Konja7 wrote:I really doubt the happy ending in Shin is because Anno wants to be audience-pleasing. If he wanted to be audience-pleasing, Asuka will likely have more protagonism in the ending.
The (happy) ending is likely influenced for the current emotional state of Anno, but that also apply to all Evangelion.
Also, I don't think the happy ending in Shin is inorganic. It fits the narrative.
Asuka given protagonism, you mean like in this manga? I don't think NTE is above audience considerations; it began as an attempt to be more understandable and accessible from a market standpoint, and Shin has the highest audience satisfaction rating on Filmmarks possible. I agree though, I don't doubt it comes from a personal place, but that doesn't mean from a writing standpoint there can't be miscalculations. I for one don't find much about it that feels organic, especially Mari, who many have already discussed as not making sense outside metacontext, and who has always existed from a place literally outside the narrative in function, conception, and production. You can't simultaneously make the auteur argument about this and that being personal when Mari (and Asuka) were worked on by other chefs in the kitchen, including, again, in this manga.
And to me, Shinji's apotheosis feels an awful lot like Anno himself going through a checklist.
Yes, it does? I kid, but my impression is my impression.
What Asuka was saying was specifically about Bardiel, not about the psychedelic mind-trip she's been on. They don't talk about it at all as people from within it and experiencing it. Even EoE (entirely non-verbally) has more of a sense that they're on the same base regarding the disorientation of the experience, and so on that level have solidarity. Shin just seems like Shinji condescending from on high with Asuka given no voice.