The End of Evangelion Where to Continue
There is no shortage of anime series that go on to become classics that represent the medium at its best, yet there's an extra level of fandom surrounding Neon Genesis Evangelion . Fans of the surreal and psychologically draining mecha series have been waiting for over a decade to get the final entry in the Rebuild of Evangelion feature film series .
This grand finale to all things Evangelion is already stirring up lots of discussion, much like the series' "original" ending back in 1997, End of Evangelion. There's always a lot of pressure on delivering a satisfying ending , but those concerns are magnified with the Evangelion series. Audiences finally have closure, but each of Evangelion's endings has their own merits for why they're the proper conclusion.
10/10 End Of Evangelion: Its Moving Soundtrack
Music is an essential component of any anime series, but the unusual and inspirational choices that accompany Neon Genesis Evangelion are particularly significant. Even now, there's major outrage over modern releases not including the iconic end credits music, "Fly Me to the Moon." Music is essential to Evangelion's energy, and End of Evangelion's soundtrack creates the perfect level of haunting majesty through the chaotic experiment. The entire score is special, but the final act's big song, "Komm Süsser Tod," is truly fantastic and distills Shinji's conflicted mental state down to music.
9/10 Thrice Upon A Time: The Animation Is The Best The Series Has Ever Looked
The original Evangelion anime and End of Evangelion don't look bad, but they're very representative of a modest anime series from the 1990s. The anime even struggles with its budget and has to make several stylistic concessions through pivotal moments. Thrice Upon A Time obviously benefits from how animation has improved in drastic ways over the past two decades, but this movie pushes boundaries in exciting visual ways . The battles and epiphanies that characters experience just look beautiful, and it's constantly a joy to watch in terms of how much is being done with the animation.
8/10 End Of Evangelion: Asuka's Battle Against The EVA Series
Neon Genesis Evangelion is most commonly singled out for its complex narrative and high-minded themes, but it's still a series where giant robots fight against truly strange alien creations . Evangelion is littered with memorable fights, but End of Evangelion's showdown between Asuka's Unit-02 and the bird-like EVA series becomes a high point that's hard to top.
The sequence is incredible because of Asuka's reawakening, but the EVA series are absolutely horrific. They feel like they belong in a horror anime and their consumption of Asuka's Evangelion is hard to watch.
7/10 Thrice Upon A Time: Rei's Detour As Ms. Lookalike
Thrice Upon A Time covers a lot of ground in its lengthy runtime, but there's an extensive sequence in the first act where Rei acclimates to simple country living as the earnest and inquisitive "Ms. Lookalike." This passage of the movie is the most sincere and sweet that Evangelion has ever been. It almost feels like a Studio Ghibli short film. It's long overdue that Rei gets this different style of treatment and a chance to explore the world and figure out who she is as an individual, not someone else's tool.
6/10 End Of Evangelion: It's As Ambiguous As The Anime Series
The whole reason that End of Evangelion happened is that the audience's response to Evangelion's final two episodes was so contentious . Hideaki Anno goes for broke and delivers episodes that largely take place in Shinji's head with barely any action. Many were disappointed, but it's this psychological turn that makes Evangelion stand out so much. End of Evangelion continues that vibe and offers a conclusion that's still far from straightforward and open to interpretation. Some feel that this is how Evangelion should truly be and that it's not necessarily about answers or closure.
5/10 Thrice Upon A Time: Its Incorporation Of Mari
The first two Rebuild of Evangelion movies stick fairly close to the events of the anime series, but the one rogue element that's different between End of Evangelion and the new Rebuild canon is the new Evangelion pilot, Mari Makinami Illustrious .
Mari is a vital character, especially in regards to Shinji's growth and future, and her entire existence opens up a new narrative and character avenues that aren't present in End of Evangelion. It feels like Mari is supposed to be a surrogate for Hideaki Anno's wife, Morocco, which makes the character's presence even more touching and important.
4/10 End Of Evangelion: It Reflexively Addresses The Fan Base's Reaction To The Anime
It was no secret that fans were frustrated over the turn that's taken in Neon Genesis Evangelion's final episodes. The series doesn't only run out of money, but the story goes completely off the rails, and some fans became quite passionate with their disappointment in the anime's atypical conclusion. End of Evangelion reflexively addresses this and features live-action footage of the defamatory graffiti that was done to Gainax, and it maintains this defensive atmosphere toward the fan base. There's even footage of audiences in theaters where they're forced to reckon with themselves.
The entirety of Neon Genesis Evangelion is very meta and directly addresses Hideaki Anno's own feelings, but Thrice Upon A Time goes out on a final act that's even more reflexive than usual. Shinji and Gendo engage in a duel that flashes between many iconic Evangelion locations, only to shift to soundstages and imply it's just a fancy production. Furthermore, the entire movie feels like Hideaki Anno learning how to say goodbye to the Evangelion series, which is very much present through Shinji's arc. The final live-action footage that Shinji and Mari invade is even from Anno's hometown.
Neon Genesis Evangelion begins as a progressive mecha series, but it slowly transforms into a personal expression of Hideaki Anno's mental state at the time. Anno begins to struggle with depression and mounting expectations, which become present in the subtext of the anime's final episodes. End of Evangelion doesn't hide Anno's pain and instead internalizes it through Shinji and the film's tone. End of Evangelion is a very bleak endeavor, but it also deserves credit for its unflinching choices and the places where it decides to end its story.
1/10 Thrice Upon A Time: It Delivers A Happy Ending
Thrice Upon A Time had a tremendous amount of pressure on its ending since fans were waiting for over a decade for its conclusion. Thrice Upon A Time is far from a simple movie, but it does allow Shinji to receive a happy ending and find peace in the universe away from Evangelions. For the longest time, that seemed like an impossible prospect. Shinji deserves happiness, and it makes Thrice Upon A Time the more powerful conclusion that it finally allows Shinji to reach this point and not leave him in existential dread.
Source: https://www.cbr.com/nge-end-of-evangelion-thrice-upon-a-time-comparison/
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