Theory and Analysis:Final Scene in End of Evangelion

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Kimochi warui.

The final scene of End of Evangelion is source of some of the most fruitful discussions among fans over the years, based on in-depth analysis, interviews with the Seiyū, theories based on philosophy and much more. This article aims to assess some of the main points of view that have emerged over the years, building a solid narrative about what we can extract from the scene and its meanings within the show.

It is important to keep in mind that the information described here is sourced from information of different canonical validity and partial translations. Thus, there may be conflicting analysis and points of view, however, this does not invalidate these sources as a whole, as they have the purpose of helping to elucidate plot points. It is up to the reader, however, to keep in mind that this type of information is susceptible to falsifiability and may be modified later.

ONE MORE FINAL: I need you.

Asuka and Shinji laying on the beach.

After the eyecatch, we're introduced to the dead figure of Lilith, with half of her face gone and in a enigmatic, stoic expression. Ahead of her, we can see stakes raised in the ground, with one of them broken. The scene focuses on another one, showing the cross that Misato gave to Shinji, in a rusted state.

The scene of a petrified Eva in a deteriorated state is shown, and then a beach scenario is presented, with a red sea, result of the LCL that was diluted during Third Impact. The Moon is shown with a bloodstain as result of Lilith's death. This scene will still be emphasized a few times during the sequence.

We are then shown to the two surviving protagonists: Shinji and Asuka. They are lying side by side with their eyes open. Their hands are shown next to each other. Asuka has her arm bandaged, it's the same arm that was severely injured during the battle with the Mass Production EVAs.

Shinji then looks to his left with an expression of confusion. From his point of view we are shown Quantum Rei, apparently floating amidst the sea of LCL, which we can now see clearly that it’s above the city's buildings. Shinji's gaze changes from confusion to a stoic tone as Rei's mysterious figure disappears. Shinji stands up in the same way and then heads to Asuka. We are presented with more exterior scenes: the destroyed and submerged city, the enigmatic vision of the Moon, and the bloodstain in the sky, which basically forms a red rainbow.

Shinji when he gets a glimpse of Rei, and notices Asuka by his side. He is clearly surprised and disturbed.	Shinji resurfacing in the Sea of LCL. Note he looks much more solemn.

The next scene starts one of the most discussed sequences in the franchise: Shinji climbs on Asuka and starts strangling her, increasing the pressure of his fingers on her neck. Asuka visibly suffers, but her reaction is to caress his face, slowly and calmly. Immediately, Shinji releases her and his tears fall onto Asuka's face. He is sobbing, finally sketching a stronger reaction in this sequence, as she is shown with an, once again, enigmatic and stoic face. With the scene returning to show the two of them apart, Asuka utters the last sentence of the film: kimochi warui, which can be translated as “I feel sick” or “How disgusting”. The film ends.

Passage of Time

Rust in Misato's cross. There also seems to be a Yebisu beer can in the top right.

"Mysterious" pieces of wood, with one of them broken in half

Moon cycles

It appears likely that Shinji might have spent some time alone in the beach before Asuka showed up, as some elements in the scene indicate:

• There are several standing pieces of wood that, according to the script, are meant to resemble grave markers, one of which has been broken in half. This could be interpreted as Shinji setting up grave markers for all those whom he knew. The one with Misato's cross would, therefore, represent her grave. It is also possible to see a Yebisu can near of her “grave”, in a certain state of deterioration.

• Misato's cross is rusted, or more specifically, the nail that is holding it. It has been suggested that this could merely be blood washed over on the cross, as LCL is said to resemble blood multiple times. However, the fact that rust is specifically falling from the nail is telling, because it means that either there has been enough time for a nail to rust, or, alternatively, if Shinji found the nail already rusted, the water or humidity could have made the rust spill on the cross. Regardless, there needs to at least have been enough time for the rust to drip down in the first place.

• The moon cycles change between the first post-Impact scene when Lilith is dying to the ending scene. Assuming that the moon hasn't been affected by the events of Third Impact, they seem to indicate at least two weeks have passed between those scenes.

A much longer time than that would become increasingly difficult to sustain, as Shinji physically doesn't look so different from his natural state, with his clothes in a decent state, except for his dirty shoes. He doesn't seem to have aged significantly either.

