Basically the anime is the first "bad ending" and the movies start the cycle of "the loop" where it repeats over and over again until shinji gets his "good ending" small things being changed creating a butterfly effect later on, but instead he creates the happy ending for everyone but himself. Edit: Yes I know Shinji does kinda get a good ending
It's also the perfect ending because if you refuse to believe the loop is the cannon ending, you're technically still right. And if you think the movie ending sucked, you can just think about the other fairytale endings.
@@singhswings5915wtf,even Shinji gets his happy ending,she not sacrificed himself because gendo sn yui did it,and this is becausa he haves his good ending,all have good endings,finally(except gendo an yui because they are death)
Losing a spouse does crazy things to a person. I would have gladly ended everyone I ever met to bring my wife back. But I know that would have been folly.
Seeing Shinji turn from flawed, nihilistic and self centred to genuinely optimistic, compassionate and selfless over the course of two series is probably the most cathartic experience I’ve had in fiction
The manage is considerably different to both the show and the movies, the second half of the manga is nearly entirely different to the tv show and movies. To my knowledge it is considered canon. Are you thinking of doing a video on that? if you did please add section on where it fits in the line of re-starts, cause I have racked my head around weather it comes before the tv show or after the movies or somewhere in between and I cant make it out. @@socksensei
Toji's sister not wanting shinji to pilot again at the end, fearing what he might do, is hilarious considering they were all royally screwed anyways if he did nothing.
A lot of people don't care for the Rebuilds, but damn, if even just hearing the plot of 3.0+1.0 doesn't make me emotional. To me, it feels like the circle finally being completed. A cycle of suffering finally ending. It's beautiful.
I adore it. I’ve come around on the third one after initially not liking it and I loved the 2nd and liked the 1st. But the 4th was something special and hit me in an incredibly vulnerable part of myself (Possibly the scars from watching the original series!)
I was not a big fan of the rebuilds until the ending, it really brought everything together and while I still have many issues with the rebuilds (honestly they are probably thanks to how little context there is and how vague the whole damn series is and how much information it feels like I am/was missing as a consequence) I still really appreciate the ending, it was very cathartic
And women would rather press the self-destruct button, killing thousands in the process, than admitting that they hated their mothers. But what do I know? *sips tea*
I assumed Mari was one of the first Eva pilots, and stuck that age because the "curse". She's not a clone she's the original and is trying to atone for what happened to Yui.
She is in the extra of Evangelion manga which is mentioned somewhere as canon, Mari was Yui's groupmate in the university and knew her, Gendo and Fuyutsuki (the last one is an asshole I'm sorry)
@@travisdk84 I'm glad to help, although extra came after the second rebuild so it's semi-canon and yeah you were right about her curse, it's just she has more lore than a regular pilot.
Yeah, Mari is chronologically only a few years younger than Gendo and Yui, physically 16 years old for most of the Rebuilds, and then ends at what we assume to be mid-late 20s in that final scene.
I thought that too but in the second movie i think , Mari said something about finally able to pilot an eva maybe shes just talking about being able to pilot that specific eva though
I also loved the part where he wiped his ass with the page and then Smash Mouth started playing It was weird that they changed the VA for that scene though, it sounded like Mike Myers I think?
What I love about Thrice Upon a Time is that you got to see all of these characters finally heal and let go of the trauma that haunted them for decades
I did like the scene more with Toji, and I quite like the idea of Toji being a pilot and being hurt/dying in his first test mission (He dies in the manga). - Shinji being unable to see what is happening is kinda dumb. "YEAH SURE HAHAAHA" he knows how the sound of the teeth of the eva creaking against the specific metal of the plug sounds like. - Shinji using his hands to try and defend himself (Which he doesnt even do in the original) is a cool addition, but then again I guess its just part of the new Shinji - Prior to the scene, its quite cool how Asuka tried to be nice, Rei tried to make a nice dinner, and it all got effed up.
Mari can aleo be seen as "new" in the cycle. Shinji kept struggling with the same people worsening his attachement issues. Mari can be seen as an external solution. Sometimes you have to just let it all go and try something new
This Rebuild series is: 1 - Anno's diss track towards japanese delusional shipping Evangelion otakus, flexing his capability to overcome depression, go outside, touch grass and get a real life GF 2 - A way to keep taking said otakus's money with merch, he knows they'll buy another Asuka/Rei figurine for their collection, no matter how expensive it might be 3 - A way to self-insert his real life waifu into his most famous work, as Mari, showing he willingly evolved from an incel otaku into a simping normie No matter what philosophical bs explanation anyone might have to give, this is my headcannon.
Both of these videos were brilliant and you brought me to such an understanding of Evangelion that I'm coming away from it feeling the full weight of the emotional impact of the story for the first time. If this quality of content is consistent you're gonna find your channel blowing up before long.
I think it’s pretty clear what the point was in the end of 3.0+1.0: in spite of the pain and suffering life brings, especially with our attachments to others, we-like Shinji-will persevere, carry and cherish the memories of the positive staples in our lives, who helped shape us into the people we are today. Though it does suck to go through the pain of life and lose people, you have to be willing to process that pain and eventually let go. For your sake.
Doing something for your sake is a pretty weak motivation since its highly depends on you and were not perfect and fall victim to our own devices so i believe that of your gonna do something with this as context then i vote do it for what's left. Doing something for whats left of the things you care about is a bigger universe than doing it solely for yourself .
@@m0n4rch911 I disagree, a casket doesnt fit two people. You should do things for yourself because you deserve the life you want and that doesn't have to be selfish or selfless. Trial and error is a part of evolution thats how we learn. In the real world karma is a bitch or so they say life is a bitch, nobody cares as much as they say they do, things arent appreciated, and children still suffer the burden of the world they did not ask to be in. But everything starts with YOU, YOU are one life that could be capable of ALL. One must shape themselves to the world, for the world to shape to one. One should aspire for greatness for himself because at the end of the day its your story, and you will be able to share your legacy for times to come. 😊
For me that message was already pretty clear with End of Evangelion Rebuilds still for me do not add anything of substance to the series, mostly bloat. I think Rei and Gendo got some much needed space for their characters to be explored tho which is nice
While Mari was the most healthy of the pilots, Kaworu was the first person to show Shinji affection, I think he awakened shinjis heart so each alternate timeline Shinji heals just a little more
Shinji heals thanks to all characters, all of them evolved from the original series. What Kaworu does is try to make Shinji happy because that is what makes himself happy. He is predetermined to show Shinji some affection, but both are cursed under the inevitable circumstances of NERV and SEELE, therefore it ends up in tragedy everytime. The loop is Kaworu's choice, not Shinji's. And considering he's not human (he's an angel), this doesn't represent "growth" in the same sense that Asuka, Kensuke, Toji or Misato can provide him.
There will never again be a series like Evangelion, for better or for worse. Seeing the whole cast grow past their faults and strive for their happy ending after everything they went through is something special and it hits like nothing else. I definitely think Mari should have had more time to interact with Shinji as much as she did Asuka, but overall I agree with what you said about her being the necessary clean slate to bring things about more brightly. These are some of the best videos you’ve put out and I’d be really hyped to see more in-depth looks at anime like this. (Not that I don’t love incorrect summary, those are incredible) Keep up the hustle, my man. Excited to hear more from you.
No disrespect but in the original Eva they didn’t grow one bit of they were as annoying as in the first time we saw them it makes the audience not care for the characters but in the rebuild they actually have complex character that changes within the episodes
@@slandermoonrahimzadeh7679They included every piece of Evangelion as a whole part since many people regarded endings as each possibilities that happened canonically similar to Visual Novels.
After the original NGE left me emotionally battered and hurt all those years ago, it was nice to finally get a happy ending. Yes, the original Neon Genesis is a masterpiece, a true work of art, but sometimes you just want everything to end on a good note and for the characters to stop suffering so much.
We got a "happy" ending though, a standing ovation in-fact, as seen in episode 26. His (Shinji's) last facial expression is a smile- in company of others sharing the same look. Rebuild fans it seems are resentful of its abrupt ending, despite its positive final minutes.
Eh endings like this always leave me sour. Aside from the usual shortcomings of "happily ever after" these kinds of endings that portray return to our base line reality as the perfect outcome are hilarious. I mean sure fighting gods in an endless cycle might not be fun but is wage slaving in japan really preferable? Man became god of the universe and decided to go become oppressed and poor.
@TuriGamer society is still practically destroyed, with few humans left. Shinji wouldn’t necessarily be ‘wage-slaving’ if he returned to the normal world that he left to confront his father in weirdo space. Plus, he doesn’t even go back there, he is on the beach of some unknown place with Mari.
