Basil D'Costa

What a way to finish the franchise! An amazing standalone film, but also a fitting closure to a story that began 26 (I think) years ago. You can see the growth in everything from the animation (which was masterful) to the characters; but most importantly the growth in creator Hideaki Anno, through his story telling. This was a love song to the fans, the characters and everything that made Evangelion so awesome. No spoilers here, but the last few scenes are nothing short of flawless and in my opinion, gives most fans the ending they have always wanted. Of course a there's bit of jargon and 2 dimensional nonsense, but no where near the amount of the first time around. Ultimately though, it gives you what you came to see; Evas and Angels kicking each other's stuff around, while everyone loses their minds. (Ok, maybe a bit of a spoiler here) Our whiny little nut-job protagonist Shinji Ikari is the most tolerable he's ever been and finally gets the progression he's always deserved, in it's stunning / cathartic last act. The only thing missing was probably "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" in the credits. Thank you to Hideaki Anno for probably one of the greatest animes of all time and for such a poignant ending.