Mecha anime is clearly Gainax's forte. With Neon Genesis and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, the studio has shown that they can create incredible masterpieces that provide enough emotion to match the scale of the very machines driving the action. NGE shows a particular affinity in its psychological and philosophical narrative, though many fans likely found it difficult to digest. My initial reaction to the last two episodes of the series was a long list of questions, though none were related to Shinji Ikari's internal struggles. Like most viewers, I was still wanting a more complete resolution to the plot in the 'real' world. Sure, the Angels were defeated, but what was left for NERV? More importantly, what was the source of the conflict anyways? The End of Evangelion cleared up most of these questions, though there are a few loose ends. We'll have to wait and see what Rebuild--a remake of the series--does to finally close out NGE with (hopefully) a satisfying ending for everyone. It's important to realize that the intent of this anime to have the Human-Angel conflict as a backdrop to the psychological and philosophical elements.
Much like NGE itself, I'm going to focus on only one aspect of the story for the sake of time and clarity. The psychological drama that unfolds over the course of the anime is perhaps deceptively simple. Shinji is often referred to as a mirror character, one who provides an point of comparison for the viewer .We can see ourselves, our flaws especially, in his personality and actions. That's not to say that the story is only concerned with Shinji. Certainly, the other characters share their time in the spotlight. What's more; they portray the same faults as the protagonist.
The core theme of Evangelion is the fear of loneliness and how individuals cope with it. This theme is pervaive throughout the entirety of the series in every character, conflict, and situation. Everyone is defined by their ability or inability to handle being alone. Biologically, humans as a species must stay together in order to continue their survival. Separation makes reproduction and teamwork impossible, thus a fear of being alone is a defense mechanism put in place to give humanity the best possible shot for continuing as a species. Interestingly enough, we find during NGE that humans are not the only life form capable of loneliness. The Angels are, in fact, alone as well. We'll get back to that in a bit though, for now I want to focus on the three children: Rei, Asuka, and Shinji.
The Pilots
As I mentioned already, every character suffers from loneliness. The Eva pilots are no exception, and in fact they provide an even deeper analysis of this fear. If you are unfamiliar with Freud's theory of the unconscious, now would be a good time to study up. The three children represent the three parts of the unconscious mind. Rei is an example of the Super Ego, Asuka represents the Id, and Shinji matches best with the Ego. While Rei and Asuka are polar opposites, Shinji's own personality lies somewhere in between. Rei is obsessed with her orders, duty, and Commander Ikari, to the point that she exists only for his purposes (considering she is a clone created by Ikari for that reason, it's no surprise she acts as such). Asuka has no interest in orders unless it suits her, and she is highly aggressive without concern for others. Shinji struggles to please his father and others around him, but he's also prone to selfishness running away rather than doing what needs to be done.
With Rei, she is forced to live a life build from the ground up by Ikari. Her entire life is devoted to him, as planned, and she becomes a warning for Shinji. This is what awaits him if he only pilots the Eva because he must. When the Eva is no longer needed, neither will he. Shinji is warned several times to not define himself only by his duty as a pilot, and Rei is the perfect example of what happens if he does. Asuka, on the other hand, is abrasive and arrogant to hide her own fears. Her mother's suicide had a huge effect on Asuka's sense of self-worth (a problem she shares with Shinji). Due to this she must constantly reaffirm her own purpose "prove that I exist" by piloting Unit 2. Her world is destroyed when she can no longer Synch with her unit, and she finds herself unable to continue living.
Shinji is more complicated than Rei or Asuka...entirely because he shares so many of their qualities. Losing his mother and leaving his father began a cycle of constantly running away from life's problems. To avoid loneliness, he simply avoids attaching himself to other people. This self-defense mechanism is addressed as early as the first episode, and he is still attempting to flee until the last moments of the movie. He tries to escape but always ends up back at NERV, usually to save the day again. This repeats until, you guessed it, the movie, where his inability to act nearly destroys the human race. We can classify Shinji's issues as Avoidant Personality Disorder. He is shy, sensative to rejection, and suffers from inadequacy. His father's approval is something he initially seeks, much like Rei. However, he learns not to depend on it, and instead focus on his friends. However, this ends up being his downfall.
During the second half of the series, Shinji is bombarded with psychological and emotional trauma that breaks his will and leaves him shattered. Beginning with the near murder of Touji Suzuhara he begins to feel renewed resentment towards his farther. Rei's death further pushes him into depression, and his discovery of her being a clone certainly does not help. Asuka's mental collapse finally leaves him friendless, save for Kaworu Nagisa. Unfortunately, Shinji is forced to kill Kaworu when he is revealed to be the last Angel. This destroys his mental state and leaves him feeling completely alone and isolated.
Other Characters
While not quite as complex as the Eva pilots, several of the other series' characters have issues with loneliness.
-Gendo Ikari begins the Human Instrumentality Project in order to be ruinited with his dead wife, Yui.
-Misato Katsuragi drowns her own lonliness in her relationship with Ryoji Kaji and struggles to maintain balance between being a commanding officer and a parental figure to the Eva pilots.
-Ritsuko Akagi attempts to kill Gendo when she becomes jealous of Rei's attention.
The Angels and The Human Instrumentality Project
The decedents of Lilith are not the only ones who are struggling with their loneliness. The reason for the Angels' attacks on NERV is to be reunited with Adam, one of the two Progenitors of Life. Likewise, SEELE is attempting to achieve a similar goal by merging with Lilith. Human Instrumentality is, itself, an attempt to completely erase the pain of being an individual. If all are one, then one can never be alone. It is Shinji's choice to end Instrumentality and return everyone to their original state. His decision to continue existing in a state of individualism is an acceptance of the pain that goes along with it, but also the promise of some form of happiness down the road. Those that are strong enough to go on living will inevitably rise from the L.C.L, while those that enjoy the blissful state of being a collective will continue to do so.
Shinji Ikari's final decision is a positive one, but slightly more difficult to accept in the movie as opposed to episodes 25 and 26. By devoting two episodes to his final moments, his reasoning is more fully realized and his final understanding more satisfying for the viewer. Still, the outcome is the same. Rather than eliminate pain, he comes to understand that feeling nothing at all is even worse. He strikes a balance between his Super Ego and Id, and continues to move on with life. The ending to the story itself is tragic, but Shinji's outcome is positive...though perhaps only a very small glimmer of light among a sea of blood.
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