End of Evangelion vs. original ending to Neon Genesis?

[dscross]

I actually posted this under another subject, but then realised it was quite old and I thought it was so interesting that I'd start a new topic...

I just finished watching the series Neon Genesis Evangelion and the follow up film the End of Evangelion - and I loved it. But I MUCH preferred the original Ending...let me tell you why.

EoE was a great film, don't get me wrong, but I think it spoilt what otherwise would have been a great commentary on the ego (in spiritual terms) and what humans should strive for in their lives. Many people dismiss the whole series as 'f**cked up' but, for me, that simply isn't the case.

Many people hate themselves to varying degrees, but most people don't vocalise it. It's that voice in the head - your thought processes - created when you form an identity using the social mirror (ie, trying to meet what you perceive to be society's expectations of you). Shingi is an extreme example - but everyone does it to a degree.

What the original ending does, through the medium of the human instrumentality project, is convey that we can transcend our egos and learn to love ourselves and other people - and then, life becomes all good man. Shinji, makes peace with himself and realises we are the same when it comes down to it.

The ego can be a great teacher, but only if you realise you can't fully trust it - which leads to an uneasy relationship or truce. You can learn a lot but it's never comfortable. The ego has the will to survive, it is Darwinian, and it operates competitively towards 'survival of the fittest'. Ego is most provoked when its capacity to survive and to be on top is threatened. It feels most safe when others suffer...or it makes you suffer and forms an identity out of that, blaming everyone else for your misfortune.

And yet it is possible to feel great tenderness for the ego, for my ego and for yours. The ego may be a doorway or a gate to something other, as the ego is connected to a deeper sense of wholeness in the self and others. Perhaps ironically, the ego's own resistances can protect and connect us to a deeper sense of Self.

I really think a lot of people missed what Anno wanted to convey here. It's an important life lesson, and I feel the EoE obscures the message a bit. I imagine Anno was thinking a lot about how to self actualise when he was coming out of his depression.

What do you guys think?

 

[Casual Shinji]

I prefer the EoE ending myself. It was cynical as all hell, but atleast we discovered what happened to the cast.

Spoiler

Those two quick shots of Misato and Ritsuko lying dead in episode 26 without any explanation drove me bonkers.

And while episode 26 has a lot of good stuff to say, the overly positive ending felt a bit forced. And you can't beat EVA-02 ***** slapping a hover jet, or the end of the world set to a jaunty tune.

 

[sextus the crazy]

I prefer the EoE ending myself. It was cynical as all hell, but atleast we discovered what happened to the cast.

Spoiler

Those two quick shots of Misato and Ritsuko lying dead in episode 26 without any explanation drove me bonkers.

And while episode 26 has a lot of good stuff to say, the overly positive ending felt a bit forced. And you can't beat EVA-02 ***** slapping a hover jet, or the end of the world set to a jainty tune.

I should have expected you to answer first.

OT: EoE is superior because it actually had a budget. It was clear after watching the two that the original was a cop-out due to lack of funding. The EoE ending let Gainax give a proper ending to the series.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I prefer the EoE ending myself. It was cynical as all hell, but atleast we discovered what happened to the cast.

Spoiler

Those two quick shots of Misato and Ritsuko lying dead in episode 26 without any explanation drove me bonkers.

And while episode 26 has a lot of good stuff to say, the overly positive ending felt a bit forced. And you can't beat EVA-02 ***** slapping a hover jet, or the end of the world set to a jainty tune.

I should have expected you to answer first.

Don't expect anything from me, you'll only be disappointed. Just think: You click on the next NGE related thread, and there's the first post... not by me. What then?!

 

[sextus the crazy]

I prefer the EoE ending myself. It was cynical as all hell, but atleast we discovered what happened to the cast.

Spoiler

Those two quick shots of Misato and Ritsuko lying dead in episode 26 without any explanation drove me bonkers.

And while episode 26 has a lot of good stuff to say, the overly positive ending felt a bit forced. And you can't beat EVA-02 ***** slapping a hover jet, or the end of the world set to a jainty tune.

I should have expected you to answer first.

Don't expect anything from me, you'll only be disappointed. Just think: You click on the next NGE related thread, and there's the first post... not by me. What then?!

I don't know. I guess I'll have to...*audible gasp* wait!

 

[Baron von Blitztank]

I quite like watching End of Evangelion, even without building up to it by watching the series. It's a special kind of mindfuckery that leaves you entranced and wanting to see what happens, even though you have only the vaguest idea as to what is going on. Plus it wins by having the catchiest, most depressing song I've heard:

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Oooh... tough call. I think I'd prefer a happier ending... but the TV ending is probably the closest we'll ever get...

