NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: THE END OF EVANGELION

VOICES OF: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Kotono Mitsuishi, Yuko Miyamura, Yuriko Yamaguchi, Koichi Yamadera, Fumihiko Tachiki, Tomokazu Seki

1997, 90 Minutes, Directed by: Hideaki Anno, Kazuya Tsurumaki

Description: At the dawn of the new millennium, mankind has awakened a threat unlike any faced before – the Angels. Conventional weapons are useless against them. They can only be stopped by means of the Evangelions – bio-engineered vessels born from the Angels’ own technology. But this forbidden knowledge is also the key to bringing about a startling new genesis for the human race. Placed in the hands of three young pilots, the final fate of humanity rests upon their shoulders, the Evas are the world’s last hope . . . — Amazon.com

If you haven’t seen any episodes of this anime TV series, then there is no point in checking out Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion.

End of Evangelion was made when the show’s creators were unhappy with the previous big screen conclusion to the series, Death and Rebirth. Ironically Death and Rebirth itself was made because they were unhappy with the TV show’s original ending, all of which gives one the impression that they didn’t quite know how to end it all – a suspicion borne out by the muddled storytelling in End of Evangelion.

Whether you regard Neon Genesis Evangelion as profoundly deep or unbearably pretentious is a purely a matter of personal taste. I lean slightly towards the latter as some of the willfully obscure philosophical musings smacks somewhat of something a second-year philosophy student would have dreamt up whilst high on pot.

The artists and writers definitely did imbibe something much more potent than your garden variety pot though as the often incomprehensible ending is awash with “out there” religious druggy imagery that tries to out-Russell Ken Russell himself.

These onscreen acid trips are still more interesting than your standard giant robots beating the bejesus out of one another anime efforts though, and Neon Genesis Evangelion is recommended to anyone with an open mind willing to watch something more adventurous. But check out the TV show before watching this . . .