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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

Rebuild of Evangelion

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13:17 / 02.05.08

It's a very common problem with internet connections, from what I understand. Even though you pay for broadband speeds it detects the kind of stuff you're using it for and decides that you're naughty and shouldn't have nice things.

Mysterious Transfer Student

13:29 / 02.05.08

There are also people who have the poor luck to have their internet provision via a university, who frown on P2P usage.

My ISP wrote to me recently, after my having been on probation for about three months for 'violation of Fair Use policy' (78Gb in one month is too much it seems), to tell me as I'd been so well behaved I was now entitled once again to have the download speeds I'd actually been paying for. Not that it made a huge difference while it was going on, I just cut down on streaming video and got up earlier to download Bleach.

Meanwhile, the quest for a semi-decent raw-and-sub file combo of this movie continues.

uncle retrospective

17:16 / 02.05.08

As apt as it can be for a film called you are (not) alone I just downloaded this at a friends house. I'm almost scared to watch it in case it's crap. But Yea!

uncle retrospective

12:32 / 03.05.08

OH MY GOD!
That was beautiful. So, So pretty. More thoughts later and thanks again for the torrent.

Mysterious Transfer Student

21:42 / 10.05.08

SPOILERS

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I just watched Rebuild Part One and was very surprised. Being so very familiar with the TV series meant that I was a little disappointed that the movie appeared to be such a faithful retread of the first half-dozen episodes, shot-for-shot at times (albeit looking gorgeous in places thanks to the higher budget - Misato's Lookout Mountain moment at sunset with Shinji over Tokyo-3 really has the impact it deserves here) and with precious little of the varied focus we seemed to have been promised. Much in the manner of the original compilation movie Death & Rebirth, a chunk of character development felt skipped over, the relationships between Shinji, Kensuke and Touji in bearing the cost of a shortened running time - one thing impossible to replicate in the space of a movie's length is the strong, arid sense of little happening, of killing time while on the shelf between missions, of being unwanted and unmissed that puts the viewer so firmly in Shinji's perspective during the first act of the TV series. I wanted to watch that dumbass B-movie propagandization of Second Impact, see that camping trip with Kensuke again, and the reunion with Misato - highlights of the emotional journey of Eva that I didn't want missed out.

[Start playing 'Nightmare' by The Pillows here]

[+] [-] However -

17:10 / 11.05.08

I reviewed the film here, and I pretty much agree with Danson's take. It took me a bit to get into the first half, and even though I liked it, I was wondering whether the project really needed to exist. But, I got more into the film as it went on, and the second half just flew by. I particularly love the subversion of emotional expectations when Shinji succeeds in defeating the Angel, but it doesn't matter at all, he's only spiraling deeper into depression.

The major thing missing is definitely that feeling of everyday life, and time passing. As much as I found the school scenes annoying and frequently nonsensical in the original series, I think they grounded the characters in a more relatable place. At first, I was confused about why these fourteen year old kids were piloting Evas and going to a regular school, but once we learn that all the kids in the school are potential Eva pilots, it makes a lot more sense. It's the illusion of normality.

I don't think this will supplant the series, but it's an interesting supplement, and I'm curious to see how Kaworu fits into the second movie, as well as how they present Asuka this time. She was always my favorite character, and her entrance into the series really cemented the characters. I liked the mood and feel of the first few episodes, but Asuka made understand the characters.

And, much as I might criticize elements of the film, Anno is doing something totally different from any other filmmaker out there. His ability to show the subjective experience of his characters, particularly Shinji in this film, is unparalleled. We're in their heads, experiencing all the emotional contradictions that real people feel. Movies are all about connecting external achievements to the resolution of internal issues, but that's not exactly how it is in real life. Shinji can stop the Angel, but that only makes him feel worse since it proves that the only reason people love him is because he pilots Eva. Can they ever love him just for who he is? I guess that depends on which ending of the series you consider the true one.

17:47 / 17.05.08

Help a newbie please. I have got hold of the DVD from the library and not having watched the series at all, can anyone tell me what I actually have here. It is called Neon Genesis Evangelion - The Films, and contains 2 films: 1.Death & Rebirth and 2. The End of Evangelion.

I am confused. This thread seems to talk about one film only. Also, which order should I watch them in.

18:41 / 17.05.08

Hey COG. I'm sorry to say, but what you hold in your hands is pretty useless to you at this stage.

Death and Rebirth is a recap of the series, but is absolutely no substitute for watching the series. It's a pretty rotten artefact, to be honest. If you haven't seen the show it doesn't work as a compression of the narrative and it'll spoil a lot of what happens. If you have seen the show then there's no point to watching it. My advice is to discard it and pretend it never existed.

End of Evangelion is one of the two alternate endings to the original series, intended as a replacement to episodes 25 and 26. Even having seen the whole show in the lead up it's still amongst the most difficult texts you're likely to see in the whole history of anime. This can't be stressed enough: it will make absolutely no sense until you've seen at least episodes 1-24.

The movie that we're discussing in this thread (Rebuild of Evangelion 1: You Are (Not) Alone) is a retelling of the first six episodes of the series with some changes. It is the first of four movies that are set to retell the whole story, with some likely major changes in later chapters.

What you'll need to start with is to beg, borrow, steal, purchase or download the whole TV show, all twenty six episodes. My preferred order for watching the whole thing is to see episodes 1-24, then End of Evangelion, then episodes 25 and 26. To make matters even more horribly complex for a newcomers, episodes 21-24 exist in an extended directors cut form. They're optional, but you might want to see them from the outset as they make some things a lot clearer.

