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[bjork]

Okay, so I work in an anime store, but I've never watched Eva. I know, I know... "how can you have never seen it, it's a classic, it's a masterpiece", etc etc. To tell the truth, I've been put off by all the diehard discussions about it on various forums, and that many of the bigtime Eva fans who shop in my store are just creepy as hell (no offense to anyone here, because I've never seen you).

Anyway, I want to watch it, and I have access to basically every version that's available. We just got in this new rereleased version that's some sort of director's cut (comes in a silver box, if that helps any)... what I want to know is this:

Is there a "best" version to watch? Seems like every version says there's "new footage!" so how much could be missing from earlier versions? Any help would be great, because I'd rather get the info from you guys than I would from the guy who was drooling over the Asuka bedsheets we carry...

 

[Dead]

Yes the new platinum are the definitve edition (as of now) remastered sound and video (very noticeable)

 

[Marty Chinn]

It's not really missing, more like redone. Think Star Wars Trilogy Special Editions, except in this case, it's better that they redid some shots.

 

[Buggy Loop]

There's only one volume out for the platinum editions right? Anyone got a schedule for the 6 others?

And is the quality THAT improved? Any comparison pics? thanks.

 

[EviLore]

Yeah, some comparison shots would be nice.

 

[Chrono]

They're releasing the platinum editions (or director's cut) bi-mothly so If you can wait a whole year to finish the series then yeah watch those.

I would buy another boxset of this series, the platinum one when it's complete, just to see if there's an intereview with Anno EXPLAINING what the hell does this series mean. Seriously does anyone know of any intereview? I'm still curious. Evangelion started out as one of the best anime I've seen and ended as the worst. And not worst as in "bad story telling" or anything but just freaking wierd. It was like a friend stabbed me in the back. I some times wonder if Gainax just didn't know where to take this series at the end so they made up a very cryptic one that they themselves don't understand. >__<

 

[Crazymoogle]

Basically, watch the regular series up to episode 21. Then watch the directors cut up to episode 24. Then watch the movie "End of Evangelion".

The platinum edition is worth waiting for - all of the bad jittering is gone, and the picture quality looks remarkably cleaned up. A google search can probably find you several comparison pages - if not, try looking for "Renewal" since thats the Japanese name for the platinum edition. The Platinum set (which includes the director's cut episodes) is seven discs long with one volume every two months (next being september, I think).

The movie is not part of this cleanup effort because it is owned by Manga and not ADV. Despite that, you need to see it. Episode 25/26 is basically 100% stock footage with the entire episode being in one character's mind, so if you want to see what happens in the outside world, you need the movie.

Once you've watched the movie, you should look online for the "Red Cross Book", and read that to clear up some things. RCB came only with tickets to the japanese showing of the movie, but somebody was nice enough to translate it and post it in text form online.

Spoiler

It's entirely possible Anno caught wind of the complexities and pushed for something more so. I get the feeling he knew what he should be doing, and that he decided not to pander to the audience at any point in order to achieve it. There is no Anno "explains it all" interview and there never will be. Look for the site with the Red Cross Book, because that is about as close as anyone gets to figuring everything out.

 

[Buggy Loop]

How many times have you seen the series + EoE ? Personally i think end of evangelion made things a whole lot better for the franchise, compared to the "out of budget drawing" of episode 25 & 26 of the series. It took a few times to watch to understand it.

 

[Chrono]

How many times have you seen the series + EoE ? Personally i think end of evangelion made things a whole lot better for the franchise, compared to the "out of budget drawing" of episode 25 & 26 of the series. It took a few times to watch to understand it.

Was this post in response to mine?

if so:

I've only watched it once. Considering it's 26 episodes it will be some time before I decide to go though it again. What still pisses me off is not what all the symbolism meant or the themes. I just want to know what happens at the end.

Spoiler

So is EVERYBODY alive? or just shinji and asuka and the rest of the world's population are reduced to a single consciousness in that liquid? how the hell are they supposed to live alone in this entire world (adam and eve..?) ?

also, the origins of the instrumentality project and SEELE.. when did they go "ok humans need to evolve to a liquid form" and how the hell did they start? did they just google "evolution" or something.

