Ranked #172

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion

After watching the final episodes of the original Evangelion series, I was really baffled. What happened? I understood that it all took place in Shinji's mind, but that's about it. Where was the ending? What really happened?

Those answers are provided by End of Evangelion. We get an alternate retelling of the two last episodes, outside Shinji's mind. From the awakening of Lilith to the result of the Instrumentality, we get to see it all. Of course, there's a lot of moments which are confusing (this is Evangelion, after all), but you kinda get a better understanding of everything that happened. Oh, and for the sake of your well-being, remember that the age rating *is* 17+. There are some really gross scenes in this movie (but that's all I can tell you without spoiling too much).

Also, kudos to the animation in this one. I've always enjoyed Evangelion's animation, everything's just really neat, and incredibly flawless, and it stands off as good even today. The same goes for End of Evangelion. Nice animation, and I really like the effects appearing when the Eva series are invoking the Third Impact. I was a bit surprised that they suddenly decided put in real-life clips. For what reason they did it, I don't know, but for me, it certainly had its positive effects.

One thing I've also always enjoyed about Evangelion (it's a lot), is the music. Music often portrays the mood very well, so much that you can often only by listening to the song get a picture of the current mood. However, the music they use in Evangelion often goes the opposite way and make a great contrast to the events unfolding. This, however, only strengthens the mood more than any song portraying the mood in a normal way would do. Not to mention that the songs they used in End of Evangelion are great as stand-alone music as well.

Evangelion is a psychological anime, and the characters are and behave thusly. They're all traumatized, or have some kind of emotional problems going on. The original series portrayed the characters and their problems very well, and the movie did that as well. I feel that they are real human beings, and I end up sympathizing with them. They have deep emotional struggles, and you're nearly dragged into them.

Shortly summarized, the movie was very much like the original series, at the same time also explaining many things the original series didn't. If you've watched the original series, you should definitely watch this, because it's *at least* equally good.

To 'Not Helpful' voters (and you 'Helpful' voters too): Feedback greatly appreciated =) read more

End of Evangelion is truly a masterpiece of an anime movie.

For me, like many other fans, the last two episodes of the anime series of NGE left me feeling a little frustrated and confused. They are fantastic and innovative as stand alone works but do not serve as a satisfying conclusion to what was an amazing anime. EoE, however, allows Anno to give his magnum opus the ending it truly deserves: beautifully animated, packed with action and philosophical to the core, this film does not disappoint.

Taking place in the same universe as the anime, EoE serves as a re-telling of events outside of Shinji's mind or as an entirely alternative ending. The beauty if this movie for me is that it does not spoon feed you the premise, instead it is up to you to decide what exactly is real, what is symbolic and what is psychological.
The first half of the movie acts like standard NGE fare...there is plenty of action, and an interesting threat falls upon the nerv headquarters. We are treated to a fantastic Asuka based fight scene, which breaks up nicely the scenes of drama involving Shinji. The interactions between side characters are stellar as always, and one never feels as though a character is being neglected...even the minor members of cast are three dimensional with their own wants and ideals.
The second half of the movie is when Anno's depth of work begins to truly shine. Beautifully animated, with stunning apocalyptic scenes, this part of the movie can be enjoyed as an analogy about the fear of being hurt, and the need for the warmth of others. Shinji's fear of reaching out to others has (or almost has) devastating consequences as the world without barriers he envisioned appears before him. The philosophical narration does not read as psychobabble at all: instead, EoE steadily makes simple points about the nature of life. Despite the scenes of destruction EoE presents, the narrative is largely optimistic: as an example, one quote is "if you are alive, any place can be heaven,".
As always, this is a wonderfully animated work. The backgrounds of the movie are stunning, and the larger budget definitely shows through, with complex action sequences and amazing, surreal and cosmic scenery galore. EoE is a feast for the eyes! The music, while somewhat dissonant to the general theme of the movie, is great, and strong enough to be appreciated as stand alone pieces. Like the NGE anime, this movie uses famous classical music, which create a dramatic effect.
I watched the original japanese Version, and the voice acting was fantastic. Particularly the voice of Shinji...Megumi Ogata is some woman! From crying to *ahem* ....other things..she performs realistically and with a tone of voice so unusual yet convincing. Rei's seiyuu was also fantastic, voicing her with that hint of emotion that is needed for such a complex girl.
Expect to see some character development, especially from Shinji and Rei in this movie! Even the villanious Gendou becomes more sympathetic. The interactions between Rei and Gendou and Shinji and Misato are some of the most heart rending of EoE, however, surprise encounters between the supporting cast (particularly the lovely Maya) also tugged at my heart strings.
All in all, EoE is fantastic and an imperative part of the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. This wonderful movie offers some of the best animation and characterisation I have scene in any series. If you are dissatisfied by the ending of NGE, this will be the conclusion you have been waiting for!
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It's going to be very hard to review this movie because its basically a work of art. The first half of the movie provides all the action and big events that Eva fans would want in the movie, but its really the second act that is the most important part. The second half is an astonishing piece of filmmaking that essentially challenges common filmmaking and boldly dares to ask questions most filmakers wouldn't dare going to.

