"Well I guess he does at least have one climax" I DIED

Hey, 5 years late. Aum Shinrikyo, the group that did the sarin gas attacks, recruited heavily from the otaku base as well, which may have affected Anno.

Just wanted to say, your bit about Self Acceptance and Self Worth in this video actually spurred me to seek help for my depression. Thank you for your work.

The most telling scene from the film is the theater with all the guys waiting for the film. Intercut with text asking "Are you happy?" (if I remember correctly). Then it cuts to an empty theater.

I feel that the whole "Anno is a troll" is kind of surface level. I mean, it's not "trolling", it's being incredibly critical of the fans. Anno isn't like Miyazaki, where the relationship with otaku culture is one of animosity. He self-describes himself as an otaku. He wants to please the fans while still chiding them. He's not a troll, standing naked atop a mountain dick flapping, middle fingers raised. He's the guy saying "Isn't it kinda fucked up how we masturbate to girls in comas?" I mean, Shinji isn't just the fan surrogate, he's also the *author* surrogate.

I want to point out two things that go directly against some of the things you said about The End of Evangelion. 1. The preview of the next episode at the end of episode 24 director's cut explicitly show that the ending that we got in The End of Evangelion was their intended ending to the series. I for one love the shows ending, but to say that it was their first choice for an ending is not truthful. We only got the shows ending because of time and budget restraints that forced them to cut their original ending. 2. The translations in The End of Evangelion are notorious for being misleading in crucial points. One such point is where Shinji decides to reject instrumentality. You argue that it was because he wanted others to feel pain again. This is due to the bad translation and I don't blame you coming to that conclusion. A more truthful reason is that he realized that a world without others (which is what he thought he wanted) was basically a world of nothing, where even his own existence meant nothing. And so he rejects instrumentality to allow others to live again because as he put it, "At the time, I know my feelings were real." He accepts the fact that others may hurt him, but he'd rather have a world with others than without.

When Shinji rejects instrumentality he does so in spite of fear because he learns that individuality, love, and growth are worth it.

My opinion of Eva changes depending on whether or not I'm in the middle of a depressive episode, so I watch an episode now & again as a sort of barometer of my mental health. If it makes me laugh, I'm fine. If I think it's a work of art that ties religious ecstasy to madness using the themes of adolescence, trauma, & isolation, can't stop talking about during my increasingly rare social outings, & begin to work again on my dissertation on depictions of PTSD in media, it's time to up the dosage.

I think a message was greatly changed in the version you got, the translation I watched didn’t implied that shinji rejected Evangelion because he wanted people to suffer but because he wanted other people EVEN if it meant that he and others could be hurt by that otterness

Gotta disagree about the first 10 episodes. Even with just the first episode it was apparent that EVA was like nothing else before. The construction of the scenes, the dialog, the pacing... was all very alien to the medium. And I'd argue it still feels very alien. From the very beginning the focus of EVA was very much on Shinji's psychology. Other aspects of the show may have changed over time, but that focus was unwavering.

I agree with pretty much your assessment of the original television series except for your dismissal of the first half as the series as that of a more generic mecha show. While it's undoubtedly true that the real meat of Evangelion occurs in the latter half, I think there's quite a lot of interesting details to pick out from the first half of the series. First off there's an abundance of foreshadowing that occurs in the first few episodes that would suggest that much more of the plot seems to have remained intact from the development changes than you inferred in your argument. Secondly there's the masterful cinematography in directing that the show employs to great effect in terms of world and character building, as well as plot development to some extent. Even despite budget issues, the care and subtlety that went into the development of the show puts it far above the majority of its peers, even when considering the early episodes alone. As for your interpretation of the End of Evangelion movie, I disagree much more strongly. Anno certainly puts more of himself into his work than most other authors and while his own views on the anime industry and otaku culture make its way into the show and the movie, I don't believe that his criticisms become the driving force behind it entirely. After all, Anno more than anyone could empathize with the otaku fan base, having similar interests and passions himself. He didn't hate his fans, just some of their attitudes and actions, and the messages in EoE are ones that he was hoping fans would take home and use to improve themselves. It's definitely an element of the movie, but it's not the overarching message. The overall message and themes change very little between the television show and the movie. The presentation is vastly different, and the End of Evangelion does leave a more bleak conclusion on the surface. However, just like in the show, the final message is one of hope. Those that exist within the Sea of LCL are able to exist in their own perfect existence, but one devoid of any individuality or sense of self. At the same time Rei/Lillith has allowed all souls to return should they choose, to brave the struggles of human interaction despite the pain it may cause. This, as the overall message of the series dictates, is the 'right' thing to do and Shinji and Asuka are the first two individuals to return. Shinji strangles Asuka because he is simply not in a sane frame of mind and by strangling her, like he did in instrumentality, he is able to affirm his sense of reality. But it also shows that he's changed. A strong, decisive, malicious physical act is not something that Shinji would have done by his own free will earlier. Similarly, Asuka caressing his cheek is not a response she would have had earlier in the series either. From these actions it's as if their characters have been reversed, but to each other it shows that they have finally developed a gegree of understanding for each other. It's this that causes Shinji to break down and cry. Humanity has some unfavorable elements ("how disgusting") but life is worth living regardless. Despite everything that's happened there are two humans left that have a new understanding of each other and are, most importantly, alive. Therefore EoE as a conclusion, while darker, is still somewhat hopeful. "Anywhere can be paradise, as long as you have the will to live. After all, you are alive, so you will always have the chance to be happy. As long as the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth exist, everything will be alright." Overall though, a really thoughtful analysis. Liked and subscribed.