What we can speculate is that this is the first time Shinji has met another person after the end of the Third Impact, regardless of how long it has been. Why he was lying on Asuka’s side can be discussed later with other evidence. As such, this scene probably takes place shortly after Asuka returns to her physical state, with her body healed but wrapped in bandages. Whether she moved to Shinji by her own decision or whether he found her is unknown.

The passage of time linked to Shinji Ikari's mental state is also the result of a lot of debate, considering that he leaves the instrumentality in a relatively positive state of mind, willing to live in the real world, but has eradic and bizarre actions when encountering another human being, indicating a supposed state of mental suffering. His ability to discern between the real world and instrumentality could be severely affected, leading Shinji to a state of disbelief. The short appearance of Quantum Rei enhaces his doubt, given the unreality of the scene. The aggression, in that case, would be a way to confirm that it was the real world, since the real Asuka would fight for her life or react in order to avoid his approach.

Factors such as survival, nutrition and the general state of the world are left to the public's interpretation. In fact, it's not even possible to imply that Shinji and Asuka are the only humans to have come back to life at that point, but rather that it's the first time they've met each other. These points also help to elucidate the symbolic and metalinguistic aspect of this sequence, expressing the reestablishment of humanity's contact the other, on an individual level.

Stranging and Hands Symbolism

Shinji, again surprised as Asuka caresses him, as if accepting him. This seems to wake him up from his stupor.

Yui's earlier caress	Asuka looking at Shinji as she caresses him

Throughout the anime, scenes involving hands, and more specifically, strangulations, can be described as prominent. Metaphorically speaking, hands are a form of connection between one person and another, through contact, and also an indicator of self-reflection, especially in the case of Shinji. End of Evangelion is very consistent in establishing this pattern, since hands are the result of different types of contact with other people: both for violence and for a peaceful contact. Shinji makes this kind of contact with Asuka and Rei in different parts of the film, and other characters do the same throughout the show, such as Gendo (in the case of Rei 3) and Naoko Akagi (in the case of Rei 1).

In an intrapersonal way, Shinji is often seen looking down at his hands during the show. Whether to make decisions (episode 1), reflect on your abilities as Eva pilot (episode 16), or condemn himself act after masturbating to Asuka (EoE/25'). This act in itself denotes how the character has disbelief in his own attitudes and doesn't know very well how to approach others. In all these scenes, Shinji mostly demonstrates insecurity, an important marker of his personality. A more emphatic attitude with the hands needs greater mental strength for Shinji to be able to perform. Interestingly, it is also through his hands that he controls his Eva, reflecting the weight that is in them, even though he is not sure about his attitudes and their meaning. With that said, when Shinji freely uses his hands to hurt, perhaps the weight he feels is lesser, because he is abdicating his relationship with the other, rejecting them.

Speaking specifically about the choking scenes, which also set a pattern in the show, and using the metaphor of connecting with others, this kind of aggression can be described as a denial of the other. This denial can mean rejection, distancing, or, more directly, death. In the same way that Naoko strangles Rei 1 by denying her as a human being, and rejecting her as a image of Yui Ikari, Shinji strangles Asuka by denying her as another one (just as he did with her earlier, in the kitchen scene). However, Asuka uses her hand in an opposite way: that of acceptance, willing to accept Shinji's condition as another, and this act itself shocks Shinji deeply. In this way, he manages to accept the reality he witnesses and stops denying it to the other. The expression of affection is a symbol of the new possibilities of humanity, free from Instrumentality.

Script Evidence & Interviews

These script details are lower-level Tier 1 canon material since they come from the show's production, and can be considered highly reliable supplements to the material already seen in End of Evangelion itself as long as they do not explicitly contradict anything that is seen onscreen. They also provide general hints of the ideas surrounding the scene conception.

See also: Resources:End of Evangelion Screenplays

The End of Evangelion script presents some details that help to assemble the existing puzzle in the scene. The following material has been disputed by more fanbase discussions over the years, but has been consistent with evidence that has emerged later, such as releases of extra material on blu-ray. As such, this section is dedicated to exploring the story behind the creation of the final sequence, using these resources to understand the ideas that permeated its creation, the opinions of the authors and Voice Actors, and their general impact for the final result.

To start with, we can talk about the differences between the script provided and the movie itself. Some details are modified, indicating simplifications and changes in direction. Examples include the opening sequence, from the hospital, which would take place in Shinji's room, with some surreal elements permeating the screen; farewell scenes including Shinji's classmates, Asuka saying a sooner "Kimochi warui" when waking up inside Eva-02 etc.