Most of the following won't make sense if you have no knowledge of Eva. The entire second half of the movie takes place within Shinji's mind as the third impact is happening. As he is in a state of introspect, reminesing about the wrongs people have done to him and the loneliness and isolation he has in life, it develops not only his character, but the characters of everybody in his mind. Misato, Asuka, Rei, and Kaoru all gain great depth as they converse with Shinji in his mind and at least in the beginning, fail to convince him to stop the third impact.

It is after the third impact has happened however, that this masterpiece really stays with you. Shinji realizes what he has done and comes to realize truths within himself he couldnt understand with others around him. It is finally Rei/Yui that makes him come to terms with his existance and the value he gives to everybody around him. The film for the most part ends with Shinji undoing the third impact, after realizing he wants to see everybody again because the happy memories he has, no matter how few, are real.

It is in this chaos and often confusion of Shinji's and everybody's minds that director Hideaki Anno raises questions about the nature of humanity's existance and whether life is worth living, even in all the pain everyone and everything around us brings us. The answer is ultimately yes, but it is the process to getting to that answer that makes this film a masterpiece.

I'm not going to try to convince anybody who already isn't an Eva fan that this film will change your mind about the series, because it won't. But the truth of the matter is that this film is a masterpiece in not only anime, but in animation and filmmaking in general. It is not afraid to ask some of the most philisophical questions we can ask ourselves as people and is not afraid to have us, the viewer, realize the answers even as the characters on screen attempt to do the same. If you are going to see this movie, watch the 26 episode show first, or you'll have no idea what is going on. End of Evangelion is one of the most artistic and beautiful movies I have ever seen, animated or not, and is a mandatory movie to watch I believe for anybody who considers themselves a fan of anime or film in general. read more

With the ending of the original series "Neon Genesis Evangelion" many questions were unanswered and many viewers were left confused and discontent. - so did i feel about it. Hideako Anno tried to clear the misunderstandings with this alternate ending. Although the closure of the movie can be questioned again, i would like to give my opinion and interpretation on this.

To watch this movie felt really strange and amazing the same time. It is truly unique and original from the story and characters up to the art and animations.
Even though this movie provides a lot of confusions, it is essential to understand, what exactly is happening and the allusions to the original series.

The art is the same old-school style used in the original series and the animations have been done greatly, considering the fact that the movie was aired 1997.
Due to its unique art and the perfect usage of colour contrasts, the viewer is able to emphasize better with the situations and emotions, especially of Ikari Shinji and Langley Asuka.

Contrary to that, the music plays in the total opposite way it should, which was done very well by Hideaki Anno. Usually music helps the viewer to either get in mood or strengthen the tense, but in this movie the original soundtracks are opposing the scenes which are shown, almost seeming as if it was wrong. But precisely that makes the scenes even more tense and unique.

The characters are well displayed and authentic, which is done really nicely by Hideaki Anno. Each of them, especially Shinji, develops quite significant in the original series, for instance Ayanami Rei who becomes a lot more social despite not having any sympathy for others at the beginning. The viewer can easily empathize with the characters because they act like actual human beings. Although they are the pilots of the EVAs, in the end they are still 14 year-old children.

Coming to an end, i can say that "The End of Evangelion" is an original masterpiece. In my opinion, it set a milestone for any alien-mecha anime which were released after this movie and even are released in subsequent future.
This alternate ending cleared up misunderstandings and at the same time provided the viewer with another post apocalyptic ending. If you have watched the original series this is a must-see for you.

(*spoiler) In my view, the closure of "The End of Evangelion" gives the viewer plenty of space to interpret it. This is My Interpretation of the end:
At first Shinji was really scared of confronting people fearing they would hurt him, which is the reason he wanted to die and commence the third impact. But during his development in the movie, he recognizes that humans have to live together in order to feel happiness and joy but also pain. Realizing that, the third impact is rejected. Shinji and Asuka are rematerialized alone on the beach. This scene is crucial because Shinji chokes Asuka, which indicates that he wants to feel the warmth of another person in order to see if he is really alive, noticing the flesh of a human being he stops it. However, Asuka replies with the phrase "How disgusting" with the justification that she knows, Shinji has jerked off to her unconscious body. During the process of the third impact, life form was reversed into LCL, where everyone can read one another's thoughts, which is the reason why Asuka knew Shinji did something like that and gave him a corresponding answer.