I was always under the impression that 25/26 took place during the beginning of Instrumentality (Namely, when Shinji is stuck in the Lance), except instead of being an objective view of the world, it was what Shinji was experiencing in that moment. Yeah? Am I wrong?

1. Gundam always gets brought up as an example of the generic mecha anime that Eva is upending but it's really not the case. Gundam created the whole subgenre of "real robot," mecha that are treated as military vehicles/weapons as opposed to essentially tools for superheroes who fight monsters every week, which was the "super robot" genre. Incidentally that's the genre that Eva deconstructs. 2. I think the TV ending wraps up Shinji's character journey well, but it left literally else hanging and that's why it felt unsatisfying, especially on first watch. It's like telling a fable but instead of the ending, you just state the theme. "So the wolf arrives at the third pig's house, which was made out of bricks, and that's why hardwork and dedication are important."

I think your interpretation of the end of End of Evangelion is very interesting. It certainly isn’t one I’ve heard before. But I think that might be due to misinterpretation. Yes, EoE is very negative towards Shinji. But I always interpreted the ending as Shinji rejecting instrumentality not out of spite but out of recognition that interpersonal relationships are worthwhile despite the pain and uncertainty that can result from them. In other words, Shinji winds up in the same place at the end of both the show and the movie, albeit from different directions. There are many interpretations of the final scene, and I don’t think it’s possible to actually nail it down to one specific meaning or message, but my favorite interpretation is that Shinji attacks Asuka again, then stops, because the climax of his character growth was only an inflection point. He is not fixed; he simply started the process of improving himself. Overall I think this is a fantastic video on Evangelion. I just have the one major point of disagreement.

In these old videos Dan is inside an entry plug, piloting the puppet.

God. I've loved this show for 15 years, and you still taught me a lot about it. Thank you.

This was amazing. I really connected with this series when I was young, and I didn't truly realize how it made me confront my issues until now. Thank you

I never saw Eva when I was a teen, and listening to people discuss the different endings ( and different translations there of ) is endlessly facinating to me.

Amazing analysis that brings new things to the table. Thank you for uploading.

My interpretation, is that the final 2 eps take place during the short time when human instrumentality begins in the movie. Having reformed himself, Shinji (as stated) decides to bring back humanity.

At 14:00 you mention shinji wants other to feel fear, saw a video by goatjesus explaining it was a mistranslation, and it sucks because it changes the meaning of the film

This video deserves an ocean more if likes and views. Incredible and alarming shocked but I cant look away. Dude make more content 🙏👍👍👍

8 years later (only a few days before the final rebuild film) and this still speaks VOLUMES.

A decade out, its kind of wild how much End of Evangelion kinda anticipated both the metastasis of misogyny and fandom into a continuous cultural force and inceldom as a political force. The sheer contempt Shinji has for the women in his life is nothing short of incelish behavior, and its absolutely insane that this video predates the transformation of inceldom into a political entity in two countries (Trump becomes a political force in 2014 and Abe in 2012).

So watching this as a teen, i really dug eastern viewpoints on society, even though i disnt fully understand everything going on. But i did remember watching the series and enjoying the end. Then i realized there was a movie, and was excited to see it, and then being unbelievably confused as to what i was watching. There was such a giant disconnect. Now I'm 40 and I get it.

