Yeah man. In fact, yesterday, a good friend visited me from Japan and brought me the Evangelion 2.0 press kit… pretty gnarly stuff. I don’t agree with you about the new films. I think they’re very fun, very welcome, very pretty… I mean, why not? The series already topped itself. For me, it won’t ever get better than Death: Rebirth and End of Evangelion. However it seems to me that these new films are attempting something else entirely. Without an entire serial (10+ hours of time that a viewer devotes), the emotional cathexes in these films are significantly less… and I think the creators know this, and are playing on it. I also think that it’s almost silly to see these films without at least a working knowledge of Evangelion, as a story and a cultural phenomenon. I suppose that’s a detriment to these new films. But as a lifelong fan, I must say I’m not bothered.
I did find Mari Illustrious Makinami a bit hard to take. As soon as she entered the scene, I really couldn’t see her as anything but a living, breathing representation of fan service. I won’t be surprised if she turns out to “exist” simply for the sake of Shinji’s emotional journey – like another agent of SEELE, or something. Hell, how else do you explain her expertise and perfection in piloting?
I think 2.0 is a significant improvement over 1.0, for that matter. The introduction of so much new material was VERY welcome – especially after we Eva fans have been consuming the same images for a decade now.
Music, pretentious? Simply don’t agree. It’s fun. It tries to have fun. What’s pretentious? If you’re referring to the constant inclusion of music from the GAINAX series Kare Kano, well, I was a fan of that and found that welcome as well.
Now – it isn’t perfect. Why? Cause it’s for adolescents. Pardon me, but it is. And I think Anno knows this. My criticisms take this into account. But as anime, it doesn’t get much better for me.
I’ve also had the luxury of watching it multiple times already. Truthfully – I was much more dubious on my first viewing. The film has grown on me tremendously. Again – it’s developed for adolescents.
And – - – - those ridiculous, unquestionably-adolescent-in-nature, Sound-of-Music-inspired (that’s what the soundtracks say…) major two songs in the film, with children singing… those are pretty much impossible to take. When I watch this stuff I block certain things out… accept certain things… and try to gain the most that can be gained. What I’ve always liked most about Evangelion was its narrative ambition, which you can’t deny goes largely unmatched on television, and in many films.
double post
I’m assuming you got the Japanese version? Is there a release date for the US release? I couldn’t find anything. I would imagine it would be a while since 1.11 arrived in early March in the stateside release.
Is the bluray disc an all-region disc?
The Japanese 2.22 Blu-ray release has no English subtitles, but the Hong Kong version is due for release (with English subtitles) on June 25th. And since Hong Kong, Japan and the U.S. have the same Blu-ray region, you can just order that off of YesAsia or a similar site.
I’m just hoping that the blu-ray release of 2.22 gets a western release alot quicker this time around. 1.11 feels like it took forever.
Eddie, as I mentioned previously, you don’t necessarily lose much if you bite the bullet and order the Hong Kong release. Unless English-language supplements are really that important to you.
I work for FUNimation.
I will be brief/vague because I am not sure what I can/can’t say in regards to what we are currently doing on this project, but as far as I know we will be releasing it but it will be some time before it hits shelves in the US.
Yeah…. might have to get that Hong Kong realease.
I have 2.22 w/ eng subtitles dude.
just watched it yesterday. the movie was fun, the music was terrible, the new charachter was useless.
Disappointed overall with the movie. Thought Mari was useless too (they should of given that extra screen time to Asuka). The Eva and angel battles weren’t very good.
Hakaima nailed it on the head.
The music is pretentious? What? Pervy eye candy? The original series advertised fan service for each new episode until about episode 17.
Mari was very strange. My first impulse was that she was one of those bizarre characters “created for Shinji Ikari” – literally. How else could you possibly explain her? She’s walking, breathing fan service.
Miasma for the win
Malik: I always thought that was some kind of running joke, because i didn’t find any of the nude/sexual scenes to be as exploitative as, say, Mari telling the audience how great her tits look in her new plug suit.
I saw this some time ago, and while I was going to write some long winded opinion on how this is not as good as the original series, I must admit that I had a lot of fun watching this movie. The music is so lame, animation is top notch, Mari seems to be a plot device and will continue to be so in the next 2 films, and while it is nice to see Shinji grow some backbone, I feel that this movie has lost a little bit of the “Who am I” element to it. This time around I felt the children bickering to be more unsound than the first time, however that could be just me getting order and better understanding the adult characters point of view better.
I enjoy the movie very much, but I’m not attempting to consider the film from the perspective of one who has not watched the entire series. In fact I would not recommend it to somebody who has not seen it all.
Without Ann, it’s much more like conventional anime. But as conventional animes go, this is a very exciting, pretty, awesome one! Review: pretty + awesome = Pretty awesome. But comparing it to the serial is like (pardon this) like comparing The Hobbit to the LOTR trilogy. It’s just disproportionate, and there’s only so much these new, condensed films can do. Within those stipulations, I think they’re succeeding admirably. But I must admit I have some pretty high expectations for the next two.
(I know I’ve talked on here a lot. But Evangelion has meant a lot to me! I have strong feelings about it.)