I’ve gone a decade being so confused on the greater details of Evangelion as a whole until these two videos came along. So well written and well explained. These 2 hours were a delight
41:10 In the last chapter of the Evangelion Manga, we get a prequel story that Reveals Mari was Classmates with Yui, and Gendo. The Glasses that she wears were a gift from Yui. Instead of being a Clone, she's more than likely the original that didn't age, due to LCL exposure just like Shinji/Asuka/Rei
This was a great analysis. Kinda brings everything into perspective. I would also like to add to Marie's role in the Rebuilds. It is with Shinji's first interaction with Marie where his walkman stops repeating tracks 25 and 26, finally moving on to track 27. To me, this symbolizes a progression from the original cycle of Eva. Marie is the catalyst that forces this change. Without Marie, this story would have repeated itself as it did before.
Recently got to watch Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0 in cinemas for the first time and I was kinda… confused but also thought it made a decent amount of sense. Glad this video is here to sum up the plots without me having to read 300 wiki pages again!
Dude i legit just finished Evangelion for the first time ever yesterday and just found your channel looking for an explanation on the show. Such a solid video. You did such a great job and i cant wait to see this one
I've wached more "making sense of Eva" YT vids than I can count and you are one of 2 I can safely say truly does the best job of explaining it. Its such a refreshingly nostalgic trip and thank you so much for that
Mari is probably an original testbed person alongside Shinji's mother. She was exposed to LCL so much she stopped aging. Hense her looks never changing.
me watching those movies without context: wtf just happened me understanding the movies because of a youtube video: omg this is the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen
I think that's where the story lost me. Shinji is SHINJI, not Anno. Anno, at some point, lost sight of the characters as characters inhabiting a fictional world and started to really break the meta and make him and Shinji the same person, 1:1 *sigh*
The rebuilds for Anno is like a father sending off their child in their massive adult life success, as he makes the choice to move on and remembering the best and ideal version of his parental moments my take on Mari's appearance and partnership with Shinji, is Anno talking about his current wife, how she came into his life out of nowhere and rescued him from extreme depression and the final scene of 4.0 is Anno ! moving on from Evangelion with the love of his life.
TLDR: Everyone gets a happy ending. I'll fucking take it tbh. Hearing that the author wrote the original series while struggling with depression, its good to know he's in a much better head space as he writes a much brighter ending.
@@pioneermac3802 Yeah I'll never understand people who say NGE is depressing. It's an incredibly hopeful and positive story, it literally ends with the character overcoming their problems and flaws and accepting themselves lol. Now, EOE, THAT is depression and negative emotions.
@spell105 The Rebuild fan is a very easy individual to conceptualize. Lol. You have adults finding happiness in the love of a 14 year old animation character and his classmates; it is, so utterly ridIculous. Lol of course. Rebuild fans and bronies are no different; perverted.
@@pioneermac3802 If the original NGE is about depression and learning to accept yourself and come to terms with who you are, the rebuild ending is about overcoming that depression and moving on from it. I have no idea what that has to do with bronies or being a pervert. You're weird.
I saw your first Evangelion video yesterday, watched it, subscribed, and sat wondering when the follow up was going to come out. Fantastic service 5 stars!
I watched these rebuild movies on three hits of acid... It honestly changed how I view and interact with the world permanently. Such an intense but fantastic experience.
The chances of you Reading this are very slim, but i still wanted to share my gratitude and appreciation for this Video. After struggling with mental health issues for a Long Time, i Always found comfort in the original evangelion anime. When i was watching the rebuild series during the peak of my Change and the Victory over my struggles, i felt weirdly disconnected from the series and couldnt relate as i used to, but could never explain why. The Last 4 Minutes of your Videos have brought clarity to this confusion and genuinely touched me, adding onto my perspective of Life. Such an expertly written chapter in the Video. Thank you.
Im sorry. This was one of the best documentaries ive seen on youtube. I absolutely love this content. After watching the first one i legit cried because of how connected i felt to the show. You have opened my eyes to how amazing this show is and i want to thank you for the amazing job with both of these videos. Keep up the amazing work!
I feel like Mari is the introduction oh a healthy person into the lives of everyone, everyone suffers from their mental illness and are doomed to repeat the same failings over and over until someone reaches out to you and encourages you to be better, to grow and to let go of your pain. That seems to be her role in a series that very much is made up of characters that are a representation of our struggles with mental health. Thanks to for videos, you did some great work and helped me gain more revelations about a series I love.
It almost feels like a lesson. If you can't handle it yourself anymore, seek help from others. The same way the author got dragged out of his depression by a friend. Could also just be my imagination too, though.
My favourite part of the evangelion series is when Asuka said “I’m gonna end these evangelions!” And then proceeded to get absolutely destroyed. But then at the end of the movie, Shinji looks to asuka and says “is this the end of evangelion?”. Truly one of the moments of all time.
Brooo it always hurts when a series ends. Especially one like this. I want more but i wanted it to end so bad. I have never in my life had a show pull at all my emotions so hard. This and the other youtube videos helped tie everything together. Thanks so much for all your time and hard work.
The evangelion manga had a special chapter after its ending where it showed Gendo and Yui when they were younger and a character that looks exactly like Mari is shown in this epilogue is shown being close to Yui in a role similar to an assistant. This character was jealous of Yui’s relationship with Gendo. When I saw 3.0+1.0 I always assumed Mari was this character shown in this manga epilogue who had remained in the same age because of the curse of the evangelion.
I love your analysis so much. When I finished watching the Rebuilds, it felt so satisfying and so euphoric. A happy ending for characters who've suffered so much. Pain, Growth, and moving on. Amazing video!
I like to think that Mari is someone from Yui's past, maybe a friend who also knows Gendo and Fuyutsuki personally. Someone who happened to have prolonged contact with LCL, maybe during the second impact. This caused her to stop ageing. This would also make sense for why she was so familiar with the "smell of LCL", which she pointed out multiple times. Since she was already familiar with Gendo as a person and his plan, she decided to insert herself into the story to help guide it toward the happy ending that Yui would have wanted; in the process, she fell in love with Shinji and found her own happy ending at his side.
i think the reason why rebuild exist is that ano at the time of making the original may have been very depressed or felt very nihilistic or some thing in that vein, where the ending reflected his own inner turmoil and his incapability to face and overcome his own demons and rebuild is ano's answer to his past self about what he thinks of life now, that we can change, we can overcome our demons, we can be better where as before he was filled with despair and negativity about life, now he is happy, content and ready to face the future.
But the manga explains who Mari is. At the end of the last manga there's an extra chapter that shows gendo and yui's time as uni students, and Mari is shown as an initailly bitter rival to Yui, who is by all accounts a genius. But they grow closer ant it's implied that Mari would partake in the eva project, and and at some point she ends up being exposed to the Eva's curse, thus explaining her young age in the rebuilds, and her growth spur when all Evas are erased.
@@JesusChristDenton true, but that doesn't mean they're the same person or that the manga chapter is canon, mari could be a clon just like rei and asuka are in the rebuild series
@@zerpienteshe again reaapears in Gendous flashbacks and reintroduced Gendo to Yui in 3.0+1.0 So it is canon somewhat. Since she was a friend of gendous
The glyph at the south pole immediately brought to mind Macross - which Anno worked on as an animator. Another iconic anime that is about hope and survival in the face of apocalyptic cataclysm (gee wonder why that is a theme in Japanese media)
your final sentence made me think about a tweet I saw when Godzilla KotM came out that was something like "for the USA radiation creates Captain America but for Japan it's a giant hell-breathing monster that destroys everything without even noticing, I wonder why is that" lmaooo
I remain speechless after watching your two videos on Evangelion. I tried getting into EVA over the years, but each time stopped shortly after starting bcuz of how confusing this overall story is. I couldn't really understand what it was trying to convey with its out-of-this-world plot, and branching subtle narratives. But you helped me understand why this franchise is beautiful, and why it's so beloved by the masses, and how it continues to influence media for years to come. Making EVA endless and providing its own "meta- Impact" in our existence. It all started with a man unwilling to acknowledge that life can extend beyond our mortal anguish and disparity, and ending with the notion that the weight of our own torment can give us the strength to continue forward. While also giving us the ability to help other tormented souls see a new path, a new light that can guide them towards a better world. Truly a remarkable story. Good job on the videos man.
One of, maybe even the best analysis videos of the Evangelion series. Utterly fantastic work. From great vocals to fitting music, subtle editing with your use of sound clips both from and outside the show and all of it done with massive respect for the source material and no need to try and awkwardly fit in jokes or memes. A 10/10 retrospective. I can't wait to see what else you make.
