The Last Train Station Scene
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- Meldon_Elraenhie
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
Sorry about that, I did not mean to break any rule.
Thank you very much, mod.
Thank you very much, mod.
Re: The Last Train Station Scene
I'm still working my way through these big posts, but when I got to this point I stopped and rewatched the elevator scene. The last line is by Asuka after she walks away from the closed elevator door alone:

Oh, fun -- she's not talking about Rei, she's admitting to herself that she's in love. Didn't catch this on previous watch.
- ElMariachi
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
Konja7 wrote:I think the point is that Shinji will look for his own place in the world too. Mari is there so he doesn't have to do this alone.
Honestly, unlike Rei Q, Shinji never seems to have really felt at home in Village-3. Shinji found it a nice place and learned many things there, but he never seemed to feel totally comfortable. So, I think Shinji is still going to find his home in the world.
I have the same feeling, I even got the feeling that Tokyo-3 felt more like a home to him, since we saw him hanging out with his friends, whereas in Village-3 he never goes out except to do the tasks Kensuke assigns him, to finally leave the village without saying his farewells to anyone (Kensuke only knows that he left because he was with Asuka) and its implied that he'll never settle there after the ending. (assuming Village-3 even exists wherever he and Mari ended up)
Ironically, the village felt more like a home to him in the two pages it appeared in the early version of 3.0 shown in the booklet of the 3.333 blu-ray (I'm still working on it, I'm making a long review/analysis of it!

