Anime review: Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo

Warning: This review includes some spoiler content for anyone who has not viewed Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance, and includes some minor spoilers regarding the plot of the beginning of Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo. While I generally try my best to avoid including any spoiler content in my reviews, the nature of the Evangelion films makes this difficult. Evangelion 3.0 is especially tricky to review in a manner that does the film justice, due to how different a direction it travels in comparison to the previous films or the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series.

Fourteen years have passed since Shinji Ikari initiated Third Impact and Kaworu Nagisa subsequently intervened with his own Evangelion Mk 06, halting the process. Evangelion 3.0 opens with Asuka and Mari piloting their own Evas in pursuit of Shinji and Unit 01, who are in orbit above Earth and headed planetside in a cross-shaped container. After one very exciting open scene, the group descends through the atmosphere as Kaworu watches on. Shortly thereafter, Shinji awakens onboard the Wunder, the flagship of an anti-NERV organization known as Wille. After Wille engages and defeats some enemy forces, Shinji comes face-to-face with Asuka. Glad that she is alive, Shinji asks her what has happened to Rei. Asuka, who is less-than-ecstatic to see Shinji, informs him that she does not know where Ayanami is, which Misato follows up by implying that Rei is dead. Convinced that he was successful in rescuing her during the Third Impact, Shinji begs for someone to explain what exactly is going on, but his time with these familiar faces is cut short, as Evangelion Unit 00 attacks the Wunder with the goal of retrieving Shinji. Though Misato orders Shinji to remain on board the Wunder, going so far as to threaten his life, Shinji leaves with Ayanami and the forces of Wille are ordered not to pursue.

Shinji's story in Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo is very much one of a stranger in a strange land. At times, it carries a similar tone as Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone or even the early episodes of the original anime series, wherein Shinji was scared and confused about what all these foreign pressures being thrust upon him meant and why he was chosen to be a protector of all mankind. But in Evangelion 3.0, Shinji's confusion arises from his fourteen-year absence. The moment he returns to the world, he is caught up in a power struggle, and there is little time for anyone to explain to him just what is going on. Asuka and Misato blame him for the current state of the world, while Rei seems to have completely forgotten the dynamic of her relationship with Shinji. Gendo appears before Shinji only briefly to inform him of NERV's plan to build a new Evangelion, and thus Shinji finds Kaworu the only person he can confide in.

Evangelion 3.0 spends less time showing off spectacular battle sequences than the previous installment, in favor of character and plot development. Asuka, Shinji, and Kaworu are easily the three most prominent cast members this time around, though Rei's unfamiliarity with people and habits is of relative significance to Shinji's wrestling with his inner self. The film does well to answer some major questions left lingering from You Can (Not) Advance. A couple of subplots from the original series are revisited and reworked to fit the Rebuild of Evangelion storyline. Religious tones are more specific, with themes of penance for sins and coping with loss taking center stage. Evangelion 3.0 is a much darker film than the two that preceded it, and its second half treads a path that echoes End of Evangelion in certain respects.

When the Evas do enter combat, they look even better than during their last outing, and it is really impressive how the animation team manages to work in so much detail to every scene while keeping everything so clean and visually captivating. The design of Mari's Evangelion Unit 08, the Wunder, and even some of the updated character designs are quite adventurous. Meanwhile, the soundtrack is intense and carries a different feel from those used in the previous films. It is largely comprised of brand new songs, all of which fit the mood of the film very well, from scenes where Shinji and Kaworu are playing the piano to segments where events prior to the film are explained. And of course, the classic Eva battle themes see a few new renditions, with the occasional inclusion of a heavy electric guitar part.

Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo zooms in on a very specific place and time in the storyline of this new film series. Whereas Evangelion 1.0 and 2.0 consolidated events most Evangelion fans were familiar with, 3.0 has to slow down and bridge gaps. While it may not answer every burning question fans have about this new film series' story, it does well to set in motion an endgame. By the film's conclusion, viewers should get a sense that there a clear goal in mind for the fourth film's plot, even if we don't know exactly how Hideaki Anno and his team intend to let it play out.

My rating: 9 (out of 10)

25 Days of Anime - #1: Neon Genesis Evangelion

From the outset of my compiling this list, I knew that the top two ranked anime would be neck-in-neck. Both of them are phenomenal and rank among the best series (anime or otherwise) that I have ever indulged in. When it gets right down to it, my decision for which series would be ranked number two and number one was by the smallest of margins, but ultimately Neon Genesis Evangelion won the day.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most complex and intelligently written series I've ever watched. To this day, it is one of the most highly-contested anime of all time, with fans discussing the different endings and underlying religious themes. It's a series that spends as much time exploring the inner workings of the characters' minds as it does toying with those of the viewers. In keeping with many of the anime on this list, it maintains a balance between the action and the thought-provoking moments. Except that in the case of Evangelion, it makes you think actively more and more as the show progresses. Rewatching the series a second and a third time, I picked up on discrepancies that I did not during my initial viewing, and it's pretty crazy to think just how much attention to detail Hideaki Anno and his creative staff paid when crafting this story.

