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Released in 2006, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is one of most influential anime series of the 2000s. A brilliant and arguably important work of meta-fiction within the genre, it's strange and unique blend of humor, science fiction, and subversion of tropes made it unlike anything else. So how do you follow up such a series?

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is something special in that it takes the series into a completely different direction while still making it feel quintessentially Haruhi. And what we got, well, is something of a masterpiece.

Kyon (Tomokazu Sugita/Crispin Freeman), along with the rest of the SOS Brigade led by eccentric ... Haruhi Suzumiya (Aya Hirano/Wendee Lee) plans to celebrate Christmas when, all of a sudden, she disappears the next day, with Kyon the only able to remember anything. With the world change, he has two days to figure out what happened before he becomes trapped in this new reality permanently.

The series has always been a perfect blend of day-to-day, classic slice of life style characters and storytelling and weird, metaphysical science fiction elements, and this movie is no exception. Taking on a far more dramatic, solemn, and more melancholic tone then it's original series (ironic considering it's title), Disappearance is surprisingly thought provoking, exploring the nature of reality, loneliness, and emotion in a way that's relatable to everyone.

However, the true appeal of Haruhi has always been it's cast, and the film brings them back in full force with some excellent development for each. Kyon and Yuki in particular are widely compelling here, with a five minute scene deconstructing Kyon's character being one of the many highlights of the film. Ironically, Haruhi herself, while important and certainly a joy to watch, isn't the focus here, but this can excused as she was never really the focus of her own series anyways - the film makes it clear that this was always Kyon's story, and Kyon's story alone.

Dual directed by Tatsuya Ishihara and Yasuhiro Takemoto, both of whom worked on the series, they bring their A game here with some truly gorgeous animation throughout that never, ever dips in quality. The entire film is a beauty to watch, from the amazing character animation to the wonderfully detailed backgrounds. And despite the film being a whopping 2 hours and 42 minutes (the second longest animated film in history), it never feels boring at all, and is incredibly well paced.

Both the Japanese and English casts do excellent work here, with the standouts in both being Tomokazu Sugita and Crispin Freeman as Kyon. Their performances carry this film, mixing genuinely strong emotion with masterful snark, along with some truly fantastic quotable lines. Minori Chihara and Michelle Ruff give life to Yuki Nagato in a way I thought never possible, and their alternate take would be become so popular that spin-off anime would even be made on it. And as good as Aya Hirano is as Haruhi, her lack of screentime means it's all the more satisfying when she does show up (Wendee Lee is also great in the role).

Satoru Kosaki's score is one that is far more orchestral based then the original series, however it carries the amount of weight necessary for the events on screen. Ranging from somber piano pieces to an epic choir to a tear-jerking final piece, it's a truly amazing soundtrack and one of the strongest aspects of the film.

Emotionally charged and gorgeously animated, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya is melancholic, beautiful meditation on loneliness and emotion that only gets better every time I watch it. It's both a great stand alone film while also working as a culmination of everything the series finished up to this point. A wonderful piece of art that needs to be seen at least once.

I give The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya a 10 out of 10.

I'm not exactly sure who this new Ghost in the Shell movie is made for. Despite it being the 25th anniversary movie, it's very clearly part of the same continuity of the Arise franchise and works as a conclusion to it's long running storyline. At the same time, however, it's attempting to be a stand alone film that it's own intriguing mystery.

The result is a somewhat muddled, but overall generally entertaining installment in the franchise. While it sadly ditches the more philosophical undertones in the original films and the more political aspects of Stand Alone Complex for a more action driven approach, it still maintains ... the spirit of what makes Ghost in the Shell a consistently compelling and engaging universe.

Set in the year 2029, about one year after the events of Arise, Motoko Kusanagi (Maaya Sakamoto/Elizabeth Maxwell) leads her team to discover the culprit behind the assassination of the Japanese Prime Minister, which leads to a conspiracy deep in the government and connected to her past.

I had a hard time writing that synopsis because, for the most part, this film's plot is all over the place. It's extremely hard to follow, but not in the traditional way Ghost in the Shell makes it out to be. While it's filled with technobabble and exposition, the film jumps from scene to scene, sometimes without warning. It's a shame too, cause the story itself is a very interesting idea and fits right into the Ghost in the Shell world, it's not executed very well.

This is made up though by the strong character dynamics. If Arise and this film will be remembered, it is for the best character interactions out of the entire series. They really feel like a team here, and each member gets a chance to shine. The banter between the team during both in battle and outside the field is very memorable and I hope later adaptations take note.

