The original show is a deconstruction of giant-robot anime, basically examining how every single trope would be horrible in real life. But it's so goddamn stylish and well-done that a lot of people missed that it's also an escapist fantasy that says 'escapist fantasy is bad, actually.' The ending is infamously abrupt. It's like if The Two Towers ended in a lecture and there was no third book. It makes thematic sense, but the message is severely undercut by being a story people are invested in, for its own qualities.

The movies for that show are a long-form middle finger to the audience. It's honestly impressive.

The reboot show is all of that in like four feature-length episodes, also incorporating decades of fan culture super not getting the point. The plot textually says, you are an asshole for wanting this remake.

Hideaki Anno is kind of a dick.

I'd still recommend it all.