As Toyko's prominent ring-line train, the Yamanote, pulled into Ikebukuro station, one could see that it was going to be another of those hot, unspeakably humid days. Fortunately, one can walk in relative comfort from the platform to station exit 34 and ascend to the street level before breaking out into a day-long sweat. A short walk up the street, in the shade of the trees (one of the nicer walks one can take in the central Tokyo area), a left turn at the first intersection and one is ready to plunge into Ikebukuro's entertainment district: Sunshine Boulevard. If one is lucky, he'll see one or more musicians during the walk—all of whom are quite talented—dancing and singing wherever there is enough space for a decent crowd of spectators.
Walking between the two columns proclaiming the name of the street that leads down to the Sunshine-60 building (Japan's second-tallest building), one is immediately immersed in the clamor of the arcades, the unique, thunderous noise of the pachinko parlors, the odors of the restaurants—whether a KFC or a tonkatsu shop next door—the senses cannot help but become aware of the aliveness of the place.

About a third of the way down the street, on the left side, is a building housing the target of the day's adventure: the Sunshine Cinema. By the time one arrives, a thirst-quencher is in order. No problem, as one can buy a cold drink from any of a thousand vending machines or step into one of the blissfully air-conditioned fast food restaurants. After a few minutes of recuperation, it's time to go see a movie.
Movies in Japan aren't cheap. The typical movie ticket is ¥1800 (about $15 at the time), and to get a seat for a popular film, one had better get in line at least an hour before it starts. Fortunately, this reviewer bought advance tickets (¥1180) at a discount shop in Shinjuku the day before, and was in line well in advance of the doors opening.
When the doors do open, you'd better get a seat—fast! There are only 250 seats in the theatre. THE END OF EVANGELION may have been in its fifth week at this point, but there a lot of people interested in the film. Oh, and be sure to buy a few Eva items at the desk by the doors, such as the movie program.
The preview trailers weren't anything special, although it was entertaining to hear someone choke out a "kowai!" after the end of the ANACONDA trailer. Finally the screen is blank, and in the few moments of darkness one has a chance to relax.

Waking up from her coma, Asuka trashes the invading JSDF forces.

In retrospect, the experience of going to see THE END OF EVANGELION was as much a part of the film as the content of the film reels. Take note of the scattering of details described above—they're also found wedged into the cracks of the film. The Gainax logo flicks onto the screen.
THE END OF EVANGELION is an eighty-seven-minute film whch is presented as two episodes. These episodes complete the story following the events of TV eps. 1-24, which were also summarized by the first EVA movie, DEATH AND REBIRTH. This film effectively replaces the final two TV series episodes. For the uninitiated, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION was a 26-episode TV series that was originally broadcast from October 1995 to April 1996. The main thread of the EVA story is that of the fall and rise of 14-year old Ikari Shinji. Shinji's father Gendou heads "Nerv," a final-option defense organization that "Seele" (a sort of world oversight committee) created to defend Earth against what are described as Angels. This defense is realized as a series of fourteen giant "robots," called "Evas," each of which requires a special pilot. Shinji is the pilot of Eva unit one.

After a valiant fight, Asuka is defeated by Seele's mass-production EVANGELIONs.

The first segment of THE END OF EVANGELION is the more coherent of the two. It describes the actions taken by Seele against Nerv once the committee members learn of Gendou's true intentions. The true reason behind the global disaster of 1999, the true reason why the Angels are attacking; these revelations are enough to make Seele terminate Nerv with extreme prejudice. While the "episode" remains fairly coherent to this point, the acts of violence committed are nightmarish. Anno Hideaki [series creator], having described Eva as nothing more than his attempt to put his raw emotions on film (and cautioning people not to expect anything more than that), reiterates this concept in this film: his emotive source seems to be the keen line between lust and the killing urge. Ikari Shinji demonstrates this with the opening and ending scenes of the film.
Watching this part of the movie was like reading a story by science-fiction writer Harlan Ellison ("A Boy and His Dog," "Jeffty is Five," etc.); in fact, he would probably like this film (and he seems to hate everything). Anno, like Ellison, seems to have two stories to tell: one fictional and one so savagely real that it is hard to accept—simply because people don't want to think that humans really could be that way.

Under orders from Seele, the invading forces terminate the lives of everyone in NERV.

After the rather inventive DNA strand-like credits (which happen in the middle of the film), however, it is best to have a supply of magic mushrooms at hand for there is a second episode—the final episode of EVANGELION—and this is where things really begin to get strange.
In this final episode, the destiny of everyone—literally, everyone on the Earth—is revealed. The impressions of watching it almost defy description, however, so overwhelming are the visuals. Part of the experience brings to mind Oliver Stone's film NATURAL BORN KILLERS. The intensity and savagery that stream from the id of the characters, the composite film work: to see one film is, oddly, to grasp at understanding the other. Attempts at explanations aren't even made; it is as if the film demands to be absorbed, pondered, forgotten about, remembered again and finally understood a considerable amount of time later.

Here is perhaps the most important—and most bewildering—part. Anno, as he did in the TV episode finale, tears down the facade of the fictional story and presents what he really wants to say. What he has to say, however, is not done by use of his characters as was done in the TV finale, but by his use of almost photograph-like views of the real world and what almost have to be suggestions of the very audience watching the film. Perhaps the only stumbling block in understanding Anno's motives are that the state of mental chaos (starting from the very first television episode) has grown to such a degree that the salient portions of what Anno is trying to impart get lost in what can only be described as a cathartic maelstrom, probably best visualized as like trying to read tea leaves while standing outside during a typhoon. There is one catch—in trying to understand the film, in what is trying to be said—these things will be different for every viewer. A rather paradoxical (or perhaps thumb-to-his-nose) parting gift on the part of Anno.

A wounded Misato kisses Shinji farewell...

One gets the feeling in this final affair with EVANGELION that Anno is trying to chafe at the core of anime fandom. One also begins to consider that Anno just took all this stuff and tossed it in with no common thread to hold it all together and is sitting there in his office, laughing at all the rampant speculation. Having described the anime industry itself as stagnating, Anno seems to be trying to wean the fans of the industry away from the very thing that keeps them there. This film is certain to raise the ire of a number of fans, but perhaps Anno has the right idea: to kick the masses out of their complacency so the creators can move on and make something new, something not of the same old flavor. Whether this film will be remembered as a work of art or the disjointed ravings of it's creator, one thing is for certain: Anno is laughing on his way to the bank.
Perhaps it is time to move on.

THE END OF EVANGELION © 1997 Gainax / EVA Production Committee Released 19 Jul 1997 Running time: 87 minutes Director/Planning: Anno Hideaki Animation Directors: Kise Kazuya, Honda Takeshi, Suzuki Shunji Character Designer: Sadamoto Yoshiyuki