IMHO it would had felt more like a new home in Shin had he done things like going to school or hanging out with Kaji Jr. (if that was what Khara was trying to go for)
Avatar: THE HIGHEST OF ALL HIGHS WE AAAAAAAAAARE!!!
Kensuke is a military otaku who, at one point, is shown creepily taking pictures of girls to sell. He would clearly fit right in as an animator at Studio Gainax. -- Compiling_Autumn
EoTV is a therapist, EoE is a drill instructor. -- Chuckman
Seriously, that is the most fananked theory I've ever heard, more than Mari being Marty McFly travelling through time to keep her parents (Asushin) together. -- Jäeger
Kensuke is a military otaku who, at one point, is shown creepily taking pictures of girls to sell. He would clearly fit right in as an animator at Studio Gainax. -- Compiling_Autumn
EoTV is a therapist, EoE is a drill instructor. -- Chuckman
Seriously, that is the most fananked theory I've ever heard, more than Mari being Marty McFly travelling through time to keep her parents (Asushin) together. -- Jäeger
Re: The Last Train Station Scene
ElMariachi wrote:Ironically, the village felt more like a home to him in the two pages it appeared in the early version of 3.0 shown in the booklet of the 3.333 blu-ray (I'm still working on it, I'm making a long review/analysis of it!
) where he's seen enjoying an evening diner with everyone laughing and having a good time.
IMHO it would had felt more like a new home in Shin had he done things like going to school or hanging out with Kaji Jr. (if that was what Khara was trying to go for)
Yeah. I don't think Khara wants Shinji to feel at home in Village-3. They want Village-3 to be a nice place where Shinji can heal and learn, but it's a place he's going to leave.
Village-3 is the home for Rei Q. It's pretty interesting this was a plan since that early version of 3.0.
- Meldon_Elraenhie
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
I am sorry to disagree once more.
Let me explain myself. I do not think that knowing if Shinji feels home or not at the third village is something up to interpretations or how you feel about the third village’s scenes or Shinji’s interactions at that moment.
He says and implies it when using the phrase “Tadaima”, which is something you say returning home. Your home. And we know from previous moments that Shinji has had trouble saying that sentence even in Misato’s apartment, so it is an important sentence. It shows us how he is healing as well how important that place has become for him.
Let me explain myself. I do not think that knowing if Shinji feels home or not at the third village is something up to interpretations or how you feel about the third village’s scenes or Shinji’s interactions at that moment.
He says and implies it when using the phrase “Tadaima”, which is something you say returning home. Your home. And we know from previous moments that Shinji has had trouble saying that sentence even in Misato’s apartment, so it is an important sentence. It shows us how he is healing as well how important that place has become for him.
Re: The Last Train Station Scene
Meldon_Elraenhie wrote:He says and implies it when using the phrase “Tadaima”, which is something you say returning home. Your home. And we know from previous moments that Shinji has had trouble saying that sentence even in Misato’s apartment, so it is an important sentence. It shows us how he is healing as well how important that place has become for him.
When Shinji says "Tadaima"?
Kensuke's house is the place where he is living, so it wouldn't be weird that he calls that place in that way.
However, unlike Rei Q, we don't see Shinji really interacting with people in Village-3, he seems to be distant from the inhabitants in that place. That's why it seems to me that they are trying to show that Shinji is not totally comfortable in Village-3.
- Meldon_Elraenhie
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
Shinji saying tadaima is a core aspect of Shinji’s feelings of belonging. They are explored in NGE and if my memory does not fail me in the RoE as well.
Shinji does not interact with anyone in the same sense as Rei because he is in Kensuke’s house, which is far from the village, whereas Rei is staying with Toji in the middle of it. I do think that is the reason of the different scenes of Shinji and Rei. Furthermore, that way, the parallelism between Kensuke’s house and Misato’s apartment can be achieved.
Shinji does not interact with anyone in the same sense as Rei because he is in Kensuke’s house, which is far from the village, whereas Rei is staying with Toji in the middle of it. I do think that is the reason of the different scenes of Shinji and Rei. Furthermore, that way, the parallelism between Kensuke’s house and Misato’s apartment can be achieved.
Re: The Last Train Station Scene
If I'm not místaken, in 3.0+1.0, Shinji says "Taidama" in this part:
Shinji: Yeah. She also dropped by today. Why do you ask?
"Tadaima" literally means “just now”, which is often used as “I’ve just come home now”. However, Shinji doesn't seem to use the word that way in this conversation.
Meldon_Elraenhie wrote:Shinji does not interact with anyone in the same sense as Rei because he is in Kensuke’s house, which is far from the village, whereas Rei is staying with Toji in the middle of it. I do think that is the reason of the different scenes of Shinji and Rei. Furthermore, that way, the parallelism between Kensuke’s house and Misato’s apartment can be achieved.
My point is that it's difficult to say feels at home in Village-3, because he hardly interact with people in Village-3.
I compare Shinji with Rei Q, because she clearly becomes part of that community. After all, if Khara wants to imply Shinji feels at home in Village-3, they would create more interactions.
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
The point is that there is enough ambiguity as in TEOE that it allows us to think of different theories.
Shinji's fate is uncertain at the end of the film, beyond the fact that the first impression is that he is leaving with Mari, we don't know where. Will they return with her friends? Do they withdraw from their Friends? Where are they going?
We don't know, only Anno knows.
By this I mean that one theory is not worth less than the other (except those that say there was a time jump of 14 years).
In my opinion, Mari arrives just in time to take Shinji out of the antiverse, to take him to his exit, the train scene is a strong parallel with the scene in the phone booth (Rei Quantum), her destination at the end of the movie to me understand is uncertain
Shinji's fate is uncertain at the end of the film, beyond the fact that the first impression is that he is leaving with Mari, we don't know where. Will they return with her friends? Do they withdraw from their Friends? Where are they going?
We don't know, only Anno knows.
By this I mean that one theory is not worth less than the other (except those that say there was a time jump of 14 years).
In my opinion, Mari arrives just in time to take Shinji out of the antiverse, to take him to his exit, the train scene is a strong parallel with the scene in the phone booth (Rei Quantum), her destination at the end of the movie to me understand is uncertain
- Meldon_Elraenhie
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
If I'm not místaken, in 3.0+1.0, Shinji says "Taidama" in this part:
Shinji: Yeah. She also dropped by today. Why do you ask?
"Tadaima" literally means “just now”, which is often used as “I’ve just come home now”. However, Shinji doesn't seem to use the word that way in this conversation.
It is this one

