Totally agree. First time I saw it I identified with Shinji. That was in 1998 and I was 14. Now 14 years and 11 full viewings later(yes, 11!)I find myself really understanding and sympathizing with Misato more than any other character. And she's really quite complex and tragic in her own right, and a perfect example of what happens when someone as messed up as Shinji, Rei, or Asuka grows up and tries (with varying degrees of success depending on the situation)to be a productive member of society. The first time I saw the show I just thought of her as "the fanservicey older woman" character, now I realize she is so much more. I think the fact that this show dissects the emotions and motivations of three different age groups of characters (Gendo's generation, Misato's generation, and Shinji's generation) allows the show to grow and mature with the viewer.
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Changes every time I watch it.
Currently, I'm on my third time watching the series. The first time I watched it, I absolutely loved it. The second time, I was one of the most vehement haters of the series except for Episode 24. This third time, I'm seeing both good and bad, watching it with a critical eye.
This series now seems kind of special to me. The first time I saw it, I was stable and could enjoy it. The second viewing was a point in life where Shinji painfully reminded me of myself. Now, I am seeing this through the eyes of an adult instead of an angsty teen. This series changes depending on a person's mindset, so make sure you're on your medicine/therapy if you need it.
More generally, the animation holds up even with Gainax's tricks to preserve the budget (I don't even pretend those still shots are artistic). The music still grabs me each time, and the characters are very fleshed out. I still roll my eyes at the excessive meaningless symbolism, but I get the Freudian stuff. I also like how effective the horror in the series is. I STILL get nightmares from Ep. 22. For me, a good work is one that scares you, makes you laugh, think or cry even years after watching it. It ticks off the first three. I realize it's not to everyone's taste, but I still think this is a must-see, even just to get a friend to stop nagging you about it.
I used to recommend skipping those last two episodes, but I think they offer a context to compare "End" with, and enrich the film.