What interests us directly regarding this scene are the changes throughout the final sequence of the film. The eyecatch would appear much earlier and start a long sequence in Live-Action, different from the one seen in the movie. Then, after this sequence, we would see Unit-01 ejecting Shinji, rather than him materializing himself in the sea of ​​LCL. This would lead to one of two (prototype) endings, and a credits song, not specified in the script, which could probably be Everything You've Ever Dreamed.

Highlined in yellow, what should be the final sentence.

Discarded endings

The two discarded endings are referred to as "Last A" and "Last B". The first one is the most similar to the ending we see on screen, while the second is more derivative and darker. Given to this proximity of Last A with the end of the film, the information contained therein are generaly taken into account for the interpretation of the scene and its meanings.

Last A

Last A starts out exactly as we know it. The difference lies when the gravemarks are seen. The names of the main characters can be read written on them, except for Rei Ayanami. When the camera focuses on Asuka's gravemark, we see it being kicked down by herself. The following scenes are also similar to the ones we know, except for the final sentence: instead of "Kimochi warui", Asuka says something like: "Idiot. No way I'll let you kill me", with the "Idiot" being suppressed. The ending credits roll in a horizontal scroll, just like GunBuster. During the credits sequence, we were to see Eva-01 lying on the Moon, and woman's hair showing from its broken mask, with her face remaining unseen. Behind Eva-01, you could see Earth, entirely red, and the Black Moon, destroyed. The camera goes to the sun, then to the stars. The End.

Last B

Last B would start out exactly like A, but we wouldn't have the appearance of Asuka or the gravemarks. Shinji would be on the beach holding another hand. He would then say:

"I'll never see them again."
"It's better to think of it this way."
"I'm still alive, so I'll keep on living."

Shinji would press the hand harder, and then Rei Quantum would appear, exactly as seen in the movie. The camera would then reveal that the hand Shinji was holding belonged to a disembodied arm. The moon is shown and horizontal credits roll.

Last A and Last B implications

The huge similarities between the end of the film and the alternative Last A lead us to believe that this one was followed. In fact, even the last line was preserved, but was later altered in an exchange between Anno and Yuko Miyamura (Asuka's voice actress), and by her suggestion, as Anno was still unsatisfied with this line.

Several implications can be drawn from Last A. First, the fact that Asuka destroys her gravemark is an indication that she is recovered from her pre-Instrumentality injuries, and is also purely aware of what is happening, and rejects the idea of being dead. Probably, that way, the whole scene would not take place right after her return, but a while later. The change in her final line is perhaps the most intriguing factor. The original phrase would be rude, closer to how Asuka usually acts. Which genuinely contrasts with her empathetic attitude at the same time. This could imply that Asuka, despite being determined to start over, would not put her personality aside just to please Shinji or get in good mood with him. The fact that Anno was not happy with the line demonstrates the complexity of feelings involved there, which probably could not be resolved by a returning to the status quo, as the scene would imply.

As Miyamura emphasizes, the scene was changed from a more natural tone on Asuka's part to her tension. Her feelings are described by the voice actress as of disgust, by the presence of the man who is there. Anno's words make it explicit that Asuka is aware of Shinji's attitudes when she was unconscious (something that is also reinforced in the instrumentality). Even through Asuka can empathize with Shinji, she can't deny the feeling of disgust she carries with him, which justifies the sentence.

With all this in mind, there's much debate over the canonicity of some details existing in Last A, but absent in the traditional ending, albeit with remnant evidence. For example, one of the gravemarks is broken, which can considered to be the one Asuka broke on her return in Last A, which also implies that she is in relatively healthy despite the bandages. Furthermore, the existence of names on the stakes also serve to reinforce that the gravemarkers was raised up by Shinji to his friends. Either because he doesn't believe they would come back, or hoping for their return.

Last B, on the other hand, has far more direct and negative implications. Shinji directly says that no one is coming back, and that he accepts it. His words and the fact that is holding a disembodied arm denote a nihilistic attitude. He just accepts the disaster and embraces pain. His realization that he will go on living anyway is the tragic conclusion he draws from his journey. In this version, Shinji would simply go on living, as there would be nothing left in the world, as no one would return. This makes room for the possibility that, in fact, no one else will come back. Something that, although sounds contradictory with Yui's words, is possible, given the fear that humanity faces, especially after the disasters of Second Impact onwards. The return of humanity depends on the will of each of the beings, and it is entirely possible that they choose not to come back. Asuka's absence in this version also implies that. While in Last A her return represents hope, in Last B her absence denotes suffering and also Shinji's disbelief.