Surrounding this is the gorgeous animation by Production I.G., which is some of the best work they have ever done. Ghost in the Shell has never looked better then it does here, with the character animations and action sequences popping like they never have before. It's a movie that is a sight to behold, similar to most installments of the franchise.

The normal casts in both languages were replaced for the Arise continuity, so it may take some time to get used to. Thankfully, both do an adequate job performance wise, with the Japanese and English actresses for Motoko being the standout. And it's always nice to hear Christopher Sabat in anything.

Japanese musician Cornelius returned from Arise to compose the music, and brings a distinct techno infused sound to the film. However, while good, his score is not nearly as exceptional as Kenji Kawaii's or Yoko Kanno's efforts, and feels more like background noise at times.

That is probably the best way to describe this movie (and the Arise franchise as a whole) - adequate and unexceptional. It's strong action sequences and memorable characters helps overcome the confusing and poorly plotted story, making this a good, but not great 25th anniversary gift for Ghost in the Shell fans.

I give Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie a 7 out of 10.

Ghost in the Shell has gone under different iterations and versions over the years, and probably one of the most popular versions is Stand Alone Complex. Unlike the Oshii films, this version focuses less on philosophy and existentialism and more on the political and social implications that come from cyberization and technology. The two seasons that aired are probably some of the best in the entire franchise - they're smart, sophisticated, and highly engaging sci-fi that rank among the best of the genre.

And this is where Solid State Society comes in. And while it doesn't reach the heights of it's TV show, it's still damn ... good and presents interesting moral dilemmas and questions that carry over from said show. It's very much an extension of this universe.

Set in 2034, two years after the events of the second season, The Major (Atsuko Tanaka/Mary Elizabeth McGlynn) has left Section 9 and Togusa (Koichi Yamadera/Crispin Freeman) is the new head. After a string of suicides related to Siak agents, they come across the mystery of the Puppeteer, a master hacker who connections to the mysterious Solid State Society.

The storyline of the film is very reminiscent of the original film, and even takes elements from it's sequel Innocence - hell, in some ways it might even be attempting to remake these films as part of the Stand Alone Complex continuity. The constant references are hit or miss, while sometimes they work, like in the case of the final conversation between The Major and the Puppeteer, some feel incredibly forced, especially the final line of the film, which is lifted straight from the original but lacks the same weight.

Thankfully, the film doesn't dwell on that stuff too long and instead focuses on what the series did well - politics and technobabble. The story is dense, and immensely fascinating, weaving an intricate web of deception, corruption, and mystery that fit in the world of Ghost in the Shell extremely well. It's very much more of a police procedural then a cyberpunk noir, which actually benefits it in creating it's own mood as opposed to copying more from the original.

As Solid State Society is a TV movie, the animation here is slightly of a lesser quality then a lot of theatrical releases, however for something on TV it's incredibly impressive and one of the strongest aspects of the film. From it's well integrated CG that never feels out of place to it's fluid and well lit action sequences, the film looks great throughout. The only real complaint is the lack of movement during dialogue sequences, although this can be excused due to the fact that it's a TV movie.

Voice acting is fantastic in both languages, across the board. Richard Epcar as Batou in particular gives a reserved, almost cold performance, very much an extension of the development his character went through back in the show. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is the definitive Major, and shows her wide acting chops here. Overall, damn good English dub along with a great Japanese voice track was well.

Yoko Kanno composed the music for the film and, well, it's Yoko Kanno. She's an absolute genius, and this film only cements that fact. It's an intense, captivating score that fits the film to a tee. It's also nice to see that the film, while using some songs from the original show, is mostly using newly composed music that retains the feel of the original, something that is extremely hard to pull off.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society is a damn good film, although it may be inaccessible to those unfamiliar with the franchise. Nevertheless, it is a engaging, well animated tale of political deception that will surely engross those who pay attention.

I give Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society an 8 out of 10.

For a movie titled Ghost in the Shell 2, there is very much a "stand-alone" vibe to this film. The film can very much enjoyed and liked if the first film hasn't been seen, and considering how this film was released almost a decade after the original it makes sense.

This is not a movie for everyone. In fact, it's very much more of an art film then the original, which found a cult status among cyberpunk and sci-fi fans. This one is far more out there and for devoted viewers. Despite that though, the film is a strong one, and holds up on it's own ... merits extremely well.

