You Won’t Believe the Cruelest Death in Evangelion That Still Haunts Fans After 28 Years

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Hideaki Anno’s “Neon Genesis Evangelion” is often hailed as one of the most outstanding mecha anime series ever made, yet it contains some disturbingly complex storylines. These challenging aspects to the plot have sparked debate and contribute to its status as a gripping psychological drama that keeps viewers captivated.

One persistent issue that continues to trouble fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion is the death of Asuka Langley Sohryu, a character who played a crucial role in the storyline. Despite not being particularly well-liked by many series fans, Asuka’s tragic ending in Neon Genesis Evangelion was still undeserved.

The tragic demise of the character is undeniably one of the most heart-wrenching aspects within the storyline, and its portrayal as a possible conclusion in ‘The End of Evangelion’ intensifies this brutality. Moreover, the allegorical significance of Asuka’s death in relation to Shinji’s growth serves to heighten the cruelty even further.

Asuka’s brutal death in End of Evangelion

In Neon Genesis Evangelion, Asuka’s blunt and dogmatic attitude often came across as harsh and grating. There’s no arguing that she was an outstanding and exceptional pilot for the Evangelion Unit-02. However, her abrasive interactions with Shinji and her character progression left many viewers with a negative impression of her, labeling her as a difficult and divisive figure who struggled to resonate with fans.

Even after 28 years, watching Asuka’s harrowing demise in “End of Evangelion” remains difficult to bear. In the film, Asuka experiences a mental collapse that she eventually overcomes. However, instead of finding resolution, she directs this breakdown into her battle against an enormous swarm of mass-produced Eva units. Regrettably, it proved insufficient as her Evangelion Unit-02 is pierced through the head, and since they are linked, this injury inflicts intense suffering upon Asuka.

Yet, this gruesome scene was not sufficient for Hideaki Anno, who chose to intensify her demise further. The mass-produced Evangelion units viciously scrape out her organs, and as she endures the agony, multiple replicas of the Spear of Longinus repeatedly penetrate the Eva unit, and consequently, her own body. This excessive violence ultimately results in her character’s death in the narrative.

Asuka’s death is a trauma for Neon Genesis Evangelion fans

In the anime series “End of Evangelion,” Asuka’s death scene is not only gruesome and heart-wrenching to watch, but it also sparked debate among fans over how her character arc was resolved. To some extent, it seemed as if director Hideaki Anno intended this ending to shatter Asuka’s self-confidence, a trait she had cultivated throughout her role as a pilot and significant character in “Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Additionally, the significance of the situation being a heartfelt recovery for her after her mental collapse intensifies the cruelty of her demise.

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Her understanding that Evangelion Unit-02 housed her mother’s spirit yet remained insufficient against nine manufactured Eva units stirs empathy among fans towards her, despite the fact that she wasn’t a widely liked character.

Experiencing Asuka’s demise was a heart-wrenching ordeal, particularly for Shinji. Her departure left him feeling utterly desolate, as if all hope had vanished from his world. In fact, I’d argue that Asuka’s goodbye stands among the most unsettling scenes ever in the annals of Evangelion.

Evangelion is currently available to watch on Netflix.

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2025-05-04 16:10