Rebuild of Evangelion

The best part was that at the end of the second part, it was about halfway through "Bohemian Rhapsody" already

Patronize independent artists!

Such as Franki Love!

(I just love (no pun intended, really) her song "Shadow". I would make an Asuka music video using it, if I knew how to make music videos.)

edited 9th Jul '09 9:57:09 PM by GlennMagusHarvey

I like this. Okay, the Ominous Latin Chanting is, well, Ominous Latin Chanting. But the music is epic.

Also, I finally watched End Of Evangelion. Didn't really give me new opinions about the show, though.

It's Ominous English Chanting. I'm glad that I can't understand the lyrics with my current crappy headset, because they'd probably seem ridiculously Narmy.

From 1.0:

Fight or die with truth and honour

This is the final showdown
This is the last horizon
No second chance for losing
There will be no tomorrow

Tear the heart from your aggressor

This is the final showdown
With no more road to go down
Prevail or pay the devil
This is the end forever

The 2.0 soundtrack that I'm listening to is so new on YouTube that I'm only the thirty-first listener. It's just as XTREME though.

edited 10th Jul '09 5:02:13 PM by Tzetze

And that's why I said Latin is better. Because it feels foreign to everyone. No one understands it fluently and can see it as narm.

I prefer gibberish like Yuki Kajiura does or Arabic and Hebrew. Something about Semitic languages just sounds cool, and it's still foreign to most people.

Or non-gibberish Italian that sounds perhaps even more awesome than Latin:

Agreed. Italian singing just sounds kickass. Even if this isn't meant to be ominous - just check out the lyrics

Anyhow - what's new on the Evangelion front? When is 3.0 predicted to be released?

edited 15th Jul '09 8:21:12 AM by Sneeb

No announcement of a date that I'm aware of, but supposedly it's going to be released at the same time as the final one.

While we're waiting, browse through the tabs...if you dare. [1]

Armisael XX is fail.

I wanted to see a DNA ring. They simply give me wrinkly Rei.

I know that it's been said before, but holy shit, Gainax are merchandise whores. They fetishized Arael for Pete's sake... I feel dirty now.

Oh, I just noticed, they're all Rei except for maybe Shamshel? And the eyes one that I already forgot the name of had different hair.

Sahaquiel. I should really be able to remember that considering how much I like eyes.

edited 15th Jul '09 4:40:41 PM by Tzetze

Sahaquiel reminds me of slightly of Xatu, for some reason.

So, what's the new Child's name?

I knew the manga was different, but, wow...

And I need to know how I can see 2.0. I can't read the page anymore without risking spoilers.

edited 15th Jul '09 8:32:48 PM by Zyxzy

Hell if I know. Searching isoHunt for "evangelion" only shows one 480x272 version, with maybe one seed. Quality raws will probably have to wait till the DVD comes out. The 1.01 DVD came out about seven and a half months after the theatrical release.

Oh, joy.

Well, this is it. Within the hour, I'm going to be out the door. Two hours from this posting, I'm going to be watching 1.0 at the Alamo Drafthouse.

Let's rock and roll.

I got the camrip now. Haven't looked at it yet and don't really want to. Watching it without subs is kinda stupid, at least in this case.

Nice, Shay Guy.

I -really- want to go to the one in Boston next month.

edited 16th Jul '09 4:35:52 PM by Haven

Why is there not a showing in the whole of the Midwest?

So, then. Was watching Evangelion: 1.0 dubbed a better experience than watching it fansubbed? In a word phrase, hell yes.

I got at the Drafthouse with about half an hour to spare. It was the only movie theater I've ever been to that had menus, though I didn't get anything; I'm in the habit of not buying anything but tickets at theaters. They were completely sold out, with 133 tickets sold; several people were from out of town. I estimated that about 10% of the people there were female. And that 10% turned out to include none other than Tiffany Grant! She was wearing a NERV T-shirt and Asuka earrings; I take it there's some truth to the reports of her being America's #1 Asuka fangirl. I got to talk to her briefly after the show, but didn't think to ask for her autograph — just had her confirm that nobody had contacted her about 2.0 yet. (Which didn't surprise her, given how long it took for this one's dub to be made.)

Anyway, there was a good variety of stuff being shown on the screen before they got to the movie, including trailers for old flicks like Journey to the Far Side of the Sun and Mission Stardust, and a bunch of Star Trek The Original Series-related stuff — clips from episodes, a trailer for {{Trekkies}, what appeared to be videos of William Shatner "singing," The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins, the "Broke Trek" video, and some kinda barbershop quartet cosplay thing. No anime stuff, curiously enough — not even a Haruhi ad. (Or since Bandai owns that, I guess it'd more likely be an Ouran or FMA or Baccano! ad.) The bottom-right corner of the screen was all fuzzy, but they cleared that up in time for *SMACK* "GET ON WITH IT!" Right, right.