Set in 2032, 3 years after the events of the first film, Batou (Akio Otsuka/Richard Epcar) teams up with Togusa (Koichi Yamadera/Crispin Freeman) in order to investigate a series of deaths caused by gynoids, sex robots created by robotics company LOCUS SOLUS. They quickly find themselves being hunted by the people responsible while searching for the main culprit.

The story seems deceptively simple, however it quickly transforms into something extremely hard to follow at times and devolves into philosophical pondering at the drop of a hat. Literally every character in the film has turned into Socrates, and while it gives the film a unique edge, it at times feels pointless and bogs the film down.

However, thematically, this film is extremely smartly tackled and expertly handles it's ideas. While the first film dealt with identity, this film deals with memory, especially in the second half when the film decides to go full trippy and lose all the causal viewers in the audience. It also fantastically allows the viewers to once again come to their own conclusions, with a wonderfully ambiguous ending that isn't as iconic as the first but is sure to leave an impression.

This ambition also leads to it's animation, which is a blend of computer animation and traditional animation. The traditional animation is gorgeous, being some of the best looking anime I've ever seen. The computer animation is much more of a mixed bag - while it works in some areas, in others it overwhelms and is obviously outdated. However, still an ambitious effort.

Similar to the first film, voice acting in both languages is top notch, although unlike the first the Japanese wins out due to the somewhat fast and unfocused dialogue translation of the dub. In English, Crispin Freeman and Richard Epcar are the obvious standouts, and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is good in the very little she is in it. Props goes to Naoto Takenaka, who voices Kim in the Japanese dub, as the best performance in both languages. Still, if you are a dub watcher, you will not miss out on anything thanks to the accurate script, you'll just have to pay close attention.

Despite none of the original themes returning, Kenji Kawaii returns as the composer and his work continues as among the best anime has to offer. Here he uses much less of the electronic of the original and more of the classic Japanese instrumentation, which gives the film it's own unique flavour. Oh, and the chanting is back, and it's just as glorious, even if the song itself isn't nearly as memorable as the original.

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence is an extremely ambitious film that succeeds on almost every front, save one or two minor flaws here or there, mainly in storytelling and pacing. If you can overlook that though, the film is well worth the patient viewer. It's visually stunning, thought provoking sci-fi that challenges your expectations.

I give Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence a 9 out of 10.

What is the meaning of human? Can something that isn't human still be alive? Most of all, can it have a soul? These are some of the many questions that Ghost in the Shell poses, but yet does not have an answer to.

Smartly, the film allows the viewers to come up with their own conclusions of the meanings of the film and it's ideas. It helps that the entire film itself is a masterpiece in it's own right - a great character piece about technology, identity, and the measure of a person.

In the year 2029, most of the world is connected by a vast network ... of information. Most people now have cybernetic implants on their bodies, now called their "shells" which house their personalities, or their "ghosts". Section 9, a anti-terrorist organization, protects Japan from a variety of cyber-hacking threats, including the recent Puppet Master (Iemasa Kayumi/Tom Wyner) threat, whose hunt is led by cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi (Atsuko Tanaka/Mimi Woods) who has a special interest in his existence.

Hefty plot aside, Ghost in the Shell is a movie that requires your upmost attention. It's dense plot and philosophical implications will fly over the heads of some viewers, and while multiple rewatches will fix this, the film still requires a large amount of thinking. This depth gives the movie much more weight then it would have had otherwise, as the film otherwise is pretty simple "AI gone rogue" story.

This complexity also applies to it's characters, especially Motoko. Her quandaries about life and the nature of souls give her an almost sombre vibe about her. Her arc about finding herself is the crux of the film, and it allows for a strong emotional connection with her. Batou is a great foil for Motoko, having instead to have accepted himself while also being almost fully human unlike Motoko. This strong dynamic is what allows the film to truly shine.

Nothing would be this good without the film's breathtaking animation, however. From it's beautiful landscape shots to the fluid character movement, the film consistently delivers technically impressive and visually pleasing animation. This is compounded by action scenes that are intense, thrilling, but also filled with smarts, with each action being carefully calculated and planned out before everything starts, thus allowing it to feel realistic.

Voice acting on both fronts is solid, with Motoko in both languages being the highlight. Sure Mimi Woods is no Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, but she gives a cold distance to Motoko that fits her quite well. Another standout is Richard Epcar as Batou, who is pretty much the definitive Batou in both languages. Overall both dub and sub are solid, so no need to freak out about what language to watch it in.

