Evangelion Movie 1: Jo

This remade Evangelion is truly a great work. It follows the original series very closely, and even though there is new animation, you swear you are watching the original from time to time, which i believe is a plus. As the movie progresses, you start to see the story changes that have been made, some of them in my opinion only add more confusion and create more questions (which will hopefully be answered later), but it is quite effective. When watching this though, you must keep in mind that it is not just a revamped version, but an alternate retelling, so dont ... be surprised if things dont happen the same.

The movie lacks in that it is in fact a movie, and they are cramming about a fourth of the show into the movie so it feels rush. Lots of conversations, events, etc are excluded, which really aren't THAT important, but it doesn't feel complete, especially if you've seen the original series.

The movie does make up for it though, with all of the new eye candy thrown in. Everything from the scenery to the battle sequences and computer displays have been upgraded. Definitely more appealing than the original.

Overall, the movie does a good job, but i would have to say that the original is still probably better, only in that you get more story and more development. It would be great if they could mix the two, or instead of making four movies, remake all 26 episodes.

Evangelion 1.0 is the first of four films remaking and retelling Neon Genesis Evangelion. It is meant to be more accessible for new fans and changing things enough (Most notably, the modern animation) for existing fans to enjoy. The latter point however, doesn't seem to live up to it's promise in this movie.

Story - 8/10

The start of the story seems no different from Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's 2015 and Angels (Don't take it literally, they're big monsters) are showing up to threaten humanity with destruction. These Angels previously annihilated half of the world's population 15 years ago and they're back to finish the job. The ... only thing that can stand in their way are Evangelion units, giant robots that are piloted by teenagers with all different kinds of problems. The main pilot of the story is Shinji Ikari, a b oy with serious daddy issues and personal struggles within himself when he's asked to pilot an Eva and help defeat Angels.

As someone who has seen the anime, there isn't that much that changes the story here. It's basically a prettier version of the series. There are some clarifications and changes, primarily in establishing late-show plot points early on. This foreshadowing approach could potentially be confusing though I personally found it interesting. As a whole this movie does seem to achieve it's goal of making Evangelion more easily accessible and it removes many things from the show in favor to push the story. It feels a little rushed at times as a result, and some level of character development and pace is lost because of it.

Animation - 9/10

It's hard to rework a show from 1995 with modern animation techniques and not have superior animation in every way, and Evangelion 1.0 doesn't disappoint here. Everything looks sharper, the colors are vivid, there's excellent use of CGI, and lighting is distinctly excellent. The new art creates a level of detail that simply could not be done with the original anime series. The landscape looks wondrous, and luckily the Evas and Angels haven't experienced any problems with having digital animation techniques used on them. This movie is heavy on the visual eye candy and it's wonderful considering how dated the art is for the anime series.

Sound - 10/10

It becomes apparent quickly that the experience of the voice cast has helped returning actors perform better than they did before, and replacing plenty of vocal talent for the minor roles has removed a previously existing flaw in the voice department. One thing I will say is I'm not sure what to think about the replacement for Gendo Ikari. The original performance behind the character had a certain tone to it and even though he was stereotypically emotionless often, it seemed more fitting than what we have now. Gendo still seems like a jerk but not nearly as big of one, and even has some feeling behind his words at times. This is however, the only character I felt could possibly be a flawed performance vocally. Everyone else is an improvement. Spike Spencer fixes some flaws he had early on with some line delivery. The "I musn't run away" line is great when before it was anything but. Shinji feels much less whiny and the difference in the performance actually had me enjoying his character more. Brina Palencia serves as the new voice of Rei Ayanami, and this was another case of putting more emotion behind a previously stoic and quiet character. Unlike Gendo however, these subtle changes for Rei seem warranted, and again I found myself enjoying a character that I previously had no feeling for due to new lines and a new actor.

The best part of the sound is by far, the OST. Old classics are reworked and the new operatic tracks are absolutely fantastic. These new songs create a very epic sense of atmosphere when they play and it could not be more suitable for a movie with gigantic robots and monsters fighting for the outcome of humanity. It's really something when some fresh music can enhance scenes you've seen before, but that's what happens here.

Characters - 8/10

This was a hard category to score since this movie retells the first six episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion, which means some characters aren't here or haven't been delved into. Certain scenes are left out and a few changes felt like they took away from certain aspects of the character development. In light of this, I did mention already that there were changes that made me enjoy characters more than I did before, certainly at the same point of watching episodes in the anime. Shinji feels more natural, and he isn't developing any faster but he just seems more believable. Rei seems much more human, but there's still a bit of mystery there and it will be interesting to see what becomes of her. Misato having lingering issues is brought up early on but she seems like the one who could be sacrificed in the character development area due to more focus on hitting notes with the pilots that were missed in the original anime. This movie does a good job delving into the same psychological issues that the show was famous for with it's characters, but overall it feels like there is less of a focus on the psychoanalysis.