And then Anno Directed a Cutey Honey movie

I really appreciate the thought put into this and the views expressed, but you ignored some really key points within the movie so that you could prove your points. 1. Shinji doesn't simply want people to feel pain, he understands that pain is a part of having a separate existence from other people. He believes, with the help of his mother, that everything will be okay even if there is pain. One scene you failed to mention was where Rei is naked atop Shinji's torso with her hands buried inside his chest. He pulls her out of him in an act demonstrating the importance of not losing yourself in another person. And then, as separate entities, the sit on the ground with Shinji resting his head on her lap. Shinji does learn from is his experiences in EoE, he learns the importance of being separate but together. He learns that it's okay to not understand everything about someone else, and that rejection is inevitable, but not the end. 2. Asuka at the end stroking Shinji's face before saying "How disgusting", or "I feel sick" depending on the translation. Asuka illustrates the importance of having someone who loves you and can also be critical of you. Shine begins to strangle half-dead Asuka partially because he thinks they are still in metaphysical world/or dead; that's why he looks so dreadful when she reaches up to his face. Shinji sees Asuka as just another person to reject him, but fears being alone so he stops strangling her. 3. Both EoE and the last episodes of NGE present similar lessons on both the importance of other people in your life to help you figure out who you are, and the importance of not completely relying on others to make your whole. The EoE ending works as a more appropriate ending to the anime because there is no crowd of validating peers telling Shinji good job on realizing who you are. Instead it follows it's own messages following up to that point by feeling much emptier, demonstrating the importance of having someone at your side, and illustrating the permanence of judgment of rejection in a world where people are separate.

Good to see this review again.

I know this a very old video and no one will see this comment, but your video provoked something in me that needs expressing. I could say so many positive things about the show, but your video made me think about a central issue: is Shinji a sympathetic or unsympathetic character? You contend that he is unsympathetic, at least in EoE. And I think you're right that this reading jives well with the messaging and fourth wall breaks, which feel almost angry with the audience. But I can't get over the fact that Shinji is still a child, who's mother died, who's father abandoned him and then later recruited and abused him both emotionally and physically, who has no stable friends for support (which is not the fault of his would-be friends, but is still true), who's new maternal figure fails to act as a good parent in almost every way (displaying awful behaviour, exploiting and physically abusing him; the best support she gives is coming on to him in a twisted act of making him feel better), who's taken out of nurturing education, who has pain and responsibilities far beyond what he should be given thrust upon him, etc. Asuka and Rei are also subject to the crushing failings of the adults in their lives. Through this lens, the show becomes a tale of childhoods destroyed and the devastating consequences for both the children themselves and the world. In this reading the TV ending feels very much out of place, as Shinji miraculously overcomes his trauma incredibly quickly, with all of the failings of the adults being wiped away. EoE makes much more sense as a conclusion (if one overlooks things like the fourth wall breaks), as Shinji continues to be failed by everyone and everything around him, and he thusly sinks lower and lower into himself. Because I am drawn to the sympathetic reading, I sometimes get frustrated with the fact that the show never properly acknowledges the injustice the children are subjected to. Then again, maybe doing so would have fundamentally changed the show so as to be unrecognisable, and maybe less impactful. I don't know.

This is one of my favorite videos on the internet

I don't who I feel more sorry for: The fans for being upset by a spiritually uplifting ending of the anime or Anno for putting up with his fans' shit because of that uplifting ending. I think NGE has shown that people would rather be miserable than happy, but are upset when they're given the misery they ask for (hence why End of Evangelion exists).

I come back to this video every year or two since I found it, I'm not sure why and I've never even finished Eva or seen EoE in it's entirety, but I like this video a lot

This video has been interesting and valuable to me for a long time. It's what originally brought me to this channel, and I've been here since. I really appreciate all the work and perspective you and your team bring, Dan. Thank you.

I never thought about it like that. I love how you put it so clearly, thanks-

13:25 Saying shinji "rejected love" in EoE isn't really true.. he only rejected that physical union with adam and lilith and everyone else, which would effectively be a state of non-being for everyone involved (except maybe the two progenitors...). Undoing third impact was an action made out of hope and self-realization rather than self-hate, congruent with the TV ending. As for the asuka choking thing--some secondary materials (a card set I think) mentioned that that was his trying to affirm that their forms were separate again. but maybe he did really just want to choke a bitch But it's pretty accepted that the EoE ending was what was intended for the series, they just didn't have the time / money Finally I don't think Shinji represents the least common denominator otaku any more or less than it represents Anno himself.

