There are many anime that have left memorable impressions on audiences, but Neon Genesis Evangelion is a particularly pivotal piece of animation. The Evangelion anime deconstructs many emotional topics, all of which makes it an especially unique take on anime’s mech genre.

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The ending of Neon Genesis Evangelion was controversial and Hideaki Anno’s Rebuild of Evangelion films seemed to be designed to express the material in a streamlined way. The Rebuild films have taken an unexpected direction and if anything they’ve raised more questions than provide clarifications towards anything from the anime. Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0 is likely to not answer everything, but there are some topics where it’d be nice to get some insight.

10 If Shinji Has "Lost His Humanity"

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion 3 Shinji Cries

The Rebuild films obliquely refer to the “Curse of the Evas,” but this seems to refer to what happens when an Eva plug’s depth exceeds a certain point. When Eva-01 reactivates in its fight against the 10th Angel, Ritsuko makes reference to the risks and that Shinji Ikari may “lose his humanity” if he doesn’t stop. Similar events have happened to both Asuka and Mari, which is likely why they haven’t aged beyond the point of 14. The same thing may have happened to Shinji and he’s now something different than human.

9 Why Eva Piloting Is So Different

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion Asuka Pilots Freak Out

The original Neon Genesis Evangelion series shows that each pilot is synchronized to a specific Eva that has their mother’s essence in its core. It’s a meticulous process, yet the Rebuild movies show characters pilot different Evangelion units. The organization NERV even has an automated system to link pilots to a new Eva. Mari and Asuka both utilize multiple Eva without issue. It may be revealed that an entirely new process is used for Eva cores or that the pilots themselves are inherently different and this is why the piloting process is so unique now.

8 How Asuka Lost Her Eye

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion Asuka Glowing Eye Patch

There are many changes that take place between the events of2.0 and 3.0, with over a decade passing between them. A significant shift that’s occurred between films is that Asuka now wears an eye patch, indicating that she’s seen some damage. It’s a stark change that marks the beginning of many alterations to Asuka’s character and her story.

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What’s also significant is that there are special moments where Asuka and her Eva are under duress that her eye patch actually glows and reveals symbols. It’s possible that this eye patch could have functional purposes for Asuka.

7 The Existence Of New Enemy Evangelion

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion Enemy Eva Unit Lances

The upcoming Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0 has teased the presence of new enemy Evangelion units that seem to be operated by Fuyutsuki even though this is in opposition to the Vatican Treaty, which explicitly prohibits this kind of thing. The Eva units feature several Eva fused together and have advanced abilities like flight. Eva 44A is a more standard enemy, but Eva 44B mostly operates as support for Eva 4444C so it can fire its massive cannon. Hopefully there will be answers on the existence of these Eva or if there are even more coming.

6 The Meaning Of The L-Barrier

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion L-Barried Tokyo-3 Ruins

The conclusion of Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0 ends on a very ominous note with Shinji, Asuka, and Rei lost in a desolate wasteland of what's left of Tokyo-3. Asuka refers to how "The L-Barrier density is too high here," in regards to the likelihood of them being rescued. The L-Barrier’s purpose is unclear, but it seems to have seriously polluted the air. There also needs to be an explanation for why Shinji and company can survive in this hostile environment, which might come down to how they're no longer human. Asuka's allusions to humanity as "Lilin" also reflect this.

5 What Happened During Third Impact?

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion Third Impact Commences

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a series that deals in very strange moments, but the apocalyptic threat of Third Impact is one of the bigger events. The Rebuild films defy convention with a Fourth Impact and the third one occurs ahead of schedule. There’s a gap of 14 years between 2.0 and 3.0 and there are a lot of changes that have happened during that span of time.

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Rebuild of Evangelion 3.0 doesn’t attempt to fill in these blanks, but it’d be nice to get some answers of just what exactly happened to Shinji, Rei, and Asuka during that time..

4 The Identity Of Mari Makinami

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion Mari Makinami Eva Cockpit

Mari Makinami is a character introduced in the Rebuild films and it’s clear she’ll play a major role in 3.0 + 1.0. There have been allusions that Mari knew Gendo, Yui, and a youthful Shinji, so she was likely around NERV’s labs as a child. Mari’s last name is also Makinami, which is quite close to Ayanami, which originates from Yui's maiden name. It’s possible that Mari could also be a part of Yui, just like Rei. Mari is linked to the Mark.06 unit, but she could also be a living extension of it, like what’s been witnessed with Kaworu.

3 If Toji Suzuhara Will Return

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion Toji Shields Sister

One of the most interesting components of the Rebuild films is how certain characters are re-contextualized in different ways. In the anime, Toji becomes the Fourth Child and ultimately pilots an Eva. Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0 makes a drastic departure here where Asuka pilots the infected Eva instead and Toji stays out of the picture. In Rebuild 3.0, there's the appearance of Toji's sister, but she never mentions her brother, which means that it's possible that he died between 2.0 and 3.0. Hopefully this final film will provide some closure in that department.

2 The Details Of Kaworu’s Plan

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion Kaworu Pilots Mark 06

Kaworu Nagisa is a controversial character that plays a major role in the series’ endgame. In the previous Rebuild films, Kaworu talks about changing the world and how his goal is to truly make Shinji happy. Kaworu attempts to achieve this by getting Shinji to enter the body of an Adam with him and to synchronize their souls together. Kaworu believes that this unity will provide Shinji with happiness, but also trigger the Human Instrumentality Project. It’s inferred that both Shinji and Kaworu were at one point united as Adam, but it’s only Kaworu who retains these memories.

1 Whether It’s A Remake Or A Sequel

Anime Rebuild Of Evangelion Tabgha Base Kaworu Coffins

When the Rebuild of Evangelion films were first announced, they were interpreted as Hideaki Anno’s attempt to condense and re-frame the anime as four films. With each new film, there have been radical surprises to the expected trajectory of Neon Genesis Evangelion’s storyline and it feels increasingly like this is a new set of events rather than a reinterpretation of the original series. The concept of alternate realities has been hypothesized, especially with characters having altered names. The musical coda repeat sign on 3.0 + 1.0’s title also reinforces this cyclical idea.

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