Characters grow in perhaps unexpected ways and role reversals of several major characters take place throughout the film. While we may primarily associate Evangelion with mental instability and psychological fragility, this movie is more interested in healing those wounds in a way that feels like a wonderful breath of fresh air for the franchise. This ties into the film’s themes of growing up, moving on, letting go of your past, and finding the strength to forgive yourself. On the other hand, Shinji in this movie is able to take the initiative and attempts to mend broken relationships, particularly with his estranged father. Contrast that with past Evangelion films or series, where Shinji tended to avoid interaction with others out of fear of being hurt or rejected. Series protagonist Shinji Ikari, in particular, emerges in this film as a mature, level-headed person, who moves past the endless self-pity he is known for and is able to interact with his cohorts in a way we haven’t seen before. Said characters make decisions that seem completely at odds, in a good way, with what we would expect of them. My jaw literally dropped on several occasions - not at any shocking reveal, but instead at the positive messages and vibes on display in this movie, both in its worldview and in its characters. Putting it simply, perhaps the most shocking revelation this film has to offer doesn’t come from solving the mystery of Evangelion, but rather the story’s tone, and its message. Over the course of these four films, series director Anno has aimed not to reboot or remake Neon Genesis Evangelion, but rather to retell the core story of the series, or in franchise terminology to “rebuild” the story.Īs mentioned, the film delves into areas Evangelion is not typically known for hope and positivity. Along the course of the surprisingly lengthy 154-minute runtime, series creator Hideaki Anno leads the viewer into uncharted territory, all the while giving legacy characters a fitting farewell worthy of the franchise.įifteen years since the announcement of the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy of films, the final (and much delayed) installment has been released in theaters in Japan, nearly eight and a half years since the previous movie, Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo. This conclusion to the Rebuild of Evangelion film series is overflowing with messages of hope and positivity, to the point that it may come across jarring to longtime fans. Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is the final film in the much-beloved Neon Genesis Evangelion series.
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