 If you liked
Kono Minikuku mo Utsukushii Sekai
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 ...then you might like
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
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This Ugly Yet Beautiful World is a good transition from Gainax's Eva days to their FLCL/Gurren Lagann days. It's sort of an intermediary between the eras, in terms of the general feel of Gainax productions, I think.
Both shows from Gainax are a sort of coming-of-age tale of a guy (a kid, really) who has to endure tragedy after tragedy, trial after trial, and test after test until he finally has to bear the weight of Atlas, being responsible for saving the entire human race from genetic suppression, all while experiencing anger, redemption, love, loss and of course, a shattered soul.