Shin Seiki Evangelion Gekijô-Ban: Air/Magokoro Wo, Kimi Ni |
Japan • 1997 • 87m •
  • Directed by: Hideaki Anno, Kazuya Tsurumaki. • Starring: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Yûko Miyamura, Kotono Mitsuishi, Yuriko Yamaguchi, Fumihiko Tachiki, Akira Ishida, Motomu Kiyokawa, Mugihito, Takehito Koyasu, Hiro Yûki, Miki Nagasawa, Spike Spencer. • Music by: Shiro Sagisu.   After the defeat of the final Angel, Shinji Ikari falls into a deep depression. When SEELE orders the JSSDF to make a surprise attack on NERV's headquarters, Gendo Ikari retreats down into Terminal Dogma along with Rei Ayanami, where he begins to advance his own plans for the Human Instrumentality Project. Eventually, Shinji is pushed to the limits of his sanity as he is forced to decide the fate of humanity.
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Shinji Ikari is the main character of this story. He is the main focus of the entire plot. He has psychological issues due to how he was raised and the timeplace of his birth. An organization known as STEEL decided that humans cannot evolve anymore. They believe that the only solution is to change the way life exists. With that said, doesn't it seem like there is a connection between Shinji's problem and STEEL's solution? Shinji deems himself a worthless coward who does not know how to help himself. He has terrible social skills because of his inexperience and chronic fear of failing.
When analyzing why STEEL wants to progress the evolution of humanity we can find answers. The main reason would be that humans are not perfect. Asuka, Shinji, and the rest of the HUMAN characters have problems. When proceeding through both movies we find that these life issues have negative affects on these characters though out their lives. There are not many high points in their day to day lives. From this we can see that this is happening to other humans. This is why STEEL decides to progress the evolution of mankind. They believe that reaching the end of evolution will bring complete happiness and end humanity's imperfections.
This is what Japan is known for in writing. The Yin Yang symbol is used as a template for the bare bones of this plot. For those who don't know the meaning of this symbol, I will explain. It isn't as simple as good vs evil, but it's close. It means that good contains evil and evil contains good. Basically, good and evil are the same thing, but are different because of what they are. In short, opposition is caused by difference.
STEEL is portrayed as evil in this movie because they are the ones who oppose Nerv. They invade Nerv and steal precious items such as certain Eva's. However, they have good intentions. They want to fix humanities' flaws.
Shinji is the opposing force of STEEL. He is the light. However, evil lies within him to a certain extent. If you disagree, remember when he choked Asuka. Shinji Ikari represents the problem that STEEL is trying to fix with their plan. He is the one who has to pilot EVA UNIT 01 and keep the plan going for eternity. He also symbolizes humanities decision for STEEL's solution.
When reality changes for Shinji, he experiences the alternate life that STEEL created. It is a world where everyone is at peace with one another. A world with where you are completely alone except for the physical representations of "The hope that humans may one day learn to understand and accept one another." and the words "I Love You,". The physical representations are Rei and Lilith. Shinji finds out that this world does not have any problems, because the AT field has been removed. The AT field is what separates humans from each other. So, when the AT field is removed, all humans are linked to one another and everyone is at peace. The AT field is the CAUSE of this opposition. It is the reason for wars and even something as small as an argument between two people.
Let's refer back to the yin yang symbol. If you are wondering what this symbol has to do with this anime here it is. The removal of the AT field symbolizes the removal of the line that separates the yin yang symbol. The line that is straight down the middle. If that lines is removed on the symbol, then everything is blended together. EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY THE SAME. No one is different. There are zero problems and everything is as one. There is no good or bad.
Remember when Shinji fought Lilith. Shinji asked Lilith why they had to fight and Lilith said that it was because they were different. Lilith is a different type of human. The yin yang symbol represents two opposing forces who are the same but different in some way. The AT field is what makes them different. Difference causes problems.
Shinji is given the power to keep everything the same or make it different again. He decides to make things different again. The reason he does this is because he likes the opposition. Remember, Shinji hates himself and others. Shinji causes people pain because it's the only thing he knows how to do. Without the AT field he can't cause pain anymore, because everything is one. This is why he chokes Asuka at the end of the movie for a second time. This represents Shinji being HIMSELF. Shinji is being DIFFERENT. Shinji is being HUMAN.
Shinji hated the way the world didn't change before the shift in reality and hated that he couldn't hate the new reality when he experienced it. So, he went back to the old reality. He missed the emotion that was HIM. This would be hatred.
He had the ability to give up being himself. He didn't do it even though he hated himself, because he missed the the emotion of hatred. This is because it is what made him who he was and he realized that all he had was himself. Misato told him that all he had was himself before she died. She influenced him to make his own decisions and except being who he was.
Review by cchall456 from the Internet Movie Database.
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