Any Feedback helps me :)
KonaKonaSama
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End of Evangelion is a two-hour movie that consists of two hour-long episodes (Episodes 25 and 26) that was released on July 19th, 1997, has been licensed Stateside by Manga Entertainment, and was originally released over here on September 24th, 2002. Episode 25 incorporates and expands upon footage from the Rebirth segment from the Death and Rebirth movie (released on March 15th of that same year), and is based off the original script for Episode 25. It was produced by Production IG (famous for their work on the Ghost in the Shell series and xxxHOLIC) and Gainax (famous for their work on His and Her Circumstances and FLCL), and directed by Hideaki Anno (famous for his work on the original Gunbuster OVA and His and Her Circumstances). It won the Animage Grand Prix prize in 1997, and also won a Japanese Academy Award.

So. End of Evangelion.

This movie is billed as Episodes 25 and 26, and honestly, I can believe that this is the way that Hideaki Anno MEANT for Evangelion to go out, but was originally unable to do because of production funding falling out, Anno's mental breakdown, and not being able to meet the schedule. It is, at the same time, a broader view of what was actually going ON in the original Episodes 25 and 26, I think, as this focuses on both the psychological and physical action around what was happening.

There are some fairly epic fight scenes in here, a full explanation behind all the mysteries that the show left untouched, along with a fair amount of Shinji's cracky therapy session of Episodes 25 and 26. This feels a lot more satisfying than the original ending for the series, though the original ending was fairly passable in my mind.

WARNING: There are fairly graphic sexual images, violence, and gore in here. Those who are squeamish should probably not watch this.

The art definitely takes a step up from the series as a whole, especially the end of the series. It's a lot smoother, and the pastiche between animation and live-action that takes place at one point, though it will leave you feeling like it's made of crack, is absolutely amazing. The Judeo-Christian symbolism is back with a vengeance as well.

The music's fairly neat, too, as it uses a lot of fairly famous classical music, and a pop update of another fairly famous classical song, and it usually ties in with some of the most amazing moments in the film.

All the VAs return as well, which helps with continuity with the series.

Overall? Definitely worth the watch, and probably the best part of the Evangelion canon that's been released thus far. read more

After watching the final two episodes of the TV series, I couldn't help but feel a bit short-changed. Where was the action-packed finale I had hoped for? Most of all where was the result of the Human Instrumentality Project, it was all a bit too ambiguous and all played out within Shinji's mind - quite simply I didn't get it. Anno's attempt at a clever and deeply meaningful ending frankly falls short of its goal and leaves us frustrated (at least me anyhow).

Enter "End of Evangelion", where we get to see a retelling of the last two episodes in the real world. This is the action-packed finale we were owed, and, more to it, each of the characters got their rightful airtime. Although one could argue it was all about Shinji from the beginning, you can't neglect how we grew to feel about the other characters i.e. Asuka, Rei, Misato, Ritsuko and even Gendo. I was glad to be able to get some resolution to the storyline, satisfying both my desire for action and need for emotional closure (well at least depending on how you interpret the final scene). Also this film presented awe-inspiring animated sequences from the battle with the mass-produced Evas to the fulfilment of the Instrumentality Project (with a spectacularly bizarre sequence involving Rei and Lilith).

Another thing I liked about this film were the scenes with Shinji and company playing J.S. Bach - which worked well with the movie and really suited the mood, and because I like Bach ^_^.

I can't really think of much else to say without spoiling the film for you. All I can really say is don't watch the first film "Death and Rebirth", because the first half is just footage from the series re-edited to tell the story in 45 minutes or so, the second half is basically the first half of "End of Evangelion". So save yourself the time and just watch this one (unless you really want to watch them both :P).

Angus read more

The End of Evangelion... known as one of the most controversial anime movies to ever have been made. A movie that that had a high fluctuation of thoughts and opinions, even among fans. However, I have to say that The End of Evangelion is one of the best conclusions to any anime series and one of the best anime films I have ever seen.

