REVIEW - The End of Evangelion (1997)

To say that Studio GAINAX's 1995 anime Neon Genesis Evangelion was anything less than a success would be lying right out of my teeth, but when things become popular, they also get their haters. Evangelion's biggest flaws to most people were both the animation in the later episodes and the highly controversial ending (which creator Hideaki Anno received DEATH THREATS over). However due to the success of the series, Gainax decided to amend the ending of the TV Series with two theatrical animated movies. The first of these, Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth was simply just a recap of the TV series and the first half an hour of the movie that I shall be reviewing today. Boy, if you thought the ending to the TV series was intense...you ain't seen nothing, NOTHING yet.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Studio GAINAX's wonderful mindfuck known as The End of Evangelion.

Forewarning: SPOILERS AWAIT IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH

The End of Evangelion picks up after Episode 24 of the original TV Series. The Angels are dead. Shinji Ikari and NERV are victorious in their battle against those who are bent on the systematic destruction of humanity, Gendo Ikari has every card possible that he could, it seems all could be well.

Ladies and Gentlemen when your movie opens with a 14 year old boy masturbating over a 14 year old comatose German girl you know you're in for some fucked up shit.

SEELE, another organization who are in charge of the Evangelion Units 5-13 decides to kickstart the key plot goal from the original TV Series; The Human Instrumentality Project and the coming of Third Impact (WHICH BY THE WAY IS WHAT THEY SPENT 26 EPISODES OF EVANGELION TRYING TO FUCKING AVOID). The Japanese Special Service Defence Force begins an all out assault on NERV HQ. Shinji is lethargic after his traumatising battle against the final Angel, Kaworu Nagisa (the only person who ever actually showed Shinji an inch of compassion in his entire life), Asuka is in a coma and Rei is STILL trying to figure out what her real purpose is, even though she's not the real Rei Ayanami and just a clone of Shinji's mother, Yui. A mass exodus occurs at NERV, Ritsuko is murdered by Gendo right in front of Rei and Lillith and Misato promises to have sex with Shinji if he gets in damn robot which can't happen because A: SHE'S LIKE 27 AND HE'S 14 and B: Misato is shot and bleeds out to death, not before giving Shinji a kiss before abandoning him in front of his Evangelion. Asuka meanwhile was placed in Unit-02 in the Geofront's lake and immediately wakes up out of her coma and sees 9 Evangelion units wanting her blood. She realizes that she has to kill them all in what has to be one of the best and most iconic fight scenes in anime history in order to survive, which she does

Oh if only that were the case

The dismembered Evangelion units repair themselves and proceed to absolutely demolish Unit-02, with one of them using the Lance of Longinus to pierce the Eva's head and destroying Asuka's left eye....which leads us into the most iconic and arguably the best few seconds of the whole Evangelion franchise (Skip to 8:10)

Asuka obviously dies just in time for Shinji to arrive in Unit-01 and see the gruesome scene around him. The 9 Evangelion's take advantage of this moment to use Eva Unit-01 to initiate Human Instrumentality, which also involves Rei merging with Lillith and Becoming God.

You still with me? Well the worst part is yet to come.

Shinji and God begin their transcendence to the heavens as they merge together through God's FOREHEAD EYE VAGINA (I am not even kidding) as everyone on Earth slowly becomes a mess of LCL and clothing due to Third Impact. Shinji accepts the fact that the world must be remade to advance humanity, there's a red mark on the moon, the 9 Eva's are all crucified and worst of all Shinji ends up on a beach alone with Asuka - who by the way is ALIVE now - and although he almost fucking chokes her to death, he realizes that they must repopulate the planet to evolve humanity and OH MY SWEET FUCKING JESUS IS THIS MOVIE THE DEFINITION OF A MIND FUCK THROUGH A SCREW HOLE WHEN WILL IT FUCKING END.

*ahem*

It is safe to say that, this movie is not for everyone. Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm not going to bother going further than giving you the score this time, because this movie is something else. The first half an hour to an hour of it isn't too bad, it's typical EVA, but once Asuka begins her fight....the movie spirals out of control. The animation is much improved on from the original series and the soundtrack is just unnerving right to the core. I'm giving The End of Evangelion a 6.2/10 because of how bloody weird and hard to comprehend it is.