Your first viewing of "End Of Evangelion??"

[Sephizim]

(This kinda continues from my post in the thread about how you first got into EVA. Not that anyone cares.)

So, after watching the series, it was brought to my attention that there were two movies that completed the series. I was still pretty confused about EoTV, so I figured I'd keep my eyes out for it. So, when I went out to buy the boxset of the series, I found that double pack of of the two movies. So, I gleefully bought it, with no clue about what I was getting myself into. See, I thought after watching the series that I was prepared for anything. So naive...

Anyway, I watched Death (which I thought was a nice way to recap the series) and, against the advice of my friends, Rebirth. I had been told to skip Rebirth and move straight to EoE, to avoid redundancy, but I chose to ignore this. I soon regretted doing so, as I was treated to a cliffhanger, and having to watch all of Rebirth again anyway when I started watching EoE. I know there are subtle differences between the two, but not enough for it to be worthwhile to me.

Anyway, right off the bat, seeing a handful of spunk clued me into the fact that I had no idea what I was in for. It got worse from there.

See, I think that when people try to watch EoE for the first time, they do one of two things: they either sit there and try to understand everything that goes on until their brain completely melts, or they give up trying to make sense of it around the time 26' starts, and just sit back, watching the pretty colors. I, unfortunately, was in the former group. (My fiancee occupied a third group, who would have tried to sit back and watch, if not for me pausing to explain things every few minutes.) So, in an attempt to piece my brain back together, I raided the internet, trying to understand everything about EVA. I guess I never really stopped, as here I am, trying to do that to this very day.

All in all, its a wonder I didn't become a part of this community sooner...

[Guyver Spawn]

I first saw it on a VHS tape years ago, rewatch it again back in January 2009 and love it even more. I never really feel mind fuck but it's not a movie that I can watch over and over again. I need to be in a good mood to sit and watch it.

[Cman107]

To give a little context before I tell you how I felt during my first viewing of EoE, I had just finished watching the original series (non-DC episodes) around March of this year, English dub, with no subs for the last two episodes; so I was a little confused as to what the Japanese letterings said, but at the same time I had a rough idea of the main message because of what the characters were saying. So I was like, good, I really dig the psychoanalytical nature of the EoTV, its right up my alley in terms of how to end a relatively pessimistic series.

So then, I was interested to see what the supposed "true" ending to the series was going bring to the table. I torrented a copy of the film, put the file into my PS3, and began watching. My first thought after starting it up was "Whatsup with all these weird adverts?" It was seriously peculiar, especially the Production I.G. logo; it seemed like the start of a typical kid's film from the 80's or 90's. After waiting for what I felt was like 2 straight minutes of logos, the film finally started. I instantly noticed the higher production values compared to the series, way way higher to be more exact. I mean, just the part where the broken fixture from the pole fell into the water just looked so good to me. Anyways, the next scene...we all know about "that" scene. To be honest, I didn't really notice Shinji actually jerked off my first time viewing the film. I don't know what it was, but I completely mentally skipped the part where it showed his hand and the "stuff". I don't know xD So I wasn't really affected by that scene until my second viewing (which blew my mind the second I noticed). After that I just cruised through the talking scenes, not really trying to wrap my head around what they were saying, because, heck, I didn't really understand the plot of the series that well to begin with, I was mainly in it for the characters, whom I related to a lot, like most people who love the series would know. Being someone who has watched many violent films in his day, I wasn't that disturbed by the violence, however, since I had a deeper connection to these characters on screen than I would for any generic violent film, I did feel somewhat disturbed. I guess I just didn't expect there to be so much death involved. The death of Asuka affected me the most, just the way that she went out...man, it gave me goosebumps. The way Misato went out also got me a bit, especially since it was right after that scene with Shinji. The moment Shinji screamed at the sight of Unit-02's mutilated body at the end of 25' gave me hope that he was going to do something about all this tragedy.

