The End of Evangelion

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The End of Evangelion
新世紀エヴァンゲリオン 劇場版
Directed by Episode 25':
Kazuya Tsurumaki
Episode 26':
Hideaki Anno
Produced by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa
Written by Hideaki Anno
Starring Megumi Ogata
Megumi Hayashibara
Yuko Miyamura
Kotono Mitsuishi
Music by Shiro Sagisu
Cinematography Hisao Shirai
Editing by Sachiko Miki
Distributed by Japan Toei Company, Ltd.
United States United Kingdom Manga Entertainment
Australia New Zealand Madman Entertainment
Release date(s) July 19, 1997
Running time 87 min.
Country  Japan
Language Japanese
Preceded by Evangelion: Death and Rebirth
Followed by Revival of Evangelion

The End of Evangelion (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン劇場版 THE END OF EVANGELION Shin seiki Evangerion Gekijō-ban: AIR/MAGOKORO WO, KIMI NI?) is a 1997 anime film written and directed by Hideaki Anno along with Kazuya Tsurumaki.

The film, divided into the approximately 45-minute Episode 25': Air and Episode 26': まごころを、君に (Magokoro o, kimi ni, "My Purest Heart for You"), can be regarded as either an alternate ending to the popular animated series Neon Genesis Evangelion or a more detailed, "real world" account of the series' original ending in episodes #25 and #26, which takes place almost completely in the minds of the main characters (the style being largely shaped by time and budget restraints).[1] Gainax originally proposed to title it Evangelion: Rebirth 2[2].

The film won both the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize for 1997 and the Japan Academy Prize for "Biggest Public Sensation of the Year"; EX.org 1999 ranked it as 5th best 'All-Time Show' (with the TV at #2)[3].

Contents

[edit] Plot

Beginning shortly after the end of the twenty-fourth episode of the Neon Genesis Evangelion television series, Third Child Shinji Ikari is still despondent over the death of Kaworu Nagisa and ends up pleading for help from the comatose Second Child, Asuka Langley Soryu. Angrily shaking her for a response, he accidentally dislodges her hospital gown to reveal her breasts (over which he proceeds to masturbate, to his own self disgust).

The secret organization Seele, with the threat of the Angels gone and Gendo Ikari's betrayal of their plans obvious, orders the JSSDF's forces to initiate a large-scale assault on NERV headquarters. Asuka is hidden away in the sunken Unit 02, which she is able to reactivate under the threat of death and understanding her mother's soul has been bonded to the Evangelion all along, while Misato Katsuragi recovers Shinji from his hiding place under a flight of stairs to have him pilot Unit 01. She battles her way past JSSDF soldiers and is able to bring Shinji to the Evangelion's cage, but is mortally wounded in the process. Asuka is eventually defeated by the arrival of the "mass-production" EVAs, which force a horror-stricken Shinji and Unit-01 to begin Seele's version of Instrumentality.

While NERV collapses, Gendo attempts to implement his own version of Instrumentality to reunite with his wife by merging the embryonic Adam (bonded to his right hand) with the First Child, Rei Ayanami. However, Rei takes over the process and reunites with Lilith, who finally regains her soul, and creates a planet-wide anti-AT Field, negating the AT-Fields of all of humanity and causing their bodies to dissolve into LCL. The souls of all human beings are absorbed into the Egg of Lilith, a giant dark sphere cradled by Lilith/Rei, as she grows into a supreme being of size comparable to the Earth itself.

As the souls form a single, complemented existence, Rei gives control of the process to Shinji. At first, Shinji's emotional sufferings and loneliness prompt him to accept this new form, believing that there could never be happiness in the real world. He later recognizes, after a series of mental journeys and monologues, that it is necessary to live with others, and that to live life is to experience joy as well as pain. This constitutes a rejection of the goal of Instrumentality and Lilith/Rei decays and dies, releasing the anti-AT Field and allowing separate beings to potentially come back into existence. In the last sequence, Asuka and Shinji are shown to have rematerialized from the sea of LCL together on a beach looking out on the severed head of Lilith/Rei and the apocalyptic landscape. The film ends without revealing what happens to the rest of the world; the final scenes are further explored below.

