The sheer uncomfortableness of the elavator or the palpable dread of the Kaworu scene are proof that in the lack of something, humans will fill the gap for you. Something I think all "creators" need to understand rather than constantly be trying to "maximize" every scene and dialogue.

Anno did it mostly by accident, as I don't think he is some super genius, but it worked. Just like the way he threw in a shit ton of words he didn't understand (such as all the Christian and Gnostic names/themes) but because they sounded cool until a few of them just worked.