The television series Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995 – 1996) has garnered itself an intense and dedicated fan base. Something it didn’t just gain over time but has been there since early in the shows existence.

The show is set in the then future of 2015. 15 years after a disaster known as Second Impact. A disaster that struck at the planets north pole, causing the earth to shift on it’s axis and sea levels to rise. As the character Fuyutsuki describes it, the planet has now lost Autumn. That it now exists in a perpetual summer. Enter 14-year old Shinji Ikari. Summoned to the city of Tokyo-3, built on the remains of Old Tokyo. His mother long since passed and abandoned by his father. Shinji finds himself summed to this city by the father he despises without explanation. But when a creature known as an Angel attacks the city, Shinji is whisked away to NERV. A facility run by his father and charged with protecting humanity. It is explained to him that the Second Impact was in fact caused by these Angels and the soul reason Shinji has been summoned is due to humanities last line of defence. The EVA series. Giant robot creatures that can only be piloted by children that never knew the world before and can synchronise perfectly with these machines. Indeed, beyond Shinji fitting the criteria, the main reason for him being summoned is due to the primary pilot, a young girl named Rei Ayanami, is too injured for the time being. That Gendo Ikari finally has a use for his abandoned son.

Evangelion deals heavily with the themes of depression, isolation, existentialism, self-preservation, familial ties and feels of insignificance. A show that began as a monster of the week, giant robot show, devolved into intense character studies of not only the child characters, but the adults and the supporting cast. Shinji, a young boy who sees himself as disposable and only exists to please others. Asuka, a German girl who wanted to make her mother and father proud, even after her mother slowly went insane. Calling a small doll her real daughter and eventually committing suicide, something witnessed by Asuka at a very young age. Misato, a major attached to NERV and Shinji’s guardian through the series. The only survivor of the expedition to the North Pole that caused the Second Impact. Haunted by the death of her father who died to save her. A history with her long time lover Kaji that at times she despises and at others longs for. Every character in the series carries their emotional baggage through the show, but at its core they all seem to long contact and to feel understood. Things that become more and more prominent as the final plan is enacted. Instrumentality. The destruction of the boundaries between people. The merging of the world’s consciousness into a single being. So, no one is ever alone.

While the show was ramping up to a definitive conclusion, complete with the death of the final angel in episode 24. Fans were met with a confusing final two episodes that take place entirely in the characters minds during the events of instrumentality. This disappointment among fans even led to death threats being sent to Studio Gainax and the shows creator/director Hideaki Anno. This disappointment was encouraged due to episode previews that showed Asuka fighting creatures in EVA Unit 02 in the final two episodes. These previews were included in the directors cut of episode 24, The Final Messenger.

Even outside of its fan base, Evangelion did cause a shift in the perception of original television anime. While I do not agree with his content, the Youtuber Digibro, or as he now calls himself, Otaku Gonzo Journalism. Covered this well in his video How Evangelion Altered Anime Eternally.

With the fan backlash surrounding the ending, reports of a diminishing budget that caused these final episodes, and the new found popularity of the series. Anno was given the opportunity to direct a full length feature to close the series out. Resulting in 1997s The End of Evangelion. An equally confusing film which showcases the other side of episodes 25 at 26. If the shows ending takes place in their minds, then the film is what is happening outside.

Over 11 years ago, I recall stumbling across articles and opinion pieces on personal websites discussing the film and show’s ending as one large entity. Possibly written my Leporati, though the original post I have been unable to track down. I recall the post in particular discussing where in the film would the episodes take place. The original conclusion placed them 15 minutes before the films ending. However, the most intriguing part of the article discussed live action footage shot but not included in the final film. The last remnants of it were a short live action montage. This mythical unused footage does in fact exist. Depicting a world in which Shinji never existed. Something the original ending of the show also tried to do, though depicting a world where Second Impact never happened. These were shown as possibilities. Worlds that could have been if humanity made other choices.

Clearly there was a much larger picture that Anno wanted to explore.

Enter the fan edit project The Concurrency of The End of Evangelion 0.00. A two and a half hour edit by Raymond Chan/SommenRider that combines the television ending with the deleted footage and the film. Instead of simply dumping the tv content into the 15 minutes towards the end of the film. It is carefully sorted into the most logical order. Using small clues in the footage to try and match the inner thoughts (TV) with the outside world (Film). For example, a moment of episode 25 focusing on Asuka and her reason for piloting briefly shows her curled up in Unit 02s cockpit. So, this is edited into place at the point where she is hidden underwater in the Unit.

The final project is indeed interesting, there are moments that seem to sync up wonderfully as though the two endings were always meant to be seen this way, especially in the case of Misato. Though there are problems with audio overlapping and jumps in music, though given that this is a passion project by fans, it’s level of quality is impressive. Incorporating both versions of “a world without” also gives a better contrast with the world we know. Some other minor issues include the inclusion of the shows opening and ending theme directly into the middle of the film. These do not help the narrative and come off more as an Anime Music Video mistakenly included. The obvious change in aspect ratio could also bee seen as a flaw, though it could also provide a dream like quality to there inner thoughts. A stark contrast between fantasy and reality. Giving us a similar, unsure and confused feeling as Shinji himself.

While Anno started the Rebuild of Evangelion project over 10 years ago and seems to have little interest in revisiting The End of Evangelion itself. This may be the closest to knowing what Anno’s true vision for the finale was. An instrumentality in itself of confusing endings.

Evangleion:BR (2013) End of Evangelion – Alternative Live Sequence. [Online] YouTube. October 12 th . Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwBs3VsNfdY&t=147s [Last Accessed: 25.07.2018]

. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwBs3VsNfdY&t=147s [Last Accessed: 25.07.2018] Leporati, M. (2003) The Meaning Behind Evangelion. [Online] August 13 th . EVA Monkey. Available from: http://www.evamonkey.com/writings/leporati-matt-the-meaning-behind-evangelion.php [Last Accessed: 25.07.2018]

. EVA Monkey. Available from: http://www.evamonkey.com/writings/leporati-matt-the-meaning-behind-evangelion.php [Last Accessed: 25.07.2018] Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995 – 1995) TV. Created by Hideaki Anno. [DVD] Studio Gainax: JPN.

Otaku Gonzo Journalism (2017) How Evangelion Altered Anime Eternally. [Online] YouTube. August 3 rd . Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ3F_hhzJ3o [Last Accessed: 25.07.2018]

. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ3F_hhzJ3o [Last Accessed: 25.07.2018] Shinji’s Tears (2017) The End of Evangelion Preview Comparison. [Online] YouTube April 10 th . Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se9m353feyE [Last Accessed: 25.07.2018]

. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se9m353feyE [Last Accessed: 25.07.2018] Takeda, Y. (2002) The Notenki Memoirs: Studio Gainax and the Men Who Created Evangelion. D.Visions, Inc: Texas.

The End of Evangelion (1997) Film. Directed by Hideaki Anno. [DVD] Studio Gainax: JPN.