To me, Mari not only is just a new character but she plays the vital role of a sort of third party in Shinjis life and the cycle he is within. I think it’s agreed that all these other characters are part of the same cycle as him, and have constantly dealt with the same problems over and over again. The introduction of Mari shook that all up just enough to bring new perspective to a new way out for these characters, none the least, Shinji. As someone who has dealt with their own cycle of things constantly falling to pieces and spiraling out of it, I say with full confidence that a sort of third party intervention is almost always a positive. Someone stepping in from the outside with their own experiences may warrant a new perspective on your own situation that drags you out of these dark cycles we find ourselves in. Now for me it isn’t just one person, but a bunch of people and little things happening in life that helped me to change. Something I am still building. I might never be able to return home, I may never be able to relive my early 20s and transition. I may never be able to be what I wanted to be growing up. And I’ve come to learn that it’s okay. I don’t need to drag myself down or become consumed by this yearning to go back or the feeling that there’s nothing left. To live for the days to come is worth so much more than the yearning for a past I may never see again. And who would I be to drag others along with me. Mari, to me is the embodiment of that. She isn’t some cold splash of water for Shinji, but she isn’t an enabler either. She’s a different perspective, a person from the outside looking in. To me, if I had to sun her up as a character, it would be the phrase “It takes all kinds of people.” Because in life, sometimes it really does take all kinds of people and experiences for people to see things in a different light, and step away from the cycles we throw ourselves into.
Your two videos are my favorite interpretation of the series, one I held myself but struggled to put into words. Thank you for making it coherent for me. :)
Just got into the series and I’m beyond grateful for both your videos, it’s helped me understand the series so much better than just some friends online 😂
You aren't really supposed to "understand" things in a conventional sense, it's intentional to make you use your brain and interpret things in your own way. That's why even with an in-depth analysis like this there are still dead ends, missing threads and important events happening off screen. It's cool that you feel how you do about the video but I wouldn't start quoting it as fact, you'd be missing the forest for the trees doing that.
@@symbiote1982pk I feel you man but I just enjoy the story and I do think a lot of great points are made in the show. Most of the elements that are in the story are point blank and the theory crafting to be done is Indi dualistic like you hinted at, super appreciate the point made though, thank you!
The rebuild series was a lot of things. I found them fairly enjoyable, even with their considerable flaws. Anyway, thank you for this reflection and explanation of events. There were definitely some things I missed when I saw 3.0+1.0. Great work!
Honestly this set of movies alone changed me. I know it sounds big picture or vague but generally having an adaptation of coming full circle. Understanding one's flaws, accepting other and their issues. I personally love the ending I love how everyone gets an ending that isn't cookie-cutter like true love. Allowing those to have a world were they can improve themselves. Great Video Great Movies. If Im honest a lot of the confusion and issues that can be brought up I think are honestly fine, I think it comes down to one's personal adaptation, for viewers to place their own issues or problems in the gaps the show leaves. Allowing viewers to go through a journey to understand ones issues, desires, regrets, sins, etc. Allowing for growth over a 4 movie series.
Being with this franchise since the beginning and growing up along side it and anno growing creatively and in life totally landed the mark for me. the wait was worth it and at the end of thrice apon a time i went through all the emotions and i think thats what anno wanted. What an incredible long ass journey for all of us : )
I remember the night I watched End of Eva for the first time. I couldn't process what exactly I had seen, but I knew it was truly special. I was floored by it. How a show can say so much, be about so much. It showed me what animation, and just art in general, could truly accomplish. It's a feeling I've experienced very few times. After sitting on it for a while, it started to make more sense. I was able to come to conclusions as to what it meant. (at least, what it meant to me) And the one thing I would always come back to was how angry it all was, EoE especially. It felt like the film itself was out to more or less torture the characters. It's so uncomfortable, don't feel good when watching it. Eventually, I watched the Rebuild films. I thought they were pretty good. I liked the different direction it took, and how it kept me on my toes. I felt that something was... different about it. It certainly didn't have the same feel as the original series or EoE, but it wasn't until 3.0+1.0 that I finally got it. By the end of 3.0+1.0, when One Last Kiss started playing, I broke down. I was an absolute sobbing mess. All of the pain and suffering, the anger from the original series... It was gone... It was... a happy ending. While I still think the original series is better, man that ending makes it all worth it. What an incredible series Eva is. Also Mari is best girl, cope harder lmao
I just finished EoE. You couldn't be more right. EoE is a truly sad, horrible, but realistic ending to the Neon Genesis series. I respect it, and hate it. Can't wait to start watching the Rebuild films.
I literally just saw your other NGE video yesterday and you cannot IMAGINE the pure ecstasy I felt when I saw this video posted 2 hours ago on my feed I have so much to say honestly, but first of all, thank you for the effort you put into creating these masterpieces. The video editing, music, soundeffects, script writing, analysis, everything. I can't even begin to explain what a joy it was to watch your videos. I don't think I've ever been this incessantly captivated by any video (especially of this length), but you did it, and what a pleasure it was. Genuinely, I think you could make a career in filmmaking if you wanted to with your skills. Huge kudos Now onto the more NGE related subjects because watching this spurred my mental cogs. First of all, for everyone who didn't know, the names of the organisations Seele and Welle are the German translations for the words soul and wave. Do with that information what you will, but I think the symbolism is pretty obvious here. I have to say, the rebuild movies feel very different to me in comparison to the original. Of course he atmosphere altogether is different, not as gloomy and dark, even though the world building would suggest the opposite, but something feels.. amiss? I can't but a finger on it exactly, bu I just can't bring myself to love them as much as the original. Now, this is largely because a lot of the hows and whys are left untouched, therefore leading to an frustrating amount of confusion, but it's something deeper in essence. The original series made it a big point that humans, although not meaning to, hurt themselves and others because we are selfish in nature. That, however, does not mean we can't topple those feelings of greed and pride and change for the better. Or for the worse. One would suggest the original ending symbolized hopelessness, since despite all the efforts the characters put in to be happy, they failed. I think multiple interpretations are possible here, my own being what rejection of change does to someone who is not sure of their identity. Where are you meant stand, alone, if you are no one? Shinji and Asuka only had each other in the end, right after finding desire to live, it was stripped away from them. Want may not be malicious in nature, but it sure as hell hurts when denied. That was that: two teenagers having taken away the option of ever fulfilling their desires for eternity. Nothing left but each other, not enough. It's fucking depressing, but that's the reality of what would inevitably happen after all the mistakes people had committed. The rebuilds make the characters kinder, but, outside of Rei and Kaworu, don't explain why. Why is Shinji, this awkward depressed teenage boy, suddenly so much more eager to help others than he was previously? Why does Misato gather the courage to act as motherly figure to Shinji? Why does Gendo manage to overcome his grief through Shinji? Why does all this happen when they did not in the previous timelines. Human nature isn't fickle like that, the lack of explanation makes the characters feel bland in expressing kindness and change. Asuka is completely rewritten here, that's why her positive character growth doesn't bother me, it makes sense in the context of the story while retaining her (not by OG timeline trauma caused) most recognizable character traits. The others? Not so much. Mari is basically there as a plot device rather than a character. She influences everyone around her to be better, but she herself doesn't really have any depth. I mean, I'm happy that everyone managed to get a happy end, but it just feels so.. poorly written. It sounds mean and I know they don't have endless resources on their hands, but I wished they handled some of the topics differently. Censorship was probably an issue too, but I still think many things could've been executed and/or portrayed better. Or maybe I'm just too critical, also very much possible. The thing that is left most positive in my mind from the rebuild movies is Kaworu's character. I know he is technically the same one we saw in the original series, but the way they expanded his character is something completely fresh yet feels perfectly in line for who he is. I saw in another video essay that Kaworu represents Eros in psychology, or in simpler terms, love. The rebuild movies just strengthen that point for me. Kaworu's love for Shinji, I would claim, surpasses that of every other character. He, Adam, the 13th angel, an otherworldly being above human comprehension, loves a human to the point that he went against his own creation and sacrifices everything he can for some teenage boy. Heck, he basically wrote a universal law to make them meet in every life, despite how short-lived their meetings usually are, and he will always be the only to understand him. Really, it's ironic when you think of it, an presumably perfect being falling in love with someone like Shinji, someone who is known for his imperfections and mistakes. And when he is confronted by the fact that he tries to make Shinji happy to make himself happy, he is granted individuality. Because love, too, is selfish, and you cannot be selfish without a self. While one would think his senseless devotion would only ruin him, it does the opposite. His love saved Shinji, humanity, and it saved himself. It's bittersweet, kind of, because the course of fate always leads to the outcome of having to part ways with the human he loves, and yet he will always return to love him in another life. Their love, though forsaken, is always depicted to be incredibly profound, and even though they're bound lose each other every time, they always remember each other keenly, even through grief. I think their relationship is the purest shape love can take. The rebuild movies played a big part in solidifying Kaworu's enigmatic character and its goals. Ok that was a big ramble but I hope anyone who read through this can see my point, or not; no obligation here. Anywho, once again, magnificent video, keep up the good work man, I'll definitely stick around for what's to come in the future
@SockSensei I can only return the compliment, all the points you made were fantastic as well! And I mean, it was YOU who made these videos so great, so the praise was only appropriate, but it's very nice to see it actually reached you!
It’s really interesting that depression can cause people to make the most unforgettable stories. The creator of Evangelion suffered from it and created one of the most iconic anime franchises in history. The Crow creator suffered from depression due to his fiancée dying and created one of the most iconic comic books of all time. Ironic that them creating something from feeling like they lost everything would yield such amazing stories.