[edit] Production

Wiki letter w.svg This section requires expansion.

Gainax launched the project to create a movie ending for the series in 1997, first releasing Death and Rebirth as a highly condensed character-based recap and re-edit of the TV series (Death) and the first half of the new ending (Rebirth, which was originally intended to be the full ending, but couldn't be finished due to budget and time constraints). The project was completed later in the year and released as The End of Evangelion.

Episode 25': Air, utilizes the original script intended for episode 25 of the original series and forms roughly 2/3 of the previous film, Rebirth. The End of Evangelion later became the second half of Revival of Evangelion, a concatenation of Death(true)² and The End of Evangelion.

Among the images used in the film are of some of the hate-mail and death threats (including graffiti on Gainax's headquarters) as well as letters of praise sent to Anno.[4][5]

The ambiguous and unclear meaning of the TV series' ending left many fans confused and unsatisfied. The final two episodes were possibly the most controversial segments of an already controversial series[6] and were received as flawed and incomplete by many.[7] However, Anno and deputy director Kazuya Tsurumaki defended the artistic integrity of the finale.[8][9]

The meaning of The End of Evangelion is debated—it is not agreed whether it is intended to enlarge and retell 25 and 26 or to completely replace the TV ending with a different one. Some believe that The End of Evangelion is an alternate ending to the series, perhaps created to please those fans who were displeased with the TV series' ending. Deputy Director Kazuya Tsurumaki said he felt the series was complete as it was.[10]

[edit] Analysis

[edit] The final sequence

A scene from the ending sequence; the dead Rei/Lilith's arm is in the background

In the final sequence, Shinji and Asuka have separated themselves from the collective human existence, apparently alone in the post-Third Impact world. Shinji tries to strangle Asuka, but stops and breaks down in tears after she touches his face in the same manner that his mother did during Instrumentality. Their interactions display a wide range of positive and negative emotions. The world is irreversibly changed, however, and what happens afterwards is not revealed.

During the taping of this scene, Megumi Ogata became overwhelmed with emotion and strangled Yuko Miyamura, making it "very hard" for Miyamura to say her lines immediately after that.[11]

While Manga Entertainment originally translated Asuka's closing line, "気持ち悪い。" ("Kimochi warui."), as "How disgusting," it can also be ambiguously translated "I feel unwell/terrible/sick," "What a disgusting feeling," or "Feels bad." According to an episode of the Japanese anime show Anime Yawa aired March 31, 2005 on NHK's satellite TV, the final line was initially written as "I'd never want to be killed by you of all men, absolutely not!" or "I'll never let you kill me." ( "Anta nankani korosareru nowa mappira yo!") but Anno was dissatisfied with all of Yuko Miyamura's renditions of this line.[12] Eventually Anno asked her a question which described what he was going for with this scene:

"Concerning the final line we adopted, I'm not sure whether I should say about it in fact. At last Anno asked me 'Miyamura, just imagine you are sleeping in your bed and a stranger sneaks into your room. He can rape you anytime as you are asleep but he doesn't. Instead, he masturbates looking at you, when you wake up and know what he did to you. What do you think you would say?' I had been thinking he was a strange man, but at that moment I felt disgusting. So I told him that I thought 'Disgusting.' And then he sighed and said, 'I thought as much.'" [13]

Tiffany Grant, Asuka's English dub voice actress, says this:

"The most widely circulated translation of the last line of EoE [End of Evangelion] is "I feel sick," but Amanda Winn Lee (Rei Ayanami's English voice actor and director of End of Evangelion) said she asked several translators, and she felt "disgusting" was the most accurate adaptation. You could say she is disgusted with/sick of the situation or with Shinji himself. My favorite explanation though, is this one: My husband, Matt Greenfield, directed the TV series and is very familiar with the whole Eva franchise. Matt has said that although (Eva creator) Hideaki Anno seems to change his mind frequently about what various things mean in Eva, Anno once said that Asuka's comment about feeling "sick" was a reference to morning sickness. Now THAT gives ya something to think about, doesn't it! Of course, Anno is quite passionate about the idea that every person should decide for him or herself what Eva means to them."[14]