So. The movie. I know it sounds cliche to say that it felt like I was seeing Eva again for the first time — especially seeing as I'd already seen 1.0 fansubbed — but it did. Part of it may have been the overall theatrical experience, part of it just the fact that I — with a gnat's attention span — couldn't pause or look at anything else. Maybe some of it was me deliberately trying to watch it as though through new eyes. Part of it was almost certainly the new dub, too — which, by the way, reminded me of why I like anime dubs: a well-done dub can give you an immediacy that you just can't get with subtitles, with hearing everything in a foreign language and constantly glancing down to read what they're saying. Here are some of my observations, some pertaining to the dub, some things about the series or the movie that I hadn't thought about before, and some about the audience's reception.

• I'm not sure, but I think they might have been showing the movie off a regular DVD. What we saw at the beginning certainly looked like a simplified DVD menu, with only a "play movie" option, and it said something at the bottom about being only for promotional purposes. I couldn't tell about the resolution. (Wonder how many of these discs they made? Have there been any leaks?)
• Spike Spencer and Allison Keith, as I'm sure you all know, were the only North American VAs to reprise their parts for 1.0. (Don't ask me why, I probably should've asked Ms. Grant about it.) In the past decade, they seem to have improved considerably. I'm still not sure Spencer is the best possible Shinji, but he definitely gave a more subtle performance this time. Keith toned it down, too — more subtle, more nuanced. This was especially apparent in the part corresponding to episode one.
• I hadn't realized just how little sense that Eva-sized white chalk outline in the opening shots makes. I'm not one for the sequel theory, but how do you explain that?
• There were some translation changes. A lot of it just served to make the dialogue flow smoother. Some of it may have been script changes in the original, I wouldn't know. One that struck me as noteworthy was a change of one article: Shinji's exclamation of "A real geofront!" became "The real geofront!" "I mustn't run away" stayed the same, though.
• Shinji's "Otou-san" is now translated as "Dad," not "Father." His line when he first sees Gendo is changed from "Father..." to "It's you...," presumably for lip-syncing. A bigger change is the fact that he now calls Rei by her first name, whereas in all other versions — including the Japanese Rebuild — he called her "Ayanami." Speaking of which...
• REI USES CONTRACTIONS. Granted, that's an oversimplification of the change, but the new script and Brina Palencia's performance make for a very different experience from listening to Amanda Winn-Lee's Rei. Palencia!Rei cannot accurately be called "robotic" — she's much more likely to use informal language and overall sounds like a normal girl, but a girl long since resigned to her fate (more on that later). Her first full line is "There's an emergency. Come on, let's go." Not at all the robotic soldier, but she says it in this quiet, defeated tone, like she just doesn't care about anything. A few other line changes I remember include "Will you get off me?," "You're scared? Fine. Stay in bed," and "I'm sorry, I guess I just don't know..." From now on, when I write Rei, I'm basing her off Palencia!Rei, not Winn!Rei.
• John Swasey's Gendo is a lot like Tristan MacAvery's, but my first impression was that he was more "cold" and less "harsh." Seems he had experience with Gendo before, in the Director's Cut.
• "EVA launch!" is gone, replaced with a simple, grim, "Launch it!"
• The audience apparently found one scene in the Sachiel fight a bit narmy — the building that gets shoved across the block like it's on wheels or something.
• I can't remember if this was in the TV series or not; either way, it's one of the things I hadn't noticed: the backs of the SEELE monoliths have a picture of the 3-4-5 Pythagorean triple. I can't find a picture of what I mean, but if I caught it right, there was a picture of a right triangle with 3x3, 4x4, and 5x5 squares attached to its sides.
• The hints about Shinji's connection to Rei come much earlier. The Yui-Gendo flashback exchange about what to name the baby comes just before Shinji wakes up after Sachiel. Palencia doesn't voice Yui; that doubling is still Japan-only. (Nor Pen-pen.)
• The phrase "unfamiliar ceiling" does not appear. Shinji says "I don't recognize this ceiling" and some other variant, but not the original phrase. I suppose there were probably good reasons for this change, but I still miss the classic phrase.
• The tadaima-okaerinasai scene has also been Woolseyized. The original dub seems a bit odd if you don't already know about the whole ritual greeting thing. This changed to both Shinji and Misato saying "Home, sweet home," Misato as though in agreement.
• Most of the apartment segment got laughs, including the mess, the fridge, dinner, Misato's underwear hanging up, the Pen-pad, and of course the toothpicks. (Which didn't have a caption labeling them in English, by the way.)
• In the bath, Misato muses on the improbable coincidences of the day. Can't remember if this scene was in the series, at least like this. I don't think it ever was made clear why Sachiel attacked on the day Shinji arrived — or, conversely, why Gendo had Shinji come on the day Sachiel would attack.
• I think Hikari has one line in the whole film, when Kensuke and Toji ask if they can go to the bathroom.
• I couldn't pick out distinct lyrics in the new version of "Angel Attack;" probably a good thing.
• I hadn't picked up on Toji and Kensuke's reaction to watching Shinji fight as much before.
• The part where Misato grabs Shinji to either deliver a speech or knock some sense into him after he disobeyed her orders, but can't think of anything to do or say, is pretty good. I hadn't realized that. As is the later segment where he says leaving didn't help, but he'll stay, because he has nothing else for him but Eva. Come to think of it, the Eva's sort of a hedgehog, too — horrible as it and all it represents is, and as much as it hurts him, without it, he's nothing. As far as he's concerned. And he didn't realize otherwise in the TV series until the very end. Wonder if he'll make that breakthrough earlier in Rebuild.
  • On a more personal note, I think maybe I'm less like Shinji than I thought — I look for self-worth through my own skills, which is probably healthier than latching onto something somebody else needs you for and which you hate. I'm also less likely to seek validation from others, instead setting standards for myself and raging at myself for not achieving them.
• I've never been clear on just how much of what everyone went through was due to Gendo's manipulation. This was another thing I tried to approach with a clean slate tonight. To that effect, there's some dialogue between Gendo and Fuyutsuki where they discuss their plans — evidently, at least some of Gendo's master plan was in place fourteen years before. And the next step — this scene is shortly before the ID card business — is making Shinji get closer to Rei. If I followed and understood this scene correctly, Rei either existed in 2001 in Rebuild's continuity or was already planned. In TV canon, she was cloned from Yui's remains after the contact experiment — which we know happened in Rebuild, because Shinji's backstory is all the same. So what was going on in Rebuild!2001? How old is Rei? Is she even the second Rei? Hell, is there even a Reiquarium in Rebuild? Naoko, to be sure, is absent.