I have an ex friend who HATED Eva. His reason for it was because he thought the ending was "a slap in the face and the retconned endings didn't help either." Such a shallow reading of the work, even without the knowledge of the tumultuous production. And I wouldn't have even remembered this point if it wasn't for the fact that he decided to insert his opinion any time I DARED sing this show's praises. It was genuinely irritating. As if he wanted praise for having such a Big Boy Brain for not liking the Popular Thing. One of the reasons we are no longer friends is because he spends so much of his time playing the victim. Nothing is ever his fault. It's always everyone else's fault. He spent all of his time being unemployed and looking at foot porn. Upon reflection, I realized he didn't like the ending or the movies was because it held up a mirror to him, and he didn't like it.

This my new favorite video on yt. Cant believe I didnt know it existed until recently. Thanks Dan.

It took me years to find this again. A hunt spurred on by your voice, faded and half there, saying that shinji completed on a comatose character. That has been BURNED into my brain for years and is the first thing I think of when somebody mentions evangelion.

The real kicker behind the 25/26 vs End of Eva dichotomy to me is the visual motif of Shinji looking at his hand. In the first episode it is when he looks at his hand covered in Rei's blood that he finds the strength to get into EVA-01 and fight to protect. Shinji looks at his hand a lot in the show. It's a symbol for his self-worth, his ability to perform actions with his hands and make an impact on the world. In the TV finale when Shinji states that he could love himself and do good things his hand opens and closes a number of times before he accepts others in to his life. In End of Eva the shot of his hand mirrors that of the first episode. Once covered in blood and as a sign of his ability to protect and the drive to be better than his fears. In the movie he masturbates to completion over Asuka's comatose body and it is a symbol of his lowest moment, his absolute devastating bottom. It is the moment he surrenders his ability to do anything.

Actually, the scene where Rei says to Shinji "is it okay for others to feel pain again" is actually a mistranslation. What Rei actually said to Shinji was "is it okay for you to feel pain again". I think this one of the reasons people hate Shinji, including the jack off scene and English dub Shinji, is because due to the mistranslation people believe Shinji wants people to suffer and to feel pain, when actually he's okay with him feeling pain and doesn't want people to suffer. I think this basically throws your argument out the window. I actually really don't believe in your interpretation EOE was a F-You to the fans or Shinji being the audience's surrogate (although I see some meta in live action sequence); I don't believe Anno's that cynical. I think EOE is just an expansion to Eva series with some meta elements added in, but then again that's my interpretation of it. You should watch Goat Jesus analysis of Shinji he explains it much better than me: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pZqFhNGlspq-mqs.html

I love how every time you mention the thing it’s both hilarious and horrific in the way you deliver it

"Conversation between author and audience". Loved it.

he doesn't want people to feel fear again, that's a mistranslation. otherwise, great video!

Yo I’ve been looking for this video for a while yes thank you

25/26 is almost the same as EoE except it's mostly happening in Shinji's head.. they are not different endings, it's the same ending. Shinji rejected instrumentality. In 25/26 we don't see the world, what happens to it, how it got to that point or how it started, in EoE we do. Also, they didn't "change" the ending. Watch EP24 and the preview for next episodes, you will see the Asuka fight vs Eva series was planned for the TV show, they just couldn't finish it in time. EoE is the ending as planned, with full time and budget.

the last couple of episodes in neon genesis evangelion are to me what turns a good anime into a masterpiece. it's unfathomable to me that original fans of the show hated what was being said at the end i was in a kind of dark place myself when i watched the show and it really worked as a revelation to me i say kind of, because saying that i was depressed would take away from people who are actually depressed and not in the silly "i don't know who i really am" time that i was in. but the point still stands. i felt a kind of happiness and relief that is hard to put into words when i finished the show. it felt like i was living alongside shinji with all his doubts and fears and the ending was like a boulder being lifted of my chest as i watched him finally accept himself and be happy

You did a 10 minute breakdown of Shinjis sexuality and not once even off-handedly mentioned the whole gay thing.

EoE and the TV ending are not different outcomes. the television ending occurs in Instrumentality, and then EoE wraps it up It does not end bleakly, it ends on a very optimistic and bittersweet note

There are so many times where i'm pausing the video and exclaim at the screen: "No! That's not what happened" EoE Shinji doesn't end instrumentality because of a desire to hurt others. The early parts of the show do not make shinji an audience surrogate to be liked. Maybe pitied and emphatised with, but not sympathised with. When i reject these premises, it no longer follows that anno hates his audiences.