Some state that, despite the somber ending the results of Instrumentality are not permanent. Both Rei and Yui comfort Shinji and tell him that people can restore themselves to physical existence if they want to, depending on the strength within their hearts. This being said,it is suggested that Asuka is one of the first persons to manifest herself back into reality. Another Evangelion trading card explains:[15]

"In the sea of LCL, Shinji wished for a world with other people. He desired to meet them again, even if it meant he would be hurt and betrayed. And just as he had hoped / wanted, Asuka was present in the new world. Only Asuka was there beside him. The girl whom he had hurt, and who had been hurt by him. But even so, she was the one he had hoped/wished for...."

[edit] Music

See also: The End of Evangelion (soundtrack)

In addition to Shiro Sagisu's original scoring, the film prominently features selections of Johann Sebastian Bach's music throughout the movie. Episode 25' has the Japanese title Air, being named after the Air on the G String which is played during the episode. Among the other pieces included are Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major (I. Prélude), Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (transcribed for piano and later played again with string instruments in the end credits), and Pachelbel's Canon.

Among the other insert songs are "Komm, süsser Tod" (Come, Sweet Death), an upbeat song in which the singer describes their motivations for suicide (which appears in the film at the beginning of Instrumentality), and "THANATOS -If I Can't Be Yours", which is played in both the end credits and the credits to episode 25' (the song is based around "THANATOS", a background music piece used in the series).

[edit] Release

 This article is missing information about the original theatrical release.. This concern has been noted on the talk page where it may be discussed whether or not to include such information. (May 2009)

For the first laserdisc release of the series, which also included the first release of the video versions of Episodes 21-24, The End of Evangelion was split up into two 40-minute episodes with brief intros (similar to episode 22), edited credits (for each episode instead of credits for both between the two), redone eyecatcher-textboards (showing "Neon Genesis Evangelion Episode..." instead of "The End of Evangelion Episode...") and next-episode-preview-section in Episode 25. The episodic version of the film was on the last two discs of the 1997/1998 laserdisc release of the series (Genesis 0:13 and 0:14 respectively), each containing 2 episodes (the original TV episodes and the new End of Evangelion episodes respectively), although the movie was also released in its original cinematic form on VHS, laserdisc, and later DVD.

[edit] English release

In the English dubbing of the film, several minor creative changes include the addition of the line "Hit 'em again" to the scene of JSSDF soldiers burning NERV employees (offscreen) with a flamethrower (where there was no corresponding Japanese line), splattering sound effects when Misato shoots a JSSDF soldier through the head as well as when the replicas of the Lance of Longinus on which the Mass Production Evangelions are impaled swell and explode, and the two uses of the word "fuck" (a stronger level of profanity than in previous "Evangelion" dubs). Though some fans criticized one or more of these decisions, English-language director Amanda Winn Lee defended them in the Manga Entertainment DVD's commentary and contended they were completely appropriate given the context of the scenes. Also, an important line by Misato to Shinji was mistranslated, giving an entirely different relationship between Adam and Lilith. The correct version paints the two as equals, each giving rise to their own line; Lilith the Lilim (humans), Adam the Angels. The english line however states that Adam is born from Lilith as well. This came about through the way the line is delivered.

The DVD release also remixed the film's audio no less than three times according to the packaging. It featured a 6.1 DTS, a 5.1 Dolby, as well as a new stereo track downmixed from the 6.1 in both languages. The original stereo is not included. It is unknown if the subtitled VHS included the original or the remix stereo.