Overall - 9/10

I do think a better effort could have been made to make this movie stand on it's own. Sure, we know it's part of a tetralogy and it's only telling a portion of the episodes, but give it a definite ending. It's such a cliffhanger and another thing that will get different reaction based on whether or not viewers have already watched the series. Even then, many will say this is what Evangelion should have been, but that will remain to be seen. Even if this is just a sexy new coat of paint on an anime classic, Evangelion 1.0 is still worth watching. It's full of the large scale battles that were a spectacle before, and every technical aspect it could improve on is a success.

I'm typically not a fan of remake movies. Either they change far too drastically, turning into something that's little more than a shallow representation of what they're supposed to be, or they turn out being elongated recap episodes with a few extra scenes here and there. These are common issues with just about any remake really. But every once in a while a remake manages to shine and elevate itself into the "worth watching" realm. But Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone doesn't do this. No, YANA surpasses that whole tier and emerges as the only remake I can think of that I'll safely say ... SURPASSES it's source material in many ways.

As far as story goes, what you're looking at is a retelling of the events in the series that made up the first three battles with Angels. For the most part, almost everything in terms of the story is kept intact, right down to the majority of the dialogue. But for those who haven't seen the series, the story focuses on Shinji, a 14 year old boy that is given the responsibility of being an Evangelion (basically a giant humanoid shaped mech unit) pilot completely out of the blue. With the human race under assault from massive, monstrous creatures called "Angels" he must learn to master using his Eva and get used to their mysterious creators, a group known as Nerv. There's an added scene or two, and one scene that changes rather drastically, though in my opinion it's a welcome one as it makes Misato out to be a bit more serious and/or stern than she was in the original, but none of it is drastic enough where you'll feel like they changed it too much.

This actually leads me to the first thing I feel is a massive improvement over the series; pacing. NGE, in my opinion, was a very slow starting series. I felt like the show took too long to get to the critical points in the plot, and when it did, they were too short lived. This left the show feeling very similar to an episodic, which is, as far as I'm concerned, no bueno. After the sixth Angel (where the movie leaves off at), things finally started picking up, but prior to that, it sort of slogged along to me. What this movie proves is that sometimes, less time can actually work towards a benefit overall. By trimming the proverbial fat, all the extra stuff that was in the episodes of NGE is gone, giving way to strictly the most important plot points involved.

And man does it make a huge difference. The movie may only be about an hour and a half, but it's a really great ride. Everything from the action to the drama is non-stop and flows beautifully. If nothing else, this movie is a testament to just how great these events could, and should have been had we not had all that other stuff distracting us. But the incredible thing is that most of the scenes you're seeing play out almost exactly as they did in the series (though, of course, the art and sound have seen extensive makeovers), it's just that they mesh together so much better in this rapid-fire pacing. Still, obviously, whether you see this as a good or bad thing relies on what your opinion of these episodes of the show is. If you thoroughly enjoyed them, you'll find a lot of stuff missing. If you found them to be lacking, like I did, this is a very welcome change.

As mentioned, the art and animation have seen some extensive overhauls here. Yet once again, the unique approach that was taken towards these modifications yields a surprisingly refreshing visual style. Basically, as far as characters go, their design is left almost completely unchanged from their original appearance. Meaning if you were to place a picture of the original 90's characters faces next to their equivelant in this movie, the differences are basically superficial. Sure, the lighting, shading, and shadow effects are improved upon, but as far as the characters looks go, they're exactly the same design, right down to the clothes they wear and their hairstyles.

What has changed quite a bit is just about everything else. 3D CGI has been added in in quite a few scenes, including those involving the Eva's. Many of the general environments have also been heavily upgraded, as have the fifth and sixth Angels. Both have been rendered in 3D now; the fifth Angel looks slightly more intimidating rather than like a flying sex toy, and the sixth Angel now makes more sense and generally looks cooler as it changes its form when it fires its...whatever beam. Oh, and it's drill no longer looks like a pink beaded vibrator. In the end, for all of you "old schoolers" out there who defend 90's anime characters, this movie should be in your arsenal as it blends the characters of our time with modernized versions of just about everything else, and it works flawlessly.

As far as sound goes, I'm going to go right into the dubs vo. NGE's English dub was laughably awful. I'm a huge supporter of dubs, always will be, but if NGE ever comes up in an argument...I'm screwed. It's just...scarring...for the most part. Thankfully, quite a few changes were made which were all huge improvements in this department. As per usually Colleen Clinkenbeard was bought in to take over for Ritsuko, and again, as per usual, she does a great job. Brina Palencia takes over for Rei, and fortunately Rei's robotic tone suits Brina well, so she does a good job of her here. The ever popular Greg Ayres has Kensuke covered, and does some good work there. There are some other newcomers, but none make any notable difference. Oh, wait they bought Monica Rial on too for...PenPen. As is always the case, I don't watch subs, so I can't really help you on the Japanese talent...sorry.

For Shinji and Misato Spike Spencer and Allison Kieth both reprise their rolls, and while I had no qualms with Spike's work in NGE, Misato was pretty grating during these events in the series. Thankfully, she does a much better job now, despite many of her lines being exactly the same. Maybe it's just because she's older now and her voice has changed some, I don't know, either way, there's an improvement here.

For music and such, it's different than what was in the original series, though it's still nothing memorable. I will have to admit that I'm partial to the ED though; love Utada Hikaru. Freaking Kingdom Hearts man...