The bizarre thing is that at this stage, for a fan, the multiple versions actually add a hell of a lot to the experience. Discussing where they all fit together (indeed, IF they fit together at all) works thematically because of all the scriptural references. It's like the cartoon equivalent of piecing together the Synoptic Gospels, with creator Hideaki Anno as the missing Q text. Although that might not encourage you much if you're finding the whole prospect daunting from the outset...

The simple version and my preferred order (opinions will differ):

1. Episodes 1-20.
2. The directors cuts of 21-24.
3. End of Evangelion.
4. Episodes 25 & 26.

18:45 / 17.05.08

Regarding the films that we're discussing in this thread (the aforementioned retelling of the whole story in four films, with You Are (Not) Alone as the first installment)... on the strength of what we've seen I wouldn't watch it until you've seen the whole series and End of Evanglion, as I detail above. See the original first innit.

19:11 / 17.05.08

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. I think that this may go on the list of "things to do if I become immortal". I'm trying to watch more anime etc but 2 hour films are a bit more practical for me right now. Your lovely posts are keeping me intrigued though, so you never know.

19:52 / 17.05.08

Just consider the series four two hour movies, it's definitely worth your time. However, I'd recommend watching the series through before checking out End of Eva. I'm still not sure what I'd consider the 'definitive' ending, each has its merits, and both are spectacular pieces of cinema. But, I'd definitely watch 25/26 before the film.

SPOILERS FOLLOW

Going a bit into spoilers, how do people reconcile EoE and 25/26? I find it hard to fit them into the same continuum. The only way I could see it working is if you put the achievement of human instrumentality at the end of the series some time during EoE, followed by Shinji rejecting instrumentality and winding up alone on the beach with Asuka. However, I suppose it's also possible the beach reality is just one stop on the way to instrumentality.

It's really the tonal difference between the two endings that makes it so tough for me to reconcile. The end of the series is so positive, while End of Eva is desolate. I want Shinji to have found that oneness that the show promises, but it's all undercut by what we see in EoE.

14:55 / 18.05.08

ALL SPOILERS, ALL OF THE TIME:

[+] [-] Spoiler

19:04 / 08.07.08

Drive a lot?

Worried about keeping your drinks cool?

Have you considered the Neon Genesis Evangelion Mini Fridge?

All your prayers are answered!

08:43 / 09.07.08

Batman aside; there is little else that excites me as much as the prospect of getting my Evangeli on.

According to wiki, it's had a theatrical release throughout the pacific rim and has been aquired by Australia. What price a cinema release in the UK? This has got Big Screen Experience written all over it...

Anyone know anything?

20:00 / 09.07.08

I know nothing of a UK cinema release, although based on past experience what we'll see is a (very) limited arthouse run. Which is a crying shame, as i would dearly love to see Eva at the cinema. It's kinda what cinema is designed for.

What's concerning me more is that there still doesn't seem to be an official release date for the sequel...

10:03 / 10.07.08

yeh everything I've read just says that the Japan release is '2008'; nothing more.

Incidentally, if you do hear of a cinema run, please put a note on here, won't you? I've only ever seen big event anime on the big screen once (caught EoE as part of a horror and sci-fi 24hr marathon in Oxford circa 2001; fell asleep in The Thing, woke up in Westworld. It was the best day) and would dearly love to repeat the experience..

15:25 / 07.10.08

Eva 2.0 is set for Early Summer 2009

Whether it makes it out then or not, I don't know, but at least there's some forward progress. I rewatched 1.0 a few weeks ago and liked it a lot more. The major thing I picked up on this viewing was the idea that this isn't so much a remake as some kind of follow up, like all the events of the original series happened before and the characters are in a cycle, doing the same things again and again.

23:59 / 13.10.08

What in the blue hell is this?

Essential Dazzler

00:28 / 14.10.08

Charlie Simpson, Alex Westaway, and Dan Haigh are all members of Fightstar, who did a couple of B-Side called "Shinji Ikari" and "NERV/SEELE" a year or so ago if I recall correctly.

Make of that what you will.

Mysterious Transfer Student

11:12 / 20.02.09

Evangelion 2.0, You Can (Not) Advance, due in Japanese cinemas June 27th.

The project's official website and the second film's teaser, which was shown with the first film, promised the fan-favorite character Asuka, the EVA-02 through -06 units with new designs for many of them, a new eyeglasses-wearing brunette girl character, more fan "service-service," "a shocking new story, and new visuals."

Meta-fan-service? - how Gainax. Time to renew those fevered remake-or-sequel speculations, people!

11:31 / 21.02.09

Poster reminds me of one from a late sixties youth-in-Tokyo flick, but heck if I can pin it down.

Is Funimation okeh - or optimal - these days? I hear ADV's going down, and maybe I am getting old, but... Funimation?

Anyways, still looking so forward to this, yes, indeed! Yay! Gainax! And let the story changes begin now.

00:35 / 22.02.09

I'm decidedly in the sequel camp, but either way, I'm really excited to see the next movie. Asuka was my favorite character from the original series, and I'm curious to see what they do with her. The first Rebuild skillfully managed to distill the characters arcs of the series into more linear, clear arcs for the film, and I'm curious to see how they continue that in this new movie. And, of course, the story changes are of particular interest. How long until a copy turns up on torrent?

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