I imagine Mari is literally that girl, and not a clone. She loves the smell of LCL, and hasn’t grown up due to the curse, because she spends so much time in fluid. The reason they’re so casual in the end is because they have a huge disagreement over Gendo’s obsession with his dead wife - Fuyutski chose to stay by his friends side, but Mari chose to move on and deal with the fallout of Gendo’s actions.
@@remiland1645 I mean yeah you are totally right about that. But the movie as a whole just has very bad narrative consistency, so I'd chalk it up to that.
@@GorgeousFortress Even if we would ignore the aging issue, are you fine with Shinji ended up dating his mother's friend?) Well, maybe not dating exactly, but anyway for grown up woman and a child of her friends, their relationship were pretty sus
Evangelion was a series too challenging for me to watch, but I loved the themes and imagery a lot. Your summary and interpretation gave me a lot of enjoyment and I want to give the series another shot. This was awesome
Ah man, I can't help but tear up a little after watching this because the rebuild movies really felt like a proper goodbye and a love letter to the series as a whole. You have really made a great analysis and explanation to the series and I hope your channel grows more.
thank you! i was going to write a really long comment but suffice it to say i clearly understood your takes and am deeply appreciative for the clarity you’ve gifted me through your analysis over the course of these 2 videos
Thank you for making this Sock. I’m super grateful for your Eva content. I’m determined to make sense of the things that don’t make sense. Looking forward to checking out your other content.
What I like about Shinji is that he struggles. Some find life natural. Conclusions and their reinforcement natural. I often wondered if that was because they don’t question, don’t want to question, or if they found some answer I missed. In the end it doesn’t matter. I had to find some answers. That’s what mattered. Luckily I did. I like Shinji because he struggles. Not boldly at first. But he does figure out through connection what he can stand for. In the first one, it was all barely formed before it was over.
Bro, ur FIRST video summed up the story so well. I am a big fan of Eva and u did the story justice. U summed it up and explained it with elegance. Thanks you my man for such a spectacular video
At first watch, I thought the Mari ending was cute. But after rewatching a few times, I now think that Shinji should have been alone on that platform. He himself remove the chocker. Finally able to stand on his own and face the hardship that is life. And then after climbing those stairs does he meet a `new` Mari.
This is a great breakdown of the Rebuild movies, and I still hold Evangelion in a special place in my heart, but I can't help but feel like the entire project was just a way for Anno to say to the world that remained locked in obsession with his work and the characters within it, "Hey, i grew up, got therapy, and got a wife. You can too. Evangelion is over. Go outside." He just used every possible metaphor and symbolic signifier to do so, so no one would miss it.
Both of your NGE videos were amazing. I definitely learned more and built off of my watch of the anime and movies. For example… I thought that in the anime, when Kaji was killed, that Ms. Misato had killed him, and after getting home, she had heard his voice mail and realized that she shouldn’t have killed him… Anyway. I loved both of the vids and also your voice and jokes add so much to the them!! ❤
So I sent this to my priest and he told me it’s a very beautiful story. Two weeks later apparently we’re gonna be watching evangelion for the movie night (Saturday) at my parish. Thank you man and God bless you.
Just finished the movies, really is such an amazing work that we probably have to wait for decades to have another story with such a unique concept and narrative way. Your video really try the best to help us understanding this complicated story especially when it has too many details and abstract way of narrative. I used to hate Shinji as much as he hates himself but now with this new ending, I like him
“It’s just confusing, and so we push on.”
If that doesn’t describe Eva…
Never been a better way to lol
It's confusing, but it can be understood after a while.
Kick logic to the curb and do the impossible
@@JabamiLainrather the opposite. it kinda makes sense until it doesn't😂
lol kinda sounds like understanding the fate/nasu verse
fellas is it gay to be born across infinite timelines to give someone a happy ending
if my bro does that for me than even if he isn't I'm definitely gay for him
I mean, they did say they love each other...
Just a tad bit 🤏
@@neoroland952I JUST REALIZED THIS WAS ONLY 7 HOURS AGO OML
Pause 😭😭😭
I think Anno made the new series because he could fight his depression and learned to believe in people again.
A direct message to your early self (kinda)
Love that idea
Ones he over .but good over too
nah
he just needed some extra dough
The last movie felt wholesome… an odd statement describing Evangelion 😆
I argue it was like after shin Godzilla because him doing it reinvigorated him to make it
Basically the anime is the first "bad ending" and the movies start the cycle of "the loop" where it repeats over and over again until shinji gets his "good ending" small things being changed creating a butterfly effect later on, but instead he creates the happy ending for everyone but himself.
Edit: Yes I know Shinji does kinda get a good ending
It's also the perfect ending because if you refuse to believe the loop is the cannon ending, you're technically still right. And if you think the movie ending sucked, you can just think about the other fairytale endings.
Yes it’s like the anime has a good ending and a bad ending.
@@provisionalhypothesisthanks I didn't know that
@@singhswings5915wtf,even Shinji gets his happy ending,she not sacrificed himself because gendo sn yui did it,and this is becausa he haves his good ending,all have good endings,finally(except gendo an yui because they are death)
@@santiagojpr4779he kinda gets one, but it's nothing like what he was supposed to get
It's insane how one dude decided not just to create God's and become a god and kill gods just to revive his wife.
Losing a spouse does crazy things to a person.
I would have gladly ended everyone I ever met to bring my wife back. But I know that would have been folly.
“If he wanted to he would “ 😂
Ah yes the "my loved one died so now its everyones problem" trope- (I love that sht gimme more)
who among us can honestly say we havent gotten head so good that we'd abuse our son so hard the world ends for it?
@@MrXav94hehe
Seeing Shinji turn from flawed, nihilistic and self centred to genuinely optimistic, compassionate and selfless over the course of two series is probably the most cathartic experience I’ve had in fiction
Exactly! Makes me with people likes the rebuilds more
@@NutsforDonuts-qc1vx ?
@@The_Man_Who_Sold_the_World. Replace "with" with wish. They meant to say "makes me wish people liked the rebuild series more!"
@@rinnnnnnnnnnrinRinOnishi sorry, I'm not the best with English
@@The_Man_Who_Sold_the_World. It's not your fault. No offense to the original commenter, but their sentence wasn't structured very well.
this reminds me of the time when shinji said "this truly was an evangelion 3.0 + 1.0 thrice upon a time" and then proceeded to become real
I remember that time, real crazy moment
The manage is considerably different to both the show and the movies, the second half of the manga is nearly entirely different to the tv show and movies. To my knowledge it is considered canon. Are you thinking of doing a video on that? if you did please add section on where it fits in the line of re-starts, cause I have racked my head around weather it comes before the tv show or after the movies or somewhere in between and I cant make it out. @@socksensei
That moment changed me
@@socksenseican you analyze Code Geass?
Truly, one of the animes
Maybe the real Eva were the friends we killed along the way.
Underated comment 😂
And maybe the real friends were the Evas we destroyed along the way.
If you think about it, you're actually right
Bros onto something 💀
That’s like the one piece meme but reversed
I laughed like a madman when he said “Shinji declares his wish for a world without evangelions which rei dubs as a neon genesis”
i loved the part when rei said "neon genesis" and shinji proceeds to evangelion all over the place
@@Canigetanumber609 I won't lie I never thought about the PFP potential of the bee face in the cave bear area.
@@the9970 never thought anyone would get this
@@Canigetanumber609 Oh I thought many people would point it out since it's a popular game on a popular platform.
@@the9970 well yeah but if anyone did know what it was no one pointed it out
Also holding out for beesmas
Toji's sister not wanting shinji to pilot again at the end, fearing what he might do, is hilarious considering they were all royally screwed anyways if he did nothing.
Thought that was funny too. "He's gonna start another impact" bitch YOU'RE IN ONE RIGHT NOW
she didn't think him piloting could fix anything and she just didn't want to see him suffer any more
@@JesusChristDenton So she holds him at gun point, threatening to kill him, because she doesn't want him to suffer. Just the best character ever.
@@JesusChristDenton Yeah it was pretty clear she liked or at least respected him
@@Iveboy32The best part for me is she literally recognizes everything we’re saying in the scene you’re talking about “This is all so messed up”
A lot of people don't care for the Rebuilds, but damn, if even just hearing the plot of 3.0+1.0 doesn't make me emotional. To me, it feels like the circle finally being completed. A cycle of suffering finally ending. It's beautiful.
I adore it. I’ve come around on the third one after initially not liking it and I loved the 2nd and liked the 1st. But the 4th was something special and hit me in an incredibly vulnerable part of myself
(Possibly the scars from watching the original series!)
I was not a big fan of the rebuilds until the ending, it really brought everything together and while I still have many issues with the rebuilds (honestly they are probably thanks to how little context there is and how vague the whole damn series is and how much information it feels like I am/was missing as a consequence) I still really appreciate the ending, it was very cathartic
No seriously like even watching this video makes me emotional🤷🏻♂️
I actually cried when he said : "And Shinji got his happy ending too".
