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!