There are many viewers who would say that Shinji Ikari is a boring, whiny and annoying lead character. Personally, I think his presentation is perfect. He, Rei, and Asuka are all fourteen years old and learning to cope with a number of changes within themselves, let alone the ever-present threat of the Angels. Asuka wants nothing more than to display her skills as an Eva pilot to everyone, while Rei was created for the specific purpose of being an Eva pilot. Meanwhile, Shinji originally doesn't want to go into battle, largely because of his rocky relationship with his father. At the end of the series, he still doesn't want to pilot Eva Unit 01, because people he cares about continue to get hurt. But if he doesn't pilot it, even more people will end up hurt, and so there is a constant inner struggle piled on top of his lack of understanding of girls, his unresolved daddy issues, and his fear of closeness that both results from and perpetuates all of these problems.

What Mobile Suit Gundam did in defining the standards of mecha anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion does in breaking all of those conventions and then redefining them. It's a wildly experimental anime for its day - one that dared to push the boundaries of the familiar and turn many staples of science fiction on their heads. It's an incredible mixture of mecha action, religious symbolism, teenage angst, and Freudian psychology - one that I feel is unparalleled to this day. What begins as a somewhat unorthodox series of teens thrust into saving the planet from monstrous angels breaks down the ideas of just what it means to be human, with the best plot points emerging from the darkest of scenarios.

Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo fan-made trailer

A fan-made trailer for the next installment in the Rebuild of Evangelion film tetralogy was uploaded by YouTube user SicknessMaggot66. I think the choice of music is quite appropriate, given the tone throughout both the series and the film. This video has actually been out for a couple of days now, but I simply neglected to post it here. Much of the footage is recap from the end of Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance, but there is some new footage from a trailer that ran this Fall that strikes me as pretty cool. I'm quite intruiged to find out why Asuka is flipping around in space, and how her Evangelion Unit 02 got repaired. Also, does anyone else think the new Evangelion Unit 08 bears a striking resemblance to Unit 01, except with different colors, a slightly different horn, and a visor piece? October 13th cannot come soon enough, but I'm glad that Anno and company are taking their time to perfect Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo before its theatrical debut.

Jafax 15 - Day one (in brief)

Today was the first day of Jafax 15, an anime/comic/video game convention hosted at Grand Valley State University. I went dressed as Lt. Quattro of Zeta Gundam, while my brother went as Edward Elric. There were some crazy and most excellent costumes on display over the course of the day, and it was impressive to see what people could whip up out of homemade materials. Admist the scheduled events, I talked briefly with Tiffany Grant (the voice of Asuka in the English dub of Neon Genesis Evangelion, as well as many other roles in various anime) and she signed my copy of disc 3 from the NGE Platinum Perfect Collection. I am planning on going back tomorrow for more Japanese subculture fun and I might post some more entries/photos from the event here.


Click to make image bigger - Quite a bargain, nicht?

Anime review: Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth

Following the conclusion of Neon Genesis Evangelion was the ending creator Hideaki Anno said he intended from the start, End of Evangelion. However, End of Evangelion was released in July 1997, so to tide fans over until the Summer, Anno and his team released Death and Rebirth in March. The response was not the praise that Neon Genesis Evangelion had garnered, rather it sparked even more controversy into the saga of Evangelion.

Death and Rebirth is ninety-seven minutes in length, and is split into two distinct portions. The first seventy minutes are a recap of episodes one through twenty-four of the original anime series. This portion of the film includes minimal new footage, only including sequences of the children practicing on orchestra instruments within the room seen in episodes twenty-five and twenty-six of the original series.


While it would make the most sense for Death and Rebirth to spend a balanced amount of time between recapping battles between the EVAs and Angels with the plot and character development, this is unfortunately not the case. The Angel battles receive plenty of focus, but the film jumps from one to another at a rate that is almost a chore to follow. The characters are almost entirely kicked to the curb and viewers are given an incredibly small amount of information and backstory to base their opinions off of. Even Shinji, the main character of the original series, feel severely underdeveloped.