As far as characters go, you're looking at exactly the same characters as the show, with the same personalities and characteristics. Concerning character development; there is somewhat less of it here. We get less background info on Shinji's friends at school, Kensuke and Toji, though in the context of the movie they play a significantly smaller role in his life. Basically they put Shinji and Rei in the spotlight...kind of; there's significantly more work done on Shinji, but we still learn a decent amount about Rei, which is good since in the process we're given something of a reason to start disliking Shinji's father, Gendou.

So, if you're like me and you're leary about wasting time watching remakes and such, I'll tell you right now, this one is definitely worth your time. In fact, I'd actually go so far as to say you might actually get a better understanding of the events featured during this time by watching this movie rather than watching them unfold in NGE. If you've never seen the original, definitely give this a look; this movie takes place from the start of the series to after the battle with the sixth Angel, so you're not missing out on anything by seeing this, and going by todays standards, it more than holds up well.I'm typically not a fan of remake movies. Either they change far too drastically, turning into something that's little more than a shallow representation of what they're supposed to be, or they turn out being elongated recap episodes with a few extra scenes here and there. These are common issues with just about any remake really. But every once in a while a remake manages to shine and elevate itself into the "worth watching" realm. But Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone doesn't do this. No, YANA surpasses that whole tier and emerges as the only remake I can think of that I'll safely say SURPASSES it's source material in many ways.

As far as story goes, what you're looking at is a retelling of the events in the series that made up the first three battles with Angels. For the most part, almost everything in terms of the story is kept intact, right down to the majority of the dialogue. But for those who haven't seen the series, the story focuses on Shinji, a 14 year old boy that is given the responsibility of being an Evangelion (basically a giant humanoid shaped mech unit) pilot completely out of the blue. With the human race under assault from massive, monstrous creatures called "Angels" he must learn to master using his Eva and get used to their mysterious creators, a group known as Nerv. There's an added scene or two, and one scene that changes rather drastically, though in my opinion it's a welcome one as it makes Misato out to be a bit more serious and/or stern than she was in the original, but none of it is drastic enough where you'll feel like they changed it too much.

This actually leads me to the first thing I feel is a massive improvement over the series; pacing. NGE, in my opinion, was a very slow starting series. I felt like the show took too long to get to the critical points in the plot, and when it did, they were too short lived. This left the show feeling very similar to an episodic, which is, as far as I'm concerned, no bueno. After the sixth Angel (where the movie leaves off at), things finally started picking up, but prior to that, it sort of slogged along to me. What this movie proves is that sometimes, less time can actually work towards a benefit overall. By trimming the proverbial fat, all the extra stuff that was in the episodes of NGE is gone, giving way to strictly the most important plot points involved.

And man does it make a huge difference. The movie may only be about an hour and a half, but it's a really great ride. Everything from the action to the drama is non-stop and flows beautifully. If nothing else, this movie is a testament to just how great these events could, and should have been had we not had all that other stuff distracting us. But the incredible thing is that most of the scenes you're seeing play out almost exactly as they did in the series (though, of course, the art and sound have seen extensive makeovers), it's just that they mesh together so much better in this rapid-fire pacing. Still, obviously, whether you see this as a good or bad thing relies on what your opinion of these episodes of the show is. If you thoroughly enjoyed them, you'll find a lot of stuff missing. If you found them to be lacking, like I did, this is a very welcome change.

As mentioned, the art and animation have seen some extensive overhauls here. Yet once again, the unique approach that was taken towards these modifications yields a surprisingly refreshing visual style. Basically, as far as characters go, their design is left almost completely unchanged from their original appearance. Meaning if you were to place a picture of the original 90's characters faces next to their equivelant in this movie, the differences are basically superficial. Sure, the lighting, shading, and shadow effects are improved upon, but as far as the characters looks go, they're exactly the same design, right down to the clothes they wear and their hairstyles.

What has changed quite a bit is just about everything else. 3D CGI has been added in in quite a few scenes, including those involving the Eva's. Many of the general environments have also been heavily upgraded, as have the fifth and sixth Angels. Both have been rendered in 3D now; the fifth Angel looks slightly more intimidating and significantly less like a flying sex toy, and the sixth Angel now makes more sense and generally looks cooler as it now changes its form when it fires its...whatever beam. Oh, and it's drill no longer looks like a pink beaded vibrator...though for some reason it can't seem to do anything without a chorus of a thousand cherubs singing in the background. In the end, for all of you "old schoolers" out there who defend 90's anime characters, this movie should be in your arsenal as it blends the characters of our time with modernized versions of just about everything else, and it works flawlessly.

As far as sound goes, I'm going to go right into the dubs vo. NGE's English dub was laughably awful. I'm a huge supporter of dubs, always will be, but if NGE ever comes up in an argument...I'm screwed. It's just...scarring...for the most part. Thankfully, quite a few changes were made which were all huge improvements in this department. As per usually Colleen Clinkenbeard was bought in to take over for Ritsuko, and again, as per usual, she does a great job. Brina Palencia takes over for Rei, and fortunately Rei's robotic tone suits Brina well, so she does a good job of her here. The ever popular Greg Ayres has Kensuke covered, and does some good work there. There are some other newcomers, but none make any notable difference. Oh, wait they bought Monica Rial on too for...PenPen. As is always the case, I don't watch subs, so I can't really help you on the Japanese talent...sorry.

