Despite having conceived one of the most influential works of anime in 1995, Hideaki Anno was unable to bring a definitive conclusion to his time. Neon Genesis Evangelion. Although, the freedom of interpretation of the psychological, philosophical and ontological connotations of the series and the original tapes were key in the construction of the myth and the cult status that they reached inside and outside of Japan; the reality is that the mixed reaction of a vocal sector of the audience caused Anno’s obsessive mind to generate an even more tense relationship with his iconic creation, to the point of deciding to reinvent history through a new film saga that would bring a categorical end to Shinji Ikari’s journey. Here we are 14 years after the start of Rebuild of Evangelion Almost 9 years after the release of the previous film, but has it been worth the wait? Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time not only does it represent a satisfying close for the cinematic tetralogy, but it works as a dignified and cathartic send-off for the entire franchise as a whole.
We won’t go into specific details so as not to spoil major reveals or plot twists, though we will mention the themes, structure, and certain characters in general terms to give a clear picture of what to expect. After the opening scene with WILLE’s mission in Paris, the film is divided into two specific sections, which work perfectly for their own separate purposes, although they end up harmoniously complementing each other. Set after the events of Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012), the first half is a contemplative approach to the lives of Shinji, Rei and Asuka, their complexes and their desire to find a place in the world outside the EVA units. Meanwhile, the second part focuses on the action and the resolution of the arcs of the leading cast, when the troops of Lieutenant Colonel Misato Katsuragi head towards the final battle against Gendō Ikari and NERV.
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With a duration of 2 hours and 35 minutes -the third longest Japanese animated film in history-, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time take advantage of every second of its footage to feed a component that had been absent from the tetralogy until now: a soul. Previous installments suffered from tight execution times that forced efforts to be concentrated on the gradual and accelerated escalation of events to move the plot, leaving aside or limiting the spaces for the public to empathize with the human drama. On this occasion, we can finally stop to delve into the cast, with subversions of the preconceptions that we carried about their personalities or interpersonal relationships for the classic version. At the same time, the story takes its time to shed light on what happened during the 14-year gap between the second and third films. Thanks to this, we know better the current state of the planet, the survivors and the objectives of WILLE and NERV. This makes character development feel organic and make or break in pursuit of your well-earned desires.
When Hideaki Anno planned Rebuild of Evagelion, the vision was that the first feature film would be similar to the beginning of the anime; the second would gradually change some points and the last two would take the saga into unknown territory. In this sense, it is important to highlight the contrasts and the way in which they dialogue Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo Y Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. The previous tape was a merciless nightmare of despair, fatalism and death; although it was necessary to privilege in this sequel a series of concepts that we do not usually automatically associate with this franchise: hope, optimism and healing. The denouement retains the nihilistic tone of The End of Evangelion (1997) and combines it with the warmer feel of the series’ original conclusion, while also incorporating all sorts of meta references to the previous endings, Anno’s own feeling about Eve and even bringing to fiction real-world elements associated with the production.
Now, this closure is much more direct in its content, so the debates will not be so much in the possible interpretations of it, but in how much sense some revelations and narrative decisions make. The biggest claim that can be made to Anno’s script is to deliberately ignore some of the rules of the universe that he had established in the first three films. However, the Japanese director’s bet is that the viewer concentrates on what is happening, instead of how it is happening.
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Produced at the Khara studio and supervised by Hideaki Anno, the feature film co-directed by Katsuichi Nakayama (co-director of all Rebuild of Evangelion), Kazuya Tsurumaki (Assistant Director of Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo) and Mahiro Maeda (co-director of Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo) looks quite neat visually. Worth noting are the incredibly detailed sets by art director Tatsuya Kushida. (the wind rises), as well as notable improvements in 3D animation since the premiere of the third installment. The main problem in this section is the composition of the director of photography Toru Fukushi (hellsing ultimate) in action scenes: chaotic sequences, the result of a saturation of the frame with unfavorable camera angles and movements, which make it difficult to distinguish what exactly is happening on the screen. An extra point to mention is that Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time shows again the experimental vein of Anno, with the inclusion of completely handmade animation (with everything and the support of Studio Ghibli), rotoscoping or images shot in live actionamong other techniques.
As usual, the soundtrack by Shiro Sagisu (Neon Genesis Evangelion) is a delight to the ears, with a score that rescues anime themes from yesteryear, a superb selection of classic orchestral pieces, and new compositions that give the film’s most memorable scenes their own identity. Sound design is another element that deserves recognition for the verisimilitude that it imparts to this world, from the ordinary settings to its fantastic ingredients. And Hikaru Utada, who performed theme songs for all the previous films, returns with a new single titled “One Last Kiss” to bid farewell to Rebuild of Evangelion. A song that has the necessary charm to become a nostalgic anthem of Eve in a few years.
Is this the last we’ll see of Evangelion in the field of animation? It’s hard to say when we’re talking about one of the most profitable intellectual properties of all time, so the temptation to return to it can’t be ruled out. Nevertheless, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time it’s as close to perfect a closure for Shinji’s personal arc as could be wished for. Likewise, it allows us to glimpse that Hideaki Anno seems determined for the first time to definitively close this chapter of his career. Leaving the past behind, forgiving oneself, growing up and finding the strength within oneself and in others to move on, are some of the central components of an unexpected and pleasantly optimistic epilogue about change. Hopefully fans of Eve They will find in this conclusion the same catharsis as the characters they have followed for 26 years.
goodbye to everything Evangelion.
Where to see Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time?
Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 is available from August 13, 2021 on Prime Video.
The film will be screened for the first time in theaters in Latin America from September 29, 2022. In Mexico, the production will also be exhibited from the October 6 in IMAX and 4DX.