• Gendo and Fuyutsuki also say there are eight Angels left; I can't remember if they said "after this one" or not. So Rebuild's Angels only go up to 13 or 14. How many are in 2.0, not counting Kaworu? (Unless he'd IDed and numbered. Don't say if he is, those of you who know; just give the total number of Angels.)
• There's a semi-Title Drop when Misato and Ritsuko are talking at the bar, and Misato wants Shinji to understand "that he's not alone." The phrase "you are not alone" makes me think "we are not alone," which makes me think G-A-F-F-C. This is also where Ritsuko gave Misato the ID cards, and asked her to have Shinji give Rei hers. Combined with the earlier scene, this set off alarm bells for me — if she's as deep in with Gendo's machinations as she is in the TV series, the conclusion is clear: she didn't forget to give Rei her card, Gendo had her give it to Misato. So was all this just to ensure Shinji wouldn't run away? What purpose did this move serve? (And is it the same as the TV series? I can't even remember if these scenes played out the same in episode 5.) And how much of the specifics did Gendo plan?
• EVA-00's entry plug has a gratuitous cross in it. Another "hadn't noticed."
• The scene at Rei's apartment got some giggles at Rei's appearance, the fall, Shinji flexing his hand after they'd gotten up, Shinji peeking at Rei dressing...though there was yet another thing that hadn't popped out at me the first one or two times: Rei holding the glasses in the air as they fall.
• I paid closer attention to Ramiel's scenes this time, too. "Hmm, I can't blast through this shield. Need more gun." CLANG. "There we go! Quad-core!"
• Shinji's screaming is horrific. Yeah, Spencer's improved. Compounded by how Gendo just sits there while his own son is being fried alive, contrasting both Misato's repeated prioritization of "the pilot's life" and his own behavior during Rei's activation test (and not just at the end). Again, I knew this stuff was all there, but it hadn't clicked as well for me as it did tonight.
• Ramiel's drill doesn't actually break up the ground. But in the late stages, there are sort of black swirls in the street around it.
• Misato's irked expression during the post-Ramiel meeting also drew laughs. I guess it was kinda funny.
• Ritsuko's exposition on Operation Yashima (now stressed on the first syllable) was pretty well done, as a "let's see, what part of this is not insane?" thing.
• Rei relaying the orders is very awkwardly done, but it's clearly due to the lip flaps, so I found it forgivable. Best of a bad situation.
• Terminal Dogma has a very, very cool locking mechanism on its door. Also, Lilith has little crosses stuck in all over its chest. They're probably about the size of a real crucifix. Not the kind you wear on your neck, the kind used for executions.
• The first time I watched the Lilith scene, I was paying more attention to the divergence from TV canon; this time, I picked up on the point Misato was making with all this: that their lives are on the line when he fights. That if he dies, they die, and they're all in the same boat. See again the movie's title. Makes me wonder just what the significance of "You Can (Not) Advance" is...
• The changing room scene was more disturbing for me this time around, not because of Rei's nipples, but because of her line when Shinji says they're both going to die: "You're wrong. You won't die. I'll protect you." You won't die. Again, I know it was in the series, but for whatever reason, it didn't hit me the first time that she went in expecting to die. And carrying the glasses, the one possession she values. There's also a reference to Shinji not even having running as an option.
• Rei's "I have nothing else" line was another that I got more meaning out of this time — I think a lot of this was Palencia, too. She's contrasting Shinji here — she actually does have nothing but Eva. Misato with Gendo, Shinji with Rei — Eva really does build a lot on these contrasts. And then there's the relationships, with a superior officer doubling as a parent figure, and there are three of that combination: Misato to Shinji, Gendo to Shinji, and Gendo to Rei, and all three deal with the mix differently. It's almost surprising that Misato doesn't have more interaction with Rei, to complete it. I wonder if Shinji realized here that while Rei may have been closer to Gendo than he was, he had screwed her up even worse than he had Shinji himself.
• Operation Yashima itself has a bitchin' remix of The Beast II. Again, I paid more attention this time. It's a more complex plan than the original, and probably better-thought-out. I'll break it down, for my own benefit as much as anyone's:
  • An array of missile batteries and other weaponry fires on Ramiel from outside the city, drawing the fire of its beam cannon, forcing it into combat mode (where its core is exposed), and possibly putting pressure on the AT Field as well.
  • While Ramiel's busy with ze missiles, EVA-01, from its new-and-improved sniper platform, targets it patiently and hits it dead-on — no Beam O Warp here. TV!Ramiel would be toast, and even Rebuild!Ramiel screams in pain and bleeds all over before using its mega-cannon in retaliation.
  • Half the mountainside is blasted, but the positron rifle is still intact. EVA-01's lying on the ground twitching while Gendo orders Shinji to get back into position. Misato stops him from recalling Shinji with a speech about how Shinji had the opportunity to run away, but didn't. Shinji stands up in EVA-01 and picks up the positron rifle, and...well, we know the rest. Second hit does 'im in.
• The dialogue in that final scene with Shinji and Rei is, I think, more loosely translated this time around. Can't remember Shinji's actual lines.
• In the Kaworu scene, something is said about "the summation stage." Whose plan this is a part of is not clear. Now, there's something here I did notice the first time I saw the scene: Kaworu refers to "the Third," and it's not clear whether he means Shinji, the Third Child, or the unaccounted-for Third Angel. Or, for that matter, what the apparent Angel in this scene is.
• I was very annoyed that the theater people muted the sound a few seconds into the credits. I like Beautiful World, dammit. It also meant we didn't get to see the "next episode" preview.
• The ADR Director voiced both Makoto Hyuuga and the Eva itself.
• The girl sitting next to me informed me that she could die happy, having seen both Rei and Kaworu naked.
• I can't decide whether this movie, taken on its own, is really shippy or not. It certainly has a definite character arc on Shinji's part, between the ideas of self-worth, not running away, and connections to others. And on the whole, for being "the boring parts version" of Eva, it's pretty damn good. It also led me to reflect on something I'd read before about the secondary protagonist of Evangelion being Misato. I could definitely see that in this movie — Shinji and Misato as the protagonists, Rei and Gendo as the secondary characters and their foils, and the others as supporting cast.