It is a great example of Shinji's healing.
Re: The Last Train Station Scene
Thank you. I'm sorry for my mistake.
Still, I don't think this is a hint that Shinji really feels at home in Village-3. "Tadaima" is a pretty common greeting, since Shinji has been living in Kensuke's house.
PS: "I'm home" is a good translation for "Tadaima", but "I'm back" would be another good translation too.
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
What about the possibility of home for Shinji being Kensuke's house specifically rather than the village as a whole?
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- Meldon_Elraenhie
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
Despite the possible translation as “I am back”, it is a sentence that is only said in Japanese when you are back to your home. This is the reason why, typically, the preferred translation is I am home.
Regarding if home could be Kensuke’s house rather than the whole village, I believe it is the correct interpretation. Shinji has achieved complete healing and has had a reminiscence of his past life in Misato’s apartment. That is the whole point. The comparison between those two scenarios expand from the first shower scene between Shinji and Asuka to the I am home moment. That place is special for Shinji, and that is why he also sends Asuka there when she is ejected from Unit 13.
Regarding if home could be Kensuke’s house rather than the whole village, I believe it is the correct interpretation. Shinji has achieved complete healing and has had a reminiscence of his past life in Misato’s apartment. That is the whole point. The comparison between those two scenarios expand from the first shower scene between Shinji and Asuka to the I am home moment. That place is special for Shinji, and that is why he also sends Asuka there when she is ejected from Unit 13.
Re: The Last Train Station Scene
The topic of whether or not the pilots on the opposite platform are quantum ghosts (a la quantum Rei) has been bugging me, so I figured I'd just absolutely sperg out this morning. In scene order we see:
The soul train approaching from Shinji's left. Rei and Kaworu are nearer the center of the shelter, at the red line, than its edge, at the yellow line.

Then from behind Shinji before the soul train arrives we see all three pilots on the opposite platform. Rei and Kaworu face each other underneath the shelter between the purple and pink lines, which mark the shelter beams running from edge to center. Behind the purple line a column runs from the beam to the ground, but behind the pink line there is no column. Between these beams I count 24 ridges drawn by the animator, across the dark blue line, and in the section to the right I also count 24 ridges across the light blue line. Kaworu stands at ridge 9 counting from the pink line at the orange arrow and Rei stands further over at ridge 14 at the green arrow.

As the soul train rolls past, we see from a high camera view Rei and Kaworu through its windows. We know the camera is higher than Shinji's point of view because we can see both the near window bottom sill at the white line and the far window bottom sill at the brown line. We see the pilots from the waist up. Later when the view drops to Shiji's point of view we won't be able to see the far sill any more, but we should still see the pilots from the chest or neck up.

Uh-oh, quantum birds. This means something quantumy is happening.

Now we see from Shinji's point of view. Mari's hands are on their way to obscure his vision. But before they arrive, we can still see the soul train and what's around it. The pink line is drawn at the same beam between the dark blue line and light blue line. Notably, the ridge count is different because the animator has drawn the scene in more detail, and so at the light blue line we count only 18 ridges, not 24. We need to re-index our orange and green lines: 9 ridges across 24 is only 6.75 across 18, and 14 ridges across 24 is only 10.5 across 18. The white line at the near sill is still visible, and the brown line at the far sill is obscured because our point of view has dropped, but at least the pilots' heads should be visible through the windows under the green and orange arrows. But they are not.

The pilots on the opposite platform were quantum ghosts who disappeared at the appearance of the birds!
The soul train approaching from Shinji's left. Rei and Kaworu are nearer the center of the shelter, at the red line, than its edge, at the yellow line.

Then from behind Shinji before the soul train arrives we see all three pilots on the opposite platform. Rei and Kaworu face each other underneath the shelter between the purple and pink lines, which mark the shelter beams running from edge to center. Behind the purple line a column runs from the beam to the ground, but behind the pink line there is no column. Between these beams I count 24 ridges drawn by the animator, across the dark blue line, and in the section to the right I also count 24 ridges across the light blue line. Kaworu stands at ridge 9 counting from the pink line at the orange arrow and Rei stands further over at ridge 14 at the green arrow.

As the soul train rolls past, we see from a high camera view Rei and Kaworu through its windows. We know the camera is higher than Shinji's point of view because we can see both the near window bottom sill at the white line and the far window bottom sill at the brown line. We see the pilots from the waist up. Later when the view drops to Shiji's point of view we won't be able to see the far sill any more, but we should still see the pilots from the chest or neck up.

Uh-oh, quantum birds. This means something quantumy is happening.