This Death recap portion is set up in a similar fashion as episode fourteen of Neon Genesis Evangelion, “Weaving a Story”, in which SEELE provides a slideshow-style report of NERV’s encounters with the Angels thus far and review Gendo’s work with the EVAs. However, the way that Death and Rebirth handles this is without a voice actor, thus the transitions between each new segment as well as detailed descriptions of the Angels, EVAs, and characters are delivered by white text on a black background.

The Rebirth portion of the film includes the early events of End of Evangelion and caps out at twenty-seven minutes. This comes to an abrupt halt at the conclusion of Death and Rebirth, and could have been completely left out to include more footage for recap.


The art style is still good, even if there isn’t any real difference between what is used in Death and Rebirth and what was animated into the original series. The soundtrack is clean, though it fails to convey the emotions it did in the show – this is more to the fault of the story’s pacing than Shiro Sagisu’s orchestration, though.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth tries to compile the events of one of the most complex and multi-layered anime series ever into one hour and thirty seven-minute film. While the Rebirth portion does provide some new footage, it’s more or less to tease viewers of what is to come in End of Evangelion. The characters fall flat and are significantly underdeveloped. The psychological aspect is not particularly impactful, as it is delivered in quick and choppy segments. As impressive as the fight sequences are, they cannot carry the series alone. As far as I can tell, the only real good audience for Death and Rebirth would be viewers who want a quick refresher of the events of the original series before watching End of Evangelion. As for first-time viewers, this is one compilation film that is more of an insult than an aid to the series.

My rating: 5 (out of 10)

Anime review: Rebuild of Evangelion 1.0: You Are [Not] Alone

Neon Genesis Evangelion has been heralded as one of the greatest anime of all time. Its religious symbolism, psycho-analysis, and memorable characters fueled a story that changed the way viewers took to the entertainment medium. It is no surprise that many were a bit pretentious when the new Rebuild of Evangelion films were announced as a four-part reimagining and sequel series. The original is a staple of the anime culture, and while it can never be replaced, Rebuild of Evangelion promises to be a fitting sequel series with some much-needed updates and intriguing plot variation.

Rebuild of Evangelion 1.0: You Are [Not] Alone covers the first six episodes of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion and explores Shinji’s new life in Tokyo-III. Fans of the original anime will be very familiar with the events that unfold, as Rebuild 1.0 strays very little from the original story. There are a few inclusions from later episodes, such as the appearance of the Angel Lilith. Much like the original show, Rebuild 1.0 tries to maintain plenty of action sequences while explaining the backstories of the various characters. There are also some humorous bits sprinkled in, such as Shinji’s first meeting with PenPen and Misato’s conversation with Ritsuko when she first decides to take Shinji in as a roommate. Overall, this film focuses more heavily on the action and keeps the story largely centered around Shinji, though Rei and Misato get a fair share of the focus as well. Much of this is done for the sake of time, as Rebuild 1.0 is one hour and forty minutes long.


Oddly enough, while the original Neon Genesis Evangelion spent much of its early episodes focusing on the characters and their various interactions with one another, Rebuild 1.0 shifts more towards the Angels and their looming threat to mankind. Because of this, important segments of the story, such as Shinji’s uneasy relationship with his father, are glossed over very briefly. As this is Shinji’s story at its core, Rei plays second string in Rebuild 1.0, which is unfortunate, as her two most prominent scenes are the flashback where Gendo rescues her from a berserk EVA Unit 00 and her protection of Shinji during Operation Yashima. Even Misato receives a greater focus than Rei, constantly reinforcing Shinji to do a good job.

As far as the fight sequences are concerned, Sachiel and Shamshel receive a fairly straightforward copy of what they did in Neon Genesis Evangelion. Ramiel, however, is changed significantly. This Angel is still a floating octahedron, but is now able to shift its body into various geometric forms. A spinning array of crystals around the core provides a defensive parameter from NERV’s missiles, while a massive star shape provides Ramiel with a heavy laser that can fire great distances to attack EVA Units 01 and 00. Because of these changes, Ramiel and Operation Yashima take up a large portion of the second half of the film.


The animation in Rebuild 1.0 is beautiful, combining the traditional look of the original series with digital coloring and animation. The digital content is not overdone and doesn’t stand out a great deal, but that’s not a bad thing. The soundtrack is a major revamp of that of the original series. Shiro Sagisu has outdone himself, including more electric guitar during tense fight scenes, calm and mysterious piano parts during Rei-centric parts, and the ever-prominent violin pieces to convey Shinji’s emotions. Many pieces include choir parts, which aids the Biblical themes. While I still prefer the Japanese voice actors, the English voice actors have improved since their work on the original series and sound more fitting to their characters.