Crazymoogle:

Thanks for the info on the RCB.

Here's the direct link for anyone interested:

http://www.evaotaku.com/html/rcb.html

 

[speedpop]

Your best bet to understand the latter episodes is to watch it again twice or thrice, with subtitles to make it better for you to understand.

I had my own theories on the ending long ago but have now completely forgotten them, other than to say that the series revolves on Shinji's mind itself. How he perceives not only his own life, but the lives of those that surround him on a daily basis. I didn't really enjoy the movies ending as I was getting the same feelings and ideas from the series ending, but at a price of it being way more warped and violent without any respect to those inside the Evangelion world.

Based on the assumption of the "out of budget" drawings that was episode 25 and 26 from the series, this may be true.. but I've always thought it was Anno's way of implementing speech over visual. However that could be entirely off the mark.

 

[Crazymoogle]

Spoiler

So is EVERYBODY alive? or just shinji and asuka and the rest of the world's population are reduced to a single consciousness in that liquid? how the hell are they supposed to live alone in this entire world (adam and eve..?) ?

also, the origins of the instrumentality project and SEELE.. when did they go "ok humans need to evolve to a liquid form" and how the hell did they start? did they just google "evolution" or something.

Spoiler

Everybody who wants to come back to "life" has to will themselves to do so. The movie ends before we find out if anybody else bothers. The "how the hell are they supposed to live on?" comment is a valid question but Anno sort of ducks out before we can know. All sorts of theories come to mind, but there is nothing concrete.

Instrumentality wasn't about evolving into liquid, it was about shared consciousness - the basic idea is that everybody would be a lot more sympathetic if they knew what everybody else was thinking. It's a science fiction concept that goes back (at least) to Arthur C. Clarke's 1953 (but still readable!) novel, Childhood's End. Unfortunately, the concept is very much an alien, borg-like construct, so in order to remain human, Shinji makes the decision against it.

The instrumentality project was started based on the new dead sea scrolls, as I recall.

I like Evangelion for what they dared to do, but I have to admit that if I wanted to rewatch something, nine times out of ten I would rather go with RahXephon.

 

[Chrono]

Spoiler

lol I know the point was to evolve into a single consciousness-- that's what wrote in my post. I was just making fun of EVA in that comment. and I thought shinji was supposed to decide for all of humanity? Or did he only decide if we have a choice and took the first leap?

Crazymoogle, what rating would you give Evangelion? If there are any fans or just people who watched it here too I'm curious about your opinions too.

I have Rahxephon on my to-watch list after I finish the boxsets I have (full metal panic, kenshin, berserk). It's either gonna be rahxephon or scryed. Or both if I decide to subscribe to rentAnime. =\

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Spoiler

I also believe that the A.T. Field was also a big part of why everyone turned to liquid and combined. The A.T. Field that humans have keeps them seperate and lets them take different forms. I haven't watched the movies in awhile, but that A.T. Field going down would mean people no longer being seperate, and being one entity instead. I always assumed that maybe Shinji and Asuka just couldn't let go of that seperation, that thing that made them different and thats why they retook form. And every other person on the plnet would have to decide if they loved their form enough to fight for it and regain their A.T. Field.

*goes to watch movies again*

 

[Buggy Loop]

Chrono

Spoiler

There's many interpretations of end of evangelion, but the one i found the best is that when Shinji becomes the tree of life and talks to Rei and Kaoru, because he's not satisfied with the sea of LCL results and wants to return to his original world even if it means he'll suffer again, while Rei and Kaoru are explaining what will happen if he reverts back the old world and how its up to the individuals to come back or not, watch the backgrounds. First a sea of LCL, then some peoples appear in the sea, then more, then it becomes ground, trees, city streets and then peoples walking on the streets and finally, Shinji surrounded by all his friends.

