A Film Directed by Hideaki Anno

I have mentioned, in previous reviews, that I got a chance to attend a screening of the fourth film in the Rebuild of Evangelion series in a theatrical setting a few weeks ago. This was something that I was sure that I missed out on due to its release around the time when people were just getting out of Covid-19 lockdowns and still social distancing. In preparation for this showing, I realized that I could not remember if I had seen the subject of today’s review, the third film in the series, since it had been so long. The answer was, yes, I had seen it, but it had likely been around ten years ago and I largely did not remember a lot of it. In this way, I was VERY glad I went through all of these again, otherwise I would have been lost.

“Fourteen years after third impact, Shinji Ikari awakens to a world he does not remember. He hasn’t aged. Much of Earth is laid in ruins, NERV has been dismantled, and people who he once protected have turned against him. Befriending the enigmatic Kaworu Nagisa, Shinji continues the fight against the angels and realizes the fighting is far from over, even when it could be against his former allies. The characters’ struggles continue amid the battles against the angels and each other, spiraling down to what could inevitably be the end of the world”

Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo, like its predecessors, is directed by Hideaki Anno and marks the first true departure from previously established Evangelion lore seen in older films and TV episodes. At the end of 2011’s Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance, series protagonist Shinji Ikari seemingly came close to triggering a catastrophic event dubbed “The Third Impact” in order to save a fellow pilot from certain doom. He had to do something we’ve seen before in Evangelion, and allow his unit to “awaken”, throwing off any controls and basically going feral. The fusion of the Awakened Unit 01 with the remains of the Angel (the antagonists of the series) he was fighting triggered the beginnings of what most would consider “the end of the world” until he was neutralized with a weapon called “Spear of Cassius”. We find out that fourteen years have passed with Shinji still sealed into the core of this Angel, and the enigmatic organizations hellbent on destroying the world, SEELE and NERV have moved closer and closer to their goal. former NERV employees have broken off to form a new group called WILLE and are all that stands against total annihilation.

As one can see, a lot of this is conjecture, and that’s the best most can do with this franchise because the films stop holding the viewers hands at this point – stuff changes and it’s up to the person watching to create their own interpretation. I posted a quote on my first review of this series, and it still holds true here:

“Evangelion is like a puzzle, you know. Any person can see it and give his/her own answer. In other words, we’re offering viewers to think by themselves, so that each person can imagine his/her own world. We will never offer the answers, even in the theatrical version. As for many Evangelion viewers, they may expect us to provide the ‘all-about Eva’ manuals, but there is no such thing. Don’t expect to get answers by someone. Don’t expect to be catered to all the time. We all have to find our own answers.”“

About Neon Genesis Evangelion”. Newtype in Protoculture Addicts #43, 11/96

The plot for this film revolves around Shinji Ikari, who awakens 14 years after the events of the second film to find a world he no longer recognizes. The Earth is scarred, humanity divided, and NERV, the organization responsible for the Eva units, has changed beyond recognition. Shinji finds himself on the bridge of a stolen NERV Capital Ship called the AAA Wunder (Autonomous Assault Ark Wunder), captained by none other than Misato Katsuragi herself. After nearly two decades of unseen war, the WUNDER crew are hardened and weary. Misato is not her previous cheerful self, and has become the stoic naval captain we often see in sci-fi anime shows, just think of Macross or Yamato for reference. Everyone seems somewhat scared or even furious at Shinji and everyone is emotionally unattached to him – something that confuses and upsets him. He is fitted with a choker that inhibits his ability to attune to Eva units and thrown is prison for everyone’s safety.

As one can imagine a person such as Shinji, a young man suffering from mental health problems does not understand what is happening. The cold shoulder and outright hatred towards him from a couple of WUNDER staffers is demoralizing leading him to make bad decisions such as allowing himself to be captured and taken back to NERV HQ. This is one of those moments where a viewer will likely get annoyed that somebody didn’t just pull up a folding chair and let him know what’s going on, but then there wouldn’t be drama I guess. This section of the movie is, perhaps, one of the more fulfilling ones for his character arc because it involves his relationship with Kaworu Nagisa, perhaps the only real character that treats Shinji well in most of the franchise.

Being a forty-year-old straight man that cares very little for fan communities that get worked up about “shipping” (a.k.a relationshipping, or coming up with match-ups for characters and rooting for them), the fact that the whole thing doesn’t end up with Shinji and Kaworu being an item is a damn shame. I guess you could likely argue that Kaworu is likely there to be an idealized character to manipulate him, but this is never explicitly addressed in the narrative.

All we know is that Shinji comes in contact with the boy when he basically hits rock bottom and is not used to being treated as fondly as he is. Kaworu is friendly, gentle, and open towards Shinji, and Shinji, quickly opens up to him. They learn to play piano together, perhaps one of the few times Shinji is able to live a normal life and express himself. For two characters that never really get intimate, their relationship is the closest thing to a fully-realized romantic relationship in all of the franchise.

The relationship is, of course, ripped away from Shinji – but I guess it was likely a good thing to have that happen. At best, I suppose this relationship was somewhat codependent. Shinji basically needs Kaworu to function, and I guess Kaworu needs Shinji because he was curious about humanity and feels he is destined to be with him, albeit briefly. That kind of dependence is never a positive thing for anyone, and Shinji never truly heals until he accepts himself, which is still a long way away. And by saying a long way I mean it, the death of Kaworu basically wrecks him. I didn’t really mean to dive that much into this aspect of the film, but since one of the main themes is the main character’s mental health – I figured I had to touch on it somewhere.

One of the standout aspects of this film is its stunning visual presentation. The animation is nothing short of spectacular, with intricately detailed Eva battles, otherworldly landscapes, and a dystopian world brought to life with exceptional artistry. While previous parts of this franchise have dabbled in CGI effects, this is the first one to truly grab the bull by the proverbial horns and mesh hand-drawn animation and computer-generated animation together in a meaningful way. I have spoken on my reviews extensively about the ups and downs of the Japanese animation industry in regard to their use of CGI, and this is perhaps one of the better examples out there.

This Evangelion film definitely was created with a theatrical run in mind, and Anno makes great use of the larger real estate, louder music, and just about everything else about this production. Everything just feels BIG and IMPORTANT throughout the film, and it is truly a feast for all of your senses (well I guess maybe not smell!).

I mentioned before that Anno sees this franchise as a puzzle, and to many I’m sure that is a very bad thing. This movie is not very accessible to newbies, and would likely bewilder a person that is not somewhat familiar with the franchise or characters. The film’s plot is densely layered with symbolism and philosophical undertones, and it challenges the audience with existential questions about the nature of humanity, the consequences of our choices, and the blurred lines between good and evil. It may alienate casual viewers but captivate those who enjoy dissecting intricate narratives.

Personally, I love this sort of film, but I feel very bad for the dude sitting behind me at the aforementioned screening of the fourth film, a man who was given a ten minute summary of all of the franchise history right before the movie started by his friend. I couldn’t help but chuckle every time something weird would happen and I’d hear him mutter “what the F-?”

In conclusion, Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo is a visually stunning and intellectually stimulating addition to the Rebuild of Evangelion series. It challenges its audience with complex themes and deep character development, while also raising more questions than it answers. If you’re a long-time fan of the franchise and appreciate thought-provoking, visually arresting anime, this film is a must-see. However, newcomers to the series may find it daunting and may want to start from the beginning to fully grasp the narrative’s intricacies. If you are a fan of giant robots or old-school tokusatsu films, I’d give this franchise a look, however this film is likely not the best jumping on point!

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