SparkMore
n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.
Livestonth
I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
tapio_hietamaki
Watching anime has always carried with it a social stigma: it is something for geeks, manchildren and perverts, not well-adjusted individuals. Of course there is the family-friendly, largely accepted anime of Hayao Miyazaki, and the teen-oriented action shows like Fullmetal Alchemist or Naruto, which are widely regarded as acceptable for the mainstream. But beyond that anime has a lot of unfortunate, 'problematic' tendencies. Anime idolizes cutesy and innocent girls in a sexual way, and in general treats women as sex objects, it has nonsensical, zany humor that seems infantile or incomprehensible to those encountering it for the first time, it is violent and graphic and often carries no 'message' for the audience, no lesson about inclusivity and solidarity. Anime fans also tend to get obsessed about anime. It seems to be addictive by its nature, drawing audiences in fantasy fulfillment and escapism, making them neglect 'real life' duties. Otaku culture is a big problem in Japan and is shunned by many anime creators, notably by Miyazaki himself.Which brings me to Neon Genesis Evangelion. Evangelion is often hailed as a deconstruction of the mecha anime genre, in this context meaning that it took a popular anime genre and did something different with it, examined how it worked and what made it tick, took it apart and assembled the parts into something new. Evangelion gained a rabid following and merchandise relating to the show is still super popular 20 years after it was on air. This is largely because the anime introduced popular female characters that otakus love to moon over: Rei and Asuka. Both of these characters, one mysterious and submissive and the other so-called 'tsundere' meaning she's willful and antagonistic but still in love with the protagonist, are endlessly copied in other anime. (Asuka's character is partly based on the title character in Nadia, an earlier anime by Hideaki Anno.) Neon Genesis Evangelion the TV show ran out of funds before its conclusion, forcing its creator Anno to come up with two ending episodes that infamously feature hardly any animation and are ambiguous and introspective. A few years later this feature film was produced to make up for the ending: The End of Evangelion. I expect that fans of the show were waiting for it excitedly - they were finally going to know for sure what actually happened to their beloved characters. But as the psychological and surrealistic undertones of the TV show hinted, this was a story that was less about the 'what actually happened' and more about the expectations of the audience, subversion of genre and introspection, and the feature movie The End of Evangelion was no exception.The End of Evangelion does tell the story - the literal story, not just what happened in protagonist Shinji's head. But the story might not be to the liking of fans. I don't know if Hideaki Anno purposefully wanted to insult his otaku audience and mock the entire anime culture, but it sure seems like it. The movie begins with Shinji masturbating to a comatose Asuka, a clear message on how disgusting it is to project sexual fantasies on a character that represents a vulnerable 14-year-old girl. The movie kills off every single one of the female characters that otakus love, and it does it in very frustrating ways. One survives a 12-against-1 battle only to find out that the enemies are actually undefeatable and the whole battle was a waste of time. She is eaten alive. One is blown to bits, another is shot offscreen, some are turned into orange jelly (though fans will be quick to point out that this represented only the death of their bodies, not their souls), and one grows into an alien giantess before decomposing and falling apart, her gargantuan pieces littering the landscape. And it also turns out that she was actually a clone of the protagonist's mother. (This we already knew from the TV show so it's not like we came into the movie expecting it to be another run-of-the-mill teen action adventure.) It is a brave endeavor, one that doesn't really care about what people think, concerned only with the vision of its creator. It's relentless, merciless and uncompromising. It makes no concessions - it doesn't even feature the iconic theme song of the TV show. And above all it is beautiful. It is animated smoothly, the giant robots move with the weight they deserve, the colors and compositions are expertly crafted and there are many images that will stay with you in your daydreams and nightmares and that you will come across on the Internet message boards several times. The voice actors do a chillingly good job - the shrieks are so horrible that I don't know if I ever heard anything as moving in any horror movie. I haven't seen the English dub so I can't comment on its quality.The End of Evangelion is a robot action movie, and a good one, and it is a psychological movie, and a horror movie, and a science fiction movie, but it is also more than that. It manages to also be a commentary on anime itself, the state of the industry and the culture surrounding it. But it is also a look into the mind of the individual. At its heart it concentrates on why people do these things, why we become obsessed, alienated, violent, and the answers are found in the mechanics of the mind, and The End of Evangelion shines a light into the dark reaches of the human psyche.
urthpainter
Like all instant classics, End of Evangalion has aged well. One of the most impactful movies put before my eyes. Disturbing, nightmarish, haunting and beautifully poetic, End of Evangelion is the gold standard for how to end an Anime series. Hideaki Anno's masterpiece, and one of my all time favorite films. This sites 'Did you know?' section is absolute must for any fan, and reads more like an insiders look at Apocalypse Now or a Robert Altman film. Clearly a labor of love, far more than the sum of its parts - everyone involved clearly poured their life essence into their respective obligations.Understatement? To say this isn't for everyone! But those who make their way through the series, do their homework, and understand what this film fulfilled will be rewarded with emotions they didn't know they had. So good it hurts, and will indoctrinate one completely into the adult animated world that only can be accomplished by Japanese culture. Thank Goodness for Anime!Glad to revisit: 10 out of 10
Widdly Scudlemans
When I first starting NGE I was instantly hooked by the possibilities that this show presented. Giant robots fighting each other? Awesome! But as the series continued, things got worse. Much worse. The action scenes were replaced by long conversations about emotions, the feeling of excitement became like a distant memory. The plot became so caught up in its own meaningless definitions of mankind.And then came the ending of the show. If you're hoping that the movie might be different like I was, don't be fooled. The characters are still painful to watch, with Shinji whining more in this movie than in his whole career as 'teenager voted most likely to commit suicide by the end of the year'. I get that he's supposed to be this depressed kid, unsure whether he wants to save mankind or punish it. But please, give him one entertaining quality, like being really good at whistling. Something. Please.As for the other characters, Asuka is the only one I really enjoyed. Just like the rest of the movie, the animation is the only redeeming element. Her fight scene was animated beautifully, with matching violence and everything that I wanted from robots beating the life out of each other. So, if you're looking to become frustrated with a plot that tries much too hard at being deep, and characters that make you want to claw your eyes out, I'd definitely recommend this movie to you. Otherwise, stay far away from this movie.p.s: is the movie only getting such high ratings because of the giant, floating 'plot' points towards the end?
Kong Ho Meng
TIPS: watch this together with death and rebirth and episodes 25-26 of the series. By doing so, the best sci-fi experience/ masterpiece ever to achieved is here, and i doubt i will ever come across another experience that is as close to the scale as this one...no words could describe how unforgettable this (and the final moments in the series) managed to pull off so many intricate elements so beautifully. Some of the scenes are painfully breathtaking, epic and memorable. It is as heart-wrenching as it is as mind-wrenching. And these 2 movies with episodes 25-26 of the series really put me into deep thought of many things that we take for granted, while at the same time in awe of how cleverly it was created to relate to many hidden psyshological or philosophical issues. Some people despise anime for their 'ridiculous amount of philosophical thoughts' but it is shows like these that constantly make us think ahead , or looking back, challenging and reminding us of who we are and what values we should continue to uphold...