Rebuild 1.0: You Are [Not] Alone feels a little bit rushed, but Anno and his team could have done far worse with the story’s pacing. For returning fans, the characters pretty much all fit the same roles and attitudes they did in Neon Genesis Evangelion. For newcomers to the franchise, however, some may find there to be too little focus on Gendo, Ritsuko, Touji, and Kensuke. Overall, Rebuild 1.0 sets up well for a reimagining/sequel, though some more variation in the story could have been beneficial.

My Rating: 7.75 (out of 10)

Anime review: End of Evangelion

The finale episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion left a sour taste with many fans. Due to the high praise that the series as a whole received after its initial television airing, creator Hideaki Anno and his team decided to go ahead and give the series an alternate ending. The result was End of Evangelion, a film that looked leaps and bounds beyond the original series, though the story caused quite a bit of controversy among fans and the anime community as a whole.

When the film begins, the characters are largely the same as they were in the original series, save for a few exceptions. Misato has grown stronger since Kaji’s death and has become more forward with the pilots and NERV staff members. Asuka is still performing at incredibly low standards since her loss against the fifteenth angel. Over time, however, the old Asuka resurfaces and plays an arguably larger role than in the original series. Shinji is actually rather different from when the series concluded, as he has reverted back to his ways of cowardice and hatred towards everyone else. This could be taken in various ways, depending on how viewers understand the show’s ending in regards to End of Evangelion. The largest difference, however, is Gendo, who manages to show some compassion in the second portion of the film, as he reveals his own insecurities.


The first half of the film focuses largely on battle sequences between NERV and SEELE. This makes for more aesthetically pleasing entertainment, but doesn’t get very deep or thought-provoking as far as the story is concerned. A good portion of the second half takes place in Shinji’s mind, and as such focuses on his life – past, present, and future – as well as his perception of those he has formed and broken relationships with over the course of the series.

The story of End of Evangelion takes plenty of twists and turns, as SEELE tries every card up their sleeve to try and stop Gendo from unleashing his own plans with the Human Instrumentality Project. A minor complaint that I have is that Anno never explains even in the vaguest sense what Gendo intended to do that would cause SEELE to go to so much trouble to try and stop him. In the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga, this part of the story is quite explicitly stated and makes the atmosphere even more tense. However, there are a significant number of differences between the manga and the anime, and as such perhaps Anno did this deliberately to keep the stories seperate.


The one aspect that End of Evangelion is lacking from its parent series is the psychological analysis of the characters. Save for a conversation between Rei and Shinji near the end of the film, this aspect is largely absent due to time. The mental breakdown of Shinji and Asuka, however, is more prominent than in the show. Asuka goes no-holds barred in her attempts to destroy all nine mass-production EVAs before EVA Unit 02’s internal power supply runs out. Shinji essentially loses his sanity in its entirety at the midway point, only regaining his logical thinking near the conclusion of the film. The psychological studies of the characters are present, but in a much different light.

The animation has greatly improved since the original series aired. Anno and his team utilized a shaky-camera style during some of the battle sequences to immerse viewers more in the film. The soundtrack builds off the series’ original score, using some interesting variations of already familiar songs. “Hajimari e no Tōhi” and, though some viewers may find songs such as “Tanin no Kanshō” and “Itsuwari no, Saisei” to be repetitive and annoying. Though “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” is absent from the film, two vocal pieces are included. “Komm süsser Tod” plays during the film’s most climactic scene, and love it or hate it, it will inevitably get stuck in your head with its upbeat choir sound. “Thanatos – If I Can’t Be Yours” plays at the midway point, during the end credits for the first half of the film’s two-episode structure. It’s a bit of an odd choice in my opinion, as the break isn’t necessary and doesn’t exactly add anything to the film. However, it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb and the film keeps rolling along shortly thereafter.


For me, End of Evangelion encompasses everything that made Neon Genesis Evangleion great. The EVA battles are superb, the animation flawless (since Anno had an improved budget for the conclusion film), constant Biblical references, and psychological issues up the wazoo. While the film can never replace what the original series accomplished, it serves as an excellent add-on, and is the better ending to the series, in my opinion. It may be one of the darkest-themed anime to date, as well as one of the most confusing, but End of Evangelion deserves credit for bringing an epic conclusion to an epic series.

My Rating: 8.5 (out of 10)

Anime review: Neon Genesis Evangelion

It has been a little over a year now since my big reintroduction to anime began. While a large part of that was my re-watching various Gundam series, I give the most credit of keeping me interested in the medium to Neon Genesis Evangelion. It’s true that my watching Evangelion for the first time last March was light-years behind the general anime public. But I can honestly say that, despite some confusion I felt while watching it, it is by far my favorite anime series ever conceived.


