A Film Directed by Hideaki Anno

I mentioned that around a month ago I was able to attend a theatrical screening of Evangelion: 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon a Time, and enjoyed it immensely. I had missed the release of the film during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and honestly could not tell you if any theaters around here actually screened the film at the time. Evangelion: 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon a Time is the fourth and final installment in the Rebuild of Evangelion film series, directed by the iconic Hideaki Anno. To prepare, I actually sat down and rewatched the previous Rebuild films so that “I wouldn’t miss anything”, which was silly because even after doing that one has to remember how insane the story in these films can get, with finer plot points left up to so much speculation I’m sure many people have built college dissertations around picking everything apart. Missing something is a gimme!

“From legendary director Hideaki Anno, Evangelion:3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon A Time is the fourth and final installment of the Rebuild Of Evangelion films, bringing an epic conclusion to the story of Shinji and his fellow Eva pilots, with the stunning visuals and thought-provoking storytelling that has made Evangelion a global pop culture phenomenon. Misato and her anti-NERV group Wille arrive at Paris, a city now red from core-ization. Crew from the flagship Wunder land on a containment tower. They only have 720 seconds to restore the city. When a horde of NERV Evas appear, Mari’s improved Eva Unit 8 must intercept. Meanwhile, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei (Provisional Name) wander about Japan.”

This film was notorious for suffering numerous delays and bringing together damn near the entire Japanese anime industry to complete. Not only did Hideaki Anno suffer some unfortunate mental health issues after the completion of the third film, he put his directorial career on hiatus to work alongside Hayao Miyazaki on The Wind Rises. Anno dabbled in some live action with Shin Godzilla and was embroiled in a legal dispute with the company he helped put on the map – Gainax. It was not until almost 2016 when the film resumed development, with numerous caveats. First and foremost, Anno feared that he was too old to relate and properly finish a story for Shinji Ikari, so Anno reportedly talked to his assistants and voice actors to help create a path forward for the plot. The blood, sweat, and tears that went into this production are very evident, and as a result Evangelion: 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon a Time stands as a poignant and satisfying conclusion to a legendary series.

The film picks up the narrative threads from its predecessor, 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo, with Shinji Ikari entering the film at perhaps the worst mental state that the character has ever been. Not only has he lost perhaps the only person that has ever cared about in perhaps the most gruesome way possible, he exists in a near catatonic state for a decent chunk of the film. Shinji utterly ignores the returns of some of his closest friends, he has decided to basically willingly waste away from existence. He even has to be force-fed at one point. Shinji being a total mess due to his familial issues, depression, and inability to relate to others is always a plot point in this franchise, but his behavior here is below the bottom of the barrel for him.

Something VERY bad happens to him again, and man I was fearing for the worst, but the unthinkable happens in this film. He realizes that he does deserve to be happy and he is the only one that can make that happen. Shinji Ikari FINALLY steps up, stops feeling bad for himself, and stops letting others control him. He takes charge to not only fix things he feels he should shoulder the burden for, but to hopefully save his friends. To have a character whose mental health issues unfortunately became somewhat of a meme for decades to grow up and work with himself to move towards better mental health is awesome.

I mentioned returning characters, which reminds me of something in the old TV series. There was always a joke during “next episode” previews where Misato would jokingly promise “tons of fanservice”, which generally wasn’t really a thing, but here in this film the fanservice is abound – and I don’t mean the lewd kind. Not only do we see Kensuke Aida, the military Otaku that Shinji palled around with, but we see Toji Suzahara and his sister for the first time in a long time. All three are survivors and helping to hopefully rebuild a new life in what is left of the livable areas on Earth. Their whereabouts were always the topic of heated discussion in the past, so here, we get a tiny sliver of closure. As a longtime fan, little nods like this were awesome.

Visually, Thrice Upon a Time is a triumph. The animation is nothing short of amazing, and that is even though the majority is done through computer generated animation, which I know is a hot-topic in anime fandom nowadays. The Eva and capital ship battles are a spectacle to behold, combining the best parts of traditional hand-drawn animation with cutting-edge CGI seamlessly. There are times that, perhaps, too much stuff might be going on in any given scene, however with this being a film made to be seen in theaters, it goes for spectacle and showmanship at all turns.

