I finished the series by the way. I liked the ending. Shinji had a lot of personality growth, and became a much better person, with a greater understanding on how he should treat the world around him. He realized that the poison that had been left around was a danger, but at the same time it saved his life.

The final Tamura Reiko arc was probably my favorite of the series. Lessons for both sides and Shinji resolved his personality issues.