[WARNING: potential minor spoilers ahead.]


For those not familiar with Neon Genesis Evangelion (as I’m sure there are others like myself who are a bit behind with the times), it takes place in the year 2015, a time when mankind is utilizing NERV’s EVA units to fight off other-worldly creatures known as Angels. Shinji Ikari, the son of NERV head Gendo Ikari, is asked to come to Tokyo-III in order to pilot EVA Unit 01 and fight the Angels. Shinji has not seen his father since he was three years old, and as such, Shinji initially refuses to aid his father, until he sees the severe wounds fellow pilot Rei Ayanami has received from battling the third Angel. Understanding that Gendo plans to send Rei out to fight in this condition, Shinji changes his mind and pilots EVA Unit 01. Shortly after he begins fighting with the Angel, Shinji blacks out after EVA Unit 01 sustains too much damage. We are then given a peek into Shinji’s future relationships with his roommate Misato Katsuragi and fellow pilot Rei Ayanami, as well as the frustration Shinji harbors towards his father. Humurous sequences are sprinkled throughout, a distinct contrast to the otherwise serious and somewhat dark nature of the first two episodes. After the prospects of Shinji’s new life in Tokyo-III are covered, the focus shifts back to the events of the Angel battle, and we see that EVA Unit 01 reactivated without manual override, and entered a “berserker” mode, in which it tore the Angel apart before surviving the Angels’ self-destruction.


The aforementioned is an overview of the first two episodes. As the series progresses things become not only far more complex, but also increasingly dark in subject matter. The religious symbolism becomes more and more frequent, and the true nature of the Angels and NERV are not revealed until near the end of the series. Around the middle of the series, Kaji’s secret investigation teases at what might be, but in the end the truths behind NERV, SELEE, the Angels, and the EVAs are executed as some of the most carefully orchestrated plot twists in any television series.

The characters in Evangelion are all brilliantly portrayed. Around the middle of the series, it becomes obvious that creator Hideaki Anno put plenty of time into developing each and every one of them. A large part of that stems from the fact that there are three main characters, about a dozen secondary characters, and a handful of tertiary characters (depending on how you look at the characters, your interpretation may differ).

Shinji recieves the largest focus, and every so often viewers will get a look into his thought processes from directly inside his head. These sequences often come on without any sort of warning and can be rather trippy, but they are incredibly important to the eventual outcome of the series. As the show progresses, Shinji sort of travels two paths at the same time. One is making him stronger by proving himself in battle through EVA Unit 01, while the other has him questioning what he is fighting for and his increasing distrust and dislike of those around him.

Some fans have expressed a dislike towards the character of Shinji, arguing that he comes off as too cowardly and depressed. While there is a large amount of truth to this, he is fourteen years old and dealing with raging hormones. That combined with the fact that he has never had a good relationship with his father, never had much of a chance to get to know his mother, is thrust into the care of a woman whom he barely knows and who isn't entirely sure of her own parenting abilities, and both figuratively and literally carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, it's not much of a surprise that Shinji acts the way he does. While Shinji may not be the most likeable lead character in any given anime, Anno and his team did a near-perfect job on portratying the realistic effects of that sort of pressure on a teenager.


Asuka Langely Soryu is the pilot of EVA Unit 02, and hails from Germany. She is incredibly determined to prove herself, usually appearing hot-headed and egotistical to her peers. She constantly competes with Shinji to be known as the greatest EVA pilot, a challenge to which Shinji doesn’t much understand nor care her reasoning for. All of this is a façade, however, as it is revealed later on in the series that Asuka and her mother have a very dark past.

Rei Ayanami, pilot of EVA Unit 00, is far more limited in her view of the world. A large part of this is due to the fact that she is not a normal human being, and as such does not fully comprehend the ideas of human emotion, attachments, and questioning others. Rei’s story is mostly of self-discovery and of the understanding of human nature, all from the perspective of an outsider looking in.

Every single character in Evangelion has some sort of psychological or social issue to cope with, some of which are not resolved by the finale. Between the psychological breakdown of the characters and the constant Judeo-Christian symbolism, the series hides a lot more under its surface than the first few episodes imply. As the Angels the pilots are combating become more difficult, their psychological statuses degrade and their relationships with one another strain. Although the giant EVAs and Angels are not exactly applicable to everyday life, the issues and confrontations that the characters face are easy to relate to. For better or for worse, Evangelion will likely be a massive mind trip for many viewers.