The ending of Neon Genesis: Evangelion was very unclear. I can't say that it left the series as a whole on a good note. The ending didn't seem to give much closure to the series in the final episode. However, The End of Evangelion brought as much as I could ask for in an Evangelion movie. The movie is divided into what can be seen as two episodes. The first half of the film, known as "Love is Destructive" is a physical representation of the SEELE attack on NERV headquarters. You can depict this half as the "death" part of the film. It has a rather harsh depiction of death, but I feel that it was important in order to show the helplessness of the situation. This half has anything that an Evangelion fan could want when it comes to action. There is a fight involving many Eva units that is easily one of the best fight scenes in the series. Now, the second half of the movie, which is known as "ONE MORE FINAL: I need you." is where the real substance is. It has everything that I think was needed, including a physical representation of third impact. This part of the movie is really a feast for the eyes and is very amazing to watch. One minor problem there is with the story is how some scenes are depicted and how brutal or even "gross" some parts can be. So, because of this I cannot say that this movie is for everyone.

The art and animation for The End of Evangelion is extremely breathtaking and I believe it still holds up to today's standards. The animation is all done by Production I.G and I believe they did an outstanding job with the animation. The animation is however a bit different form the series. The qualities of characters seem to be more detailed and the Eva's are also animated a bit differently. I also noticed that the movie had an almost fog-like appearance throughout. This I feel made the film feel a bit more like a dream of some sort. Production I.G also animated the Eva's to bring out more of their human qualities and characteristics. This helps for better and more realistic fight scenes with the Eva's. Also, the representation for third impact is one of the most breathtaking and well done scenes in any movie I have seen period. So, for Art, it is some of the best in The End of Evangelion.

The music and sound is one of my favorites for The End of Evangelion. The movie mainly consists of orchestrated pieces that are all well done and fits the series perfectly. There are a few pieces that are extremely well done and can even be emotional. If you liked the music in the TV series, you will love the End of Evangelion soundtrack, it's very well done. Another thing this film does well is the sound. The sound effects ranging from the gunshots, to the sounds of the Eva units are all well done and are certainly a delight to listen to. As for the voice acting, I believe that almost every voice actor fits their role and plays it well. If I were to recommend subbed or dubbed, I would personally have to say subbed. I found the voices to be a bit more tolerable on this side of the cast. However, if you were fine with the Series' dub, you shouldn't have a problem with the movies dub. Overall, sound is one of the best done portions of the film.

Now for the characters. This is one of the most divided areas of this series as a whole. Even though the characters were mostly static throughout the series, I feel all the main characters receive closure in this movie. This movie shows he resolution of Shinji Ikari as a character and resolves his struggle as a whole. Some may complain that Shinji didn't choose what would be expected of a "hero" in a story. However, I believe that Shinji's choice was rather fitting for his character. Shinji is by no means what one may call a "conventional character" but I believe that his choices and his resolution was very fitting for the movie. The other main characters, Rei and Asuka, also receive resolution, Asuka being able to accept herself and trust others, and Rei able to resolve herself as a character also. So overall, The End of Evangelion did a better job with characters than the series, bringing closure to them as a whole.


Overall I extremely enjoyed this film. It brought all that I could have wanted in an conclusion. Unlike many others, I was not upset by the ending. Some say that the film is very depressing just for the sake of being depressing, however I disagree on that area. I thought it was depressing at first as well, but after I thought about it, the ending is rather uplifting. I found it like this because the ending brings the resolution of the main characters, Shinji and Asuka's relationship, and even the resolution of humanity. So overall, I enjoyed this film very much, and it is one of my favorites.

So overall, The End of Evangelion is one of the best films to come out of anime in my opinion. The End of Evangelion isn't an action film, it's not about the end of the world, and certainly isn't a mecha film. This is a film that shows the emotional nature and feelings of it's characters. It's about Shinji being able to stand up to his father, and in a sense "grow up", it's about Rei's ability to not be treated as a doll and take hold of her own destiny, and it's about Asuka being able to accept herself and embrace somebody else, however it may be. This is one of the best anime movies I have watched and should be seen by anyone who liked the series. I give this film a complete recommendation.
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Story:

Since Neon Genesis Evangelion has become standard affair for any anime fan looking to get into serious anime, I don't have to explain the story. But, it is necessary to point out the improvement of this conclusion in comparison to the series. Episode 24 ended epically and I'm sure that all the viewers expected no less from the last two episodes, but most were disappointed with the result. What the viewers were treated with was an in depth character analysis laced with reused images and even dialogue. While I actually enjoyed this interpretation of actions and emotions (I felt it fit with the direction the series was moving in toward the end) many were outraged (especially since the main reason for it was because Gainax used up all the funds for the show). After squandering enough funds, the original creator, Hideaki Anno, decided to create a true ending to his ode to otakus. Thus, End of Evangelion was created.