For Shinji and Misato Spike Spencer and Allison Kieth both reprise their rolls, and while I had no qualms with Spike's work in NGE, Misato was pretty grating during these events in the series. Thankfully, she does a much better job now, despite many of her lines being exactly the same. Maybe it's just because she's older now and her voice has changed some, I don't know, either way, there's an improvement here.

For music and such, it's different than what was in the original series, though it's still nothing memorable. I will have to admit that I'm partial to the ED though; love Utada Hikaru. Freaking Kingdom Hearts man...

As far as characters go, you're looking at exactly the same characters as the show, with the same personalities and characteristics. Concerning character development; there is somewhat less of it here. We get less background info on Shinji's friends at school, Kensuke and Toji, though in the context of the movie they play a significantly smaller role in his life. Basically they put Shinji and Rei in the spotlight...kind of; there's significantly more work done on Shinji, but we still learn a decent amount about Rei, which is good since in the process we're given something of a reason to start disliking Shinji's father, Gendou.

So, if you're like me and you're leary about wasting time watching remakes and such, I'll tell you right now, this one is definitely worth your time. In fact, I'd actually go so far as to say you might actually get a better understanding of the events featured during this time by watching this movie than watching them unfold in NGE. If you've never seen the original, definitely give this a look; this movie takes place from the start of the series to after the battle with the sixth Angel, so you're not missing out on anything by seeing this, and going by todays standards, it more than holds up well.

Basically a recap of the first 6 or 7 episodes of the TV show with some redone battle animation and a couple pointless new scenes. Most of it looked like it was recycled straight from the show, which is good because I prefer cel animation over digital by a truly vast margin, but it cuts down on the novelty and originality of the experience. Some of the fight scenes were sort of interesting, but not real improvements on the originals except for maybe the cube angel. Also if you're into CGI you might like the buildings moving up and down. If you've seen the TV ... show there really isn't much of anything new to get excited about. Not a bad movie by any means, but rather redundant.

Good adaptation of the original series into a new hd draw and new animations, with some added scenes that contributes the story but without lots of scenes, making the progress of shinji very fast paced.

You must watch the original anime but if hadn't and watched the movie anyways, I full recommend watching the 90's anime and the 90's movie, because it's a much more develop story.

I will watch the other 3 movies and I wish the story changes a bit more, because if not, it would be still a good remake but less good than the original series, and that makes me think, it's worth?

Evangelion 1.11 is as breathtakingly good as the first six episodes of the main series. Having said that, everything that it does differently than the main series was a mistake. And, having said that, it's still one of my favorite movies of all time.

It is very hard for me to properly express how I feel about Evangelion because of how good it is. That's why I haven't reviewed the main series yet. That makes it hard to review this movie since the main things I would normally talk about are the differences between the two. I will dodge having to discuss Evangelion once again ... by simply assuming that you watched the series and saying that it's a shot by shot remaster of the first six episodes. The budget is significantly higher, so it looks a lot better though.

On to the main plan of discussing the differences:

The water is red... (lol)?

They change up the structure of the second and third episodes so it makes sense chronologically speaking. I see why they did this, and it makes sense for it being a movie, but I liked how it was done originally. The only reason it worked, though, is because the series is episodic. To explain more, the second episode ends in a cliff hanger in the middle of a losing fight for Shinji. The third episode starts after the fight is over, with Shinji victorious in the hospital with no recollection of the conclusion of the fight. This set up a uniquely impressive sense of tension in the series emphasized more by that entire episode being spent grounding us into the universe. After we're fully grounded, it shows us how the fight ended with the Evangelion going berserk. This emphasizes how extraordinary an event that was. Doing this scene chronologically, the movie gives us a false sense of comfort with Evangelions going berserk. It wouldn't have been wrong to keep it the same as the series, but it definitely would've been more awkward.

Other differences... hmm... There aren't many. It felt just about the same. I loved it. Technically speaking this is my favorite movie. There are no movies above this on my list. Watch it.

Probably one of the most curious movies that I have seen of anime. Second to Ghost of the Fireflies in terms of a psychological uncomfortable feelings. I have never been perplexed to go more in detail of a storyline ever since the Clannad series.

Story 10/10
The story of Evangelion 1.0 features a 14 year old young boy in a post apocalyptic world where humanity lives in fear of each and every day. After arriving at a destination, he gets thrown into a situation of misery, destruction and death in every essence. After his confrontation with the genocidal machine, he lives each day trying to understand ... his purpose in life while trying to fulfill the responsibilities that have unfortunately have been thrown unto him. I found the story incredibly unique. Though machines were a typical part of the machina genre(obviously), it is rare to find a machina genre featured in the post-apocalyptic era. Especially one that is heartbreakingly satisfying such as this movie.

