Evangelion New Movie Edition - Q Evangelion:3.33 You Can (Not) Redo. (BD+CD) (2012)

What's to be said about the "Evangelion" franchise that hasn't been already? It's a classic, it redefined what we expect from anime, and it set a standard that arguably no mecha anime has even come close to touching. But what a precarious position this puts the reboots in, then. Should we treat them as a separate entity, unrelated to the original franchise, and thus something new and fresh? If so, then Hideaki Anno's original 1996 classic and its brilliant follow-up, "End of Evangelion", have already been surpassed. With "Evangelion: 3.0", Gainax has bested itself and turned out one of the most groundbreaking, brilliant films ever created. Shocking, jarring, and powerful, it's a tour-de-force that simply cannot be ignored.

Picking up fourteen years after "2.0", the penultimate entry in the "Rebuild" series starts off with protagonist Shinji waking up from a mysterious coma. The world has essentially ended, the Third Impact NERV tried so desperately to prevent come and gone. However, all is not lost. Most of Shinji's old "friends" have reformed into an organization dedicated to destroying NERV, and preventing a Fourth Impact, which would harvest the souls of every living being on the planet. Torn between old alliances and his commitment to NERV, the young man holds the fate of the world in his hands, then fumbles it in a dramatic fashion. Will he come out triumphant, or will he return to cracking under the pressure like he historically has?

While there's a lot left out of the above summary (no spoilers here), I can assert that as a long-time franchise fan, this entry did not disappoint. It is the first complete divergence from the source material in the "Rebuild" series, and as such, it was the more decidedly risky project. After all, Gainax is tampering with characters we've known and loved for almost two decades. Thankfully, it pays off dramatically. These interpretations of the established cast are positively brilliant, and I daresay a vast improvement on their past depictions. Seeing hotheaded teenager Asuka as a somewhat haggard 28 year-old is fascinating, as is becoming acquainted with the conflicted and emotionally-scarred Misato, now the captain of a large flying battlecruiser.

The biggest improvement upon the original story, however, is the character of Kaworu. Originally around for an episode or two, and made a bigger deal by the yaoi community than he really was, the young man has officially become a fleshed-out character. He is no longer a one-dimensional deceptive pretty-boy; he is complicated, his intentions ambiguous, and his care for Shinji's wellbeing truly genuine. Unlike his original version, I seriously cared for him in "3.0", and what he goes through was seriously traumatizing to watch. Hats off to Gainax for this bold narrative decision. There are other characters who become more important, as well as the introduction of characters only mentioned in the first series, but I'll leave those as surprises for viewers.

Animation-wise, the film is dazzling, with artistry on-par with giants such as Studio Ghibli, and excellent usage of CGI that blend seamlessly with the 2D characters. The EVA units themselves look great, with more attention paid to their inner workings and mechanics than in previous entries. Special note should be paid to the climax, in which viewers are introduced to a new "EVA Unit 13", which is one of the most creative mechanical designs to ever grace the franchise. From action to simple scenes such as Shinji and Kaworu playing the piano, the operative word to describe the work put into this film is "big." Everything about the production values is larger-than-life, and it is truly one of the best usages of money ever sunk into a film.

Wrapping it all up is the exceptional soundtrack. Instead of playing it safe with established songs from the franchise like the past two entries, "3.0" decides to play with viewer's expectations. Aside from brilliant new compositions, the score sometimes starts off with the familiar strains of a famous piece of background music from the series, then blends it into an entirely different piece altogether. It really helps to establish this as its own individual thing, and it's nice to see even the composers embracing the fact that this is a new, experimental piece.

Everyone involved, really, should be commended. When compared the original series, this new interpretation and its predecessors improve upon it almost every aspect. When compared to most anime coming out these days, it is head-and-shoulders above the "competition." No matter which way you slice it, Gainax has crafted a new masterpiece. "Evangelion 3.0" is a powerful, thrilling and occasionally traumatizing thrill ride, and something every anime fan should experience. It has forever changed my standards for anime, and I know that it will be hard going back to other things being released in this day in age.

Ironic, really, that "Evangelion" has, in fact, become the new "Evangelion" for this generation...

Overall: A+ (Masterpiece)

This is probably the most polarizing Evangelion output since the last two episodes that forced director Hideaki Anno to create The End of Evangelion. 14 years after 2.22 and the changes are jarring. The audience almost feels like Shinji, confused and troubled about basically destroying the world. And with 3.33, the bodies only stack up even more. It's dark and strange and alot of people were disappointed. Personally, it's my favorite Evangelion feature yet, and that's saying alot considering how much I love EoE and 2.22. A lot of people seemed to be confused: The Rebuild movies are NOT remakes. With 1.11, things start off pretty much exactly how they do in the original NGE series but by the time we get to 2.22, we began to see the diversions. It's almost like a different world but with a constant twinge of dreadful nostalgia. Some have even theorized that after Shinji rejects Human Instrumentality in EoE, he gives the world another chance to emerge from the LCL, the primoridial soup, and start over. And that's where 1.11 begins. This theory opens up even more questions but it also would explain why there are similarities as well as vast differences. It would also explain the subtitles of each Rebuild movie. You Are (Not) Alone, You Can (Not) Advance, You Can (Not) Redo. The "(Not)"'s represent options for differences but also indicate the inevitability of some events. I hope I haven't caused more confusion. Anyway, 3.33 is a truly brave dive into the future and, whether people like it or not, it's pushed the envelope as far as anime goes. It casts a huge shadow and I hope 4.44 is just as amazing.

Buy Evangelion New Movie Edition - Q Evangelion:3.33 You Can (Not) Redo. (BD+CD) (2012) Now

This latest chapter in the Reboot:EVANGELION series is the most frustrating yet. Shinji wakes up 14 years in the future, and everything you know about EVA is turned on it's head. Friends turned enemies, NERV shattered, and the arrival of new EVA and their pilots. The animation is top-notch (as always), and the EVA are incredible. But the soundtrack really grated on me after repeated viewings, it's a bit "off" for the movie, especially in the EVA/Angel battles. All in all, a great package, wonderful artbook, and clean menus make the "Special Edition" disc worth the extra money this time.

REMEMBER: THERE ARE NO SUBS!!! If you cannot read Japanese, you will be lost-ish. Honestly, I followed it pretty well myself. But seriously, do yourself a favor and pickup a fan-sub version and watch that too ;) It will help a LOT

Read Best Reviews of Evangelion New Movie Edition - Q Evangelion:3.33 You Can (Not) Redo. (BD+CD) (2012) Here

If you enjoyed 1.0 and 2.0's fresh retelling of the Eva series with better characters and a somewhat more fleshed-out storyline, you should brace yourself for disappointment.

It feels like this movie was rushed, and while the animation was spectacular in some scenes, the plot breaks apart into completely unexplained scene after scene, with cryptic dialog and mysterious new terminology appearing mid-sentence, likely to never be touched on again.

A lot of things happened and I'm not sure of what most of it was supposed to mean. It feels like they let Anno get his hands too firmly on the reins again for this one.

The most frustrating part of this movie is that with a one minute exposition scene here and there, they could remove all confusion for the viewers and Shinji. Instead...you get the movie here. Its an OVA! These exist to make the fans happy revisiting familiar characters, themes and situations, and to clear up murky plot points for a feel-good experience.

Unfortunately, they chose to delve back into the indecipherable garbage and pseudo-significance that muddled up the end of the first series.

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I think this story was a little slow and not true to the first movies and it seams rushed and very short .for what I see it going for at 79.99 please wait for the price to come down , I truly love the moves but this one was just a taste of what should come .