Best way to close off the series in my opinion!
honestly I watched 3.0+1.0 literally like thirty minutes ago and it was so good 😢 such a shame ppl don’t like the rebuilds lol
Men would literally rather slay the gods and assume their place than go to therapy
Literally me🥶🥶🥶
Hahahahhhahahaha I was thinking the same thing
And women would rather press the self-destruct button, killing thousands in the process, than admitting that they hated their mothers. But what do I know? *sips tea*
i've fully accepted as personal canon that therapist is not a profession that exists in (any of ) the evangelian world
@@sopsopsoapsoap they do (not) exist
I assumed Mari was one of the first Eva pilots, and stuck that age because the "curse". She's not a clone she's the original and is trying to atone for what happened to Yui.
She is in the extra of Evangelion manga which is mentioned somewhere as canon, Mari was Yui's groupmate in the university and knew her, Gendo and Fuyutsuki (the last one is an asshole I'm sorry)
@@satellitesnake Thank you for the extra context I had not read the manga
@@travisdk84 I'm glad to help, although extra came after the second rebuild so it's semi-canon and yeah you were right about her curse, it's just she has more lore than a regular pilot.
Yeah, Mari is chronologically only a few years younger than Gendo and Yui, physically 16 years old for most of the Rebuilds, and then ends at what we assume to be mid-late 20s in that final scene.
I thought that too but in the second movie i think , Mari said something about finally able to pilot an eva maybe shes just talking about being able to pilot that specific eva though
God Rei planning that dinner for Shinji and Gendo is unironically one of the sweetest things i have ever seen. The end of 2.2 FUCKINF DEVASTATED ME
Bardiel ruined EVERYTHING! 😤
Seriously it hurt. Much better version of events for episodes 7-23 in my opinion
@@paperstacksfilms rebuild movies suck. The first one is somewhat decent, pure garbage these movies, and the last one is just cringefest.
@@carlospandette8001 that's your opinion bud
@@paperstacksfilms based on a fact bud.
I liked the part where Shinji said "like that will ever happen" at the end of the movie and tore a fairy tale book apart
I also loved the part where he wiped his ass with the page and then Smash Mouth started playing
It was weird that they changed the VA for that scene though, it sounded like Mike Myers I think?
'SOMEBODY-"
“What a load of-“
What I love about Thrice Upon a Time is that you got to see all of these characters finally heal and let go of the trauma that haunted them for decades
The end of evangelion
The Eva 03 sequence hurt waaaaaaaaay more with Asuka yet was more ruthless with Toji
I did like the scene more with Toji, and I quite like the idea of Toji being a pilot and being hurt/dying in his first test mission (He dies in the manga).
- Shinji being unable to see what is happening is kinda dumb. "YEAH SURE HAHAAHA" he knows how the sound of the teeth of the eva creaking against the specific metal of the plug sounds like.
- Shinji using his hands to try and defend himself (Which he doesnt even do in the original) is a cool addition, but then again I guess its just part of the new Shinji
- Prior to the scene, its quite cool how Asuka tried to be nice, Rei tried to make a nice dinner, and it all got effed up.
You mean eva 03
@@christianalejandrotorricoz1542 thx!
Honestly i hate the asuka from the rebuilds
@@benjamindeh873Yep, Bardiel ruined everything 💀
Mari can aleo be seen as "new" in the cycle. Shinji kept struggling with the same people worsening his attachement issues. Mari can be seen as an external solution. Sometimes you have to just let it all go and try something new
It’s like a butterfly effect. Just her existing drastically changes how events go down
Mari is Anno's representation of... his wife
This Rebuild series is:
1 - Anno's diss track towards japanese delusional shipping Evangelion otakus, flexing his capability to overcome depression, go outside, touch grass and get a real life GF
2 - A way to keep taking said otakus's money with merch, he knows they'll buy another Asuka/Rei figurine for their collection, no matter how expensive it might be
3 - A way to self-insert his real life waifu into his most famous work, as Mari, showing he willingly evolved from an incel otaku into a simping normie
No matter what philosophical bs explanation anyone might have to give, this is my headcannon.
Really is right on the money lol
The thesis statement of all of Eva is “touch grass”. This is not a joke.
The meta-textual character of the rebuilds is the last layer of the iceberg and the true reason they exist. You cannot be more on the spot.
Evangelion is in no way a diss track to otaku
Triple W Anno
Ps: Mari is a milf so Quardra W Anno
Gendo: “Oh no my wife is dead…. Should I spend time with my last remaining family member?…. NAH IMA DESTROY HUMANITY!”
and Gods*
Both of these videos were brilliant and you brought me to such an understanding of Evangelion that I'm coming away from it feeling the full weight of the emotional impact of the story for the first time. If this quality of content is consistent you're gonna find your channel blowing up before long.
The videos made me take a deeper look at myself than I have ever done
Emotional... third impact?
@@Atmo646 the additional emotional impact
@@zertico_kawaii670near 4th impact
The video was so serious up until 6:58 where you call the Mk. 6 the Moon Gundam and just continue on like normal, made me chuckle lol
i was feeling all philosophical and shit and then snapped out of it and had to do a double take on that part ahahah
I was literally like wait did I hear that right and had to fold it back 😂
I think it’s pretty clear what the point was in the end of 3.0+1.0: in spite of the pain and suffering life brings, especially with our attachments to others, we-like Shinji-will persevere, carry and cherish the memories of the positive staples in our lives, who helped shape us into the people we are today. Though it does suck to go through the pain of life and lose people, you have to be willing to process that pain and eventually let go. For your sake.
Doing something for your sake is a pretty weak motivation since its highly depends on you and were not perfect and fall victim to our own devices so i believe that of your gonna do something with this as context then i vote do it for what's left. Doing something for whats left of the things you care about is a bigger universe than doing it solely for yourself .
@@m0n4rch911 I disagree, a casket doesnt fit two people. You should do things for yourself because you deserve the life you want and that doesn't have to be selfish or selfless. Trial and error is a part of evolution thats how we learn. In the real world karma is a bitch or so they say life is a bitch, nobody cares as much as they say they do, things arent appreciated, and children still suffer the burden of the world they did not ask to be in.
But everything starts with YOU, YOU are one life that could be capable of ALL. One must shape themselves to the world, for the world to shape to one. One should aspire for greatness for himself because at the end of the day its your story, and you will be able to share your legacy for times to come. 😊
For me that message was already pretty clear with End of Evangelion
Rebuilds still for me do not add anything of substance to the series, mostly bloat. I think Rei and Gendo got some much needed space for their characters to be explored tho which is nice
Easier said than done.
While Mari was the most healthy of the pilots, Kaworu was the first person to show Shinji affection, I think he awakened shinjis heart so each alternate timeline Shinji heals just a little more
FRRR Kaworu is the MVP
@@AnimeFreakpz especially as a angel he gains more humanity each incarnation
He did for shinji like what Yui did for Gendo
Shinji heals thanks to all characters, all of them evolved from the original series. What Kaworu does is try to make Shinji happy because that is what makes himself happy.
He is predetermined to show Shinji some affection, but both are cursed under the inevitable circumstances of NERV and SEELE, therefore it ends up in tragedy everytime.
The loop is Kaworu's choice, not Shinji's. And considering he's not human (he's an angel), this doesn't represent "growth" in the same sense that Asuka, Kensuke, Toji or Misato can provide him.
When Shinji and Rei are talking in 3.0+1.0 and they mentioned "a Neon Genesis" I fucking lost it. What a way to tie everything together
i loved the part when rei said "neon genesis" and shinji proceeds to evangelion all over the place
@@Canigetanumber609🔥🔥 ✍️ 🔥🔥
also loved the part where Mari said "This is The End of Evangelion" and proceeded to take Shinji's hand and end Evangelion
The fact that both statements above are technically things that did happen is why 3.0 + 1.0 is an absolute masterpiece
There will never again be a series like Evangelion, for better or for worse. Seeing the whole cast grow past their faults and strive for their happy ending after everything they went through is something special and it hits like nothing else.
I definitely think Mari should have had more time to interact with Shinji as much as she did Asuka, but overall I agree with what you said about her being the necessary clean slate to bring things about more brightly.
These are some of the best videos you’ve put out and I’d be really hyped to see more in-depth looks at anime like this. (Not that I don’t love incorrect summary, those are incredible)
Keep up the hustle, my man. Excited to hear more from you.
Much appreciated
No disrespect but in the original Eva they didn’t grow one bit of they were as annoying as in the first time we saw them it makes the audience not care for the characters but in the rebuild they actually have complex character that changes within the episodes
and I think one death in the show would have gone a long way in the people in the show like shinji crushed the capsule aska should have died
@@slandermoonrahimzadeh7679They included every piece of Evangelion as a whole part since many people regarded endings as each possibilities that happened canonically similar to Visual Novels.
Watch Gurren Lagann and feel good about life.
After the original NGE left me emotionally battered and hurt all those years ago, it was nice to finally get a happy ending. Yes, the original Neon Genesis is a masterpiece, a true work of art, but sometimes you just want everything to end on a good note and for the characters to stop suffering so much.