Art 8/10
I was perplexed to give this a 7 or a 6 until I watched the original anime Neon Genesis Evangelion and saw a couple changes. The Art in this anime wasn't up to par with beautiful art work, and even while watching the original anime (which was made in 1995), I couldn't tell the difference. The couple changes; however, were subtle which urged me to give it a higher rating than it should have, though the Art portion isn't the main fact that I am interested in.

Sound 10/10
The music in this anime was quite relatable, especially the ending song which kept the mood of "What the fuck just happened?". After watching the movie, and perhaps listening to the ending theme song, I was urged to watch the original series which made me understand the world of Evangelion much more.

Character 10/10
I'm pretty picky with my characters, and I don't tend to like a whole lot of generic characters, especially the ones that play into the "perfect" stereotype, but Shinji Ikari was a character that was both a character I hated and felt pity for. Having both of those traits isn't easy on a character, as viewers would usually lean towards hating the character, but in this case, the movie portrayed him more as a character that should have been understood. As he is thrown into a world he doesn't understand, while still developing at a young age is a lot to take for his character and Shinji was an extremely believable character to believe in. The psychological effects, horror, confusion, and frustration all tied up to a perfectly imperfect character in Shinji.

Enjoyment 10/10
I was utterly hooked. Not only did I start watching the original anime series, but I have also finished the first half of the series that night. The series did show a little more depth, but the movie portrayed the anime perfectly. I believe that Shinji will be a character that I will be able to understand in the long run. Perhaps it is due to these unbelievable circumstances that I may have been hooked on this series in the first place.

Overall 10/10
I enjoyed this movie, a lot. I don't have the best attention span when it comes to movies, and at first, I was a bit thrown off with the whole post-apocalyptic genre with machines. Evangelion, however; did not disappoint. After being thrown in the horrific world of Evangelion, I find myself wanting to dive in deeper into the story and into the character of Shinji Ikari. Hopefully you find satisfaction in this series as I have.

Thanks for reading!

To call Neon Genesis Evangelion influential to Anime would be like saying the Sun is rather helpful to the earth. No Anime before or since has had a more lasting impact or have such passionate fan base. This does not mean it was without its flaws, so many in fact that it would be foolish to list here, since this is a review of the movies not the Anime show. With that said a remake might be what the series needs if anything just to give the series the conclusive ending it rightfully deserves. So here we are with the first of four planed movies ... to retell expand and show what the creator of Evangelion really wanted us to see.

Evangelion wastes no time in showing off its new found visual prowess. No longer confined by the budget constraints that plagued the original, we are treated to a feast for the eyes. Crisp, detailed backgrounds, fluid animation, and detailed character models are there for all to admire. With some new clever additions of CG for the Evangelions and the Angels, the CG at hand is used when appropriate and thankfully never abused where not needed. The characters remain largely the same in design with a few details added. Needless to say the Art is one of Evangelion 1.0 strongest points.

The sound design is also excellent. Many iconic tracts return in this outing with a few new ones added. The new songs in question sometimes use choir ensembles to accent the on screen action. In true Evangelion style they start off sounding silly but quickly fit in with the movie and make up a great sound track. With the exception of the closing piece over the credits no one will find it particularly memorable but it does its job and does it well.

The characters of Evangelion have always been a bit like a steel plated Achilles heel. Somehow simultaneously being its strongest and weakest points. The characters were always incredibly deep psychologically yet at the same time being intensely unlikeable. With that said obvious care went into Shinji to make him more likeable yet keep his tortured inner self. They do this remarkably well to a certain extent. While Shinji character is no less tortures and angst ridden than before he keeps this largely himself and the series thankfully removes most of his irritating complaints. Other characters from Neon Genesis being left largely the same so of little note, other than being true to form.

It should come to no surprise that the plot of Evangelion is almost identical to that of the original. Many scenes from the original being recreated frame by frame with the improved animation budget. The movie throws no surprises in the way of the viewers and is faithful to a fault. This can be forgiven since many of the anime’s most glaring problems don’t occur until later in the series. However this does make Evangelion 1.0 lack its own identity and more a retelling than a re-envisioning. With that said the plotting throughout is terrific and never feels rushed.

In summary Evangelion 1.0 is an expert retelling of the first 6 episodes of the series that might just surpass the original in terms of plotting and characters. With that said it is little more than a retelling and holds nothing to surprise fans of the original. This none the less is an excellent watch for fans of the original and a great way to get new people introduced to the series.

WARNING: Spoilers Included

Ok, So Evangelion is regarded as one of the most influential anime franchises of all time, and for good reason. Hideaki Anno created an incredibly absorbing world filled with mystery, symbolism, and dramatic intrigue. It featured a spectacular soundtrack, a diverse cast, and giant robots whose designs were both detailed and to some even terrifying. This movie will definitely by a nostalgic kick to anyone who enjoyed the original anime.

For any newcomers to the series this first rebuild movie ... serves to highlight the beginning of the anime series, or roughly the first 6 episodes of the original anime. If you have seen the show before you will undoubtedly notice subtle changes to the animation quality. Meaning, it is much better than it was in 1995.Backgrounds offer more details, mech designs are brighter and have more detail and more "humanistic" proportions, and characters are brighter.