The soundtrack of Evangelion is incredibly varied, borrowing from jazz and rock influences, while combining this with traditional orchestral pieces, including Handel’s “Hallelujah” and Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”. Constant reprises of original pieces including “The Beast”, “Thanatos”, and “Borderline Case” will serve as the various themes to the major events in Evangelion, and ultimately fit their respective sequences perfectly. The opening theme of “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” and closing theme of “Fly Me to the Moon” flow with the series fittingly, even if their sounds do differ a fair amount from the rest of the soundtrack.

Every sequence is animated beautifully, and the team at Gainax should be commended for that, considering their constantly dwindling funds as the series progressed. That said, the Angel fight sequences become less spectacular near the finale, and many animated sequences were repeated in order to save money. Even so, the repetition is effective, especially when used in segments where viewers get a look inside Rei, Asuka, and Shinj’s minds.


I could go on for days about the different theories of Evangelion, the mythology therein, the great debate over which conclusion is the true ending, etc. But whether or not you enjoy the anime will largely depend on how you as a viewer perceive the show’s events. To have someone try and tell you the exact science of Evangelion is a fallacy in and of itself – Hideaki Anno explicitly expressed that some aspects of the show are meant to be open-ended and wholly up to the viewers' interpretation. While this review may be rather vague, it is done as such deliberately. Neon Genesis Evangelion is an incredibly complex anime, and even after the first viewing, I wasn’t convinced I had completely understood everything. Part of me doubts I ever will. As for the acting, the Japanese voice actors do a splendid job in conveying the emotions of their characters, while the English dub is decent enough, but still could have used some fine-tuning. The ending has stirred up a huge amount of controversy among the anime subculture, and I personally prefer the End of Evangelion film ending as opposed to the finale at episodes 25 and 26 of the original series, though I won’t discredit what Anno accomplished with the show’s conclusion. All in all, the series is what you perceive it to be – some people will love it and others will hate it. There is no denying the impact is has had on anime and sci-fi entertainment over the past fifteen years, though, and although I feel there is no such thing as a perfect anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion is about as close as it gets.

My Rating: 10 (out of 10)

2009 Year in Review: Anime

2009 has come and gone. This past year was a big reintroduction to anime for me. I watched quite a few series in full, as well as some that I have yet to finish. I am a little behind with the times, so bear with me as much of the anime I watched this year is older material. While I do plan on writing more in-depth reviews for many of these anime, below is a short list of the anime I watched in 2009, as well as my ratings for each (out of 10).

- Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket: This is an odd Gundam series, as it tries to weave an innocent kid’s view of the Zeon vs. Federation war in and out of the more realistic and gruesome experience of the mobile suit pilots. As awkward as the plot feels at times, it does a nice job of conveying various emotions and gives an alternate perspective on the war from the Zeon side. Rating: 7.0
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/retrograde-review-mobile-suit-gundam_17.html


- Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory: Perhaps the most important segway between the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Zeta Gundam, Stardust Memory is a tense series that portrays a last-ditch effort by the Zeon remnants to carry out an attack against the Earth Federation. The plot is slightly confusing towards the end, and the second half of the series falls victim to rather slow pacing. Still, there is plenty of space-bound action to be found and the differing personalities of the characters play off each other nicely. Rating: 8.0
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/retrograde-review-mobile-suit-gundam.html

- Gundam SEED Stargazer: A dark miniseries that occurs as a sidestory during SEED Destiny and chronicles a desperate battle between the coordinators and the naturals. The characters are nicely developed but don’t overstay their welcome. As brilliant as the series is for such a short time frame, my only complaint is that the series wasn’t longer. Rating: 8.75
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-just-wanted-to-look-up-for-time-being.html

- Gundam 00 (seasons 1 and 2): Perhaps the best alternate universe Gundam series, Gundam 00 takes place in the near future where three super-nations fight for resources and global control. The Gundam meisters intervene and uncover a plot more elaborate than they could have imagined. Both seasons are great, but the character development is stronger during the first season. The transition to season two is fluid and the conclusion is of epic proportions. Rating: 8.9
Full review of season one: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/retrograde-review-gundam-00-season-one.html
Full review of season two: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/retrograde-review-gundam-00-season-two.html


- Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (seasons 1 and 2): Though the first season is considerably stronger than the second, Sunrise has created a fantastic mecha series set in a dystopian world. There are some obvious inspirations from Gundam, but this series does an excellent job in separating itself from the crowd, giving the lead role to someone who is far from the stereotypical ‘good guy'. Rating: 8.75
Full review of season one: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/06/retrograde-review-code-geass-lelouch-of.html
Full review of season two: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/06/retrograde-review-code-geass-lelouch-of_23.html