[edit] The End of Evangelion: Renewal

A new version of The End of Evangelion was released on June 25, 2003 in Japan by Starchild and King Records as part of the Renewal of Evangelion box set (which compiled "new digitally remastered versions of the 26 TV show episodes, 4 remade-for-laserdisc episodes, and 3 theatrical features" as well as "a bonus disc with never-before-seen material").[16]

This version of the film conjoins the "recap" film Evangelion: Death with End, omitting the Rebirth segment from the first film, and added a new live-action scene with the seiyū for Rei (Megumi Hayashibara), Asuka (Yūko Miyamura), and Misato (Kotono Mitsuishi) portraying their characters from the series, ten years after the events of "Evangelion". In this continuity, Shinji does not exist and Asuka has a sexual relationship with Toji Suzuhara. The sequence ends with Shinji's voice saying, "This isn't it, I am not here," proving it is a false reality seen through his eyes.

Manga Entertainment stated in 2006 that it was "ironing out the contracts" to release the Renewal versions of Death & Rebirth and The End of Evangelion, with the hope of being able to release them in the United States within the next year, though this has yet to occur.[17] Reportedly, Manga Entertainment no longer holds the overseas license for the movies[18]. (A.D. Vision holds the license for the Evangelion TV series, including the Renewal editions of the TV episodes, which were released under the subtitle The Platinum Edition.)

[edit] Reception

Wiki letter w.svg This section requires expansion.

EoE's reception was highly mixed. Mangaka Nobuhiro Watsuki wrote

“ A little while ago, I finally saw the theatrical version of Evangelion (I'm writing this in August). It was obvious that the people who created it didn't love the story or the characters, so I'm a little disappointed. But the dramatization, the movement, and the editing were superb. When the story led into the self-improvement seminar, I was nearly fooled for an instant. I don't know if most people enjoyed it, but as a writer, I was able to take home something from it.[19] ”

Anime News Network's Mike Crandol mainly discussed the adaptation into the English dub due to the popularity of End of Evangelion in fansub, but regards End of Evangelion as "a decidedly mixed bag".[20]

Them Anime Reviews' Carlos Ross compared the tone of the film to the Blair Witch Project in that it deconstructed the series while "cashing in" on it.[21]

Chris Beveridge, writing for Mania.com describes it as "work[ing] on so many levels", but cautions that it is not meant to be watched without having seen the rest of the series.[22]

As of September 2009, The End of Evangelion is ranked #42 on the Internet Movie Database's "Top 50 Animated Films".[23]

[edit] Red Cross Book

The RCB's cover

The Red Cross Book (RCB) is the unofficial name of a Japanese pamphlet that was sold in the cinema for 800 yen[citation needed] to people who came to see The End of Evangelion. The book is printed on A-4 sized paper, with the cover consisting of a red Georgian cross over a black background and "The End of Evangelion" printed on it

The book is essentially a canon glossary, authored by Gainax and various members of both the Evangelion TV series and movie staff, of many of the terms used in the TV series, manga, and the two movies to introduce the film's background to unfamiliar audiences. Also included are an interview with deputy director Kazuya Tsurumaki, a listing of seiyū and brief essays written by them on their respective characters, short biographical sketches, commentary on the TV series and production of the movies, and a "Notes" section covering the setting of the movies.

