Asuka was right. Disgusting. It pretty much summarizes my whole experience. Nothing more, nothing less. Just disgusting.
Fictional stories often revolve around a protagonist embarking on a transformative journey, emerging from it in a different light. These are the tales we often crave – witnessing a person rise from nothing to become a world-saving warrior or a young girl grappling with her problems to evolve into a better version of herself. Such stories carry arcs that change our characters, offering a sense of closure.
Then there exist narratives like this movie, which begins on a dismal note and descends into an even more distressing position. The only other show that managed to scratch a similar itch was NHK, an amazing series where the protagonist doesn’t end up with the girl because, well, that’s life. Things must be earned, and miracles don’t just land at our feet. This movie, though, was an entirely different beast. Upon finishing it, I couldn’t help but feel awful. Why did it have to unfold in such a manner? Was this inevitable from the start? And finally, was Shiji always such a bitch?
Nevertheless, this movie is nothing short of amazing. It caught me between its threads, never letting go. While it featured heavy thematic flashbacks, inner monologues, and prolonged seemingly mundane dialogues, these elements never felt out of place. Perhaps it was because the initial series had perfectly set the tone, making it less surprising and more of an expected continuation.
What sets apart my experience with this film from the usual anime is that it didn’t quite give me the typical vibes or even a sensation of anime being the very reason for my existence. It didn’t even make me feel like it would significantly improve my life. To be honest, it was rather frustrating. And yet, that’s precisely what makes this movie so great. While numerous shows frustrate me unintentionally, Evangelion did this intentionally to the highest degree possible.
So all in all, did I enjoy this movie? No, I did not. Wait it worth it? Fuck yeah, it was.