Now we see from Shinji's point of view. Mari's hands are on their way to obscure his vision. But before they arrive, we can still see the soul train and what's around it. The pink line is drawn at the same beam between the dark blue line and light blue line. Notably, the ridge count is different because the animator has drawn the scene in more detail, and so at the light blue line we count only 18 ridges, not 24. We need to re-index our orange and green lines: 9 ridges across 24 is only 6.75 across 18, and 14 ridges across 24 is only 10.5 across 18. The white line at the near sill is still visible, and the brown line at the far sill is obscured because our point of view has dropped, but at least the pilots' heads should be visible through the windows under the green and orange arrows. But they are not.

The pilots on the opposite platform were quantum ghosts who disappeared at the appearance of the birds!
- Meldon_Elraenhie
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
My god! Your analysis is truly well constructed and presented. You have my respect.
While I think that the pigeons' shot and the lack of interaction already demonstrated that they were not there on the other platform, it is very nice to see such a detailed frame by frame analysis to see how they disappear, like Rei used to do.
Thank you very much.
While I think that the pigeons' shot and the lack of interaction already demonstrated that they were not there on the other platform, it is very nice to see such a detailed frame by frame analysis to see how they disappear, like Rei used to do.
Thank you very much.
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
This theory why Shinji was Mari in ending scene of 3.0+1.0, beacuse Mari wanted Shinji. Why? Asked me?
When Shinji meets Mari, Shinji does feel to Mari but Mari when seen Shinji she's thinking "nice guy" and during rest of movies trying take Shinji for myself. As Asuka Shikiniami is different Asuka and Shinji I have no feeling for her, Mari she could trying shipping their but first meeting with Shinji change's she's plans and instead this, she's wantend Shinji. In 3.0+1.0 don't trying she's shipping Shinji and Asuka instead of this talking with Shinji beacuse i want that he would love her. Shinji initially feels shyness to Mari but during Additional Impact when Mari rescue Shinji from Minus Space, Shinji is a happy beacuse don't belive that someone would save him. This moment change relatioship to the Mari and she's has accomplished its mission. Why Shinji chose Mari and he's I do not care
old friends and Asuka on train station.
When Shinji meets Mari, Shinji does feel to Mari but Mari when seen Shinji she's thinking "nice guy" and during rest of movies trying take Shinji for myself. As Asuka Shikiniami is different Asuka and Shinji I have no feeling for her, Mari she could trying shipping their but first meeting with Shinji change's she's plans and instead this, she's wantend Shinji. In 3.0+1.0 don't trying she's shipping Shinji and Asuka instead of this talking with Shinji beacuse i want that he would love her. Shinji initially feels shyness to Mari but during Additional Impact when Mari rescue Shinji from Minus Space, Shinji is a happy beacuse don't belive that someone would save him. This moment change relatioship to the Mari and she's has accomplished its mission. Why Shinji chose Mari and he's I do not care
old friends and Asuka on train station.
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Why MariShin is illogical
I'm have 3 arguments
1. Throughout the film, Shinji and Mari are not building a relationship, I am begging you Mari had only a few words to say and suddenly at the end they love each other without a twist
2. Shinji leaves his friends for Boob girl, seriously this is the stupidest move ever made in anime history, no goodbyes just go away and that's it
3. Are arguments that Mari was nice because he did it there and ect in counting this copper not canonical do not make sense because under argument 1 Nothing special for Shinji she did 2 That Mari did something nice in some game cannot be considered canonical
1. Throughout the film, Shinji and Mari are not building a relationship, I am begging you Mari had only a few words to say and suddenly at the end they love each other without a twist
2. Shinji leaves his friends for Boob girl, seriously this is the stupidest move ever made in anime history, no goodbyes just go away and that's it
3. Are arguments that Mari was nice because he did it there and ect in counting this copper not canonical do not make sense because under argument 1 Nothing special for Shinji she did 2 That Mari did something nice in some game cannot be considered canonical
Re: The Last Train Station Scene
Hey everyone! Just some thoughts I have on the last scene.
Firstly I would like to say I feel this scene is very important and holds more symbolism than we think... I've been coming back to it every few weeks to see if anything pops up. So here are a couple of things I've found.
A real obvious one: Shinji and Mari have no shadows when ascending the stairs. Below you can see this contrasted with other scenes.