This remains a fantastic episode.

I cringe everytime somebody reduces this film to a middle finger towards evangelion fanboys. Yes, that intention is clear in some respects, but it is so much more than this unfunny joke. Criticism of otaku culture is the underlying message, not Anno being mad at one or two letters.

This did so much more than I could have even imagined to explain why I preferred the broadcast ending than the film.

End of Eva is not the opposite of 25/26! Shinji rejects instrumentality because he was willing to live. He chokes Asuka to confirm that she won't just let him. Ffs this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Shinji rejected instrumentality because it's not living. Sure, assimilation takes away all the pain that comes with existence, with human interaction, with life, but no one there actually exists in that bizarre stream of human conciousness. Here's this exchange, shortly following the Third Impact during instrumentality (with a shitty translation): Shinji: Ayanami... where are we? Rei: This is the sea of LCL. That is the sea of the origin of life. This is the world without AT Fields, and therefore, without your own shape. You can't tell the difference between one person or another. An ambiguous world. Everything is yourself, and also, everything is not yourself. A dead world. Shinji: I died? Rei: No, everything has just combined into one. This is the world you have been hoping for. It is like this. Shinji: But... this is not it. I don't believe this is it... Rei: If you hope that other people exist again, your heart will seperate everyone once more. But you will be frightened of other people, again. Shinji: It doesn't matter. Thank you. Essentially, Shinji accepts the harshness of reality. People will hurt each other. But that pain is worth it, because "at the time, I know what I felt was real". This is Shinji's defining character moment as he rejects the confirming non-existence of Human Instrumentality to embrace the cold and suffering of life. End of Evangelion is just overall incredibly optimistic towards the end. Yui's statement that "Anywhere can be paradise as long as you have the will to live. After all, you are alive, so you will always have the chance to be happy. As long as the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth exist, everything will be all right." is always my go to for the movie's hopefullness. Of course, this comes with Shinji's doubts, for he remains unsure of whether the world will be happy or not, but the point is, whether the world is currently of misery or joy, it *can* get better.

I think this analysis pretty much spot-on right up until you state that Shinji rejects instrumentality out of spite ("because he wants others to feel pain"). I DO think that the intended reason he does is because he DID realize that individuality and the duality of pain and joy is what gives existence meaning, and Shinji chokes Asuka to confirm that they're in reality and it's possible for her to reject him, because the fact that she could have a choice is what gives it meaning. It's the same core message at the end, just delivered in a way that's more easily interpreted VISUALLY but isn't quite as on-the-nose in its positivity as the shows "congratulations!". That said, yeah, the rest of this is spot on, and I don't think that Shinji coming to the same eventual conclusion about individuality and self worth invalidates everything else that he stands for as a surrogate to and condemnation of certain factions of the audience, all the stuff that you've pointed out in this analysis. I just think that your defeatist read on the ending isn't necessarily the case. That said, it DOES make me appreciate the original ending of the show more, I liked it before but in my mind End of Eva was better. But now I'd say they're probably equal.

I just went through and watched the whole of Evangelion for the second time, hearing that there was a different ending. I watched it the first time over a decade ago and watched it with the original ending. I'd heard that the end of the show had been rushed and wasn't what was originally intended so I assumed that End of Evangelion was going back and redoing it the way it was intended. Boy did I get it wrong. I found it pretty much unwatchable, and was absolutely baffled why they would want it to finish like that. I'm so glad that I found this video, it's really cleared things up.

good video, but i disagree completely about EOE being the opposite of Eva. what i saw was the same thing. what shinji rejected wasnt a true happiness and love - it was its surrogate. look at this - he pulls out reis limbs out of him, giving back her self and identity, and then reaches out and holds her hand. what happened was that he finally accepted other peoples agency and needs as well as his own and still chose to reach out to them. *EOE ultimately is a happy story and a good ending*. sure it felt scary and lonely for some at the end, but it merely showed us that just because you reach an epithany doesnt mean the journey is over.

I understand your ideas in the vaguest of sense, but I think you wildly misinterpreted Eva, Eva never was a cynical work, and you seem to believe that all Eva ever was is about otakus. You say that the last two episodes rexontextualize it, but they real add context, not change it, that's the point, that's why it's a deconstruction. Also you seem to forget the fact the fact that Eva was always a psychological mecha anime, fourth episode is literally called Hedgehog's dillema, Shinji literally feels sexual feelings about the clone of his mother, that was not there for the otakus. Also what about the directors cut episodes, and parts of tv ending that show parts from EoE, I believe that EoE does everything the old series did, PLUS MORE, with more, like you said, metacommentary.

