Thoroughly Confused about Neon Genesis Evangelion (Please help me, its vital to my sanity)

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SPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILER Ok seriously, there are 2 things im confused about. #1: is End of Evangelion sort of in the series, or is it a something that was made after completion. Another matter realted to this is where Death and Rebirth comes in. Are they (Is it) before or after End of Evangelion? Enough with the worldy matters... #2: I just finished watching End of Evangelion. I semi understood up to the part where Rei entered Adam and they sort of went up into space and then Rei comes and destroys everything making everyone one bodiless entity. (At least thats what it seemed like) But after that, I was lost. At one point, it is said that Shinji has the ability to decide the fate of mankind, so what did he choose?! It is not clear to me what happened. Then it starts a big discussion about dreams. I then felt a huge sense of relief because for an instant i thought that it could all be a dream. But HELLO! It wasnt, so now im more confused than I was earler. I really need some answers, 'cause i should let you all know right now. Once I get into any kind of story, I come to know and love the characters, I swear. Its almost like if something goes bad in the world of a book or tv show, I become very downcast, I know its weird, but i really cant stand to have a book, or tv show or movie without a resolve, it leaves me with this bad feeling in my stomach. So I implore, someone please relieve me and tell me what happened, so I can sleep a bit easier tonight.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2003

Answers

everyone dies excepy shinji and asuka

thats all there is to it O_o

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2003


But where does Death and Rebirth tie into all this? Is it before End of Evangelion? If so, did i make a mistake in watching EoE before D+R?

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2003

D&R is just a recap movie. i think your supposed to watch it before EoE, but then again, it shouldn't really matter.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2003

As far as I know, D+R comes before EoE. Because End of Evangelion is "THE END" of Evangelion. Actually, I have never watched Death and Rebirth, but supposedly it is 'the first part of the epic conclusion to one of the greatest series" yatta yatta. ^_^ And as for The End Of Evangelion being confusing, yes it was. I found it very confusing. Although that's probably because I haven't watched a whole lot of the series. And as for Shinji being able to decide the fate of mankind, I thought that he did ... all he decided was that he wanted Asuka alive again. Unless she never really did die. But I don't see how that could have happened. In any case ... it was just a confusing movie. Although 'movie' perhaps isn't the right term. It was originally intended to be the last two episodes, I think. (Otherwise I'm at a loss as to why there were credits stuck in the middle. Because that would be just plain strange) ... Obviously, this little explanation of mine has been pretty darn useless. ^_^

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2003

how many eps is there of N.G.E arn't there just 26 eps?what movie r u talkin 'bout?^_^

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2003


No, you guys are right, EoE is sort of like the last 2 episodes, its seperated by credits, kinda like the Endless Waltz OVA. (or OAV, I forget which) I jsut finished downloading Death and Rebirth so ill burn it and watch it. Oh, and there are 26 episodes. Death and Rebirth, and End of Evangelion, which was going to be 2 last episodes. And thanks for clearing that stuff up. I feel better.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2003

death and rebirth is half a recap episode, then the other half pretty much explains what happens at the end of the series, which is the result of destroying all the angels - but nothing else has happened to them yet. the end of the series is kind of shinji trying to find confidence in others, but its not the end of mankind.

end of evangelion is when rei enters lilith (returns the soul to lilith) and begins the 3rd impact which favours the humans over the angels - so the old men of seele get what they want. the reason shinji gets to choose what happens is cos he is the catalyst that starts the entire 3rd impact, so he chooses what can happen - people can stay in their form or enter the bodyless entity that has no happiness or worries. the whole point of the 2nd half of the movie is how shinji really decides which option is the best to take, based on his past experiences and how people think of him and how they would feel towards it - which is why the same people appear many times e.g. asuka. in the end, the 3rd impact has kind of already taken place without shinji wanting it too - so this is where i am a little confused. it could be either 1) shinji stopped the 3rd impact and has either a) chosen asuka to start humanity again or b) u have to wait for the humans to enter their bodies again cos they 3rd impact is still in the process of collapsing in the final scene. or 2) shinji and asuka were both in their eva's during the 3rd impact so they were safe from their surroundings which is why they are the only 2 that survived.

this is what i gathered from watching the movies a few times. hope it helps

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2003


I believe what's happening is the Human Instumentality Project. Only, instead of combining everyone's mind and soul into one (the first 'vision' in which he sees Rei w/o anyone else), he realizes at the end that the world is better with some pain, and individuality. Therefore, he chooses to give life to all those that 'died' (in 'reality' they were absorbed by Lilith+Rei) The end seems to be showing a resolve of feelings between Asuka+Shinji. I believe - not sure- that all of the other people aren't there because that was the impact site. (If you remember, during second impact, everything around it died)

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2003

A lot of the ideas here are great possibilities but I think Anno may have purposefully made the movie ambiguous to frustrate all the people who didn't like his original ending. His original ending in the series sort of gave a more concrete ending in that Shinji was able to accept himself and others. The ending to EoE was far more unclear (especially that "disgusting" line by Asuka - what's with that?)

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2003

ok ok, i know various theories get rattled around the place about this series, but i might as well voice mine anyways, so here goes... The human instrumentality project is, as the name suggests, using humans as instruments, simple enought really. what this means is basically that seele are using the children in order to accomplish what they want. The angels are simply 'alternate possibilities' of forms that humans could have taken. D+R explains this, and shows us the beginnning of 3rd impact.

EoE shows the reuniting of Rei and Lilith, (as a biblical note, lilith is supposedly the name given to Eve when she was cast out of Eden, thus the relationship between Adam and Lilith is shown ^_^), Shinji (and Eva01) are the catalyst which kick-start 3rd impact, and so it is he that decides the fate of mankind. and though his own mind tells him that a life without emotion or worries would be better for him, it is the emotion and feelings that make mankind. The ending i think has been left for us to question. as we only see Shinji and Asuka, it might be safe to assume that everyone is dead, then agian, they may not be?

well that's my thoughts anyways, think what ya like ^_^

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2003



Figured it out. Alrighty, Gendo wants himself to become the new Adam and Yui, the new Eve for the new world after 3rd impact. To do this, he needed Rei to unite him with her through Adam. She betrays him and chooses Shinji as the new Adam. Shinji, suddenly having the fate of everything hurled upon him, decides he wants Asuka as his eve, so he asks her, but she rejects him at first because she said he hated himself or something like that. Then he becomes frustrated with himself and says that if no one wants him they can all just die (What an idiot) So, Rei (Lillith) destroys the bonds between everyone by destroying humanity so that they can start anew. Then after Shinji speaks with his mother, everything seems to come into focus for him, and he asks Asuka again. This time she accepts (in the anime writer's extremely roundabout way of saying so) and we are left with Shinji and Asuka, Adam and Eve of the new human race. I'm not sure why Shinji chokes Asuka for a bit though. LOL ;)

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2003

ur kinda right, i think, just gendo never actually wants to become adam. he only wants to be reunited with yui - his wife, which explains why he likes rei so much. eva was only the catalyst for the 3rd impact, and it was the men of seele that wanted it to end all suffering. shinji was there to supposedly prevent the 3rd impact, whcih he kinda did (the angels one anyway)

-- Anonymous, July 22, 2003

HEY u guys like steal's girlfriend??????(iron's maiden) thats the best evangelion movie ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and any1 no where can i download that movie steal's girlfriend 1 or 2 PLZ tell me!!!!! thx =)

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2003

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