Legendary anime composer Kenji Kawaii did the music for the film, and his score is rightfully legendary for this film. From the famous choir motif throughout the entire film to the somewhat electronic fused action scenes, his score is vibrant, haunting, and unquestionably fantastic.

Led by fantastic voice acting, amazing technicals, and a deep, smart story about technology, Ghost in the Shell is among the best anime has to offer, and a great intro to the genre. A masterpiece on every front.

I give Ghost in the Shell a 10 out of 10.

Where do I even start with this? Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo is such a oddity that it's nearly impossible to truly review it. Less of a sequel and more of a complete overhaul, it ditches any attempt to be a recreation of the original series and goes straight into brand new territory. However, I think nobody was expecting this.

3.0 is a massive what the fuck fest in the best possible way - completely subverting your expectations to deliver what is essentially a borderline quiet character drama wrapped up in intense, beautifully choreographed action. More so then any other film in this series, this ... is the most Evangelion that Evangelion has been in years.

Shinji Ikari (Megumi Ogata) wakes up to a changed world - 14 years have passed, NERV has disbanded, and the remaining members have formed WILLE, a organization dedicated to wiping out the last of NERV. With everybody now against him, Shinji joins up with Kaworu Nagisa (Akira Ishida/Jerry Jewell) in order to fix the world that he caused.

The biggest strength of 3.0 is it's ability to make you empathize with the protagonist. Putting both it's main lead and the audience in the middle of the story with no real explanation, we learn as little as we can similar to Shinji. It's uniformly both genius but also extremely frustrating, then again this is normal for Evangelion. This empathy for our protagonist gives the film it's strong emotional hook, which is what carries it throughout.

The main thrust of the film, which is the complicated and deep friendship between Shinji and Kaworu, works thematically well here - you buy their relationship, and it's one of the few things that has been very obviously vastly improved upon from the original series. The double meaning nature of the title, similar to the first two films, is very relevant here, but in a much darker context. By wishing to fix what he has caused, Shinji realizes he can't - he has to live with what he has caused. 3.0 is not a happy film - it's probably the darkest Eva has gotten in a long, long time and while it may be to everyone's taste it's refreshing to see a series take massive chances.

3.0 is a visually stunning film - it's one that lets it's visuals do the talking half the time, and it's all the better for it. The apocalyptic landscapes are nothing short of both horrific and gorgeous, and the Eva fights are breathtaking to watch. The attention to detail in particular is well worth mentioning. No corner left untouched, this is one of the best looking anime films ever made and a great example of the anime medium.

Voice performances across the board are amazing, as per average of the franchise. Thrust into the lead role with ease, Megumi Ogata proves that she is one of the best seiyuus in the business. Akira Ishida, in his expanded role as Kaworu, is routinely excellent, and his constantly shifting nature is portrayed extremely well here. The English dub, which went through several delays due to production issues, thankfully stands up quite well, with Spike Spencer in particular standing out as the obvious best performance. Overall, Evangelion continues it's strong suite of amazing voiceover roles.

Shiro Sagisu's score is almost 100% new material this time around, and it's almost entirely choir based tracks. And while they can be mildly distracting (especially during the talkier segments), they are amazing pieces nevertheless, and rank among the best of his work. Also the return of Beethoven's Ode to Joy is much appreciated.

A return to form for the more existential aspects of the series, Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo is not gonna please everyone due to a purposefully frustrating narrative, but for those who dig deep, it's a rewarding experience that warrants multiple viewings, compounded by gorgeous animation and amazing music.

I give Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo a 9 out of 10.

Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance is a freaking masterpiece. I could really just end the review right there and mostly everyone who has seen the movie will get it. But, considering that's not how we do things here, time for me to explain why 2.0 is so good on basically every level of it's production.

Hideaki Anno, in his everlasting wisdom, has given us the Eva film we had no idea we wanted, and also the one the franchise needed. Both a send up of the great characters that have Eva so timeless while also a savage but also poignant deconstruction of the "wish fullfillment" ... narrative, 2.0 is so good that it sometimes almost feels like that it came straight from the original series.

Shinji Ikari (Megumi Ogata/Spike Spencer) and the rest of NERV are continuing their fight against the Angels. With a brand new pilot with them, Asuka Langley Shikinami (Yuko Miyamura/Tiffany Grant), Seele begins their plan to start the mysterious Human Instrumentality Project.