On the point of Mari and Shinji running up the stairs: when we see them IRL after they exited the station, the characters and their bags change positions. They're no longer seen holding hands and their respective bags are held between them now.
At the end of the train scene, when things go IRL and the camera moves out and around, it moves against Shinji and Mari. It does not follow their path. Instead it follows the path of the train leaving the station. The train travels behind a building and eventually ends off-camera behind a building.
When Mari gets close to Shinji's face at the train station, the color for one of the number markers changes.



Notice how in the first picture, the scene is more zoomed out, but you can still see the ceiling of the train station as being yellow(look at the structure directly above Shinji). When the number is a different color, the ceiling is still yellow, suggesting to me this wasn't a color adjustment mistake.
Firstly I would like to say I feel this scene is very important and holds more symbolism than we think... I've been coming back to it every few weeks to see if anything pops up. So here are a couple of things I've found.
A real obvious one: Shinji and Mari have no shadows when ascending the stairs. Below you can see this contrasted with other scenes.
SPOILER: Show

SPOILER: Show




On the point of Mari and Shinji running up the stairs: when we see them IRL after they exited the station, the characters and their bags change positions. They're no longer seen holding hands and their respective bags are held between them now.
SPOILER: Show
The shapes represent the characters and their bags




At the end of the train scene, when things go IRL and the camera moves out and around, it moves against Shinji and Mari. It does not follow their path. Instead it follows the path of the train leaving the station. The train travels behind a building and eventually ends off-camera behind a building.
SPOILER: Show
The yellow arrow shows the train that leaves the station at the very end, the red arrow is the direction where the camera turns to


This last image shows that as the camera turns, more of the right side is not in the frame. The train leaves just as it hides behind a building.



This last image shows that as the camera turns, more of the right side is not in the frame. The train leaves just as it hides behind a building.

When Mari gets close to Shinji's face at the train station, the color for one of the number markers changes.
SPOILER: Show



Notice how in the first picture, the scene is more zoomed out, but you can still see the ceiling of the train station as being yellow(look at the structure directly above Shinji). When the number is a different color, the ceiling is still yellow, suggesting to me this wasn't a color adjustment mistake.
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
I've not gone back to watch this whole scene to compare and contrast; but here's the one screenshot I have to hand. Where is Anno-san's shadow?

Later:
No shadow while climbing the stairs, but there on the platform. Shadow would be to the left on the ascent, as there's a U-turn to go down the stairs on the far side



Later:
No shadow while climbing the stairs, but there on the platform. Shadow would be to the left on the ascent, as there's a U-turn to go down the stairs on the far side


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- ElMariachi
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Re: The Last Train Station Scene
SPOILER: Show
Mr. Tines wrote:I've not gone back to watch this whole scene to compare and contrast; but here's the one screenshot I have to hand. Where is Anno-san's shadow?
Later:
No shadow while climbing the stairs, but there on the platform. Shadow would be to the left on the ascent, as there's a U-turn to go down the stairs on the far side
While a humorous answer, that makes me wonder if the shot of Mari and Shinji running up the stairs wasn't made by motion capture (since we're IRL at this point), hence the "lack" of shadow simply because there wasn't one under the actors.
But if I had to guess unitM's point (correct me if I'm wrong), it's that the train station is not "real" (as in, still in the anti-universe), using the lack of shadow as a proof of it. If that's your point, then I disagree with it, at least the point about the shadows, since as you show in your screenshots, Shinji did had a visible shadow while seated, and both he and Mari have one when they're out of the station.
Avatar: THE HIGHEST OF ALL HIGHS WE AAAAAAAAAARE!!!
Kensuke is a military otaku who, at one point, is shown creepily taking pictures of girls to sell. He would clearly fit right in as an animator at Studio Gainax. -- Compiling_Autumn
EoTV is a therapist, EoE is a drill instructor. -- Chuckman
Seriously, that is the most fananked theory I've ever heard, more than Mari being Marty McFly travelling through time to keep her parents (Asushin) together. -- Jäeger
Kensuke is a military otaku who, at one point, is shown creepily taking pictures of girls to sell. He would clearly fit right in as an animator at Studio Gainax. -- Compiling_Autumn
EoTV is a therapist, EoE is a drill instructor. -- Chuckman
Seriously, that is the most fananked theory I've ever heard, more than Mari being Marty McFly travelling through time to keep her parents (Asushin) together. -- Jäeger
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