- Princess Mononoke: Though certainly one of Miyazaki’s more mature-themed films, it still carries a heavy emphasis on the concept of imagination and childlike wonder. This fantasy epic pits man against beast, though the latter could have been elaborated on better. Though the main characters are rounded out well, some of the supporting cast is a little shaky. Still, the soundtrack is exquisite and the animation flawless. Rating: 7.25


- FLCL: A brilliant satire on Evangelion, Lupin III, and even non-anime material such as South Park, FLCL is fluid and dishes out a gigantic helping of action and comedy until its climactic end. Though it is only six episodes long, this comedy is a strong series all its own and delivers some fantastic stylized sequences. Rating: 9.5
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/flcl-review.html

- Dokuro-Chan: A short series that is certain to coax a few good laughs out of viewers. Its plot is thrown off track multiple times and the ending fails to give any sort of resolution. The humor therein is a bit sick and twisted, and the comedic sequences do seemed forced from time to time. But for a series that doesn’t try to take itself too seriously, there are plenty of gags and parodies to be found. Rating: 6.0

- Suzuka: A high school drama intended for the younger teen group. It’s a modern day Romeo and Juliet, but the manga is far more elaborate and creative. Still, for what it’s worth this series does a decent job of creating some colorful characters and the plot closes up decent enough at the conclusion of the anime. Rating: 7.75


- Welcome to the N-H-K: A dark comedy that is definitely not for the younger audience. The story follows Sato, who has dropped out of college and has no job. He stays in his apartment all day, convinced of a conspiracy by the Nihon Hikikomori Kyoukai, until the arrival of Misaki, who promises Sato that she can cure him of his reclusive ways. The series pokes fun at depression, suicide, sex, and drug addiction in ways that seem neither forced nor over-the-top. The series shows how susceptible everyone is to these issues, and the ending throws viewers a surprise twist. Though technically appropriate for ages 17 and older, this anime will likely be most appreciated by those in the college group on up. Rating: 9.5
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/welcome-to-nhk-review.html

- Neon Genesis Evangelion: Possibly the most controversial anime of all time (both for its ending and its subject matter), Evangelion is a series that changed the giant robot genre forever. That said, Evangelion is truly a breed of its own and delivers many plot twists that will really force viewers to think. It is a psychological analysis of every character in the series, though I often found myself probing my own psyche while watching it. Simply put, this is one of the greatest anime of all time, despite its rather clumsy ending. Rating: 10
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/retrograde-review-neon-genesis.html

- Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth: A film version of the original series, I would only recommend this as a refresher course for those who have already seen Neon Genesis Evangelion, but have yet to see End of Evangelion. Major points of the series are covered, but minor things that make the series enjoyable are left out entirely. Death and Rebirth’s portrayal of the characters is bland and the intended setup to End of Evangelion is rather pointless and almost insulting to the series. Rating: 5.0
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/05/retrograde-review-neon-genesis.html

- End of Evangelion: The ending that should have been, the story feels appropriate in almost every way. However, that fact that it took Anno and his team so long to release it may leave fans with a bit of a sour taste in their mouth. The story is dark and moody, picking up exactly where episodes 23 and 24 left off in the tv series, and leads up to an incredibly thought-provoking climax. However, the psychological aspect of the film seems rather forced in comparison to its tv series predecessor, and as such the overall product just doesn’t quite meet the caliber of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion. Rating: 8.5
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/retrograde-review-end-of-evangelion.html


- Rebuild of Evangelion 1.0: You Are [Not] Alone: Anno’s groundbreaking series brought back to life in a theatrical reimagining, this first in a line of four films is essentially a rehash of the first six episodes of the original 1995 anime. The new style of animation is beautiful and the soundtrack is epic. The character development is given second string in order for the action to shine through, but the plot twist at the end is sure to confuse even the most die-hard fans and leave them wanting more. Rating: 7.75
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2010/04/retrograde-review-rebuild-of-evangelion.html

- Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0: You Can [Not] Advance: Picking up exactly where Rebuild 1.0 left off, Rebuild 2.0 does a much better job with pacing and character development, an impressive feat to handle, considering the number of characters in this film. In contrast to traditional Evangelion style, this film is primarily about Asuka during the first half, focusing almost entirely on Shinji in the second half. While this feels like the Evangelion fans have come to know and love, there are plenty of differences that set it aside from the original, including a massive cliffhanger ending that seems only appropriate for the new story. Rating: 9.75
Full review: http://kuragawa.blogspot.com/2009/09/earlier-this-year-i-watched-first-of.html