Similar to the first film, 2.0 follows the original series events, but this time it's far more liberal with changing events and moving scenes around to fit the brand new narrative. In fact, to a large extent, the film is 75% brand new material, with the 25% old stuff remaining heavily altered. It's a far more unpredictable experience then 1.0, and that lends heavily to the enjoyment factor of this film.

Anno laser focuses the narrative on Shinji once again, this focusing on the idea of him being "stuck". Finally wanting to help, Shinji finds himself in a world filled with corrupt leaders and things that he finds deplorable. And in the end, attempting to "fix things" only ends up with him causing even more problems. Much of the narrative plays out like a happier, more optimistic version of the original series, but Anno quickly destroys that in the second half with a brutal, unrelenting third act that ranks among anime's greatest climaxes. The last 5 minutes in particular are a beautiful crescendo of music and animation that is probably the best moment of the entire Eva franchise.

The series has never looked better then it does now - the beautiful colours, the seamless intergration of CGI and 2D animation, the fight scenes that flow as smoothly as the best live action movies, and the subtle character movements. It's one of the best animated films in recent memory, and combine that with Anno's calculated direction makes the animation pop even more.

The entire cast, on both sides, return for the sequel, along with some newcomers as well. Both Yuko Miyamura and Tiffany Grant from the original series return to play Asuka, and both give her the same lovable cocky personality along with the hidden depths that made her such a brilliant character in the first place. Maaya Sakamoto and Trina Nishimura join the cast as brand new character Mari Makinami, who is immediately steals the show in the limited scenes she is in. But the standouts are both Megumi Ogata and Spike Spencer, who give their best performances as Shinji to date. It's a stunning performance on both ends that showcase the best of both Japanese and English voice acting.

Shiro Sagisu is the composer once again here, and gives his best work on the franchise to date. With tons of new material and epic new pieces, Sagisu's unique sensibilities continue prove themselves to be a perfect fit for Evangelion, with special mention going towards a song in the last 5 minutes that feels like it shouldn't fit, but it somehow does.

Reclaiming the franchise in the best way possible, Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance is, for lack of the better word, fucking brilliant. It's a stream of amazing visuals, compelling characters, and a twist turning, genre defying narrative that defines the best of Evangelion. It's a absolute masterpiece and one of the best pieces of the entire franchise.

I give Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance a 10 out of 10.

The first film of the Rebuild of Evangelion, a series of movies meant to literally "rebuild" and reboot the Eva franchise, has quite a bit of baggage already placed upon from the get go. Not only is it following up the original series, which is influential in it's own right, but also the critically acclaimed End of Evangelion, which at this point was now remembered fondly. Hideaki Anno's solution? Basically do the exact same thing as before, but now it's epic.

Not that's it's a bad thing. The similarities are Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone's biggest strength, as it faithfully stays true to both the ... spirit but also the events that made the original series so compelling. Sadly, it's also it's biggest weakness - there is always a strong sense of "deja vu", which isn't helped by it's nearly shot for shot recreations.

The year is 2015. 15 years have passed since Second Impact, which wiped up 90% of the Earth's population. Shinji Ikari (Megumi Ogata/Spike Spencer) is called on by his reclusive father Gendo (Fumihiko Tachiki/John Swasey) to pilot an Evangelion, a giant humanoid robot in order to protect humanity from mysterious beings called Angels that threaten our very existence.

Taking the events of the first six episodes and condensing into 1 hour and 40 minutes, the series rather faithfully adapts that portion of the series almost shot for shot, with the first half is particular being somewhat of a complete retread of previous material. Considering the material is good as it is, it's hard to like this version thanks to it's upgraded animation, sound effects, and better voice acting on both fronts. However, at times it does seem like it's "going through the motions" and is rushing to get to the new stuff that Anno really seems passionate about.

With that last third of the film, Anno, while still adapting the series faithfully, takes it into a different direction, and the purpose of the film becomes increasingly clear. Less of a remake and more of a completely reimagining and reboot, 1.0 takes established characters and gives them new dimensions to work with, particularly Shinji. The subtitle of the film is extremely accurate - a theme of loneliness, fear, and isolation permeate the entire narrative, possibly even more so then the original series as Anno seems to be far more interested in the abstract nature of being alone this time around as opposed to Shinji's overall depression. It's an interesting change that yield mixed, but mostly good, results as it climaxs with a finale that is equally satisfying and epic as it somewhat bombastic, loud, and overblown.

Taking advantage of 21st century technology, the new film looks leagues better then the original series did, and with smart implementation of CGI in places that actually work, like other worldly, Lovecraftian designs for the Angels, the restoration is a rousing success. The colours pop, the explosions are beautifully design, and the sound is roaring and makes the entire affair worth watching on the biggest and loudest screen possible.