Went through the credits, thinking how odd it was to have the credits roll in the middle of film, but I went with it. The next half of the film I completely did not expect. I wasn't awed or anything, but I did not expect it. Its important to note that I hadn't really given any of the religious symbolism/themes or any of the symbolism/themes in general any real thought, so most of the symbolism in the latter half of the film went completely over my head. The best thing I could do was just watch. I remember I continued to think how fantastic and mesmerizing the weird things going on looked during these first parts of the second half *cough* GNR *cough*. Then the scenes reminiscent of the EofTV episodes came up and I was getting into it again, mindfully of course, up until the part after Asuka denied Shinji, which hit me really hard, the Komm, susser Tod sequence... I watched, and watched, again, not trying to make anything of it because that would have been an ill fated act at this point, but just to absorb the animation that was going on. Like most, I noticed the cheeriness in the music and the depressing lyrics that seemed like such a contradiction, but somehow it worked. After that unexpected sequence I was met with another unexpected sequence, the live-action one. The scene with just Shinji, Rei, and Kaworu brought me back to being mindful again. Then finally, One more final: I need you came up. At this point I didn't know what to feel, I just didn't exactly know how to objectively put what I had seen together, so I eagerly awaited the conclusion to the ultimate conclusion for the series! A choking/caressing scene, and two words that defines the word "lolwut"...how disgusting...how disgusting...how disgusting...how disgusting....*fin*. What...? WHAT? THAT's the END!? BUT. BUT. No way.

I sat on my chair for a couple minutes, just staring blankly at the "fin" screen. I tried to think about what I had just seen, but I couldn't. The first emotion that I felt after viewing EoE for the first time, to be completely honest, was that of disgust...ironically. To put a little bit more context into my long ass tale, a couple weeks before watching this I had wrapped up my first viewing of Code Geass, up to the last episode, which ending amazingly well (for those of you have seen that anime, you know), and at this point it was my favorite anime of all time. So I didn't like this ending. I wholeheartedly wanted to actually hate this ending/series, whatever, with all my heart. I wanted to. However, there was just something about how it ended, about the tale of Evangelion, in general, that kept me from doing that. Over time, after rewatching the series over 3 times, rewatching this final film a multitude of times, and reading about the "missing" plot elements that were never really disclosed within the series itself, the film has become one of my favorites of all time, and Evangelion is my #1 anime of all time.

So in conclusion, and to summarize my unnecessarily long post, I wasn't really mindfucked my first time like some, I just hated it because I couldn't understand, emotionally, what I felt inside, and objectively, what was going on, however, after later viewings I began to understand what Hideaki Anno was going for, and I can't imagine a better way to end the original series.

[cd603]

So then, I was interested to see what the supposed "true" ending to the series was going bring to the table. I torrented a copy of the film, put the file into my PS3, and began watching.

Due to the fact that Manga Entertainment has lost the rights to the film , I can safely assume that well over 50% of the people on Evageeks viewed it this way!

[Gecko state]

It was wonderful
[/quote]

[Cman107]

Due to the fact that Manga Entertainment has lost the rights to the film , I can safely assume that well over 50% of the people on Evageeks viewed it this way!

Seriously! Copies on Amazon sell for something like $100. Its ridiculous, no way would I shell out that much for a movie I hadn't ever seen before, let alone one I hated right after viewing it lol. I do hope someone, maybe FUNimation, would acquire the rights for it sometime in the future so it would be easier for newer fans to add it to their Eva collection.

[cd603]

Seriously! Copies on Amazon sell for something like $100. Its ridiculous, no way would I shell out that much for a movie I hadn't ever seen before, let alone one I hated right after viewing it lol. I do hope someone, maybe FUNimation, would acquire the rights for it sometime in the future so it would be easier for newer fans to add it to their Eva collection.

Actually, that would be perfect right now considering we have nothing on 3.0 yet...

[closet nerd]

I watched it first on Youtube and spent 2 weeks trawling threw the internets to get every scene from every episode. I was totally mind fucked the first time I watched it , and didn't really understand how Lilith got underground. Then I watched an Evangelion summary video and all was good

[Born of Lilith]

I honest to god felt more normal after trying crystal meth for the first time, than I did after my first viewing of EoE. Shook up yet in a dreamlike, sort of ecstatic state at the same time.

[Xous]

I don't remember exactly what happened, but I do have a vague memory of the first time I watched End of Evangelion. As soon as I got home from Best Buy with the DVDs I shut the door to my room, turned off all the lights, and sat on my bed. I wanted to devote all of my attention to the movie so I didn't miss too many details. (Which proved to be mostly useless, since even to this day I'm finding out about little bits and pieces I missed.)

After the film was over I just sat there... I can't recall my exact emotion, but I was definitely shocked. There were just so many "what the heck just happened?" moments that I was trying to fit the pieces together. I think I re-watched the film later that night to try and get a better grasp on everything. I don't remember if it was the next day or within the week, but I remember going online (I eventually found these forums) and trying to find answers to the questions running through my head.