Staff statements

Over the years, some staff members have been asked in interviews about their thoughts and ideas about the end of the movie, or, more specifically, about specific scenes. This session seeks to summarize these interview excerpts in order to make clear the authors' intention.

Note: Some of the translation of these interviews is done by fans, and may be subject to revisions. If you are fluent in Japanese, you can help us!

Director Kazuya Tsurumaki describes the ending as an broaden of the genre, presenting an ugly and unhappy ending, apart from a more conventional positive resolution. This has a lot to do with the profile of the professionals at Gainax at the time, made up mainly of otakus with a more insecure profile, which brought them closer to the audience. Something that also contributes to a message more relatable to the public and less an illusory, utopian, ending.

A known situation is that Megumi Ogata (Shinji's voice actress) strangled Yuko Miyamura (Asuka's voice actress) during the recordings in End of Evangelion. This occurrence is confirmed and described by both. Ogata describes that they were not able to act convincingly during the (final) scene, and, being agitated, strangled Miyamura. The act left Miyamura with speech difficulties, which impaired her diction for the last lines. Ogata apologized for her attitude. Miyamura confirms by telling her version, about the difficulties with the last line in its original version (as seen in Last A) and the change that came in the exchange between her and Anno.

Finally, in an interview for Evangelion Forever magazine, Ogata described what could be an inspiration for the scene. According to her, it was all taken from a situation that Anno's acquaintance went through with her boyfriend, where he started to strangle her, and she, not knowing what to do, caressed his face, which made him "come back to reality". In the same interview, Ogata says that Anno advised her to act like him, not Shinji, for this scene.

Speculation based on Third Tier Canon

Third Tier Canon includes information from licensed materials involving Gainax staff. They are usually based on internally extracted information or interviews with them, if not with Hideaki Anno himself.

Cardass card game

See also: Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Card Game

The franchise's card game has some comments printed among its cards. Gainax licensed and supported its production. Its canonicity level, however, is debatable.

The final page from End of Evangelion Psalms compares Asuka and Shinji's choking scene to their kiss scene from Episode 15, by juxtaposing it with their dialogue.

Interestingly, the EoE-related cards give some insight for some scenes and their interpretations. Card D-88, "Kimochi warui", for example, has the following description:

"Shinji renounced the world where all hearts had melted into one and accepted each other unconditionally. His desire... to live with 'others' -- other hearts that would sometimes reject him, even deny him. That is why the first thing he did after coming to his senses was to place his hands around Asuka's neck. To feel the existence of an 'other'. To confirm (make sure of) rejection and denial.".

According to this description, Shinji was trying to determine if Asuka was real or if he was still in Instrumentality, by confirming if in this world he could be rejected. Card H-11 goes even further:

"In the sea of LCL, Shinji wished for a world with other people. He desired to meet them again, even if it meant he would be hurt and betrayed. And just as he had hoped/wanted, Asuka was present in the new world. Only Asuka was there beside him. The girl who he had hurt, and by whom he had been hurt. But even so, she was the one he had hoped/wished for...."

This implies that Shinji had a special desire, after the instrumentality, to meet Asuka, in much because of the recent injuries that occurred between them, including inside the instrumentality. The cards continues:

"Neither Yui, Rei nor Misato could do as a woman for Shinji. Asuka alone was the only girl on equal footing with him. So, Shinji desired/sought after Asuka. "I'm afraid of Misato and Ayanami." However, Shinji's crude affection only hurt her. In the end, he used her as an object of lust/desire to soothe/ console himself..."

In Episode 22, above, Shinji is physically distant from Asuka, they are divided by a physical object, and Shinji is visibly tense as he is unable to comfort Asuka. The poster for End of Evangelion directly parallels this scene, except that this time Asuka and Shinji are closer to one another.

