Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
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Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion is a feature-length retelling of the final two episodes of the 1995 anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion. The film features far more violence, mass destruction, and scenes of a sexual nature than the series. The movie is also disturbing, bleak, and complicated. It is not intended as a standalone film, so knowledge of events from the TV show are needed for a full appreciation of the story. Characters are in the middle of traumatic events and the tone is frantic and despairing as the future of humanity is in the balance. There is strong bloody violence and fantasy fights involving humans and huge mechanical humanoids. The movie has deep commentary on the destructive impulses of humans but offers strong hope amid the dark storyline. The movie also features sexual content, with a boy masturbating while looking at a hospitalized friend whose breasts are exposed. An adult woman kisses a boy and an adult man gropes a teenage girl's naked breast. It features artistic sequences that are both disturbing and beautiful. There is both a Japanese version with English subtitles and an English-dubbed version available.
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What's the Story?
In NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: THE END OF EVANGELION, the desperate last stand of a select group of mecha pilots is the only hope to keep the end of humanity at bay.
Is It Any Good?
Profound, disturbing and beautiful, this is an anime masterpiece, albeit with one big caveat. Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion relies on you having seen the original TV series. There are no concessions to casual viewers, and no recap of the 24-episodes-worth of frantic drama that led to the harrowing events of this movie. The incredible Japanese voice cast make the characters entirely crushing, heartbreaking, and desperate. Creator and director Hideaki Anno is relentless in his vision that lays bare the destructive nature of humans. His portrayal of armed conflict is a vision of hell. Even the mecha fights, which in other movies are fist-pumping thrill rides, here are melancholic and desperate. We know the pilots and the hideous time they're having. Everyone in the movie is a fully developed character. Their internal life is just as important as their external, which lets the confident direction shine.
While it's decidedly bleak, it's not entirely one note and takes surprising turns. One section is an assault of images, with an existential conversation between two characters over the top of it. They, like the movie, are questioning life and emotions. It's an unforgettable section, equal to the spectacle of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey but with more to say. Japan is the only country to have been attacked by nuclear bombs and the blast shadow looms large over its art. Here, the prospect of total destruction is faced head-on, unblinking. This movie is art that helps make sense of it and dreams of a way forward.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the animated violence in Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion. How did it compare to what you might see in a live-action film? Which has more impact? Why?
How did the movie portray sex? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Did you find the movie entirely bleak or were there any messages of hope? If so, what were they? Did any of the characters show courage and perseverance, for example?
Have you seen the original TV series? How did this movie compare? Did it tie-up the story in a satisfying way?
Discuss the idea of real-life events influencing fictional media. How might the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in World War II have had an influence on this movie?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 10, 2002
- Cast: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Kotono Mitsuishi
- Director: Hideaki Anno
- Studio: Manga Video
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Robots
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance
- Run time: 87 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: July 29, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
-
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Classic anime series is violent, introspective.
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Everything Everywhere All at Once
Weird, wonderful genre-busting adventure has some violence.
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Grave of the Fireflies
WWII anime tragedy is the saddest cartoon EVER.
-
2001: A Space Odyssey
Kubrick's sci-fi masterpiece is still relevant.
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