Alright, now that the back story is taken care of, I can move onto the actual story. EoE is epic in its own right. It begins with a full force invasion, an awesome fight between Asuka (one of my favorite anime fight scene), and the termination of almost everyone. Then it cools down for another depressing character analysis of Shinji, some weird live action moments, and screaming (yes screaming). When it is finally resolved you will either be completely confused or blown out of your seat (most likely both). So all in all, it is a great conclusion to a revolutionary series. If anything, it will make you think, which is always a good thing.

Art:

The artwork and animation were amazing when it first came out and it still are. I can't believe that this movie came out in 1997. It's little over ten years old and it still compares to a lot of shows that are coming out this new year. This would be a sure ten if it wasn't for the awkward live action scenes. I understand that they were mostly scenes from a live action sequence in which it shows a future NGE world that did not have Shinji, but just because the effort was put in to make does not mean that it should of been featured. It came off as lazy to me.

Sound:

The music is spectacular. From the originals to the classical songs, the music really complemented each scene. The piano version of Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude (I'm not sure if that is correct in any way) by Bach is beautiful and also perfectly fitting. In fact I am listening to it right now to get in the mood for this review. Shiro Sagisu really hit it with this soundtrack (everyone should check it out even if you do not plan on watching the movie).

Character:

Everyone is back from the series in one form or another (well mostly everyone) and they all act as expected of them. Shinji is as angsty as ever at one point choosing to sit and die, forcing Misato to drag him out of harms way (while Misato is bad ass in this movie). To really go into depth on the characters I am afraid that I would have to give away too many spoilers so if you really need to know how they are, refer to the first sentence of this section (and you should know the characters by now because you have seen the series, right? and if you have not then DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE!).

Enjoyment:

Now this is the hardest section to judge because it is completely based on one's opinion (which usually defeats the purpose of most reviews because you want to judge the product on quality alone and not personal feelings, but I guess all judgments are relative to the reviewer). I thoroughly enjoyed most of the movie and there should be an emphasis on MOST. No matter how much I liked a lot of the parts, I could not ignore all of the awkward moments laced throughout the movie (hospital scene anyone) and the live action scenes just got on my nerves.

So, in the end you should watch this movie if you are a fan of the show. You will appreciate the fact that it is a conclusion, but it also brings up some questions of its own which might annoy some. It is visually stunning for any time period but is absolutely outstanding for being ten years old. The soundtrack is a great listen, featured with both new and classic music. It holds true to the series and it should not disappoint. read more

The End of Evangelion provides what is often called a "more externally-focused" ending to the Neon Genesis Evangelion series. If viewers weren't sure whether the original "internally-focused" ending was to the producers' liking, that EoE is structured like the series and broken into Episodes 25 and 26 should clear things up. This is the real End of Evangelion. Whereas the original final episodes showed what was happening in Shinji's mind and enabled us to construct answers pertaining to the Human Instrumentality Project and final psychological state of the characters, EoE gives us so much more. But while crucial questions such as the origin of the angels and the motive behind Seele's plans are revealed, EoE stays true to the Evangelion series' approach of leaving things open to interpretation.

EoE has absolutely stunning animation and keeps the series' stand-out voice cast and enjoyable soundtrack. The storyline itself is a trip and much of the movie (especially towards the end) is done in a post-modern style which requires a lot of interpretation and will have viewers arguing for hours. Some scenes are grotesque, most are simply absurd. Watching one Eva eat another is nothing new to fans of the series, but it is pretty shocking to see the pilot's arm ripped in half, and there is something unnerving about watching an anime character masturbate on another if its not in hentai.

Religious symbolism is prevalent, but intriguingly the symbols typically represent nothing at all. There are also some incredible lines: an indescribable feeling of fear, anguish, and genuine shock overcame me when I heard Seele's ultimate motive for reducing all beings to LCL. If you have issues of existential despair, you may want to pass on EoE or you might go crazy. Finally, the ending with Shinji and Asuka is telling in many ways, delivering the message of Evangelion in a neat 2-minute scene.

Like the series, End of Evangelion is an interesting project. Different viewers will react very differently: some will find an immediate connection to the despair of the characters and will find great meaning in a collection of seemingly unrelated scenes; others will find the show so pretentious that they will make their disapproval known to anyone that will listen. I think that following the Evangelion series I was more in the latter camp. Having seen the movie, I still find the Evangelion project pretentious, but I understand what the goal was. Some viewers will walk away having been truly impacted by the film's message, and for this EoE is deemed one of the greatest in anime. EoE, like the Evangelion series, is one of those few works for which even a semblance of an objective evaluation simply cannot be given. At the very least, I've given you my opinion.