We got a "happy" ending though, a standing ovation in-fact, as seen in episode 26. His (Shinji's) last facial expression is a smile- in company of others sharing the same look. Rebuild fans it seems are resentful of its abrupt ending, despite its positive final minutes.
Both the series and EoE have an happy ending.
Eh endings like this always leave me sour.
Aside from the usual shortcomings of "happily ever after" these kinds of endings that portray return to our base line reality as the perfect outcome are hilarious.
I mean sure fighting gods in an endless cycle might not be fun but is wage slaving in japan really preferable?
Man became god of the universe and decided to go become oppressed and poor.
@TuriGamer society is still practically destroyed, with few humans left. Shinji wouldn’t necessarily be ‘wage-slaving’ if he returned to the normal world that he left to confront his father in weirdo space. Plus, he doesn’t even go back there, he is on the beach of some unknown place with Mari.
The TV series had a very heartfelt and optimistic ending. Even though EoE was pretty shocking in its presentation, both were happening simultaneously
I’ve gone a decade being so confused on the greater details of Evangelion as a whole until these two videos came along. So well written and well explained. These 2 hours were a delight
41:10
In the last chapter of the Evangelion Manga, we get a prequel story that Reveals Mari was Classmates with Yui, and Gendo. The Glasses that she wears were a gift from Yui. Instead of being a Clone, she's more than likely the original that didn't age, due to LCL exposure just like Shinji/Asuka/Rei
This was a great analysis. Kinda brings everything into perspective. I would also like to add to Marie's role in the Rebuilds. It is with Shinji's first interaction with Marie where his walkman stops repeating tracks 25 and 26, finally moving on to track 27. To me, this symbolizes a progression from the original cycle of Eva. Marie is the catalyst that forces this change. Without Marie, this story would have repeated itself as it did before.
The Rebuild Series is the most unexplained cryptic plot point of the Rebuild Series
It's honestly more like Anno's rant and thought about his life next after completing Shin Godzilla
Recently got to watch Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0 in cinemas for the first time and I was kinda… confused but also thought it made a decent amount of sense. Glad this video is here to sum up the plots without me having to read 300 wiki pages again!
i feel that lol
Dude i legit just finished Evangelion for the first time ever yesterday and just found your channel looking for an explanation on the show. Such a solid video. You did such a great job and i cant wait to see this one
Good Bro, what Is your favorite character and couple?
Wait how the video made 9 days ago when your comment was 11 days ago
Same!
What a great franchise. Possibly the best in the world in my opinion!
I've wached more "making sense of Eva" YT vids than I can count and you are one of 2 I can safely say truly does the best job of explaining it. Its such a refreshingly nostalgic trip and thank you so much for that
I’m glad you liked it so much
Tell us of the other one
Who is the other one?
Mari is probably an original testbed person alongside Shinji's mother. She was exposed to LCL so much she stopped aging. Hense her looks never changing.
The first video was an absolute master class level of a Documentary. I absolutely loved every second of it. Also you have such an amazing voice!!!
me watching those movies without context: wtf just happened
me understanding the movies because of a youtube video: omg this is the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen
So basically Eva's a metaphor for Anno's depression, and Marie is a metaphor for him meeting his wife?
That’s a pretty good representation of it
I think that's where the story lost me. Shinji is SHINJI, not Anno. Anno, at some point, lost sight of the characters as characters inhabiting a fictional world and started to really break the meta and make him and Shinji the same person, 1:1 *sigh*
@@onlyonezenn6037 Shinji was always anno
The rebuilds for Anno is like a father sending off their child in their massive adult life success, as he makes the choice to move on and remembering the best and ideal version of his parental moments
my take on Mari's appearance and partnership with Shinji, is Anno talking about his current wife, how she came into his life out of nowhere and rescued him from extreme depression and the final scene of 4.0 is Anno ! moving on from Evangelion with the love of his life.
I like that idea. He was massively depressed during the production of the original
TLDR: Everyone gets a happy ending.
I'll fucking take it tbh. Hearing that the author wrote the original series while struggling with depression, its good to know he's in a much better head space as he writes a much brighter ending.
We got a bright ending, in ep.26.
@@pioneermac3802 Yeah I'll never understand people who say NGE is depressing. It's an incredibly hopeful and positive story, it literally ends with the character overcoming their problems and flaws and accepting themselves lol.
Now, EOE, THAT is depression and negative emotions.
@spell105 The Rebuild fan is a very easy individual to conceptualize. Lol. You have adults finding happiness in the love of a 14 year old animation character and his classmates; it is, so utterly ridIculous. Lol of course. Rebuild fans and bronies are no different; perverted.
@@pioneermac3802 If the original NGE is about depression and learning to accept yourself and come to terms with who you are, the rebuild ending is about overcoming that depression and moving on from it. I have no idea what that has to do with bronies or being a pervert. You're weird.
I saw your first Evangelion video yesterday, watched it, subscribed, and sat wondering when the follow up was going to come out. Fantastic service 5 stars!
how did bro send a message 4 days ago when this video was made 2 days ago, we got him
@@mike160thebest5 Ah man there you go with that linear thinking again
pretty sure my brain wasnt braining at said time@@mrjasonsinco
This level of analysis is off the charts amazing. You have a gift here.
I watched these rebuild movies on three hits of acid... It honestly changed how I view and interact with the world permanently. Such an intense but fantastic experience.
I watched them on acid also, many years ago. Great experience.
Ayo you got some
@@wolfguard997 corny
poor soul
3.0+1.0 I rewatched on shrooms and it was intense as all hell.
The chances of you Reading this are very slim, but i still wanted to share my gratitude and appreciation for this Video. After struggling with mental health issues for a Long Time, i Always found comfort in the original evangelion anime. When i was watching the rebuild series during the peak of my Change and the Victory over my struggles, i felt weirdly disconnected from the series and couldnt relate as i used to, but could never explain why. The Last 4 Minutes of your Videos have brought clarity to this confusion and genuinely touched me, adding onto my perspective of Life. Such an expertly written chapter in the Video. Thank you.
Shinji was always finding out crucial information too late for him to do anything about it. No wonder he kept falling into deep depressions.
Just binge watched the entire series (original + EoE + Rebuild). This video is such a beautiful conclusion to help me connect all the dots. Thank you.
Im sorry. This was one of the best documentaries ive seen on youtube. I absolutely love this content. After watching the first one i legit cried because of how connected i felt to the show. You have opened my eyes to how amazing this show is and i want to thank you for the amazing job with both of these videos. Keep up the amazing work!
I feel like Mari is the introduction oh a healthy person into the lives of everyone, everyone suffers from their mental illness and are doomed to repeat the same failings over and over until someone reaches out to you and encourages you to be better, to grow and to let go of your pain. That seems to be her role in a series that very much is made up of characters that are a representation of our struggles with mental health.
Thanks to for videos, you did some great work and helped me gain more revelations about a series I love.
It almost feels like a lesson. If you can't handle it yourself anymore, seek help from others. The same way the author got dragged out of his depression by a friend. Could also just be my imagination too, though.
Mari was inspired by Anno's own wife so you're probably right
21:10 "Shinji, crank that Vending Machine."
My favourite part of the evangelion series is when Asuka said “I’m gonna end these evangelions!” And then proceeded to get absolutely destroyed. But then at the end of the movie, Shinji looks to asuka and says “is this the end of evangelion?”. Truly one of the moments of all time.
Brooo it always hurts when a series ends. Especially one like this. I want more but i wanted it to end so bad. I have never in my life had a show pull at all my emotions so hard. This and the other youtube videos helped tie everything together. Thanks so much for all your time and hard work.
The evangelion manga had a special chapter after its ending where it showed Gendo and Yui when they were younger and a character that looks exactly like Mari is shown in this epilogue is shown being close to Yui in a role similar to an assistant. This character was jealous of Yui’s relationship with Gendo. When I saw 3.0+1.0 I always assumed Mari was this character shown in this manga epilogue who had remained in the same age because of the curse of the evangelion.
Yui must've been some kinda woman to have caused all this shit, huh?
I love your analysis so much. When I finished watching the Rebuilds, it felt so satisfying and so euphoric. A happy ending for characters who've suffered so much. Pain, Growth, and moving on. Amazing video!
not to mention that Kaworu would’ve been a bad partner for Shinji because Kaworu needs to chase his own happiness, not Shinjis
I wanted them to be together so bad
@ me too! but it just wouldn’t have been healthy long term
I like to think that Mari is someone from Yui's past, maybe a friend who also knows Gendo and Fuyutsuki personally. Someone who happened to have prolonged contact with LCL, maybe during the second impact. This caused her to stop ageing. This would also make sense for why she was so familiar with the "smell of LCL", which she pointed out multiple times. Since she was already familiar with Gendo as a person and his plan, she decided to insert herself into the story to help guide it toward the happy ending that Yui would have wanted; in the process, she fell in love with Shinji and found her own happy ending at his side.
i think the reason why rebuild exist is that ano at the time of making the original may have been very depressed or felt very nihilistic or some thing in that vein, where the ending reflected his own inner turmoil and his incapability to face and overcome his own demons and rebuild is ano's answer to his past self about what he thinks of life now, that we can change, we can overcome our demons, we can be better where as before he was filled with despair and negativity about life, now he is happy, content and ready to face the future.