Anime review: Rebuild of Evangelion 2.0: You Can [Not] Advance

Earlier this year I watched the first of the new Rebuild of Evangelion films, titled Rebuild 1.0: You Are [Not] Alone. The film essentially combined the first six episodes of the original series into one 90-minute film, with updated animation and some slight alterations to the storyline. I enjoyed Rebuild 1.0, but it felt like it was lacking in certain areas. The battle with Ramiel was absolutely fantastic and the characters and environments were simply breathtaking in their new renderings. But Rebuild 1.0 felt rushed and didn’t develop the characters a whole lot. I hoped that Anno and his team would deliver a little bit more with the next installment, and what came out of their hard labor was an absolutely fantastic and mind-blowing sequel.

Rebuild 2.0: You Can [Not] Advance encompasses the events of episodes eight through eighteen of the original anime and includes five angels. Three of the angels return from the original show, while two are new additions. In Rebuild 1.0, Sachiel is designated the fourth angel, as opposed to the original show in which he was known as the third angel. This time, the third angel is an unnamed snake-like skeletal being who invades a branch of NERV (possibly located in the UK). The third angel is chased down by the newest character, Makinami Mari Illustrious in EVA Unit 05. This new EVA, known as the provisional unit, sports four legs with wheels attached in place of feet. Its hands are replaced by a lance and a clamp.

For the introduction of Asuka, another new angel is introduced, this time resembling a giant walking clock. EVA Unit 02 air drops into Tokyo-3 and propels itself towards the angel via thrusters on the rear of its shoulders. One of my few complaints with Rebuild 2.0 lies in this scene, being that the two new angels are basically thrown in as plot devices to introduce the characters of Mari and Asuka. These angels only use the typical beam attack and are both taken down fairly quickly.

The new angels aside, the returning ones have received some special treatment. Bardiel still takes over EVA Unit 03, but this time sprouts four elongated arms. Zeruel bears the same skeletal face as before, but now has a plethora of bandage-like appendages on his body which can be reformatted from arms to whips to a cape of sorts. Sahaquiel, formerly a giant orange eye in the sky, is now a black and rainbow-colored enitiy stretching miles across and carrying a humanoid body within his massive exterior. While Sahaquiel might have seemed a tad silly back in 1995, the new scene leading up to the three EVAs battling him is tense and powerful.

As far as characters go, Kaji and Misato rekindle their relationship from their college days, while Shinji is caught between Rei and Asuka. Rei begins to understand the fact that she is not entirely human much earlier in the Rebuild films, and starts to form a strong friendship with Shinji. She even attempts to ease the relationship between Shinji and Gendo by inviting them to a dinner she plans to cook. Asuka still thinks she is the best pilot, but is not as annoying or bratty as in the original anime. She confides in Misato that, while she doesn’t get along much with others, she thinks perhaps she can at least try to get along with the other pilots. Asuka teases Shinji, but this time it is more out of the fact that she has started developing romantic feelings for him, however small they may be. Touji and Kensuke, though not pivotal characters, are absolutely hilarious and ring closer to their manga counterparts than their appearances in the original anime. Gendo is mostly the same, however there are times when he is caught off guard or seems surprised, such as when Shinji requests Unit 01 to combat Zeruel.

The battle sequences for this film are incredible and nothing seems repetitive. The environments are incredibly varied, something that I think surpasses the original anime. The soundtrack pays homage to that of the original anime, but is a truly epic score in its own regard and each song fits its respective sequence perfectly. The film stays true to the anime enough that newcomers will be able to follow it and veterans will feel some level of nostalgia. At the same time, there is a lot of new material and different plot twists that will deviate from the original story greatly. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, it will likely cause Rebuild 3.0 and 4.0 to be far more original.

Anno has promised fans a completely new ending to the Rebuild franchise, different from both episode twenty-six of the anime and the End of Evangelion film. Personally, I thought that End of Evangelion was the better of the two original endings. But taking into account the events of Rebuild 2.0, I am truly excited for the new finale.

Rebuild 2.0 is perfect for returning fans or newcomers. It has a lot of extended action sequences, and the characters are far more deep than they were in Rebuild 1.0. The film packs a lot of material into one hour and forty minutes, but none of it seems rushed. In short, Rebuild 2.0: You Can [Not] Advance is the best Evangelion film thus far. I would definitely suggest you watch Rebuild 1.0 before indulging in Rebuild 2.0, but if you get the chance to watch it, You Can [Not] Advance is well worth your time.

My Rating: 9.75 (out of 10)