Overall Rating: A

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Short and Sweet Review:

If you have finished the Evengelion series, you know damn well the last episodes are as amusing as watching paint dry, well this "Alternative Ending" is the best thing that can happen to the series in my outlook, plus the finale (Which I wont reveal) will leave you banging your head for more! Although I gave Evengelion a 9/10, this OVA definately deserves a 10, there is no superior way to conclude a series than a giant fight, with plot holes being filled, and making the viewer think about the OVA after he watches it.

I believe even if you didn't like the Evengelion series, this OVA will alter your view.

If you did in fact find this review helpful, I do take value in my “Helpful” rating, so please take a moment of your time to tell me how you liked this review. read more

"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. read more

Note: If you haven't already watched Neon Genesis Evangelion- go watch it. If you've already watched it, and you haven't watched The End of Evangelion-- for the love of god, please, PLEASE, watch this movie. Need I emphasis more?

Just like every other person who watches Neon Genesis Evangelion (NGE), I was in love, I was crying, but mainly, I was confused. If you are at all postponing watching The End of Evangelion (EoE) because you are confused with the ending of NGE, stop reading this review and go watch EoE. Why? Well, because chances are it will change your outlook on life. EoE truly is, as the rating system goes, a "masterpiece." Not one I can express with words.

NGE ends with Shinji killing kaworu, the only person who has ever loved him. You then see Shinji on the beach, with Misato, in obvious depression. She tries to console him, but only ends up hurting him more. The last two episodes are hard to explain. Basically, Shinji is in turmoil. He is hating himself, and feeling bad for himself. And honestly, who can blame him? He was faced with killing the only person that he believed truly loved him in life, or extinction of the whole human race. It's like being faced with saving your mom, or saving your dad. Neither choice is wrong, but neither choice is right. All it induces is pain, and suffering. All that Shinji wants to do is die, and who can blame him for that? Is suicide really a sin?

For me (and I know some will disagree) the whole Evangelion series was about loneliness. Everyone is afraid of being truly alone. People fear death because they do not want to be forgotten. They want to be remembered. They don't want to be alone. That's all shinji wants, is not to be alone. He says he doesn't want people to hate him, but he really just doesn't want to be alone. If you didn't know already, what Seele is trying to accomplish is to create god. By creating god, all physical forms of existence will cease to exist. All the souls on planet earth will come together and form one... "being", if you may. Shinji is at the center of this, as the being who will decide the fate of everyone in existence. Trying not to give to much of a spoiler, shinji chooses one way and realizes he is still lonely because everyone is something, yet he is nothing. He chooses to go back to the way he used to exist. However, after that several things happen that can be interpreted in many different ways. Although reviews are mainly opinion based, it doesn't feel fair for me to voice my opinion on such an amazing ending. If you really didn't understand the ending, there are thousands of discussions all over the web. However, every single one is only a theory. Hideaki Anno explained that EoE does not have one set meaning, or ending, for that matter. In a sense, you create the ending of this beautiful series with your imagination. Can you think of anything better?

Before Anno started creating evangelion, he had a girlfriend who fell terminally ill. On her deathbed, the last words she said to him were - "I was going to dump you anyway. Your disgusting." Shortly after, he created the masterpiece Evangelion. Many people believe that the last scene is a reenactment of the conflict that went on between him and his girlfriend. However, it can be interpreted in many ways. In fact, the whole Evangelion series can be interpreted in completely different ways. That, my friends, is the beauty of Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion. read more

As a fan of Neon Genesis Evangelion, I can say from an objective point of view that the series does have flaws. Multiple times throughout the series, I found myself dissapointed that things could have been greatly improved upon to make the series perfect. Unfortunately, though the series is great, it isn't perfect.

End of Evangelion is. The series is known for its psychological overtones, but it had a tendency to shove them down your throat at times. End of Evangelion, however, leaves them subtle, yet obvious enough to notice and interpret. The most important part, in my opinion, is how End of Evangelion is far, far darker than the series. The series is naturally bleak and depressing, but it seemed too tame when compared to the story it was telling. Violence and sexual interaction were slim in the series despite all of them integral to the story being told. End of Evangelion fixes this and delivers scenes truly fitting the presented story.

If you were disappointed with episodes 25 and 26 then look no further. This movie will leave you pleased with the series and even more so with the movie itself. read more

Once in a generation, a movie comes out that completely changes your view about life, meaning, and purpose. For me, that movie was the 90-minute tour-de-force simply known as... The End Of Evangelion.

This is a movie that bestowed upon me a barrage of emotions, everything from sadness to speechlessness to utter shock. Going into this movie, I was anticipating loads of dark subject matter. And this movie more than delivered. All 90 minutes of it acted as if it were a tank, unleashing bombs of sorrow onto my mind. From the disturbing first scene, to the tearjerker of a final scene, all of it completely blew my mind.

