place is irreparably damaged, and even if the true extent of the second impact isn’t made expressly clear, it becomes quite apparent that humanity lives on in its own self-inflicted dystopia.

It is this inherent contradiction that defines nearly every relationship, as each is unwilling (or unable) to acknowledge their true feelings. It is ultimately a self-destructive existence for the likes of Shinji, who permeates multiple meanings to his interactions with people, the paradoxical nature of which is explored in the conflict that defines the multiple endings.

Shinji is our proxy, but even so, it can be difficult to empathize with him. A hero he may be, but it’s a role which he consistently questions, as he exhibits almost none of the values we typically associate with one. He ostensibly comes of age throughout the series, gradually gaining some semblance of self-worth, though it a precarious act as he constantly seeks assurance from his father, and later anyone (which becomes something that Asuka resents him for). No character is treated like a proverbial puppet more than Shinji. In fact, it is SEELE themselves, who objective turns out to ultimately “break” Shinji, rendering his ego to naught. For all intents and purposes, it could be argued that the whole world is literally against him, at least by his own perceptions. His relationship is Asuka is extremely strained, initially showing hints of affection, though their hilariously depressing kiss encapsulates this dichotomy. Neither the circumstances (nor the characters) allowing for anything to take place. Even the slight reprieve offered in the finale (Asuka’s acknowledgement) is obfuscated by the context in which it’s delivered.

Shinji’s journey dictates the ending, first in the original series, where his perspective colours the ambiguity, from which we see the fallout. Thematically this works (and I can see why some may prefer the agency it gives the audience), though I feel that the abstract nature of this ending, robs it of some emotional resonance. This conclusion is also hampered (at least for me) in how abrupt it is, with certain story threads left dangling. In my opinion, End of Evangelion gives a much more balanced and subjective conclusion, where we see first-hand “The Human Instrumentality Project” in effect. I was suitably invested to the point where I wished to see how the end was reached, and of course, see something that wasn’t cobbled together with recycled animation! I can certainly appreciate the original ending as a companion piece, which serves as a more personal and intimate resolution. But the fact remains, a lot of the fascination surely lies with how incomplete this all feels, with each finale, seemingly answering as many questions as they raise.

That said, I find that both endings offer up a surprisingly optimistic message. The original may be more overtly upbeat, but I think that EOE’s is lent more credence by virtue of the horror that precedes it. The life affirming message is delivered in the most tragic of circumstances, and I perhaps find that most heartening of all. By no means does End of Evangelion end on a positive note, but I think it’s enough that it carries the promise of one. The somber sentiment may be more prevalent for some, though my rebuttal would point to the fact that, for as depraved and unethical the means may be, everyone ultimately wants to be happy. Daw!

There is something to be said about the apparent Theology that makes up a large part of Evangelion, and even if it has no real implication beyond the aesthetic (those initial warnings still rings true in my mind), I still feel that its prominence casts a large shadow over proceedings. If nothing else, it certainly lends a morbid atmosphere to the show. When one starts to take this apsect into closer consideration, it’s easy to see why theory regarding Evangelion has become so prevalent.

One of the constants throughout is the titular Evangelion. Though they remain a focal part, their function, both narratively and thematically, are constantly shifting. Initially agents of change, they are presented as a mysterious, if helpful force. Gradually this is peeled back, as various allusions are made to what they actually are. Throughout, we see how their pilots are affected by their experiences in their cockpits. Shinji is continually drawn and repulsed by the idea of piloting his Evangelion, seeing it as a means to forge something meaningful, whilst at the time, also aware of how dependant he becomes of his new role. Rei is driven by a sense of twisted duty, one which routinely sees her sacrificing herself (needlessly) for the cause. And Asuka perceives her role as raison d’être to obfuscate her own past, which is both a strength and a weakness. For better or worse, the Evangelion define them, and as the story progresses, we see that this takes on altogether more sinister connotations.

When viewed as an allegory, I think Evangelion holds multiple meanings, depending on what part is being referred to, or indeed who is viewing it. My initial impressions were pretty much taking it at face-value, though I think the misdirection of the opening is a deliberate ploy for the most part. I’ve read that some take it as a deconstruction of the very genre it inhabits, though not having much experience with that myself, I choose to focus solely on the emotional aspects. Indeed, the psychological (and philosophical) strands become much more prominent as the series progresses, as it steadily veers into becoming a wholly oblique affair. Humanity may live on, but in spite of itself; something which is made abundantly clear, throughout.