If you are watching this movie to see something new you will most likely be disappointed (save the last 5 minutes). However, it does alter character interactions (mostly through specific dialogue) to hint at something greater. If you are new to the franchise then it serves as a great introduction to the characters and to the world of evangelion without being too vague on key topics such as Lilith, Seele, and Gendo Ikari's own interests.

However, this movie is not perfect, it simplifies complex character ideas down to a few core motivations for the sake of expediting the plot and some might find the sheer number of Angel fights to be a bit heavy handled for storytelling sake.
Story 8/10 This is mostly because it offers little new to previous eva fans but the nostalgic value as well as reasonably deep character motivations make investing emotions into these characters worth it.

Art 9/10 Simply put the animation is great. If this stuff looked like this in 1995 I'm pretty sure everyone the world over would have crapped their pants oogling over how bright and fluid the fight sequences look.

Sound 9/10 Eva has always been known for a great soundtrack and this is no exception. I especially loved the ending theme that remixes the original Fly Me to The Moon from the original NGE.

Character 8/10 One of my few gripes is that these formally complex characters core motivations have been broken down for plot simplicity sake, but a lot of what made them great is still there.

Enjoyment 10/10 This ova movie looks great and it harkens back to a simpler time in anime when teenage kids going through puberty wasn't cute and hilarious but dark and made us feel like we could picture ourselves in their shoes. It looks great, and for fans of the series provides an excellent trip down memory lane. For newcomers it offers a mech series with intriguing characters and designs with plenty of action and lore to keep you interested.

Overall 9/10 I really wanted to give this one a ten, but the fact that it offers very little new content keeps this from getting my top score. However, I did not have much to gripe about since I am also a huge fan of the original but would say that if you want to know more about these characters motivations and backstory then you should watch the original series rather than the rebuild sequels.

Thank you!

Anyone who's read my Neon Genesis Evangelion review knows that I'm not the biggest fan of the show. I decided to give the Rebuild series a try, and so far, I've been quite happy.

Story: 8
Once again, we're back with the "Shinji, get in the robot and fight the Lovecraftian horror" plot. As I said before, I love this premise, especially since the Evas hold the risk of serious injury to the pilots. This movie shows it off even better, with some scenes showing damage ACTUALLY happening to the pilots while it's happening to the Eva. Plus, by the end of the movie, you feel ... that sense of victory that comes from overcoming self-doubt, as well as a giant monster.

Art: 8
Evangelion has a budget this time around, and it shows. While the art direction isn't phenomenal, it was quite beautiful this time around, especially with the sixth angel. All-in-all, it's pleasant on the eyes, and quite the spectacle at times.

Sound: 8
Second verse, same as the first. Sound was what I praised NGE for, and most of the stuff is the same this time around. I noticed a few more soundtracks this time. The voice actors are, for the most part, the same. However, they got Colleen Clinkenbeard to play Dr. Akagi, so bonus point

Character: 8
Hallelujah, there is some growth! Bear in mind, this movie covers the section of the show before everything started to spiral downward, so where the characters go from here could still be less than hopeful. HOWEVER, as of this movie, you get to see growth in the characters. Misato starts to worry about Shinji, treating him like a little brother. Shinji begins to face his fears, and it feels like he's fighting for more than just approval by the end. His growth isn't complete, but hey, first arc. Rei begins to act a little more human, but again, the growth isn't complete. Gendo is still a prick. I'm still accepting of this fact.

Enjoyment: 8
All in all, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. It never once felt like a pool of depression, but rather a tale of "It can get better." If I had to recommend one Evangelion over another, I think it's definitely be the Rebuild universe over the original show.

Overall: 8 (huh, eights across the board. Way to go, Hideaki!)

This movie is basically just the original NGE but worse. When i watched the original evangelion, i felt the depressing and hopeless tones the show was trying to convey, which to me were the things that made the series so beautiful. It showed how all of these characters were struggling so much and it made me empathise with them. This entire vibe of the original is just completely omitted in this movie. It's still a good movie, its evangelion after all, but it just feels so rushed and emotionless. It's action after action after action, with barely any points of rest. Also BAD CG alert!!!! ... I'm sorry some shots just feel so out of place from the 2d animation. But i guess it is a 2007 movie so I'll forgive them for that.

Overall, if you watched the original eva, i dont recommend you watch this rendition. It's just a recap.

It's Evangelion with a bigger budget, better animation, catchier music, and no filler. The faster pacing alone is what set this movie above the TV series for me. With less extraneous expository dialog, and the introduction of key plot points (and a few new ones) MUCH early on, it sets up this alternate interpretation for some much more interesting scenarios in the future. While Eva fans fully versed in the series lore will get much more out of this than people who've never seen the series or just read the Sadamoto comics, it's self-contained enough that you won't really *miss* anything. The tighter pace also ... heightens the suspense in some of the missions, and because the characters act much less subtly, it makes their interactions much more striking, and the characters themselves seem better thought-out. Shinji is less of a baby, (it looks more like he has serious mental problems, rather than just a case of the whinies) Rei is still cold and distant, but you know why almost immediately, and the budding romance between her and Shinji that was hinted at in the show and explicitly shown in the manga is touched upon again. Let the fanfiction begin. Or continue.