But the manga explains who Mari is. At the end of the last manga there's an extra chapter that shows gendo and yui's time as uni students, and Mari is shown as an initailly bitter rival to Yui, who is by all accounts a genius. But they grow closer ant it's implied that Mari would partake in the eva project, and and at some point she ends up being exposed to the Eva's curse, thus explaining her young age in the rebuilds, and her growth spur when all Evas are erased.
that manga chapter is not canon to the movies, the manga author just wanted to do his own interpretation of the characters' past
@@zerpiente in 3.0 , the photo of young shinji and his mother. you can see a person who looks identical to mari in the photo. same exact glasses too
@@JesusChristDenton true, but that doesn't mean they're the same person or that the manga chapter is canon, mari could be a clon just like rei and asuka are in the rebuild series
@@zerpienteshe again reaapears in Gendous flashbacks and reintroduced Gendo to Yui in 3.0+1.0
So it is canon somewhat. Since she was a friend of gendous
The glyph at the south pole immediately brought to mind Macross - which Anno worked on as an animator. Another iconic anime that is about hope and survival in the face of apocalyptic cataclysm (gee wonder why that is a theme in Japanese media)
your final sentence made me think about a tweet I saw when Godzilla KotM came out that was something like "for the USA radiation creates Captain America but for Japan it's a giant hell-breathing monster that destroys everything without even noticing, I wonder why is that" lmaooo
They probably shouldn't have attacked Pearl Harbor and started a war.
I remain speechless after watching your two videos on Evangelion. I tried getting into EVA over the years, but each time stopped shortly after starting bcuz of how confusing this overall story is. I couldn't really understand what it was trying to convey with its out-of-this-world plot, and branching subtle narratives. But you helped me understand why this franchise is beautiful, and why it's so beloved by the masses, and how it continues to influence media for years to come. Making EVA endless and providing its own "meta- Impact" in our existence.
It all started with a man unwilling to acknowledge that life can extend beyond our mortal anguish and disparity, and ending with the notion that the weight of our own torment can give us the strength to continue forward. While also giving us the ability to help other tormented souls see a new path, a new light that can guide them towards a better world. Truly a remarkable story. Good job on the videos man.
Making sense? what fun is there in making sense.
One of, maybe even the best analysis videos of the Evangelion series. Utterly fantastic work. From great vocals to fitting music, subtle editing with your use of sound clips both from and outside the show and all of it done with massive respect for the source material and no need to try and awkwardly fit in jokes or memes.
A 10/10 retrospective. I can't wait to see what else you make.
Hoo boy
We makin it outta the Fourth Impact with this one
i cried twice while watching 3.0+1.0, yet i couldnt understand anything.
fucking 10/10 show
To me, Mari not only is just a new character but she plays the vital role of a sort of third party in Shinjis life and the cycle he is within. I think it’s agreed that all these other characters are part of the same cycle as him, and have constantly dealt with the same problems over and over again. The introduction of Mari shook that all up just enough to bring new perspective to a new way out for these characters, none the least, Shinji. As someone who has dealt with their own cycle of things constantly falling to pieces and spiraling out of it, I say with full confidence that a sort of third party intervention is almost always a positive. Someone stepping in from the outside with their own experiences may warrant a new perspective on your own situation that drags you out of these dark cycles we find ourselves in. Now for me it isn’t just one person, but a bunch of people and little things happening in life that helped me to change. Something I am still building. I might never be able to return home, I may never be able to relive my early 20s and transition. I may never be able to be what I wanted to be growing up. And I’ve come to learn that it’s okay. I don’t need to drag myself down or become consumed by this yearning to go back or the feeling that there’s nothing left. To live for the days to come is worth so much more than the yearning for a past I may never see again. And who would I be to drag others along with me.
Mari, to me is the embodiment of that. She isn’t some cold splash of water for Shinji, but she isn’t an enabler either. She’s a different perspective, a person from the outside looking in. To me, if I had to sun her up as a character, it would be the phrase “It takes all kinds of people.” Because in life, sometimes it really does take all kinds of people and experiences for people to see things in a different light, and step away from the cycles we throw ourselves into.
I like the ending, acceptance of people's past and trying to move forward. Very much a story only Anno could tell post-og eva.
Your two videos are my favorite interpretation of the series, one I held myself but struggled to put into words. Thank you for making it coherent for me. :)
anytime
Just got into the series and I’m beyond grateful for both your videos, it’s helped me understand the series so much better than just some friends online 😂
Glad I could help!
You aren't really supposed to "understand" things in a conventional sense, it's intentional to make you use your brain and interpret things in your own way. That's why even with an in-depth analysis like this there are still dead ends, missing threads and important events happening off screen. It's cool that you feel how you do about the video but I wouldn't start quoting it as fact, you'd be missing the forest for the trees doing that.
@@symbiote1982pk I feel you man but I just enjoy the story and I do think a lot of great points are made in the show. Most of the elements that are in the story are point blank and the theory crafting to be done is Indi dualistic like you hinted at, super appreciate the point made though, thank you!
The rebuild series was a lot of things. I found them fairly enjoyable, even with their considerable flaws. Anyway, thank you for this reflection and explanation of events. There were definitely some things I missed when I saw 3.0+1.0. Great work!
Honestly this set of movies alone changed me. I know it sounds big picture or vague but generally having an adaptation of coming full circle. Understanding one's flaws, accepting other and their issues. I personally love the ending I love how everyone gets an ending that isn't cookie-cutter like true love. Allowing those to have a world were they can improve themselves. Great Video Great Movies. If Im honest a lot of the confusion and issues that can be brought up I think are honestly fine, I think it comes down to one's personal adaptation, for viewers to place their own issues or problems in the gaps the show leaves. Allowing viewers to go through a journey to understand ones issues, desires, regrets, sins, etc. Allowing for growth over a 4 movie series.
This video couldn’t be more perfect because I finished the REBUILD films last week and I love the way you explained the meanings of the series
Being with this franchise since the beginning and growing up along side it and anno growing creatively and in life totally landed the mark for me. the wait was worth it and at the end of thrice apon a time i went through all the emotions and i think thats what anno wanted. What an incredible long ass journey for all of us : )
I remember the night I watched End of Eva for the first time. I couldn't process what exactly I had seen, but I knew it was truly special. I was floored by it. How a show can say so much, be about so much. It showed me what animation, and just art in general, could truly accomplish. It's a feeling I've experienced very few times. After sitting on it for a while, it started to make more sense. I was able to come to conclusions as to what it meant. (at least, what it meant to me) And the one thing I would always come back to was how angry it all was, EoE especially. It felt like the film itself was out to more or less torture the characters. It's so uncomfortable, don't feel good when watching it.
Eventually, I watched the Rebuild films. I thought they were pretty good. I liked the different direction it took, and how it kept me on my toes. I felt that something was... different about it. It certainly didn't have the same feel as the original series or EoE, but it wasn't until 3.0+1.0 that I finally got it. By the end of 3.0+1.0, when One Last Kiss started playing, I broke down. I was an absolute sobbing mess. All of the pain and suffering, the anger from the original series... It was gone... It was... a happy ending. While I still think the original series is better, man that ending makes it all worth it. What an incredible series Eva is.
Also Mari is best girl, cope harder lmao
I just finished EoE. You couldn't be more right. EoE is a truly sad, horrible, but realistic ending to the Neon Genesis series. I respect it, and hate it. Can't wait to start watching the Rebuild films.
I love that I literally watched your first video on this, this morning. Great narration and editing! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I remember when rei said "this is truly a neon genesis" and evangelized all over the place
Rei saying “it’s evangelion time” and evangelioned all over the place
Thanks for this video! Been looking all over youtube for a full reoverview on the Rebuilds!
I got recommended your first video one day before this was released. Man, you explained the whole franchise better than anyone else! Kudos to you
I literally just saw your other NGE video yesterday and you cannot IMAGINE the pure ecstasy I felt when I saw this video posted 2 hours ago on my feed
I have so much to say honestly, but first of all, thank you for the effort you put into creating these masterpieces. The video editing, music, soundeffects, script writing, analysis, everything. I can't even begin to explain what a joy it was to watch your videos. I don't think I've ever been this incessantly captivated by any video (especially of this length), but you did it, and what a pleasure it was. Genuinely, I think you could make a career in filmmaking if you wanted to with your skills. Huge kudos
Now onto the more NGE related subjects because watching this spurred my mental cogs.
First of all, for everyone who didn't know, the names of the organisations Seele and Welle are the German translations for the words soul and wave. Do with that information what you will, but I think the symbolism is pretty obvious here.
