Bye-bye, all of Evangelion.

I’m back from my months-long blog hiatus to say mention I watched the new Evangelion film this afternoon.

I’m still wrapping my head around this film, so it’s very possible that I will write a follow-up or edit this post with all my thoughts. But I felt it was a good idea to jot some thoughts down and dust this old blog off tonight. I’ve been meaning to for a long time!

(note: mild spoilers for the film below the cut.)

Evangelion is near and dear to my heart – it helped me understand my own depression and anxiety in early adolescence, and well into adulthood it still inspires me to continue on, knowing there are brighter days ahead. The TV series is probably my favorite anime, and the Rebuilds have been an interesting victory lap for Shinji’s story.

Without going into too many details here, Eva 3.0+1.0 turns the Rebuilds on its head, in a good way, while also utilizing a lot of shot remakes from the original series continuity. While the Rebuilds are in their own timeline (at least as far as I understand), this one feels like it connects to the original series directly. I wasn’t expecting to be moved the way I was; the Rebuild chronology is a bit of a roller coaster ride, and I had literally no idea what to expect after the last film ended.

Someone on Reddit summed the film up nicely: if the Evangelion franchise were a video game, Eva 3.0+1.0 feels like the Best End, the secret ending. It feels like it was written as a way to reflect back on the series, from the perspective of someone who’s done a lot of work to heal themselves. The way this one explores the personal trauma and flaws of the various characters is surprising and beautiful in equal turns. It also feels like an Eva you can engage with meaningfully as an adult. Speaking personally, I’ve been on a journey of healing since coming to understand my own depression, and battling it alongside growing from a teenager into an adult gives you a different perspective. I think I would’ve appreciated this had I been younger, but it feels especially potent as an adult.

I’m still struggling to qualify it, but I loved the film. I can’t wait to watch it again.

Have you checked out the latest Evangelion film? If you did, what did you think of it? I’d love to hear your feedback and welcome your comments below.