I like to think that while a new generation of fans of Evangelion will emerge with this reboot, they would take the time to discover and enjoy the charm and subtlety of original series.
@Miasma
I agree, I felt like they did sell out a bit, and I felt my favorite scenes were so only because I was such a fan of the series. Its kinda similar to having lunch with an old friend, you has so many good memories in the past but times have change. However, it was very annoying to find many plot points pushed by and dumb down, the show was careful in making statements, giving the audience some food for thought, everything here is rushed to get to the “good parts”.
Giving that they are almost done with the content of the 26 episodes and moving to the original films, my Expectations are also very high. The next film could be the bad apple to an spotless record of great animation. Well… then again, Gainax did allow Raising Shinji Ikari Project.
I haven’t seen 2.0 yet but the trailer for Evangelion 3.0: Q Quickening (love the title) has got me intrigued.
@Eddie I
Kudos for putting this up, you find this at the end of the credits of the second movie, BTW, If you do catch 2.0 be sure to watch after the credits, not only does this play but there is a scene in which a important plot point is made. Leave it to Gainax to keep you watching till the end…
@Papersoap: For the record, I never said the creators sold out. I don’t think they have. And I’m not overly critical of the new films, I’m a fan. But I’ve accepted that what they tried to achieve in the serial simply isn’t possible in a small number of films. Beyond that, I’m perfectly willing to accept an “updated alternate universe” series of films… for its own sake! I like Evangelion enough to watch… but not enough to be upset, as it has been 10 years, and I’ve outgrown most anime.
I’d like to pose this question to the viewers: has it occurred to anybody that these films take place in the world that exists after the End of Evangelion film? The ocean is made of blood, after all, and there’s a red streak on the moon (caused by the severed jugular of The Giant Rei Thing at the end of the film).
@ Miasma
Sorry, true you didn’t say that, I was referring to “conventional” anime. Evangelion had a reputation of going against the norm. While it’s the same giant robot, save the world plot, its characters beliefs and motivations were very unique. The new movies make everything more stream line, this movie in particular show characters that were known to be alone, confused, and frustrated at life make more clam and seasonable decisions like most anime now a days. In the end I am the one saying they sold out a bit, and I also don’t think that it is impossible to recreate the same atmosphere/themes that were in the show. They have 4 movies to do it in, about half the show’s length.
I know I have been talking a lot about this, but I saw Evangelion at a young age, and it made quite an impression on me.
I kinda see the alternate universe angle, I was thinking if it would play more on the original ending were everyone is normal and if this Shinji was reading the script and was like nuts to this, I am going to do it different.
With two movies left and the cliffhanger they leave in 2.0, there is no way I am going to miss out. Even if it does disappoint me personally, it continues to add more to such a rich and unique mythology, that is among the ranks of Star Wars, The Matrix, and The Terminator.
I do not agree with this whole Evangelion sold out! business. It’s an anime, for gods sake, a massive circuit in Japanese television. It was already pulling in millions when it was airing on TV.
@Papersoap
You ever read the original EVANGELION manga? I just finished vol 8 and am havin a hard time finding vol 9. The Shinji Ikaria Raising Project is terrible but not half as bad as fucking Angelic Days. BLEHHHHHHHHH
@Tyler Aikens
I have read/own some of the Manga, which I know has it’s own unique version of the same story line. Its crazy how expensive it is to buy some of these books, not to mention to find a new copy of End of. Last year I visited Amoeba Records and to my surprise found a used copy of End Of in the glass counter with all the super rare out of print DVDs and Laser-Disks.
You could try this site, http://www.mangareader.net/687/neon-genesis-evangelion.html I know that Onemanga.com used to have everything, try to find a clone web site, torrent, or small local comic shops. I found 1 – 8 pretty easy so just keep looking. Vol. 12(final) came out not too long ago in Japan.
I find it funny that you brought up Angelic Days, last month I found it a Borders and thought its was Horrible.
Also, I might be wrong but long ago I read that Evangelion got poor ratings when it was first broadcast, and only hit it big during syndication.
Good Luck with the search…
Tyler Aikens
Saw the movie EVANGELION 2.22 (the extra 2’s just mean that it was the blu-ray edition) tonight and was curious to see how other Evangelion fans (or non-fans) felt about it.
I am an Evangelion fanatic, and thought quite highly of the 1.0 rebuild, but “You Can (Not) Advance” was a major failure, in my mind. At least 3 or 4 hours worth of story with lots of depth and a huge cast condensed and rushed into a 1hr and 30min time frame. The new EVA pilot (and her new EVA, which is only in maybe 2 minutes of the film at the beginning, btw) are a waste of time and is nothing but more pervy eye-candy. And the music score… PRETENTIOUS.
It’s like they’re constantly trying to reach “DEATH/REBIRTH” epic-ness but the thing about D/R is that when they made it they didn’t give a rat’s ass how the public was going to accept it. However, it became a hit and solidified Evangelion’s stranglehold on the anime genre. Now with these rebuilds they’re trying to be twice as big and flashy and pretentious and “intelligent” but they’re forgetting the real reasons Evangelion is such a classic series: the characters, and in these new movies, there’s absolutely no time to get to know any of them.