Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time

With some of the most amazing animation sequences Studio Khara has ever created, the movie offers a visually spectacular finale to the protracted narrative. While the climactic metaphysical showdown offers an emotionally cathartic ending that has been developing for decades, the first act's extended village section offers a rare period of peaceful humanity, allowing characters to breathe and grow outside the cockpit. The film's final message of self-acceptance and moving on, which started out as a critique of mecha clichés, reflects Anno's development as a filmmaker and turns it into something truly optimistic.

The abrupt change from the pastoral opening to the hectic, exposition-heavy final act, however, severely slows down the narrative rhythm, making the middle section seem hurried and undeveloped. A number of characters that were first introduced in the earlier Rebuild movies remain disappointingly unresolved, and the climax's strong focus on abstract symbolism may turn off viewers who are looking for more definitive answers to persistent narrative points. The film's resolve to solve all of the unsolved mysteries at once leads to scenes that feel less like natural storytelling and more like checklist fulfillment, which weakens the emotional impact of an otherwise stirring conclusion.

Staff:

Directed by: Hideaki Anno, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Katsuichi Nakayama, and Mahiro Maeda

Written by: Hideaki Anno

Based on: Neon Genesis Evangelion by Hideaki Anno

Starring: Megumi Ogata, Megumi Hayashibara, Yuko Miyamura, Maaya Sakamoto, Akira Ishida, and Kotono Mitsuishi.

Cinematography: Toru Fukushi

Edited by: Emi Tsujita

Music by: Shirō Sagisu

Production companies: Studio Khara

Distributed by: Toho Co., Ltd and Toei Company

Release date: March 8, 2021

Running time: 155 minutes