Neon Genesis Evangelion is a popular if controversial anime that has garnered ample adoration and discussion in the decades since it initially concluded. In a way, it has two "canonical" endings, consisting of the anime's proper ending and the End of Evangelion ending which seems to completely overwrite the initial conclusion.
For many people, it's very confusing. Which ending is the true ending? Do they meld somehow? Many people have theories, some that privilege one ending over the other while others are more grand and unifying theories. Today we are going to sift through some of these theories for you. Some are thoughtful and fitting, and others are just plain funny and entertaining to think about.
10 PERFECT: Evangelion Is About Self-Realization
The first four-or-so of the entries on this list are going to be largely influenced by the excellent video put out by Folding Ideas on YouTube about Neon Genesis Evangelion's original anime ending and the End of Evangelion film in 2013. He posits several theories throughout the video, and among them is the "Consideration" that the original anime ending to Neon Genesis Evangelion is the intended ending.
With this in mind, it is posited that the finale to Evangelion is ultimately about self-realization and Shinji Ikari must learn to stand on his own two feet without relying on others and that the ending is more about the metaphysical than the physical. It's about Shinji growing into his own person more than the external elements of the Angels, NERV, and SEELE.
9 FUNNIEST: End Of Evangelion Is Revenge Against The Fans
The opposing end of this is that Hideaki Anno, the writer of Neon Genesis Evangelion, intended the End of Evangelion as a revenge against the fans that were so enraged by the broadcasted ending of Evangelion. Since the ending to the anime is so metaphysical and doesn't focus upon the external elements of the Angels, NERV, and SEELE, many fans were dissatisfied with the conclusion to the anime.
Gainax, the studio behind Evangelion, received hate mail and death threats over it, some of which appeared on-screen during the End of Evangelion film. As such, he put out End of Evangelion to be a follow-up on the series to spite the fans, with Shinji Ikari essentially being a spiteful stand-in for the otaku audience to Evangelion. The ending of Shinji trying to strangle Asuka is a stand-in for the angry fans trying to impotently destroy that about which they fantasize.
8 PERFECT: Evangelion Has Branching Universes Based On Divergent Choices
In Folding Ideas' follow-up video on End of Evangelion, he posits the idea that rather than End of Evangelion being simply a middle-finger to the angry fanboys that expressed their outrage to Gainax over the end of the anime, End of Evangelion is intended to represent a divergent path for Shinji.
End of Eva is supposed to be what happens if Shinji doesn't reach his self-realization and instead remains a spiteful, objectifying, and parasitic being. The broadcast ending of Evangelion is instead Shinji actually reaching that moment of self-actualization and becoming a better, more complete person for it.
7 FUNNIEST: End Of Evangelion Is The Intended Ending AND Still Revenge
To return to the revenge idea, Folding Ideas also puts out the idea in his original video that End of Evangelion is both revenge and intended.
This is what Anno wanted to put out and is, therefore, the canonical ending to Evangelion. The show was always intended to be about the toxicity of otaku obsession, and End of Evangelion brings it to life through its big finale.
6 PERFECT: End Of Evangelion Is The True Ending, Shinji Rejects Instrumentation
Reddit user RandomObscureGamer posits, with some backup from the Bandai Evangelion Movie Series 2 trading cards, that End of Evangelion finds Shinji rejecting the process of Instrumentality - the process by which all humanity becomes a unified consciousness.
He attacks Asuka as an avatar of human rejection, and his attacking Asuka again on the beach is to make sure what he sees around him now is still real. Asuka touching his cheek shows that there is still hope for love in the world, as Shinji's own mother said years before.
5 FUNNIEST: The Endings Meld, Shinji Learns To Love Humans Meme
IMGur brings us this delightful simplification of Evangelion's ending that brings both the film and show together, arguing that End of Evangelion leads into the anime broadcast's ending.
Shinji strangling Asuka in End of Evangelion's "Tang World" is him probing for reality (similar to the prior ending theory), and Asuka touching his cheek leads Shinji to realize that there is kindness in the world. This leads to Shinji's acceptance of humanity and brings us to the happier conclusion of the broadcast.
4 PERFECT: Anime Finale Is True Ending, Shinji Accepts Instrumentation
RandomObscureGamer's Reddit Post implies, and this SyFy Wire article by Daniel Dockery expands upon, the idea then that the anime ending of Evangelion is actually Shinji accepting Instrumentation.
Instead of accepting himself apart from others, he is reaching a union with all humanity and, through that, a kind of peace and purpose. If we are to take the broadcast anime ending as the true ending, then Shinji ends happily becoming one with Human Instrumentality.
3 FUNNIEST: Shinji Caused The Third Impact
This one is funny in a darker sense, but another Redditor posts the idea that Shinji prompts Lilith into creating the Third Impact with a nihilistic wish for all of humanity to die.
Lilith grants Shinjo's wish, and that is what leads to the Third Impact that initiates Instrumentality--which is death in a sense. All of this leads to the Shinjo strangling Asuka on the beach but rejecting his own death-driven instincts.
2 PERFECT: Shinji Became God And Then Rejected Instrumentality
The Evageeks Forum puts forward the idea that Shinji became God and rejected Human Instrumentality. Through his newfound powers, he warded of Instrumentality and preserved the integrity of human individuality, which would innately lead to the ending of the broadcasted anime finale.
1 FUNNIEST: Shinji With The Detached Hand
This one comes from here at CBR. This isn't so much an ending explanation as much as an alternate idea for the final shot of End of Evangelion.
An alternate ending for the End of Evangelion closing shot was, instead of Shinji failing/stopping himself killing Asuka on the beach, he was going to be holding Rei's detached hand on the beach. Again, this is funny in a dark sense. It's something you think of while chuckling and saying, "well that's messed up."