Mecha fans will get a kick out of the refined (and super-sexy) Eva designs. I had a bit of a nerd-gasm when Eva-01 showed of its new glow-in-the-dark panels.The whole series has been modernized, too. The now ancient-looking real-life technology from 1995 (I'll be surprised if they keep the Sega Saturn in the later movies) has been replaced, and the designs for the Geofront and Nerv look more streamlined and cohesive. The CG animation isn't that intrusive, and it really spruces up the battles. They mirror the scenes from the show almost exactly, only with much more pizzaz. Think of it as the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition of anime, without the crying fanboys. Like Star Wars SE, the iconic explosions have been enhanced, and the angel deaths are much cooler. Everything sings and shines and looks cool as hell.
While I was never much of a fan of the Japanese dub of Evangelion (ADV did a great job, guys. Show 'em some love.), they do a servicable job. Gendou still sounds awesome, Misato still makes us desire more fanservice, Rei is still moe, and Shinji sounds like a little girl-All is right with the world. Hopefully, Funimation can gather the old crew together when they record their dub.

Oh, and did I mention that the theme "Angel of Doom" is Engrishly awesome? It is. I love it. It's worth losing a few of the theme songs in the show for that alone.
Watch it, watch it, watch it.

Let me get this out here first. I HATED the 26 episode series of Neon Genesis Evangelion. I hated being confused, I hated not having the entire plot available in the show and having to check what is going on online. But most of all, I hated being bored. I was so bored watching that series I was wondering how on earth this series could be so popular. And when I wasn't bored I was confused.

When I watched this I expected the same thing, it is the same story after all. But they fixed it! They fixed the pacing! They have so much better animation! ... It's all so much better! I'm actually looking forward to watching the other movies as opposed to the trudging I went through going through the slow series. This was a fantastic movie, and I can't wait to see the rest of the Tetralogy.

However, I don't recommend watching it yet until the rest of the movies are out, there's no reason to be in a cliffhanger all the time if you can just watch it later.

The first thing i want to say is: "rebuilding" Evangelion was in no way necessary. However, the result is not too terrible, it just doesn't manage to reach the original show, not at all, at least in this first movie. That depends on a certain viewpoint though, i will talk about that in the first section, the story. Never break a working pattern, after all.

Story: For all intents and purposes, "You are (not) alone" is a recap-movie, summarizing the first few episodes of the classic with some new animation. A lot of scenes had to be omitted, some they added, the gist of all the ... events is still comprehendable. They are two ways to look at the rebuild-movies, either as a remake or a sequel. Now isn't that interesting? Cause there is pretty heavy evidence that maybe, after the events of the "End of Evangelion" the whole world entered some sort of loop. On the top of my head, the sea being suddenly red and Kaworu literally saying it happens again. Of course, i'd never thought of this, all that i am writing here someone else compiled. There is more to this theory, but until anything gets directly confirmed it is just that. A theory. Now if i had to rate the story, i'd call it good. Wait, i actually do have to rate it. I just felt something was missing, but of course, if it is a sequel, then we already saw everything in the show before. Maybe that is what they were doing, similar to how brotherhood rushed through the start, simply expecting the viewer to have already watched Fullmetal Alchemist. It remains to be seen, for now, this is what it is.

Art: A slight improvement, but that's the point. It's nothing major. Over ten years passed and the old show still stands up to the remake. I think that's really impressive. They are no stillframes and other budget-preserving techniques at work anymore, but as i mentioned, those scenes added to Eva's charm. Given that it's a modern work, i lower the score this time. The Art was impressive back in the day, now it's only very good.

Sound: It's the same sounddesign, the same voice actors, even the same OST, just with minor changes. Minus the opening and ending, what a tragedy. And since i don't like the ending theme for this movie, i give it a great this time. It's largely the same, but i think they rerecorded all the lines. Well, they better did.

Character: Now i want to say nothing changed, but that is not the case. It can't be, cause all the time the show spent on these great characters is simply not there in a movie. Again, if this is a sequel, then all the development happened and it's kinda forgiven. But we don't know that, so what remains is a similar characterization, it's just less deep, less detailed and it adds nothing new. Really, if you watched the show you don't learn anything different, no new aspect of these characters and if you watch this first you miss out on all the great things Evangelion did with it's characters. The characters are still good, it's not like anyone changed or acts out of line...so i guess i can give it an eight. I certainly wasn't impressed by the same stuff again.

Enjoyment: I wasn't bored, that's good. But basically watching a recap, i also wasn't all that entertaining. The last scene between Rei and Shinji got me again, i'll admit that and bringing Kaworu in a little earlier is interesting. I guess a rate my enjoyment fair. I certainly look forward to what else they have in story for us, when the story starts to stray from it's original predecessor.

Maybe Eva only worked in this certain moment, created by a person plagued by depression. Isn't that a terrible thing to say? But i see this movie and i kinda wonder what's the point of it. Do they regret not having the funds back then so they want to redo it in a better look? But nobody really cared for that anyway, the deep themes and characters sold Evangelion and made it such a classic. Or maybe they really want to finally clear things up, to give us the closure we simply never got. Or it's about money....yeah, probably. How sad.