Yet again I find myself watching folding ideas end of evangelion video again, without ever watching evangelion.

I really like coming back to this video when I inevitably start pondering EVA again as I'm prone to do. I only wish you could have expanded on your point made at 13:45 about how Shinji only chose individuality out of shared misery. Because when I first watched I got the idea that it was the other interpretation you mention of individuality leading to good and bad experiences that are ultimately worth it. That made me view the choking scene as Shinji briefly regretting the choice. I'd love to have a clearer picture of what led you to the other conclusion.

This guy really doesn’t like Shinji huh

God this was such a good video

I've just discovered this channel, and I have to say I very much enjoy your analysis, even when you fundamentally misinterpret a story event...like you do here ;)

What I think is interesting is that you refer to Shinji as the audience surrogate while I've always envisioned him as the Anno surrogate. As a creator of fictional works who's worked with and spoke with many creators of fiction, I believe there is almost always a character with whom the creator identifies and uses to tell their own story or work through their own issues.

This seems a bit unrelated, but I just discovered this video, and the way you discuss this is so wonderful. I don't know if you are into manga, but the analysis of the movie (i actually havent watched evangelion yet, so I don't have much to stand on other then some stuff I saw and this) really reminds me of oyasumi punpun, which I always interperted similarly to the way you describe shinjis arc in the end of evangelion. The main characters struggle is about self hatred, and developing a horrible obsession with a purified image of someone he thinks he loves, when in reality he just objectifies and wishfully believes can save him from his mistakes. If you do enjoy this stuff, I recommend oyasumi punpun highly! ^^

Anno said they had to change the plot of an eva episode after the Aum Shinrikyo due to some similarity, but he never expounded on what it was (i.e. whether it was a terrorist attack, angel made of poison gas, etc.)

EOE the best anime movie! I love how depressing, psychological mindful it is and how sureall the visuals are.

Great analysis

making any analysis video on Eva and presenting it as fact is kinda pointless. the show was meant to spur conversation, and was intentionally left ambiguous, confusing, and open ended so that each viewer could come to their own conclusions. for example, based on how other people view the choking scene and based on my own thoughts and observations, I personally think that Shinji chokes Asuka to have validation, to confirm that he exists because he can impact the world and other people around him. because he can hurt, and be hurt, he knows he is an individual again, instead of a small part of a sea of LCL. earlier in the film (or in the final two episodes, I don't remember) Shinji is told that if humanity is separate again, they will fill pain, and Shinji says that he doesn't mind. i don't believe Shinji is vengeful, this is just him coming to the conclusion that life is both joy and pain.

Wow wait up. When Rei and Kaworu tell Shinji that they are the hope for understanding and the force of love, Shinji says that it SOUNDS like a pretense, like some kind of prayer, but that he wants to keep on living because he "knows his feelings are real." The clip at 13:17 is ridiculously misleading. I feel like you cherry pick other moments, too.

Every time you say that I’m surprised all over again

The final TV episodes may be a fitting end to the story and to Shinji's character arc as you contend, but I think there are significant problems that seriously undercut the effectiveness of that ending: First, this development in Shinji isn't really justified in preceding events in the show. Nothing really _leads_ to that point where he will confront his feelings of fear and isolation and accept himself. The narrative just sort of screeches to a halt with little explanation, and then this revelation happens. Second, the preceding episodes hinged around an action-oriented resolution to the story. Whether or not you think that's the best way to end the series, that is the direction they were headed - and then suddenly that bit of storytelling ended and things went in a completely other direction. Finally, the episodes in question looked cheap. Combined with the abrupt change in direction and the reframing of the conclusion around this one issue of Shinji's character (which is then neatly wrapped up by Instrumentality-fueled mind-melding of the characters) it's hard to take it seriously. Whether there were unfortunate circumstances that necessitated hurriedly wrapping up the story's conclusion, or whatever else, in my opinion is a bit irrelevant. Whatever the reason, we got the ending we got. You make a good case for why it's thematically a good ending for the series, but in terms of execution, it's a disaster. End of Evangelion didn't always make sense but its events progressed out of the events of the preceding episodes. It fit the part of the story to which it was attached. Just from that distinction alone it functions much better as an ending to the story.

Great video, but I don't agree with your interpretation of EoE.

So when I have the time to explain what/who an "Incel" is this breakdown of Eva is almost perfect.

