Neon Genesis Evangelion Hottest

Neon Genesis Evangelion
	Evangelion 2.0: You Can (not) Advance Anime Review  Just when you thought it was safe to say things make sense, another Evangelion movie comes out. Known for being head scratchingly odd, complex, and (we believe) brilliant, movie two (of four) picks up right where 1.0: You Are (not) Alone leaves off.  Yet, whereas 1.0 was mostly introductory, and reintroduced viewers to a world they already knew, 2.0 punches audiences and reminds them they don't know jack about what's going on. If we need a stronger allegory, 1.0 is a scalpel, making slight incisions into the plot, in order to show us the hidden insight. This is contrasted by the sledgehammer of 2.0, which shatters the pinata, raining down candy on us gleeful children.  While we continue to reference the first movie, it should be said that it is borderline required viewing. A retelling of the beginning episodes, a veteran (who probably should have seen the first movie on principal) could wing it. You Can (not) Advance will be 100% required for each subsequent movie. Everything about the film has been ratcheted up, and the cast of characters and linage of events is inexorably altered.  This is not to say the film doesn't reward loyalists. Piles of nuances scream out, gaining additional value not in spite of changes, but because of them. Fan favorites such as enigmatic Kaji Ryoji and ace pilot Asuka Langely Soryu make their Rebuild debut, while introducing us to a few new angels and the fourth child, Mari Illustrious Makinami. The later provides an increasingly large variable. Mari is an entirely new pilot, representing a faction outside of N.E.R.V. At risk of insinuating too much, I look forward to her contributions in films to come.  Yet, the real mastery in this film isn't what changed, its what's surprisingly still the same. Despite what appear to be shocking changes, the Evangelion series is still about people. Plot aside, the core of it all is still an incredibly interesting character study.  Though it barely needs stating, the incredible production value persists. Riff with beautifully drawn sequences, it's the quality we have come to expect. Ignoring stylistic preference, Evangelion continues to set the bar for how technology and animation can blend.  Reviewed by John Martone , April 2011  Evangelion 1.01 Anime DVD Review All this anime fan has to say about this is... "OH YEAH BABY!!!"  There is only a handful of anime that can truly be deemed revolutionary. Yamato, Gundam, Macross... and Evangelion. And we're living in a world where it is now normal to take an existing franchise and "reboot" it (i.e., Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, "V").  So, what have we got here? Simply one of the greatest things I've seen in a very long time. Unbelievably amazing in every aspect. Looking like it had an unlimited budget, the film is a feast for the eyes -- seriously, this is the way the series SHOULD have looked, with crisp, clean lines and spectacular action sequences. Not that the original was that bad, after all, we're talking about GAINAX, but, I mean.. this is just... Wow. You're sitting there with your jaw open, thinking "oh... my... god..."  This film (the first of four) covers episodes one through six at a mind-numbing 98-minute breakneck pace. While some of the character development suffers in the compressed timeframe, all the angst and self-doubt is still there, along with all the nail-biting suspense and cryptic plots twists. Every anime fan should be giddy with delight at the prospect of seeing this flick. It's not just a "reboot", it's like being born again.  Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, January 2010  Neon Genesis Evangelion — The End of Evangelion Anime DVD Review Now that Evangelion has enjoyed an unbroken run on Cartoon Network, you probably think you've seen it all. Grit your teeth, settle down and throw away the last two episodes of the TV series. Here's the movie that essentially re-does the ending, changing things so that they make a bit more sense (depending upon your outlook), as director Hideaki Anno recreates the epic of epics and settles, once and for all, the greatest anime series of all time. This unrated feature, suitable for ages 17 and older, contains considerable violence, profanity, grotesque imagery, and sexual situations. So, hide the kids from this, it's a much more an adult epic than the TV series was, appealing to a mature generation of fans who grew up watching it. The 'myth' of the situation is that the final two episodes of the TV series were created in a rush, in that sponsor funding was cut and pressure was placed upon Gainax to end the series differently from what was originally scripted. The original scripts were then rescued from the trash can and became the basis for this movie, making this the one true ending as originally envisioned. Or, it could be that fans were so shocked and appalled by the TV series ending that they decided to redo it all over again to save face. Who knows what the real story is - truth can be a fickle maiden. All we care is that this film kicks ass and sorta' like the film '2001 a Space Odyssey' you take with it what you are willing to put in, -and- there's still quite a bit left to the interpretation of the viewer, so that fans will STILL argue about the ending decades after the series is over. Nevertheless, if you've even the slightest interest in Evangelion, you owe it yourself to see this and make up your own mind regarding what the hell is going on. Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, August 2006  Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime DVD Review We recommend this pick, which is the first of a series (established Evangelion fans should note that a complete boxed set of the series has just come out). And what a series it is! Neon Genesis Evangelion may be one of the most dramatic, thought-provoking, intelligent, emotionally charged TV series ever made, animated or otherwise.  The tale centers around Shinji, who is unwillingly selected to pilot Evangelion Unit 01 (by his father, to whom he has no love), to defend the Earth against mysterious aliens known only as "Angels". Don't mistake this series for "just another robot show", the robot isn't the center of the story or even the action. It's the characters and their three-dimensionality that bring this to life. So much so that fans of the series hotly debate the justifications and motivations behind the characters of the story. All this combines with Anno Hideaki's super-skillful direction, which breaks the mold for anime, presenting an unusual assortment of film noir, experimental cinema, hints of Sergei Eisenstein, and emotional allegorical sequences similar to what you'd see in something like Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries". This is anime for fans of film, and this is anime for fans of anime. Once you get absorbed into the story and the characters, you'll wonder why all anime, or even all TV shows and Movies aren't like this. Below: Evangelion in action!  Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, April 2002