The film definitely threw me for a loop, though I had expected it to, so it probably wasn't as bad as it could have been.

[Bender]

Whenn I saw the screen shots I didn't think it would be that disturbing.

Upon watching it I was in a bit shock and like......




















What the fuck was that? 0.0

[Kaworu06]

Like Black Black Hygoa(?) said "DAYMN!"

[PastorNRJ]

EoE wasn't so much a mind fuck for me, because I'm a huge fan of the TV series ending (which, on the other hand, took me years to wrap my head around due to my young age and diminished attention span). I was fortunate(?) enough, in some respects, to not be in a position to seek answers from outside sources, such as the internet, but had no choice but to return to the series itself to get my answers after many viewings.

If I'd of known of this site back then, for instance, I might have a different view of EoE, though for me, it wasn't so intense. If anything, it was a welcome insight into the lead up and aftermath of 3I and attempted instrumentality. But when I first saw it (which was only recently AND because of these forums) all of my "mind-fuckedness" was long gone and I had more of a revelatory experience. Nothing deep, but a satisfying, "Oh, so this is what was going on in the real world..." kind of response.

[Cosman246]

I never found it disturbing. At all. I thought it was a work of art. If I ever write something, Eva will be a big influence.

[Aiko Heiwa]

I watched it on a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very bad quality video on Google Video (anyone else remember that?).

I think I had only finished the series about a month before.

Hahaha.

You all probably know what happened to me after I watched it.

[AngelNo13Bardiel]

^ Yeah, we could tell.

[Cruel Thesis]

I went out of my way to order the DVD as soon as it became available. I forget what year it was. I had already seen the series on tv at that point, and I loved the series ending.

The experience of watching the film was more mesmerising then disturbing for me. (but it was disturbing) I didn’t analyse it while watching, and I didn’t have a brain melt. I just sort of got immersed in the viewing experience. Its one of my most valued films.

Seriously! Copies on Amazon sell for something like $100.

So my DVD is worth that much now? Huh.. well I'm not going to sell mine.

[Nice Hat]

I was kind of expecting some mind fuckery around episode 24. EoTV managed to unsettle me more than EoE. That kind of introjection had happened before, but not for 40 minutes straight. EoE was more... tangible at the lack of a better word. However, I was significantly less weirded out with EoTV.

EoE might be the only thing I ever watched twice in one sitting. Further merit goes to the fact that I was very angry at being mind fucked.

The jerk off scene completely threw me off. I've come to terms with everything else in EoTV and EoE but that scene still irks me so. Another scene that bothers me is the Misato kissing Shinji.

I was pretty excited when Asuka started fighting (I do like fights) the Kaworu MPs, only to be completely crushed when she and Kyoko were defeated and torn apart.

The only time I was amused and laughed was when Shinji started screaming after he saw giant naked Rei. On the other hand, the scene that made me the saddest was the sand castle sequence. It still saddens me, sometimes to the point of tears.

Komm, süßer Tod was one of many weirdness. I remember thinking that such a happy music was being used when the world was shitting itself was bizarre but I suppose my brain was already getting used that bizarre was all I was going to see. Pretty much everything from then were things belonging to the odd pile. It was as if they didn't register anymore.

I was happy with: Asuka's fight, giant naked Kaworu (did not expect to see him again), Gendo's tang (or what I think it is, anyway), and every time the Spear is on screen.

I was unhappy with: everything else, especially Lilith's breathing as she grows and with the MPs killing themselves. Most of EoE disturbed me, but those two instances were the worst, to the point of having nightmares about it that week.

The ending was anti-climatic. I clearly asked out loud "that's it?"

[Alastor]

Watched EoE earlier this year. Wasn't mindfucked. ...at all.

This might be that I was well aware of the mindfuckery the movie holds with in though.

[John]

This might be that I was well aware of the mindfuckery the movie holds with in though.

THIS.

Sometimes, depending the person, knowing what will happen will make that happening less shocking. Like when you know you're going to be injected.

When I first viewed EoE like 4 years ago, maybe 5, I only understood like 30% of it. My brother and I watched it together and he told me:
"You're not going to understand anything."
*Masturbation scene*
"Told ya so."

After these 5 years, I'm sure I'm at least 90% to completely understand almost all the messages Anno-san is trying to communicate me (Only in EoE, I've seen it more than 20 times, I MUST UNDERSTAND IIIIIIIIIIIIIT).