In Summary:

Though its message initially seems quite muddled, I still feel it one that still manges to remain pertinent . I certainly can’t fault it for ambition. And there is something to be said about a piece of work that I simultaneously feel, is one of the most bleak and uplifting things I have witnessed, flawed or not.

I appreciate the themes that it chooses to explore. I like the characters, even in spite of everyone being contemptible in some glaring way. And in that respect, this series is nothing, if not a parade of characters struggling to deal with their emotions. But maybe that’s why I like it amidst all the abstract craziness; it retains a very human message.

armando11 - 2013-08-11 21:10:46

Let me start this off by saying this, if you haven't seen the original 26 episode Neon Genesis Evangelion, please go do that now, this movie is meant to be a replacement of the lackluster final two episodes of the TV series, and its a damn good one.

Evangelion in a whole is a strange masterpiece, when the original show aired, budgets were low and so was the time they needed make the show that they wanted. And you can tell that they knew about these problems long before the end of it because there are parts of the show where you can see them cutting corners and starting to include fanservice to keep people interested. And when they finally got to the final two episodes, all animation quality went out the window. But even so, the show made much more than its budget back and fans loved it, so Anno was finally able to make what he really wanted his ending to be, and thus, End of Evangelion was born.

The movie is split into two parts, as if to further push the face that it is to replace the last two TV episodes, the first half is mostly setup and happens in the real world, but after the halfway mark, things start getting really good, and mindf***ks then ensue. A lot of the second half takes place in Shinji's mind, so its a lot like the final two TV episodes except that things aren't drawn with markers and there is no slice of life school parody. And by the end, your'e left with some questions, but there's nothing a good rewatch and some deep thinking can't answer really.

As far as animation, every second of this movie is beautiful, and (thank god) no corners are cut when it comes to visuals. One of the best examples of the great animation is a fight scene with an almost psychopathic Asuka fighting a ton of mass produced evangelions, and kicking total ass while she does it. And the soundtrack compliments the movie so well, and I can listen to pretty much all of it and enjoy it on its own.

Overall, this movie is an almost perfect retelling of the final two episodes of Evangelion, and it's a movie that will keep you thinking about it for months on end. I highly reeccomend it, but only if you have seen the original series.

kuhlman.benjamin - 2013-07-09 01:02:12

You've made it to the final lap. You've finally cleared 24 episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion then you continue on the sprint of the 25th and 26th episodes. Maybe you were disappointed at the original TV series execution and maybe you were fascinated with what they had to offer you at the time. Suddenly, you heard of a re-do of it's ending and it's done properly? This is what End of Evangelion is, it was the reanimation of the ending sequences to Neon Genesis Evangelion with a bigger budget and even spectacular ending. This 87 minute film instantly became a cult classic for it's far too controversial for it's own good ending. Nevertheless, it would be this same controversy would cements it's place in the greatest endings ever hall of fame. This is my (mostly spoiler free) review of Neon Genesis Evangelion: End of Evangelion.

Story

I'll give a brief description of what Neon Genesis Evangelion is all about to bring you up to speed however if you're here reading this review, you should not probably be here reading this instead find yourself a review from the main series and garner your opinion from that. Neon Genesis is a sci-fi mecha action series in which revolves around the organization NERV attempts at destroying enemies known as Angels. At it's core, the show is psychological in it's nature and focuses on it's characters dearly. The main protagonist, Shinji is one of the pilots for NERV's method of warfare, the Evangelions, or Evas for short. The angels are eventually defeated but who knew tragedy would befall everyone? The film continues from the point the angels are defeated and magic takes place.

The film is comprised of two parts and acts as separates episodes. Episode 25': Love is Destructive picks up from where all the angels are defeated and NERV is attacked by SEELE in an attempt for their plan to come to fruition. Episode 26': "ONE MORE FINAL: I need you" entails Shinji's face to face encounter with Lilith a.k.a Giant Naked Rei and his decision which will affect mankind forever.