Well, if you're a fan of giant robots, teenage angst, and confusing plotlines, then Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone is the anime for you! The story follows a young boy named Shinji who is recruited by his father to pilot a giant robot called an "Evangelion" to fight off invading monsters known as "Angels."

Shinji is a complex character, with a lot of emotional baggage and a strained relationship with his father. He's not exactly the most likable protagonist, but his struggles are relatable and compelling. The other characters are also well-developed, including Shinji's fellow pilots Rei and Asuka, as well as their enigmatic boss, ... Gendo.

The music in Evangelion is absolutely fantastic, with a mix of catchy J-pop and haunting orchestral pieces.

As for the enjoyment experience, Evangelion can be a bit of a rollercoaster. The action scenes are intense and exciting, but the show also delves into some heavy themes like depression, identity, and the nature of consciousness. The plot can be confusing at times, but it's always engaging and thought-provoking.

Overall, I'd give Evangelion: 1.0 a 7.778/10. It's not perfect, but it's a must-watch for any anime fan who loves a good psychological thriller.

This one is entirely skippable.

For the most part it just compiles together the first 6 episodes of the original series while adding some differences that barely change the trajectory of the story.

I guess back in 2007 there was some appeal to see Evangelion with "improved" visuals, but it's 2021 and well,... maybe it's my opinion, but 2007 Evangelion's art and animation has not aged that well. The cut corners and blemishes are very easily noticeable when compared to newer anime of our times. I'd even argue the 90's original fares better in comparison.

Maybe you'd think, that they would at least re-do the battles with more ... vibrant animation and new choreographies, but 2 out of 3 times you'd be wrong. I opened up Netflix to compare this with the original show and the first two battles almost seem like literal shot-to-shot/new-coat-of-paint remakes to me and let me remind you - I prefer the art of the original. At least the final battle seems to be where the animators went all out by giving the Sixth Angel (originally fifth) a re-design, that perfectly shows-off their animation craft and how they improved it since 1995.

I guess the movie has one purpose: if you are going to marathon the Rebuild series, you might as well start here and get the full experience.

So just to make things clear in case you need to know what happens in this movie and you didn't see it back when it came out in 2007, there is little to no difference between this movie and the first few episodes of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion. If you have already seen the original series, you can skip this movie.

That being said, if you are a majestic Evangelion fan, then by all means watch this movie. The story is still the same with Shinji being taken in by Misato because his father, Gendo, wants him to pilot the Eva's that will save ... humankind from a force called the Angels. While this movie is made by Studio Khara ("Ponyo", "From Up on Poppy Hill", "Wolf Children"), this is their first take on a Studio Gainax franchise and the animation shows. Compared to other anime movies, this one is top notch and the music is just as glorious as former Evangelion OST's before it.

Overall, there really isn't much to say about this movie except if you haven't seen the first half of the original show, by all means watch it. The second movie will be worth watching this first one.

Jebus gives Evangelion 1.1 - You Are (Not) Alone: 4 chosen ones out of 5.

This movie recaps what happens in the beginning of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series in a more concise way and with a few differences. The differences set up an alternate storyline for the next two movies, so Evangelion 1.0 is (not) the same as the introductory episodes in the series. Due to this variation, you can’t just skip the first movie. It basically gives you the same character establishment but more streamlined and purposeful. That said, it’s strange how they included the scene where Shinji walks in on naked Rei while going through her things and he falls on top of her beneath a downpour ... of her underwear. I’ve understood that this scene as gratuitous fan service and nothing else, which is why I’m surprised that they decided to keep it beat for beat in Evangelion 1.0. Maybe the storyboard executives thought that no one from the “intellectual” Evangelion fanbase would accept a reboot that didn’t include their favorite scenes. I bet the thought of sexualizing children a little less didn’t even cross their minds. There’s something about bare 14-year-old girl nipples that effectively attracts the biggest audience in Japan, so I don’t blame the production team for pulling out all the stops. I’ll admit that when Shinji groped Rei’s boob while straddling her naked body, I got a little half-chub. Mission accomplished, Hideaki Anno.

Rated 7/10 for just more of the same but 8/10 for full concentration on what really matters in the end. End of Evangelion had some spicy scenes but I’m all about that Shinji x Rei ship. I am objectively correct about who Best Girl is.

---Dcm18's quick reviews---

Story: 9 (Follows the original show's story, which isn't a bad thing)
Art: 10 (Cristal clear designs and colors)
Sound: 9 (Once again, true to the original formula)
Character: 10 (Unique as always)
Enjoyment: 8 (While this isn't the most enjoyable series, the combat segments are a treat)

Overall: 9.2 (Great remake of a great series)

I had never seen the Evangelion series before watching the movie. When I saw the movie, it was really confusing, just like everyone said it was. I really loved the animation and the sound, and the voice acting was great as well. The characters were well put, and when it ended it left me wanting more. This was a really great movie and a great way to start me off in the series.