The anime industry is fascinating, but rarely do viewers get to look beyond the curtain and see the behind-the-scenes workings that lead to the shows we all know and love. This is doubly so for American fans, as most making-of content is relegated to rarely-translated DVD extras or TV show segments.
However, one anime documentary bucks the trend by giving viewers a glimpse behind-the-scenes of Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time, one of the most highly-anticipated anime movies to ever come out. And it leads to one of the most gripping and emotional media documentaries to hit screens.
What Is The Final Challenge of Evangelion?
Produced by Japan's public broadcaster NHK and first screened in 2021, Hideaki Anno: The Final Challenge of Evangelion follows Anno and his team during the creation of Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time, the grand final chapter of the Evangelion franchise. Ending such a famous series was never going to be easy, and Thrice Upon a Time's various production delays made this clear. In the end, NHK filmed Anno and his team for around four years, making this one of the most in-depth looks at an anime movie's creation ever released to the public. Interestingly, this is the first time Anno has allowed outsiders into his studio, meaning this film captures some truly unique sights.
One of the most fascinating aspects of this documentary is its core concept. Behind-the-scenes documentaries are rarely in-depth and often only feature concept sketches and interviews with a few team members, which are recorded and released to the public once the project is finished. However, The Final Challenge of Evangelion gives viewers a glimpse into the studio as the movie is being made and lets viewers see some critical moments of the film's production as they happen.
The Surprising Honesty of The Final Challenge of Evangelion
The Final Challenge of Evangelion is fascinatingly raw and honest. Studios are usually keen to look their best and present themselves as a perfect workplace to attract future employees and clients. Thus, projects are shown to come together smoothly with few, if any, bumps along the way. However, credit must be given to the NHK documentary team and Studio Khara as they never try to hide this project's issues. Viewers see how stressed the staff are and how communication difficulties between Anno and his team cause friction. There are frequent looks at how Anno's perfectionism slows the project down, leading to Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time's long production time.
However, one of the most fascinating and enlightening parts is how Anno interacts with the documentary crew. Early on, it's clear that Anno wants Studio Khara, the animators, to be the documentary's focus. As time goes on, he ends up backseat-directing the documentary, leading to some fascinating insights into Anno's inner life and creative process. These moments have an odd beauty to them because they're something fans don't usually get in these behind-the-scenes documentaries.
Hideaki Anno: The Final Challenge of Evangelion is one of the best anime production documentaries on the market. Evangelion fans will appreciate the behind-the-scenes info about how the film came together, while fans of Anno's work on the whole get one of the rawest looks into his methodology and psyche. Even for non-Evangelion fans, this documentary gives a unique insight into the anime production process that doesn't try to glamorize the industry, showing the ups and downs of working on a massive project. Because of this, The Final Challenge of Evangelion is a must-watch for all anime fans.
Hideaki Anno: The Final Challenge of Evangelion is now streaming on Retrocrush.