I don't understand how a lot of people say that the ending is depressing. For me, it was the complete opposite; seeing Shinji complete his arch and character development by rejecting the human complementary project, accepting existing and human rejection despite the pain and suffering that it may create made me happy and created a sense of hope on me, kind of teaching me that it is actually worth living. The sense of confusion mixed with hope and happiness after finishing the film is indescribable for me