It's easy to follow what is going on in the screen however for some scenes, as the show is known for, will leave you raging in confusion and going what the fuck. The ending sequence which ran for a good 20 - 30 minute will more than likely fly straight over your head and by the end of it, you will likely ask yourself "What the fuck did I just watch?". I'll be honest I don't fully understand all the philosophy and imagery contained in this film but I understand enough to know only some of what Hideaki Anno was trying to bring out. As is it is important to note for every Evangelion review, it's reason for success, Hideaki Anno, was undergoing rather depressing and tragic times in his life. This is to say, the depressive feeling, the claustrophobic atmosphere, the sheer confusion at what is happened which this film may give you is in fact amplified by Hideaki's condition at the time. If he was in a better mindset, then you would have had a more stable conclusion to the Neon Genesis Evangelion epic. Never fear however for this is what he attempts in his recent rebuild of the Evangelion series, he is now in a right frame of mind and ready to give another take on the Evangelion franchise. You can have an idea of what his work there is like if you read my review for the second film here: http://hummingbird.me/anime/evangelion-2-0-you-can-not-advance/reviews/2708

Animation & Sound

End of Evangelion is a step above the original TV series in terms of animation. The musical pieces is what you expect. The action scenes in the movie are done well, very well. The fight between Asuka and the SEELE EVAs is the stuff of legends, it's a particular scene you would always remember about a show especially the outcome of it. I won't be spoiling it for you however it makes sure to leave it's impact on you. The animation for the fight scenes are actually slightly different in comparison to the TV series where the EVAs move humanly. The original did not fail to present it's Eva's in pristine shape and animation but EoE highlighted its edge above it through its noticeable edge in animation. The fight scenes are of course accompanied by the music it's known for. Some of the best scenes in this film however are enacted in total silence. Proof for this is the opening scene of End of Evangelion, where Shinji masturbates over a comatose Asuka. I know I said no spoilers but this revolutionary scene needs a mention. It's the particular kind of scene which outlines just what kind of ride you're in for and boy what a ride it was. I must give the voice actors of the characters mention as for some scenes, they did a great job at pulling off the varied emotions their characters will show. As everyone in this film may or may not be in a bit of emotional/physical pain, this was done well to portray it.

The ending sequence of the film is both a visual and a audible spectacle. It must have taken a great amount of time to pull this off, contrary to those who thought the creators just splashed images for imagery's sake. I applaud them for the job they did on this film, it was a great step above the original in every way.

Character

Neon Genesis would be nothing about the cast of characters it introduced to us as viewers. End of Evangelion is the fruition of all the turmoil these characters were put through since the beginning. Shinji Ikari, our boy wonder has himself stuck in perpetual depression and his old habit of running away is getting the best of him. He even highlights this low point in his life when he admits "He's so fucked up" when he masturbates off Asuka. I'd say he was just blowing off some steam and sexual tension he's built from all the bickering with Asuka but that's just me, it truly was fucked up. By the end of the film, he matures to the point where he realizes he's not alone and in order to enjoy the life he so clings to, he must endure the pain and joy it brings, to carry on and deal with others around him. His character is not one that's tragic nor is a bed of roses, but a bad childhood and emotional issues that emerge from this on top of puberty makes for an interesting combination. End of Evangelion saw through his transformation from a boy to a somewhat mature young man since well, he was prepared to run away from all the pains and troubles of life. Asuka is essentially a wreck at the beginning of this film however she recovers and engages in the fight of her life. Like Shinji, she too matures exponentially which is funny since all development in this film is in the face of peril, despair and destruction. However it is this development and determination to survive that will allow such characters to cling to life when the opportunity presents itself.

Rei was the key into Gendo's plans for the Third Impact but she ultimately rejects him in order to fulfill her purpose. Rei becomes a God figure and is mainly the source of the mind bleach which occurs in the film.

The rest of the cast performs excellently and had their final resolves and determination written all over their face. Especially Misato, her act of bravery was one which left an impression on me. She expressed a range of emotion that she did not show during the earlier episodes and in her case this showed major development.

To top it off, the characters were drove the story in this film forward. Their moral choices and development paid off. EoE was a move in the right direction and engrossing depiction through it's characters. I could go much longer but I wouldn't want to go on much more without spoiling the plot for this movie.

Conclusion

End of Evangelion is something which will be heralded through the passages of time. It was the end product of Hideaki Anno and his band of merry men's hard work. It was the glorious finale to the Neon Genesis Evangelion series. It was the depiction of Anno's ending in the way he first envisioned it. For some the original pales in comparison, for others the rebuilds are even better but who can say for sure that they can beat End of Evangelion in terms of quality and sheer scope in creativity? The very ending can turn off many because of the sheer amount of questions you have to ask yourself when it's finished. This is a plus for some as it allows them to further engross themselves into the story and find the real answer for some of the things that were happening. End of Evangelion may not be for you if you are very sensitive to it's content. In true Evangelion fashion, it is cruel and gruesome and it doesn't hold back. If you can stomach this then you're welcome to treat yourself to the spectacle that is End of Evangelion.

