Evangelion 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time

 FINALLY!

 

 

It ook me way longer then is usual for me to watch something that really peaks my intrest, but at last I managed to sit down and watch the closure of the franchise.

 

In what is announced as providing not only closure to the reboot series, but also to the original ones, the various spin-off manga's and so much more.  This truly is the end of a franchise that was with me from the beginning of my anime days...

 

The Third Impact has happened, and now Shinji finds himself at the crossroads of trying to save the world remnant's, and find out about Rei Ayanami and restore what happened in the past 14 years.  As human remnants gathered as Kredit try to reestablish a NERV pillar in Paris to activation, they are attacked by angels, with Mari trying to hold them off.  They become under heavy artillery attack, barely escaping with their lives but restoring the NERV base. enabling them to rebuild Unit 02.

The new incarnation of Rei, Asuka and a mentally broken down Shinji in the meantime find themselves in a small village, mingling with the locals and adapting to a regular life.  But slowly, it starts to gnaw to return to their EVA and set things right, as they start recollecting themselves.  But Shinji is once again refused to do so and contained in a high-security chamber.

More is revealed about the Human Instrymentality Project and Ayanami's role in it.  Together, Kredit launches a large offensive on the NERVE HQ, in order to destroy EVA unit 13 and bring an end to the Chaos.  Their vessel, commanded by Katsuragi, forces itself into the enemy territory (the EVA units airsurfing on decommissioned aircraft carriers was kinda fun) to launch Asuka and Mari into the battlefield.

As their attack stalls, Asuka releases the power stored inside her and her unit 2, becoming a being of light to break through the AT field protecting unit 13 and removing the Spear of Longinus.  Unit 13 wakes up as a result, destroying unit 2.  The Kredit ship gets hijacked, as Ikari faces the ship. He has abandoned his humanity, becoming a self proclaimed God.  Shinji decides to face his father to save the remnants of humanity.

What follows is Shinji going through the whole traumatizing experiencing once again, morally blackmailed and humiliated by his father.  As unit 1, embodying hope, and 13, representing despair, face off, it all becomes, well, like a big LSD trippy thing like the end of the original series like.  So pay attention in the last hour, or you'll be lost in a minute!

They realise it can`t be resolved through might, the additional Impact is unleashed as Lilith shows her true face.  And how Ikari did everything he did in order to bring his deceased wife back from the dead!

Well, it's Evangelion, so don`t expect a simple, straight up actionpacked story.  Layer upon layer is in this movie, making it hard to follow if you loose attention for a moment.  But never the less, this is an awesome farewell to the franchise, with all it's strengths of the story packed in an epic conclusion!