I have to say, the rebuild movies feel very different to me in comparison to the original. Of course he atmosphere altogether is different, not as gloomy and dark, even though the world building would suggest the opposite, but something feels.. amiss? I can't but a finger on it exactly, bu I just can't bring myself to love them as much as the original. Now, this is largely because a lot of the hows and whys are left untouched, therefore leading to an frustrating amount of confusion, but it's something deeper in essence.
The original series made it a big point that humans, although not meaning to, hurt themselves and others because we are selfish in nature. That, however, does not mean we can't topple those feelings of greed and pride and change for the better.
Or for the worse.
One would suggest the original ending symbolized hopelessness, since despite all the efforts the characters put in to be happy, they failed. I think multiple interpretations are possible here, my own being what rejection of change does to someone who is not sure of their identity. Where are you meant stand, alone, if you are no one? Shinji and Asuka only had each other in the end, right after finding desire to live, it was stripped away from them. Want may not be malicious in nature, but it sure as hell hurts when denied. That was that: two teenagers having taken away the option of ever fulfilling their desires for eternity. Nothing left but each other, not enough. It's fucking depressing, but that's the reality of what would inevitably happen after all the mistakes people had committed.
The rebuilds make the characters kinder, but, outside of Rei and Kaworu, don't explain why. Why is Shinji, this awkward depressed teenage boy, suddenly so much more eager to help others than he was previously? Why does Misato gather the courage to act as motherly figure to Shinji? Why does Gendo manage to overcome his grief through Shinji? Why does all this happen when they did not in the previous timelines. Human nature isn't fickle like that, the lack of explanation makes the characters feel bland in expressing kindness and change. Asuka is completely rewritten here, that's why her positive character growth doesn't bother me, it makes sense in the context of the story while retaining her (not by OG timeline trauma caused) most recognizable character traits. The others? Not so much.
Mari is basically there as a plot device rather than a character. She influences everyone around her to be better, but she herself doesn't really have any depth. I mean, I'm happy that everyone managed to get a happy end, but it just feels so.. poorly written. It sounds mean and I know they don't have endless resources on their hands, but I wished they handled some of the topics differently. Censorship was probably an issue too, but I still think many things could've been executed and/or portrayed better. Or maybe I'm just too critical, also very much possible.
The thing that is left most positive in my mind from the rebuild movies is Kaworu's character. I know he is technically the same one we saw in the original series, but the way they expanded his character is something completely fresh yet feels perfectly in line for who he is. I saw in another video essay that Kaworu represents Eros in psychology, or in simpler terms, love. The rebuild movies just strengthen that point for me.
Kaworu's love for Shinji, I would claim, surpasses that of every other character. He, Adam, the 13th angel, an otherworldly being above human comprehension, loves a human to the point that he went against his own creation and sacrifices everything he can for some teenage boy. Heck, he basically wrote a universal law to make them meet in every life, despite how short-lived their meetings usually are, and he will always be the only to understand him. Really, it's ironic when you think of it, an presumably perfect being falling in love with someone like Shinji, someone who is known for his imperfections and mistakes.
And when he is confronted by the fact that he tries to make Shinji happy to make himself happy, he is granted individuality. Because love, too, is selfish, and you cannot be selfish without a self. While one would think his senseless devotion would only ruin him, it does the opposite. His love saved Shinji, humanity, and it saved himself. It's bittersweet, kind of, because the course of fate always leads to the outcome of having to part ways with the human he loves, and yet he will always return to love him in another life. Their love, though forsaken, is always depicted to be incredibly profound, and even though they're bound lose each other every time, they always remember each other keenly, even through grief. I think their relationship is the purest shape love can take. The rebuild movies played a big part in solidifying Kaworu's enigmatic character and its goals.
Ok that was a big ramble but I hope anyone who read through this can see my point, or not; no obligation here. Anywho, once again, magnificent video, keep up the good work man, I'll definitely stick around for what's to come in the future
I love you points here, they're really awesome. I'm glad you liked these two videos so much, hearing that means a lot!
@SockSensei I can only return the compliment, all the points you made were fantastic as well! And I mean, it was YOU who made these videos so great, so the praise was only appropriate, but it's very nice to see it actually reached you!
It’s really interesting that depression can cause people to make the most unforgettable stories. The creator of Evangelion suffered from it and created one of the most iconic anime franchises in history. The Crow creator suffered from depression due to his fiancée dying and created one of the most iconic comic books of all time. Ironic that them creating something from feeling like they lost everything would yield such amazing stories.
I imagine Mari is literally that girl, and not a clone. She loves the smell of LCL, and hasn’t grown up due to the curse, because she spends so much time in fluid. The reason they’re so casual in the end is because they have a huge disagreement over Gendo’s obsession with his dead wife - Fuyutski chose to stay by his friends side, but Mari chose to move on and deal with the fallout of Gendo’s actions.
I think this is 100% spot on. You can tell there is an intimate familiarity between Mari and Fut.
If we assume that she really was a friend of Gendo and Yui, she would have aged much more at the finale and became a 50 yo women
@@remiland1645 I mean yeah you are totally right about that. But the movie as a whole just has very bad narrative consistency, so I'd chalk it up to that.
@@GorgeousFortress Even if we would ignore the aging issue, are you fine with Shinji ended up dating his mother's friend?) Well, maybe not dating exactly, but anyway for grown up woman and a child of her friends, their relationship were pretty sus
@@remiland1645Theres no error. EVA was always like this
Evangelion was a series too challenging for me to watch, but I loved the themes and imagery a lot. Your summary and interpretation gave me a lot of enjoyment and I want to give the series another shot. This was awesome
Ah man, I can't help but tear up a little after watching this because the rebuild movies really felt like a proper goodbye and a love letter to the series as a whole. You have really made a great analysis and explanation to the series and I hope your channel grows more.
thank you! i was going to write a really long comment but suffice it to say i clearly understood your takes and am deeply appreciative for the clarity you’ve gifted me through your analysis over the course of these 2 videos
Thank you for making this Sock. I’m super grateful for your Eva content. I’m determined to make sense of the things that don’t make sense.
Looking forward to checking out your other content.
Thank you.
What I like about Shinji is that he struggles.
Some find life natural. Conclusions and their reinforcement natural. I often wondered if that was because they don’t question, don’t want to question, or if they found some answer I missed. In the end it doesn’t matter.
I had to find some answers. That’s what mattered. Luckily I did.
I like Shinji because he struggles. Not boldly at first. But he does figure out through connection what he can stand for. In the first one, it was all barely formed before it was over.
This and your other Evangelion video are two of the best video essays I have had the pleasure of watching. Really awesome stuff!
Bro, ur FIRST video summed up the story so well. I am a big fan of Eva and u did the story justice. U summed it up and explained it with elegance. Thanks you my man for such a spectacular video
At first watch, I thought the Mari ending was cute. But after rewatching a few times, I now think that Shinji should have been alone on that platform. He himself remove the chocker.
Finally able to stand on his own and face the hardship that is life. And then after climbing those stairs does he meet a `new` Mari.
The orginal NGE and the following Rebuilds are an unrivaled masterpiece and we will never see anything so hauntingly beautiful ever again. Real talk.
This is a great breakdown of the Rebuild movies, and I still hold Evangelion in a special place in my heart, but I can't help but feel like the entire project was just a way for Anno to say to the world that remained locked in obsession with his work and the characters within it, "Hey, i grew up, got therapy, and got a wife. You can too. Evangelion is over. Go outside." He just used every possible metaphor and symbolic signifier to do so, so no one would miss it.
alternative Evangelion :
"Man seeks therapy to learn to deal with emotional pain"
Then end.
I like this
After watching countless other explanation videos, I can’t believe I finally (sorta) understand Evangelion. Mega chills right now
Both of your NGE videos were amazing. I definitely learned more and built off of my watch of the anime and movies.
For example…
I thought that in the anime, when Kaji was killed, that Ms. Misato had killed him, and after getting home, she had heard his voice mail and realized that she shouldn’t have killed him…
Anyway. I loved both of the vids and also your voice and jokes add so much to the them!! ❤
"Now is the angel's time for a happy ending"
*porno bass begins*
So I sent this to my priest and he told me it’s a very beautiful story. Two weeks later apparently we’re gonna be watching evangelion for the movie night (Saturday) at my parish. Thank you man and God bless you.
So basically, someone has to give Ano depression again and Evangelion continues, simple as that.
I just now realized at 4:00 minutes in that the movies are a different timeline so I’m gonna watch them and then come back to this
My favorite part was when he said “its Shinjin’ time”
Just finished the movies, really is such an amazing work that we probably have to wait for decades to have another story with such a unique concept and narrative way. Your video really try the best to help us understanding this complicated story especially when it has too many details and abstract way of narrative. I used to hate Shinji as much as he hates himself but now with this new ending, I like him
rewatched the rebuilds recently,
thank you anno
and
thank you sock sensei for doing what you do