After the movie, there were some giveaways — I didn't win anything, but there were Evangelion: 1.0 posters and DVDs of Kenichi The Mightiest Disciple, Dragon Ball Z, and Samurai Champloo. Presumably, Funimation had a say. Ms. Grant was called up to participate, making a "Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Film" joke. I've never been to a con, so this was my first time meeting someone in the industry.

All in all, worth the 45-minute trip and the money? Very yes. Buy or rent the DVD or Blu-ray when they come out, and watch the dub. Or go to a screening if you're lucky enough to have one in your area. Even if you've seen a fansub already — it's worth going through again.

3,200 words. And I thought my Fate/stay night posts were long-winded.

edited 17th Jul '09 2:22:55 PM by ShayGuy

Lucky. Now, we await 2.0 to figure out WTH?

Also: So, Rebuild Rei was planned before original Rei?

Rei's conception in the TV series is in some dispute. She's used for both the Dummy Plug system and Gendo's Instrumentality plans — it's not clear why or when she was originally planned, and where Lilith and Yui come into the picture. Keep in mind that there are at least three factions to consider — Gendo, Yui, and SEELE — and none of their plans are clear.

So, what are Rebuild Gendo's plans for Shinji? I mean the stuff with Rei...

Hey, it's a four-movie series, there are two movies out, and I've seen one. Most of the machinations are still just as unclear as they were at this point in the series. Some of them are reused, some aren't; we might never even know which are which.