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Friday, January 17, 2020

Neon Genesis Evangelion - The Alpha of Anime TV, Omega of Arguments

Neon Genesis Evangelion -

Collection 0:1

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Genre: Science fiction (Giant Robots) Length: 120 minutes (4 episodes) Audience Age: 13+

Opinion: I still have yet to see an anime series superior to Evangelion.

This is a review of the DVD release.

This series maybe the best known anime TV series that is not on Cartoon Network.

I know this statement may sound bold, but I still have yet to see an anime series superior to "Evangelion". When I first started collecting anime (spring/summer 1997), this was the only title that mattered to the critics I followed, and since I liked "Robotech" and "Voltron" (both series always seem to have questionable video distribution status until Robotech was recently acquired by ADV Films) I figured I would give this $25 a VHS, giant robot themed series a chance. A year later, I had all 13 tapes, the Taiwanese bootleg of the first soundtrack, a set of imported key chains, and Chinese-subtitled versions of the first two theatrical films. As far as I am concerned, this dramatic science fiction series which mixes the classic Japanese standby of giant beings using a city as an arena and elements of the book of Revelations, is the best science-fiction series ever made for television (Star Trek, "Doctor Who", and "Babylon 5" fans who object to this statement can reach me at bitemescifigeeks@animeflow.cubs).

Desperate for more of this series, I decided to purchase the first DVD of "Neon Genesis Evangelion" with full knowledge that this would just be the first four episodes that I already had on tape. I guess I am evidence about how addictive watching the adventures of Shinji Ikari are since I am allowing ADV Films to sell this to me as if they were a shady person with a questionable substance at an 80's Motley Crüe concert and I was Nikki Sixx.

Fifteen years after the "Second Impact" disaster of 2000, Shinji Ikari, a 14 year-old who may be suffering from chronic depression, is called to Tokyo 3 by his father that abandoned him 10 years-ago to "focus on the fate of mankind". He was not given a reason to come to the new metropolis, but being compliant to avoid the trouble of determining his own fate, he arrive in the third Tokyo which quickly becomes a battlefield.

After being rescued from the chaos of United Nation jets' pointless battle with a giant beast known as an Angel, his rescuer, Misato Katsuragi, takes him to Nerv Headquarters, a base hidden beneath the city. Shinji's father hardly takes the time to welcome his only child as he tells him to get into a giant bio-mechanical being, Evangelion Unit 01, and face the Angel in hand-to-hand combat.

He asks why he must pilot and is told that he is the only one who can. There maybe one other pilot, Rei, but she is already severly injured, so Shinji must decide whose life will be put on the line.

There are no doubts in anyone's mind that since "Evangelion" was finished in early 1995, the overall animation quality for this genre has improved a great deal, but there is yet to be an anime series that has stories equal to Neon Genesis Evangelion. This DVD has a really solid beginning and ending, so that if you are not as impressed as I was with the storyline after four episodes, you do not necessarily need to purchase the next DVD collection. If you do not currently have a DVD player, I am sure if you buy the first VHS of this series, you will undoubtedly pick up the second.

Evangelion's first DVD also shows some of its unique aspects. The soundtrack is one of my favorites and you cannot help to be curious about a giant robot show that has its ending theme song be "Fly Me to the Moon". Plus, the opening theme song is real easy to get into. I am pretty sure about this since one of my friends band was considering to cover it.

Uniqueness on this disc is not limited only to the soundtrack. Evangelion's character style is nearly identical to some of the most popular mangas, Japanese comic books. This is most likely why it was so easy to make a manga for this series after its TV run. Probably most interesting thing about any of the design aspects would be the mecha design. Eva Unit 01's look was considered to be so awesome that it got a cameo in the police action/comedy "Burn-Up W".

With all the great elements that form Neon Genesis Evangelion, anyone who is interested in starting an anime collection cannot exclude it. Since all TV sci-fi should attempt to have stories on par with Evangelion, perhaps all television producers need one of the tapes or discs in their video collection.

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The Bus's Transit of Anime Reality

This is how I became a rabid otaku. My first website was not suppose to be strictly dedicated to anime, but all things that were a 17 year-old Russ (Star Wars, Red Dwarf, and Highlander).

It became my first lesson in website design. Don't try to cover too much because you are going to be left disappointed. So I kept it to anime, and it wasn't till college took up most of my time did I ever feel disappointed by it.

I was also the creator of a fairly popular Neon Genesis Evanglion site: EvaUnit03's Tokyo 3 Station. This is where I took Danielle Scott's idea of incorporating alternative rock with the series for a critical and musical look at Evangelion.

The anime reviews for the show can be found at http://evaunit03.homestead.com/. The manga reviews can be found at Russ's Online Home.

A Critique of the Chinese Subtitled Version

Evangelion: Death

Evangelion Death is basically a review of the entire series up to Episode 24 that uses the rap around device of the first four children playing classical pieces on stringed instruments. For each kid who joins in, his story is told. Through Shinji we also learn the story of Misato and Ritsuko. Since I don't know Japanese as well as I thought, maybe that hurt my opinion on the editing. Maybe I just prefer chronological order.

There are a few enhancements to the animation to set up the second film, Rebirth, but everything else is from the T.V. series besides for the rap around device. If your like me and saw Eva through A.D. Vision, they did a lot of unreasonable editing (allegedly restored), so we missed a lot via this company. If you enjoyed the series you'll enjoy this, but if you're overly anxious for the conclusion like I was since I felt the T.V. series ending was perfect, you could get bored with the Death, and fast forward 45 minutes to Rebirth.

Evangelion: Rebirth

All of the angels have been destroyed, so what is there left for Nerv to do? On that thought, Seele decides its time to take Nerv back from Gendo Ikari by hacking in and taking over the Magi. Luckily, Ritsuko creates the 666 program through Casper which stops this invasion.

Before the hackers stuck, Misato had been searching for answers about the concept of the Third Impact. Shinji is looking for sympathy after killing Kaworu, and Asuka has become almost totally unreceptive to anything. Unfortunately, the cast can't go back to these plans because Seele has launched an assault force to kill everyone in Nerv to make sure Seele is absolutely in control.

Obviously this film sets its self up for a sequel, especially since we find out what Seele now has as their secret weapon. I don't support why the films were made, but this is a beautiful piece of animation which surpasses the quality of Gainax's last big film Wings on Honneamise. The story is superb, and I was actually impressed in the emotional performances of the voice actors. It has some of the most superb sequences I've ever seen in an anime, and its sound track lives up to the series's. Love the end of the T.V. series or not, this 45 minute film will blow you away.

On that note about the soundtrack, here's the theme song in midi form.