[edit] See also

Evangelion portal

[edit] References

Search Wikiquote Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The End of Evangelion
  1. ^ "The End of Evangelion: Production". EvaOtaku.com. 1998-02-20. http://www.evaotaku.com/html/rcb-production.html. Retrieved 2006-09-03. 
  2. ^ http://www.ex.org/2.4/11-news.html
  3. ^ http://www.ex.org/news/1999_05.html
  4. ^ "Death Threats Transcribed" - (Detailed transcription of the letters appearing in The End of Evangelion)
  5. ^ YouTube - Evangelion subliminals many insert scene
  6. ^ "The stunning originality of these final episodes cannot be overstated … the series deals with these elements in breathtakingly creative ways to create a unique and memorable vision of inner and outer collapse, and, perhaps, renewal. It should be noted that many viewers were outraged by the two final episodes. Expecting a more conventional end-of-the-world scenario, fans were baffled and indignant that, instead of outward explosions and satisfying combat, the cataclysmic struggle occurred wholly in the character's mind." "In these last two episodes the machines have literally stopped, and both characters and viewers are left with no recourse but to confront their/our own flawed humanity in all its desperation and insecurities without the technological armor of the typical sf text." pg 427 and pg 428 respectively of Napier 2002
  7. ^ "… This became a major issue as the final episode of the TV series could be considered incomplete. The voice of the fans grew stronger as they demanded a proper ending to the drama, explanations of the mysteries, or even a new story. Thus, in order to meet these demands, it was decided to remake episodes 25 and 26." From the Commentary of the Red Cross Book[1]
  8. ^ "Lately due to the ending of episodes #25 and #26, some people started watching Evangelion. They were not anime fans. In fact many of them are females and they tell me that they really enjoyed episode #25, objectively. Most anime fans are furious. I understand their anger. I can't help laughing when hard-core anime fans say that we did a very lousy job, with intentional negligence. No we didn't. No staff members did a lousy job. In fact, every member at Gainax gave more energy than anybody can imagine. I feel sad that those fans couldn't see our efforts. Personally I think the original TV ending we showed ended up beautifully." Hideaki Anno, Protoculture Addicts 43
  9. ^ "My opinion was, 'Why don't we show them the entire process including our breakdown." You know — make it a work that shows everything including our inability to create a satisfactory product. I figured that, "In 10 years or so, if we look back on something that we made while we were drunk out of our minds, we wouldn't feel bad even if the quality wasn't so good.'
    Q: Really?" "KT – So, no matter what the final form, I feel it was great just being able to make it to the end of the TV series. " Tsurumaki interview, RCB
  10. ^ "A Story of Communication: The Kazuya Tsurumaki Interview". EvaOtaku.com. 1998-02-20. http://www.evaotaku.com/html/rcb-tsurumaki.html. Retrieved 2006-08-15. 
  11. ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20080623173408/http://www.akadot.com/story.php?id=31
  12. ^ "Annno [sic] didn't live with my line no matter how many times I tried. Ogata and I were at a loss how we should play what Anno wanted to express; she even tried to ride on me and choke me to meet his demand. He must have been pursuing reality." "Asuka's final line in the Evangelion movie was Miyamura's idea"
  13. ^ "Asuka's final line in the Evangelion movie was Miyamura's idea"
  14. ^ "Current Info" - (a personal FAQ page by Tiffany Grant)
  15. ^ Neon Genesis Evangelion Frequently Asked Questions
  16. ^ "Neon Genesis Evangelion: Renewal of Evangelion DVD-BOX". Mania. 2003-06-25. http://www.mania.com/neon-genesis-evangelion-renewal-evangelion-dvdbox_article_75523.html. Retrieved 2009-05-10. 
  17. ^ "SDCC: Manga Entertainment Announces A New Co-Pro; Talks "Karas," "Eva" And "GitS"". Toon Zone. 2006-07-22. http://news.toonzone.net/articles/11704/sdcc-manga-entertainment-announces-a-new-co-pro-talks-karas-eva-and-gits. Retrieved 2009-05-10. 
  18. ^ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/anncast/2009-11-06
  19. ^ Act 147, Rurouni Kenshin volume 17, ISBN 1591168767
  20. ^ Crandol, Mike (September 24, 2002). "Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/end-of-evangelion-dvd. Retrieved 2009-09-11. 
  21. ^ Ross, Carlos. "Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion". THEM Anime Reviews. http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=141. Retrieved 2009-09-11. 
  22. ^ Beveridge, Chris (September 30, 2002). "Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion". Mania.com. http://www.mania.com/neon-genesis-evangelion-end-evangelion_article_74851.html. Retrieved 2009-09-11. 
  23. ^ "Best/Worst "Animation" Titles". Internet Movie Database. September 25, 2009. http://www.imdb.com/chart/animation. Retrieved 2009-09-25. 

[edit] External links

 
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