I'll give a succinct spoiler-free synopsis: it all goes down. Hard. And everyone is affected by it.

I found myself cringing at many of the graphic scenes in this, asking myself just why in the hell I was watching this, to begin with. But I knew I had to sit through this – I had watched all 26 episodes, and I was still wanting more. Then I watched End Of EVA. And then I deeply regretted it.

Well... at first, anyway.

As a preface and prelude, I watch the four Director's Cut episodes of Evangelion, to get a better sense of understanding just where the story was headed, leading into EOE. At first, I felt alright, but getting into this movie, I knew this would change me.

I lied awake in bed in complete silence, for hours, after watching this. I felt empty, hollow, disturbed, visibly depressed. This movie did something to me that no other had ever done, before – it left me completely speechless.

Then... I did a bit more research. And everything started to make more sense.

(This can be considered just a fan theory, but for the sake of argument, let's call this as fact.)

Episodes 25 and 26 and EOE (25' and 26) happen within the same universe. They coincide and coexist together. How it works:

After the events of episode 24, End Of Evangelion begins. At to the scene where Instrumentality begins, episodes 25 and 26 happen, and soon after those events, the last 15 minutes of End of EVA happen.

Anyway, before I go off on any tangents, let me start talking about the movie itself.

The End of Evangelion is, essentially, the true ending to the Neon Genesis Evangelion television series, but because of time and budget constraints, this could not happen within the TV show, so the creative staff and producers at Gainax made two completely minimalist and experimental final episodes, which were received with, well... not the greatest response.

Roughly one year later, in movie theaters across Japan in March 1997, Gainax and Production IG made what was the planned ending for the series, a final catharsis, a nearly-2-hour film called “Death & Rebirth” was released. The first part, Death, is a condensed 70-minute cut of episodes 1 through 24 of the TV series, told in a non-linear narrative format. Essentially, though, it's just a clip show, and if you've seen the series, you can pass on this, as select scenes from Death are included in the four Director's Cut episodes. The second part, Rebirth, is the first 27 minutes of End of Evangelion's “Episode 25',” but in an incomplete format.

Because of budgetary reasons and time constraints, “Rebirth” ended without any real resolution, as it just stopped in the middle of a very important scene. (For spoiler reasons, I won't say what it is.) However, a few months later, in July 1997, End of EVA was released theatrically. Made up of two 45-minute episodes (25' and 26'), this is the true ending to the Evangelion story.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, I won't start talking about every little thing that happens, because this is a film that you absolutely have to see to believe and understand. By no means is this a movie that you'd want to watch over and over again, though, but it certainly is a MUST-watch.

Wanting to get a better comprehension of this movie, I decided to watch it over again, and I decided to look at this movie through an analytical standpoint.

And, my God, this movie is amazing.

Not just for its narrative, but for its artistic direction. Think of it like this: if Akira showed what animation was capable of, End of EVA far surpassed that capability, several times over. Gainax and Production IG created a visual masterpiece, both in the far-improved-from-the-show action animation and in the images of apocalypse, in the film's second half.

Then there's the nightmare fuel. Oh, God, the nightmare fuel...

For the sake of summarizing, this whole movie is filled with nightmare fuel. And I can't find the heart to describe all the absolutely terrifying images in this movie. Just take my word for it. But if you have a weak heart, or you don't like horror movies, then don't watch End Of EVA.

However, if you've seen the series and want a better resolution for Evangelion, watch this movie. But be warned: it is one of the most disturbing movies you will ever see, but also one of the greatest.

I give this movie a 10 out of 10 – it is THAT good. It's not something I can watch with a smile on my face, but it damn sure is something I can respect as a completely disturbed masterpiece. read more

If you think you had seen everything guess again...

End Of Evangelion continues from previous rebirth movie. It's direct sequel to it. Only this time viewer get's to see different perspective to story. They still havent forget psychological stuff and it's still a lot of tricks to play with your mind. They made some critical changes for the movie and that's why probably creator got so much hate mails. Still this movie has suprised many movie critics and I am no different. It's pretty amazing movie.

Story - 9

Like I already mentioned story had some dramatical changes they made. It's more action based now and there is a much less dialog than Tv-series had. It's still however enjoyable story like Tv-series were. It's explaining some stuff clearly but still make you think like: what just happened O_O

Art - 9

Art looks much better than in Tv-series and in Rebirth movie. Animation is no different either it's beautiful and it's definitely brighter and they add many visual stuff like light flares. NERV HQ looked very Sci-Fi styled fortress. I also noticed they changed spinning camera angle too which was good thing. Weapons sound like they should be and effects are still amazing even it's 90's movie. It's doesn't seem to be problem. EVA's were frightening but there really wasn't seem to be any horror elements this time included.

