Set in the year 2015, Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth depicts a world scarred by the "Second Impact," a 2000 catastrophe that melted the Antarctic ice cap, shifted Earth’s axis, and halved the human population. The primary setting is Tokyo-3, a highly fortified city built within the Hakone region of Japan. This future Earth is defined by a permanent summer in Japan—a result of the axial tilt—and the constant threat of "Angels," enigmatic beings that force humanity to retreat into massive, subterranean Geo-Fronts.

Societal dynamics are dominated by NERV, a paramilitary organization under the UN that operates with near-total autonomy. The technological landscape is a fusion of advanced mechanical engineering and biological science, most notably seen in the Evangelions—giant biomechanical entities synchronized with human pilots through neural interfaces. The world is characterized by a state of geopolitical militarism where traditional nation-states have largely ceded power to the Seele committee, a secret society managing the "Human Instrumentality Project," an evolution-driven agenda to merge all human souls into a single entity.

While the film’s 2015 did not see the arrival of bio-organic giants, its technological predictions were remarkably prescient in UI design and urban infrastructure. The film showcased holographic displays and flat-panel monitors long before they became ubiquitous. The MAGI supercomputers, which use a consensus-based logic system to govern city functions, mirror modern discussions around algorithmic governance and decentralized AI decision-making. Furthermore, the depiction of permanent ecological shifts caused by a polar catastrophe serves as a poignant, if exaggerated, metaphor for the climate anxiety that has become a reality in the actual 21st century. Despite these hits, the film’s vision of widespread maglev transit and self-sustaining underground cities remains an unrealized architectural ambition.