Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (2021)
シン・エヴァンゲリオン劇場版:||
Film details
Animation · Action · Science Fiction · Drama · 中山勝一 · 2h 35min
Synopsis
In the aftermath of the Fourth Impact, stranded without their Evangelions, Shinji, Asuka and Rei find refuge in one of the rare pockets of humanity that still exist on the ruined planet Earth. There, each lives a life far different from their days as an Evangelion pilot. However, the danger to the world is far from over. A new impact is looming on the horizon—one that will prove to be the true end of Evangelion.
Verdict
Dense philosophical conclusion that rejects nihilism and values real human connection.
In-depth analysis
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time closes a saga that has spent three decades exploring solitude, trauma, and the search for meaning in a hostile universe. This final film rejects the nihilism that haunted previous installments: Shinji chooses real human connection over the fusion of all souls into a unity without pain but also without identity. The omnipresent Christian symbolism (the Cross, the Angels, biblical references) is purely aesthetic, not theological — the creator uses it as visual language, not as catechesis. The philosophical complexity is brutal: determinism, free will, the tension between isolating oneself or exposing oneself to the pain of loving. The violence is science fiction, battles of giant mechas against apocalyptic entities, stylized and fantastic, without visceral realism. It requires intellectual and emotional maturity: the themes of depression, existential solitude, and the temptation of the void are treated with adult seriousness. The franchise has a history of problematic fanservice, but this conclusion is sober and focused on its message: that life with others, imperfect and painful, is worth more than sterile perfection. Not suitable for minors, excellent for older teenagers with reflective accompaniment.