Music - 10

Let me say this movie had so emotional and wonderful music they played throught dramatical scenes. The music that most got me feel emotional were theme called Thanatos. This theme it's reminded me of while watching another anime called Bleach. It has even one same part that sounds excatly same. It's very deep and sad song. However it also makea believe that there is still hope to believe for good things to happen. Song uses series mix of Jazz and bass. while playing electric piano in the backgrounds. Good choice made for this movie. It's definitely wakes up people's emotions and feelings.

The Characters -8

The Characters are still typical NGE characters. I noticed that Shinji is even more bad and mood which still appears in his personality through out the movie. They left some characters out from the movie. Still characters emotions and reactions seems getting through message for people. Not so much change in their designs.

Enjoyment - 9

I really enjoyed this movie it's definitely one of the movie masterpieces for art they use creatively in this movie. And for that realistic picture. I highly recommrnd this movie for anybody and mostly people that want great story. emotional characters and even breathtaking music. And of course without forgetting all NGE and Sci-Fi fans out there. You should definitely watch this masterpiece.

Overall - 9

Overall End of Evangelion delivers with wonderful music and reactions that it gives for people. It's gives confused but great alternative closure for Tv-Series without forgetting it's psychological aspects and mixing them with action.

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***I originally wrote this on Anime-Planet***

The following review has topics and videos that are not suitable for children. Reader and Viewer Discretion is advised.

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. Moving on to the technical stuff.

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's fight moment was probably the most epic action scene in the original series (for me at least). The second half starts out nicely until we are given philosophical, metaphorical, artistic, and ambiguous imagery and dialogue for the next 10 minutes until Third Impact begins. 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 9 out of 10. It is EXCELLENT!

Feel free to comment below and shine like a legend. read more

I would love to praise this movie up to the heavens, but unfortunately, I can't. End of Eva is a very different movie, to put it bluntly, the beginning of it was amazing and reminded me of why I loved Eva, but the later half of it was well,a down right mind F. That said though, I must confess that I loved it. At first I found myself speechless and unable to think straight after viewing it, I was then mad and wondered what the director was smoking to come up with it, but then I looked back and realized how much I loved it. The audio/visual quality took an notch up from the later half of the original series (as we all know their budget was dwindling), the dub was pretty much the same as the original show with the exception Makoto Hyuga who had one of the worst recasts I have ever heard (in my opinion). All in all, unless somebody had already seen the show or really wanted to see End of Evangelion, I would not recommend it unless I knew the person might like it as the content given in End of Eva is very much acquired taste and not something that just anyone could watch and enjoy. read more

This piece of art is the absolute embodiment of mind rape. I still can't seem to understand what the hell was going on.

A MORE THAN WORTHY followup and closure of the serie´s ( and i cast aside the socalled new remastered, re-done 1.11 and further crap cus thats basically raped )
and DAMN the end of evangelion was and mindtwisting piece of work that left me totally in a vegative state!! after death& rebirth i finally was able too witness it all, The overminded dark back story , the violence, the grotesque kaworu/lilith/rei/eva-01 statue, and most of all: the weirdest rebirth of humanity ever animated on paper!Part 2 was all over the place, great art, music thats too fitting and the nice 3-d elements , part 1 had all the violence ,dark stuff and chara. involvemend thats just intense.
Dementia is the word here, and i can't believe ever since 1999 i survived this movie! read more

Do NOT watch this movie. It is the single most soul-crushingly depressing thing ever spawned from the depths of human imagination. It takes all of the closure, hopes, and expectations you had for the end of the series and blasts them into the sun. It is the single worst possible ending to anything EVER.
I guess I should explain myself. Admittedly, the first half of the movie wasn't so bad. It was exciting and tragic and incredibly cryptic, all things we've come to expect from Evangelion. It was all really just a backdrop for the end, when all of the loose plot threads and secrets that the series had been hinting at here and there but never got around to adressing would finally be brought to a glorious and satisfying conclusion that would be sung about by nerds the world over for generations to come. Except that that didn't happen. No, what we got instead was what can only be described as the horrid fever dream of a delusional psychopath bent on destroying the spirit of hopeful geeks everywhere. Seriously, I can't even describe it. I'm not even sure what the hell happened! All that I knew by the time that it was over was that everyone on Earth was dead. Or maybe they weren't. I DON'T KNOW!!!!
So in conclusion, don't watch this movie. You'll regret it for the rest of your life and anyone who says otherwise is a dirty liar that you should reevaluate your relationship with to see if they don't actually secretly hate you. read more