This video is fucking brilliant, i'm watching it for the fourth time, goddamn

This is actually a pretty interesting interpretation on the last hour of End of Evangelion, and one that is definitely not talked about as much as it should. A lot of modern critics see the film as an extension of the initial ending, and though some elements can seem that way, others that point the other direction are often forgotten. The film is, in large part, a condemnation of Shinji and the audience, but that is really hard to accept and convey as an audience member who resonated with the other themes of the film.

Kinda hurts me to see someone drift so away from the truth in a 23 Evangelion analysis

3:45 Whoever drew that deserves a trophy

Lolol this came up on my feed randomly (maybe cuz I saw your recent video lol), but it's interesting seeing the comments saying End of Eva has a positive ending. I still hold that both the show and EoE are two completely different endings, I feel with the Rebuild's ending it holds even MORE so that EoE is a negative ending.

"I guess what Ano thinks of his audience." That - is a sick burn. I applaud thee sir.

This was great.

I mean I think both are necessary. One is for those who get it, that its a coming of age story that in one way or another is deeply relatable, and ultimately reaches for self improvement. The ladder, a dark reflection of the kind of person this story is trying to reach. None of it is perfect, but what always stuck with me about this show was how much I related to shinji as a little boy and didn't like it. And how much this show has themes of self reflection, depression, confusion, and finding your place in a world crumbling around you. I transitioned in my early adulthood and I've had to go through a process of "growing up all over again" in a lot of ways. A lot of it is reexamining my childhood and what I've chosen to integrate into myself to define me. I think its time for another watch

upon watching this video and analysis of End of Eva, it came into focus that Shinji is also a self insert for Anno himself and his own painful self discovery of similar behaviors and attitudes brought into focus through the audience reaction to the end of the Eva series. My therapist said this is when 'your bubble burst' and one is forced to confront their own distorted view of reality as events in life demand you reevaluate Everything you thought to be true in reality and reluctantly let go of your fixation on your fantasy of your beliefs of what reality is and your place with the world.

This... wow. This is definitely a good interpretation

That intro sounded like me dragging the driest slab of skin across a car window. Now that I got that out, this show is beautiful.

Brilliant, mate! And don't think some of us don't laugh at the irony of the parallels between Gainex's struggle with its fans and the responders to this video. ;) But anyways, the main reason I wanted to comment in the first place: HOLY FUCK, I never realized just how much I identified with Shinji until seeing this.

I know, i know i've let you down, I've been a fool to myself. I thought that i could live for no one else, But now, through all the hurt and pain, It's time for me to respect. The ones you love mean more than anything. So with sadness in my heart, I feel the best thing i could do, Is end it all, and leave forever. What's done is done, it feels so bad, What once was happy now is sad. I'll never love again. My world is ending. I wish that i could turn back time, 'Cause now the guilt is all mine. Can't live without the trust from those you love. I know we can't forget the past, You can't forget love and pride. Because of that, it's killing me inside. It all returns to nothing, It all comes tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down. It all returns to nothing, I just keep letting me down, letting me down, letting me down. In my heart of hearts, I know that i could never love again. I've lost everything... everything... Everything that matters to me matters in this world. It all returns to nothing, It just keeps tumbling down, tumbling down, tumbling down. It all returns to nothing, I just keep letting me down, letting me down, letting me down.

Rewatching this in 2024 as I'm buying tickets to see this in the theater. 😂 I loved EoE back when it first came out, and I still love it now. Mainly for all the reasons listed here. To me, it actually feels like a rational ending given how far Shinji devolved over the course of the show. I like how Anno just throws shit back into the fans' faces and really drives home what a self-involved, fucked-up little prick Shinji really is. He had so much potential that either ending works for me, but I really prefer the movie ending given the general bleakness of the show.

My take on the ending of End is that Third Impact was a decentralized rapture, decentralized in the sense that instead of the chosen being pulled up into Heaven with the sinners left in a broken world, everyone gets pulled into Instrumentality/Unity (or as I like to call it, The Soup) and once your there and understand what it means then you can choose to reject it and get back down to earth. And also of note, despite my comparison of this to the rapture, I don't think either option is objectively good or evil anymore then a cell wall is objectively good or evil. I can easily imagine a rational argument for either position. Shinji and Asuka judged that identity is important enought to deal with pain, we don't see who else came back but I feel Rei stayed in the Soup. Shinji choking Asuka is representative of their choice to come back to a messy and unpleasant world. My basis for this is that in the original ending it says that every other person has a spiritual journey during Instrumentality when Shinji has his, and I don't see why that would change here. In broad strokes the difference between the endings is that in End the events leading up to Instrumentality are shown and Shinji makes a differing choice.