It is important to say that End of Evangelion deals with major themes of sexuality and human relationships, in a way that is very common to associate instrumentality itself to a sexual act. Thus, there is the thematic choice of the film to center the narrative on the two characters using this sexual scope: the search for pleasure and comfort. Shinji uses Asuka in this way throughout the entire film, and Asuka is aware of this, which is also confirmed in interviews. These card reinforce the strength of these themes and rescue this sexual undertone for the final scene. See more in Shinji and Asuka Relationship to understand the nuances of this relationship.

Evangelion Chronicle

(to be continued)

Conclusion

Nonetheless, the fact that Asuka is located by Shinji's side at her own and chosen to react to him with open affection, instead of aggression and hostility like she has done many times before, symbolizes, at least, the beginning of her growth. Because Asuka is now able to accept herself, she is now able to accept him as well, instead of pushing him and other people away out of fear of intimacy and rejection, much like Shinji, unable to accept himself, ran away from people in order to avoid the pain inherent to human connections. Not only does this make Shinji stop as he has realized that it is indeed Asuka and he is indeed in real life, Shinji, who has realized he can find worth is himself and is now willing to reach out to other people, is taken aback by this sign of compassion, which mirrors Yui's own caress a few minutes earlier in the movie as he leaving Instrumentality, it also shows how overwhelmed he is to be accepted himself, and might be ashamed of the way he has treated Asuka.

Asuka's final line, "kimochi warui" can be translated as "I feel sick" or "How disgusting". It is an expression used many times before to express shock, discomfort or disapproval - for instance, when Shinji is first immersed in LCL in Episode 1 and in a sense embraced by Yui, and when Asuka complains about sharing a bathtub, and a house with Misato and Shinji in Episode 22, as she is unwilling to belong. Because of its unclear meaning, it is hard to say whether she's referring to Shinji, herself, or soothing else. Asuka might be expressing disapproval at the situation they are in and Shinji acting meekly again. It might also be interpreted as how strange it feels for her to finally accept another person, something which so far has terrified her. This does not change the fact, however, that she has just chosen to show him compassion, to give him a chance and lay by his side. When hostility would have been a far easier choice - and the fact that she has kicked her gravemarker (at least if we consider Last A as canon) implies she might not actually be in a frail and weak state as some assume, she has instead chosen comprehension and compassion, she took a risk, just like Shinji did by choosing to return to reality, as Asuka has. The ambivalence and duality in this scene represent the fact that they are not yet completely healthy and changed, but are beginning to open themselves to this change. The movie leaves open where they will go from there, if they can grow and learn to love themselves or not, but even after all the grievous death and destruction throughout the movie, and even though they are still only starting to grow, it still gives them this hope, as long as they pursue it. For better or worse, they at least now have each other.

The fact that Asuka and Shinji will have to work together to achieve happiness and even survival is reflected even in other ways: it could take a while before civilization can rebuild, so they will inevitably have to deal with each other or at least come to terms in order to survive. Ultimately, whether the future of mankind depends on whether the viewer thinks humanity can go back and learn from its mistakes - even with the possibility of people's return it is entirely possible that no one will come back, or that very few will. Much like Shinji and Asuka can grow and change, this also applies to humanity and even the world at large: it is impossible to even know for sure about the physical state of the world and its fauna and flora, availability of food and clean water, the preservation of buildings and infrastructure, etc. It is uncertain where they are, as well - possibly on the outskirts of the ruins of Tokyo-3, which has been flooded after Rei self-destroyed her Eva and later when the Black Moon emerged and created a crater. The physical damage might be limited to Tokyo-3's vicinity, or beyond, similarly to how Second Impact seems to have limited physical damage and LCL in the water to Antarctica.

All possibilities are open: as Shinji has learned (and presumably Asuka as well), even if reality is harsh and uncomfortable, if he does not try to break out of the cycle of misery, despair and escapism which has encompassed him, he will only have the certainty of more failure and more suffering. However, if he decides to face reality and face the risk of rejection and failure, even if he will not have the certainty of success and attaining happiness, that is still the only way he can be happy in the first place. This, in itself, synthesizes the message that the show wants to give us. Enigmatic, imprecise, but open to the best, if humanity so desires.

See also

What is Canon?

Theory and Analysis:Shinji and Asuka's Relationship

Theory and Analysis:List of Common Misconceptions - The Adam & Eve Scenario

Resources:End of Evangelion Screenplays

This article was mostly built out of the following forum threads, please refer to them:

Passage of Time (EoE Final Scene)

Did Last A actually happen?

What is the significance of characters strangling each other?