Disaster wrote:

>  
>
>
>I disagree, I don't think that Shinji growing up has very much to do with
>the story at all. It's more of a realization that Shinji comes to at the
>very end. Not a progression that growing would otherwise suggest. 
>

I think though that this realization comes with his maturation after a 
series of ups and downs.  Shinji grapples with his problems through the 
course of the series, and examines a lot of his own reasons for being, 
etc.  I'd call that a stage in growing up.

>You may
>remember that Anno used the TV series to eliminate all hope before he
>could begin the story, which of course was EoE. So there was a digression
>through the series or at least at the end after the happy state of affiars
>was established.
>

What do you mean by eliminating all hope?  Do you mean he built up a 
world in which things were looking up (up to about episode 16), and then 
proceeded to tear it apart?  I could see that.  Shinji is at the centre 
of this... after seemingly finding a reason to live (to gain approval 
and help others) he then learns that, in fact, no, that's not a good 
enough reason to live.

Richard