The entire original Japanese cast returns here, and it's a welcome return at that. Having not lost any of her spunk, Megumi Ogata is still Shinji after all these years, and Megumi Hayashibara is still Rei Ayanami to a tee. The English dub sadly did not get that luxury - while Spike Spencer and Allison Keith returned, the rest of the cast has been replaced, although arguably for the better. The dub was very appropriately given a standing ovation after it's premiere and it shows - this is a brilliant English cast, and the surprisingly nuanaced and realistic performances rival that of the distinguished Japanese veterans. Basically pick your fave on this one - they are both top of the class.

Shiro Sagisu also returns here to compose a brand new score for the film. Thanks to a larger budget, this score is fully orchestrated, and the remastered tracks from the original series are a sight to behold. Several new tracks are also included, and they all take advantage of his signature "English choirs" which are distinctly his and are always wonderful. Also stick around for the credits for a great Hikaru Utada song - it's a highlight.

Evangelion 1.0 doesn't really do anything new with the franchise (sometimes to it's detriment) but it still remains a great watch, especially for newcomers, thanks to it's gorgeously remastered animation, fantastic voice performances, and an interesting new perspective on certain characters.

I give Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone an 8 out of 10.

I watched the original Neon Genesis Evangelion anime when I was 13 years old, which was pretty early in my anime watching career. While nowadays I understand the large impact that the series had not just on anime but on popular culture at large, at that young age I was able to experience the series with fresh eyes. Falling in love the series almost instantly, I immediately put in End of Evangelion, it's finale movie, after the series.

Initially, I hated it. I couldn't understand it - I thought that Hideaki Anno completely destroyed everything I liked about the original series in the first place. However, ... as time went on, I got older and rewatched the film several times, and I began to love it, then adore it - End of Evangelion is complex yes, but one of the most rewarding films I have ever seen.

Set immediately after the events of episode 24 of Neon Genesis Evangelion, NERV prepares for the inevitable invasion by SEELE. With the world crumbling around him, Shinji Ikari (Megumi Ogata/Spike Spencer) must make a choice that will determine the fate of humanity.

It's basically impossible to watch The End of Evangelion without having seen the original series, and while it can viewed as a stand alone piece it's basically impossible to truly dissect it without the show. As such, this review will contain spoilers for the original show.

The film works both as a companion ending and a true ending to the show. Without going into too much detail, as it would take over the review, the original ending was plagued with budgetary and production issues. As such, this film was made to appease angry fans (it didn't work at the time). As a conclusion, it wraps everything up in a way that leaves no loose ends - regardless how you feel about the actual events on screen, nobody can deny that there is anyway to continue after this.

But the film's true intentions lie beyond simply giving the show a clear cut conclusion. The film, at it's core, is a deep dive into depression, anxiety, and death, and it's mediations on the subject are equally fascinating and surreal, filled with a sea of imagery that is unlike anything else the anime world has seen before. The large scale setpieces combined with vivid, gorgeous colouring give the sometimes disturbing but equally beautiful scenery a sense of wonder.

This extends to the film's voice performances, on both sides of the equation. Megumi Ogata gives the performance of her career as Shinji Ikari, who stands as one of anime's best written protagonists. Spike Spencer does an equally fabulous job in the English dub, and it stands as his best career performance as well. Both Megumi Hayashibara and Yuko Miyamura do stunning work as Rei and Asuka respectively, and despite her limited screentime, Kotono Mitsuishi as Misato remains as likable and charming as ever. On the English side of things, Tiffany Grant and Allison Keith, who fill in for Asuka and Misato, are just as good as they were in the show, and Tristan MacAvery as Gendo remains Gendo's definitive English voice. The large cast is filled with disturbed, sometimes broken people and each of them are as compelling as the last.

Shiro Sagisu returns from the series to do the music here, and now with the benefit of a movie budget brings his most epic score yet. Filled with sweeping orchestrations and choir, his work here is nothing short of spectacular, filling each scene with a sense of melancholy and hope while also keeping the large amount of action scenes entertaining to watch.

The End of Evangelion is both haunting and beautiful - a wonderful crescendo of ambiguity that leaves the audience thinking about for days, weeks, even months afterwards. It's an experience to watch that will more then likely never be replicated, and it remains a seminal work of art in the anime community and in the world of animation.

I give The End of Evangelion a 10 out of 10.