-David Uzumeri; ComicsAlliance.
Now that I've driven away those who can't take others' opinions or a harsher critic, let's go for the review.
It's being on discussion for years now whatever this movie is. If it's a sequel for the original TV series, if it's just an alternative ending or if it's the "real" ending that was originally written by Anno.
Actually, it doesn't even matter because essentially these three are the same.
The most accurate description that we can give for this movie (not the quote above) is that it follows the continuity and timeline of the TV series, using even repeated footage to testify, and narrates what happened before and during the Intrumentalization. Precisely, the events which were skipped on eps. 25~26. As the movie itself is divided, it's the story of "Air" and "The beast that shouted..." deconstructed and expanded.
Putting in other terms, it's the ending told from a different perspective, a more in-depth perspective. While the TV ver. focused on explaining what has happening inside people's mind during Instrumentality, the movie shows us what led to that and what was happening on the surface.
Independent from the label it gets, End Of EVA gave the audience a solid conclusion for the story, leaving almost no lose ends for those who were willing -and were capable- of some interpretation.
By "capable" meaning: rewatching some episodes and researching information on the symbolism that is used.
...According, it also shed some light on those who suffered a brain meltdown after "Congratulations!".
Another polemical question is whenever this movie was "necessary" or not.
You can read a share of the critics saying it's just GAINAX milking a money cow. However, just like not every fanboy trip around the symbolism of the franchise is true, things aren't exclusively commercial like this. GAINAX and Anno sure had their income from EoE, otherwise it wouldn't even be produced, but in the same side of the coin, it bought altogether the closure this series needed.
Given the final episodes of the TV version, it was clear that the story wasn't finished. In fact, at the time the TV series was about to end, the production of this movie was already being considered.
Hints of this fact are all over the place. AS for an example, the preview for episode 25 that aired at the end of episode 24 didn't contain scenes from ep. 25, those were sketches from this movie and the off-vocal description of it was also about the events from the movie.
This wasn't by accident, neither someone had the idea to "hey, let's retell this ending in case people don't get it" it was indeed planned before.
Hideaki's original script was way bigger and and more complex than the one produced. It originally had 28 Angels, 8 complete EVA units and the chapters about the Instrumentalization composed almost 1/4 of the final piece. Moreover, not only it was longer but also way more brutal and dark, holding Hideaki's original purpose of addressing the violence, indifference and the alienation of the audience itself.
Obviously, this wasn't possible.
Not only because of the censorship restrictions that would affect a TV series but also for the lack of time and budget to produce all this in 26 episodes. So, in order to give this closure and for the series finally show its "true colors" this movie was made.
Right at the start, they make sure to advise you that the approach won't be as behaved as the TV series, with Shinji's line "I'm so fucked up" being the most accurate and memorable description of it.
An easy and clear example of it, the "Prog Knife" of Unit-02 is actually a cutter (craft knife), did you know? Those used to cut paper that works better than a scissors? Isn't something extremely brutal killing something with that?
This is pretty interesting, not only because it conflicts with the (surface) innocent setting of the beginning of the story, where Shinji was just a boy and EVA was just a giant robot, but because it pictures the theme of the franchise itself: The conflict between the artificial, divine serenity and the crude, ugly, HUMAN truth.
Now, it's not an easy task make people feel uncomfortable but also accomplish it role as entertainment and "art".
EoE succeeded at it. The most solid prof if it is that after so many years people like me are still writing about it, and somewhere there's someone still reading about it.
It sure led into a completely polar and mixed reception but endured, recognized, through it.
The key to this success was on the manner, the elements, that were used to provoke feelings on the audience. This was, without a doubt, when Hideaki's talent as a direction and screenplay writer stood out.
Be prepared for a audio-visual assault, with sequences of shots and images rapidly being thrown at your screen, some at an absurd 1 frame/second timing along with a complete mayhem of sound, voices, dialogue, speeches.
The color pallet as well, shifts abruptly from deep calm colors to a berserk of exposure and high contrast.
-Seriously, it should be strongly enforced that people with epilepsy carefully watch this movie close to medical support. It surprises me the lack of warnings.-
In case you didn't get what I mean, this will become very clear near the ending but not before we listen to one of the reasons the OST for this franchise is outstanding.
NGE had "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" as a symbol of how important and cool the soundtrack can be. Analogically, EoE introduced us to "Komm, Susser Tod" which is German (as you probably guessed) for "Come, sweet death".
When it's played and why it means so much to the plot will be left as a surprise for the reader to find out.
Actually, since I'm already on the topic. A lot of names, text, symbology from this franchise are in German. It's worth google'ing it out. SEELE, NERV... EVA.
End of Evangelion did what it said it would. They couldn't find a better self-explanatory title for this movie than this one.
As a theatrical production, it had more freedom and a bigger space to spread its wings and show the crew and the story's full potential. To the point, nowadays it stands as a landmark and reference anime from the golden 90's with all it could offer. Giant robots, psychedelic shots, HIDEAKI! and to not be forgotten, the character design. Which set the pattern for many others, and not only this, but above all, its focus wasn't on being MOE or "cute" but SEXY.
Anime is entertainment, entertainment is art, Evangelion is art. And just like some paintings in museums, not everybody will appreciate it and some people need to take lots of steps back in order to understand it.
Who wants some Tang?