 

[Flamezdudes]

Not sure which I prefer to be honest, I love botn. But I think if I absolutely had to make a decision, it would have to be the EoE ending.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

I loved EoE. I was more indifferent towards the original ending. I didn't think it was great, but I never had the vile hatred for it like most everyone else had. I just saw it, and simply watched EoE afterwards. With that said, though, there were stuff that were interesting about it, I just prefer the cruel, depressing, bleak nature of EoE.

 

[uchytjes]

EoE by a mile. The original ending left me as confused and angry as 3.0 did.

EoE still left me confused, but much, MUCH less so. Plus, watching the whole third impact, with this song:
playing in the background is probably one of my favorite moments in movies.

 

[4RM3D]

I should mention that (AFAIK) the last 2 episode of the original series were so fucked up because the studio ran out of money and couldn't make anything decent anymore. Then the series became massively popular and a "true" ending movie was made (with the new clash flow).

I also liked EoE more.

On a side note: I don't like where the NEW Evangelion movies are headed. 1 and 2 were fine; 3 not so much.

 

[4RM3D]

EoE by a mile. The original ending left me as confused and angry as 3.0 did.

But 3.0 is not the ending... So you can't really compare it, yet. You'll have to wait for part 4.

 

[Gatx]

I prefer the EoE ending myself. It was cynical as all hell, but atleast we discovered what happened to the cast.

Spoiler

Those two quick shots of Misato and Ritsuko lying dead in episode 26 without any explanation drove me bonkers.

And while episode 26 has a lot of good stuff to say, the overly positive ending felt a bit forced. And you can't beat EVA-02 ***** slapping a hover jet, or the end of the world set to a jaunty tune.

I feel sort of the same way. The series ending was stronger for Shinji's character development, but the episode right before had a lot of questions that needed to be answered.

 

[silentNate]

EoE by a mile. The original ending left me as confused and angry as 3.0 did.

But 3.0 is not the ending... So you can't really compare it, yet. You'll have to wait for part 4.

I'm fully prepared to be disappointed

As to the central question I much prefer the ending in The End of Evangelion as...

Spoiler

Shinji strangling Asuka is such a strong and powerful image!!

 

[uchytjes]

But 3.0 is not the ending... So you can't really compare it, yet. You'll have to wait for part 4.

That may be true, and 4.0 may explain everything, but it still is rather confusing after the first watch. That may be my own fault for the most part, though. For instance I didn't even realize that the giant cross-thing they were chasing in the beginning was Shinji.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

I'd probably prefer the original ending. Sure it's done on a ham sandwich budget, is completely detached from the rest of the series and confusing as bloody hell. But at least it gives a sense of closure and the very end when the theme song starts playing, first on keyboard, then on guitar and piano, is just beautiful and triumphant.

EoE, while it has its merits, is still too weird, mind-fucky and IMO takes itself way too seriously for me to get any sort of emotional attachment or closure out of it. Not to mention that gratuituous opening scene, yechhhh. Whenever I watch it I just admire the trippy visuals and crushing atmosphere while occasionally giggling to myself and thinking "What the hell were they smoking?" And all it eventually boils down to is

Spoiler

EVERYBODY DIED!

The end

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

I like EoE for the animation, but I prefer the series ending, because I really like how it forces us to think about what's being said (and not shown, due to the low budget they had), instead of just watching it happen.

But 3.0 is not the ending... So you can't really compare it, yet. You'll have to wait for part 4.

That may be true, and 4.0 may explain everything, but it still is rather confusing after the first watch. That may be my own fault for the most part, though. For instance I didn't even realize that the giant cross-thing they were chasing in the beginning was Shinji.

Spoiler

Or why they even have an airship that's somehow powered by Unit 01 (since they only recovered it at the beginning of 3.0)... Or what the hell happened to Unit 06 that Kaworu was piloting at the end of 2.0

 

[lawraWeltreich]

EoE is obviously the end of Evangelion. Rebuilt is just a big budget fan fic.

 

[major_chaos]

Well on one hand the original was an awful confusing non-ending, but on the other hand EoE was absolutely without question the most depressing thing I have ever seen and I never want to watch it again... so neither? I have an odd love/hate relationship with Eva, on one hand I think its a very well made anime, but I also kinda hate it because I don't like my entertainment to be quite that soul crushing.