The world-building is at its best in any film in this series, with intricately detailed settings that feel both familiar and eerily alien. The first third of the film takes place in a quaint human settlement with an agrarian lifestyle that stands diametrically opposed to the sort of lives and stresses we normally see in this series. Everything is green, everyone seems happy, and above all else there is hope – hope for the future and mankind. This section was “slow” to some, but for me it was a breath of fresh air and really gives weight to the ultimate goal of ending Gendo Ikari’s selfish attempt at causing Instrumentality. This is the portion of the film when pretty much everyone comes into their own – Shinji grows up, Asuka stops blaming Shinji for everything, and Rei, despite not being the “real” Rei (which is kind of hard ijn itself) learns how to be human.

One of the film’s greatest strengths is that character development, and I would argue that most of the character feel fully-fleshed out for the first time in a long time. Even in films such as The End of Evangelion Shinji, Rei, Asuka, and the rest of the cast acted almost as plot points or one-dimensional characters at times. Here, they are all given the opportunity to confront their inner demons, reconcile with their pasts, and find a sense of closure. The emotional depth and growth of these characters over the course of the film are truly remarkable, and it’s a testament to Anno’s storytelling prowess. By allowing others to help him pave the way for characters like Shinji, who deserved to have even the smallest shred of happiness, it shows he’s ready to move on from the series that has been both his biggest boon and detriment for nearly three decades.

Thrice Upon a Time masterfully balances these character-driven moments with intense action sequences. The Eva battles are adrenaline-pumping and emotionally charged, serving as a stark contrast to the quieter, introspective scenes. The film also revisits and reinterprets iconic moments from the original series, creating a nostalgic and satisfying experience for longtime fans. If you liked The End of Evangelion, get ready for scenes from that to be flipped upside down at times, redone, and reconceptualized. Even weirder elements such as the bizarre inner-turmoil Shinji had, conceptualized as weird backwards cels and pencil sketches (as seen in the original TV series ending) are here, and somewhat explained.

Where this installment truly shines is in its narrative resolution, and while it’s not perfect but we finally see a true ending here. While the previous TV series, End of Evangelion, and even other films in the Rebuild series left many questions unanswered, Thrice Upon a Time ties up loose ends and provides a satisfying conclusion to the Evangelion saga. At the very least, the character of Shinji Ikari is finally free of the nightmarish future he has been left in during previous installments.

The film delves into the core themes of the series, such as the nature of human connection, the search for identity, and the consequences of our choices, offering thought-provoking insights that resonate deeply. The ending is very philosophical, which should be no surprise to long-time fans, so it may be tough for some newer viewers to grasp.

The soundtrack, composed by Shiro Sagisu, continues to be a standout feature, with a mix of iconic tracks from the original series and new compositions that enhance the emotional impact of the film. The use of music to convey the characters’ inner turmoil and the grandeur of the Eva battles is masterful. While no tracks really have the same punch as Komm, süsser Tod from End of Evangelion, what is here is really good and the vocal tracks, many with English lyrics, are very well done.

In conclusion, Evangelion: 3.0+1.11 Thrice Upon a Time is a triumphant and emotionally resonant conclusion to the Rebuild of Evangelion series. It offers a perfect blend of stunning visuals, character development, action, and philosophical depth. For fans who have followed the journey of Shinji and his companions for years, this film is a deeply satisfying farewell to a beloved franchise. It not only lives up to the high expectations set by its predecessors but also solidifies Evangelion’s place in the pantheon of anime classics. Who knows, Anno might come back to this series sometime in the future, but if he has fully moved on, at this point, I am satisfied with the ending we were provided.

GKIDS has slowly become one of my favorite anime companies, and I have been basically using their catalog for most recent reviews. If you want to see more GKIDS material that I’ve reviewed, click HERE.

For more anime coverage, click HERE