I give End of Evangelion, a 9/10.

maryam.rempel - 2013-05-18 10:39:36

"End of Evangelion" provides an alternative ending to replace those crappy two final episodes of the Evangelion series. This starts where the recap part of the previous movie "Death and Rebirth" ended, repeats the second part of that movie and then continues on where it left off.First of all, I think the repeat of the whole of the second half of the "Death and Rebirth" is unnecessary - that's a whole half hour of stuff that I've already seen. Most other people appear to have penalised "Death and Rebirth" for it, but I've chosen to take marks off "End of Evangelion" instead, as this is the later film, and is therefore the one that does the actual repeating. I guess that an argument can be made that the inclusion of the second half of "Death and Rebirth" is for the purpose of completeness, but it still feels like a cock up to me, as though they forced this into a movie when they didn't have enough new material to make a full length one, so made up the difference by repeating what's already been shown before.Anyway, the second part of "End of Evangelion" continues straight on from where "Death and Rebirth" ended. This segment has much of the same feel as the first part, except it's better. Like the first part, it's a compelling watch and the execution is sublime. The music production is especially good, and I remember one track in particular. It's a poppy, upbeat song featuring sweet-sounding female vocals... the catch is that the song is called "Komm, Susser Tod" - German for "Come, Sweet Death" - its lyrics tells the story of someone about to commit suicide, and it gets played prominently during some apocalyptic scenes. The result is a fabulous cognitive dissonance effect that somehow makes the scene oddly powerful, memorable, and utterly brilliant. Also like with the first part of this movie, I feel there are a couple of scenes that are there for no other reason than being shocking and disturbing, and I'm not entirely convinced they are consistent with the existing personalities previously shown by the characters. But to be honest, this is a small gripe as the excitement rose to new heights and I became totally absorbed with the show......and then it all went weird again in the third part. Watched it once, didn't understand it. Watched it again with the commentary track switched on. With the help of the commentary, I was able to understand it a bit better, and appreciated more of the subtle symbolisms that went past me the first time. But still, it didn't all make sense, and in fact there are parts that even the people doing the commentary admitted they had no clue about - and they are staff on the actual movie for God's sake. There's some parts that just seems to be completely unexplained, and other parts where I probably didn't understand due to my ignorance of religion related lore. I've never heard of things like the tree of life and the 7 eyes of God (phrases I just picked off the commentary), let alone know what these are supposed mean in the context of the anime. I don't think I'll go studying the bible intensively just for the sake of understanding this - my patience for this franchise is at an end. There's even a scene showing some letters praising/threatening the director, which is really starting to take the piss. What's the hell is all that about? Maybe he should start telling us his blood type and shoe size next?!If you're into abstract stuff with lots of symbolisms and room for philosophical interpretation, then this is definitely one for you. But for me, it was good, but no more than that. Weirdly enough, out of the original series, "Death and Rebirth" and "End of Evangelion", I actually liked "Death and Rebirth" the most - it's the only piece of work that didn't piss me off at some point.

laura.gulgowski - 2013-03-31 18:29:37

Review 2 of 3, regarding Neon Genesis Evangelion.Story - 9/10The -TRUE- Episode 25 and 26 of the hit series Neon Genesis Evangelion.NERV is under attack by not Angels, but by fellow Mankind!Will NERV survive and prevent 3rd Impact? Will Shinji WATCH AND FIND OUT. :)Art/Animation - 8/10The animation is pretty much nice like the TV series. Nothing too special or noteworthy. A few nice visuals and the like. Standard GAINAX animation.Sound - 9/10I loved the ED song for Episode 25. I just loved it. Otherwise, it was very "epic", I suppose is the correct word for it. Character - 10/10So much character development, I don't know where to begin! We see Rei, Shinji, Misato, Asuka, the whole cast and crew develop as the popular series comes to a close. Enjoyment - 10/10I enjoyed every minute of the true finale. I have to say, it was a fun - yet angsty series. I appreciate the work Anno put into this series and look forward to seeing the future Eva projects in progress.Overall, the NGE - End of Evangelion gets a 9/10.