Perfect view point. 10/10 would subscribe again!

I really like this wisecrack video 👌

I always felt like the real intended ending was somewhere between the TV show and the movie. For one, Anno DID have some of the stuff finished in rough that was in the movie. Some of what's in the movie was meant to happen right from the beginning. But there's also no question that when it came to making the movie, Anno did let the fan-reaction influence the way he developed the movie, and that significantly changes the tone. But see, when it comes to works of art, especially in the medium of movies and television, compromise is a part of the process. There is no good work, even in the realm of books, that is TRUELY pure author intent. The best books ever written all owe a significant part of their quality to their editors, who did influence the writer, who in turn made changes to the story based on that influence. The so-called "purity" of author intent doesn't exist. As for what Anno would have made without restrictions and without the horrible reaction of his hyper-obsessive fans, I think what we would have got was something closer to the tone of the show's ending, but more of the execution of the movie's ending. But that will never exist and never could have existed, and even my own belief is nothing more then speculation based on my interpretation of limited data. Anno's "pure" vision and intent do not exist and never will. And to tell you the truth, I think on a meta-level, the existence of the two highly different versions is actually a fascinating thing, because it highlights that. In essence, both endings are legitimate endings to the show, but examine it from different perspectives as you said. Which you like more all comes down to personal tastes (I honestly prefer the movie simply because I really enjoy its balls-to-the-wall insanity and its willingness to be so utterly fucking bleak), but you cannot on any grounds objectively claim that one ending or the other can't be considered a solid ending with interesting themes brought to the discussion. But one has Shinji masturbating to completion over Asuka's comatose body.

One day people will stop calling the Eva units robots.

Great work sir. I just started watching your videos. I didn't know your channel existed. Do you have a self-introduction video or a Q&A video where you explain your background and your history? Thanks, keep up the good work. :)

Long time fan, just saw the series and thus, this video... I also read that Shinji was Anno's stand-in character as well. That and other quotes made the end and End to be two sides of the same depressive coin for me. The series being just a complete emotional meltdown/recovery, and EoE being a compromise of sorts. That and the supposed fact that Anno shoots mostly from the hip when writing paints it a little foul for me, but the series definitely moved me emotionally. And the middle episodes are some of the best TV of all time, so...

Yesterday I watched the old series recap movie and End of Eva (old Eng dub) without watching the broadcast ending. It's brutal. There sure are a lot of shots of real theaters and audiences on screen when Shinji is deciding to restart humanity out of spite.

This is my favorite analysis of EoE

I really liked this video (even though you showed the same sequence around 5 times lol, but that’s just me being petty). I do agree with you, the movie was a strong reaction from the creators towards their audience’s opinion, a big “Is this what you wanted” thrown at their faces, and “ruining” the main character in the most frustratingly way possible. Thanks a lot for sharing this analysis

Hey great analysis. I enjoyed the angle that you focused on, but I would like to acknowledge the limitations of said angle. For one I would like to refute the idea that Evangelion is a "normal" story in its first 10 episodes. The fact that the show is a subversion of the giant mech genre is apparent from episode 1 and the show is throwing around philosophical and psychological concepts as early as episode 4 (hedgehog's dilemma). Yes things do grow more depressing and extesential as the show goes on, but this is just a ramping up of tension and stakes as it nears its climax. However while again great analysis I think we must remember that you pretty much solely focused on the character of Shinji, and to discount all of the other intricate and detailed character arcs is a mistake if you wish to get to the message of the show (which to be clear I myself am not sure of). The movie End of Evangelion concludes most of the character arcs in satisfying ways that if not redeem and complete the character, at least bring their story to a end in a place where we as the audience has a better understanding of them as people. Now back to Shinji. I would like to acknowledge that while Shinji is a TERRIBLE person with horrible views towards women, it should be noted that the three women that Shinji interacts with the most are often abusive, unstable, obtuse, nasty, and vague. Finally I would like to point out that while Shinji is an audience surrogate he has plenty of personality on his own which the meat of the show is spent developing. Also it's worth noting that Anno is also a massive otaku and any criticism of his audience is most likely also criticism of himself. But again nice analysis. This is a work with many angles and I think that only by looking at it from all of them can you begin to get something out of it. Thank you for helping me to understand it deeper.

I always loved the broadcast ending way more than End of Eva and now I know why.