Shinji is the first to appear from the sea of LCL. Where Asuka comes from? Seeing as she has bandages, either a) Shinji found her in EVA02's remains, maybe her capsule survived the Eva series assault, and then took care of her even if she's in a quasi coma b) she had such a strong will to live that she's one of the fews to come from the sea soon after Shinji (but why the bandages?) c) Somehow it was Shinji's biggest wish before leaving the tree of life to be with Asuka d) Anno was smoking some fine weed

I do think that peoples will come back little by little and it will go back to a normal world, there's too many indications that it will in the anime, from Rei saying that its up to the peoples' will to come back or not, Shinji's mother saying pretty much the samething, the backgrounds used during the explanation by Rei and Kaoru (why waste money and talent drawing backgrounds that would have nothing to do in the story? nor even an hint?) There's more but its been a while since i watched it.

The theory that Shinji and Asuka are Adam & Eve, the sole survivors of the world and they have to start a new is too simplistic and goes against all hints in the story like above. I think its exactly what Anno wanted, confuse those who watched it to simply use the lowest common denominator in the story and say "hey i think i understood it", Pretty much everyone i know in real life who watched the anime immediatly went with the Adam & Eve theory, but not after i show up some of the stories' hints while we're watching the DVD.

 

[Buggy Loop]

Btw i couldnt find the comparison shots, there were some links of them on animeondvd.com but the links are dead.

 

[radios shipping overview]

You can see maskrider's comparison shots here:

http://gallery.felixmcli.org/gallery/eva-renewal-orig

 

[Dead]

heres some comparison shots from that site:

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-

-

 

[Crazymoogle]

Crazymoogle, what rating would you give Evangelion? If there are any fans or just people who watched it here too I'm curious about your opinions too.

http://www.moogle.net/anime.html

 

[Chrono]

http://www.moogle.net/anime.html

heh very cool site (but I couldn't find an EVA review... ). So you're a full-time game designer? Tell us when that pirate game is done-- it looks pretty cool.

Naruto got an S. I'll link to that review every time the naruto-is-dbz crowd start bashing. Unless of course your'e actually 12 and a DBZ fan... Also it's nice to see I'm not the only one who thinks Trigun is good but not great. I still can't believe you gave Now and Then, Here and There an F though. O__o

 

[Grizzlyjin]

http://www.moogle.net/anime.html

I love that site, I'm bookmarking this baby.

 

[Crazymoogle]

heh very cool site (but I couldn't find an EVA review... ). So you're a full-time game designer? Tell us when that pirate game is done-- it looks pretty cool.

Naruto got an S. I'll link to that review every time the naruto-is-dbz crowd start bashing. Unless of course your'e actually 12 and a DBZ fan... Also it's nice to see I'm not the only one who thinks Trigun is good but not great. I still can't believe you gave Now and Then, Here and There an F though. O__o

The site is sort of on backup (the main url goes to the blog version) until I get some other things in life sorted out. Glad you find something useful on it, though.

I want to like NTHT more, but the show really is one where the carpet gets pulled out from under you. I can't watch it again and the ending disappoints me every time I think of it. Years ago, that would be a mediocre but not completely awful rating, but since I skip the "so-so" sort of thing, it falls down to F.

 

[Hitokage]

Joy, let another hyperinflated score for average-at-best Naruto.

Even if the base concept is brilliant, it should not be deserving of a superlative rating if the execution isn't similarly excellent. But whatever, that's just my take on rating scales. I like to think that A+ means excellent with no important flaws in either concept or execution.

 

[Crazymoogle]

Joy, let another hyperinflated score for average-at-best Naruto.

Even if the base concept is brilliant, it should not be deserving of a superlative rating if the execution isn't similarly excellent. But whatever, that's just my take on rating scales. I like to think that A+ means excellent with no important flaws in either concept or execution.

That's arguing bias by using counter-bias. I found Naruto to be an enormously entertaining show that is rewatchable, rarely boring, and keeps you thinking of what's going to happen in the future instead of just the next episode.

That's not a hyperinflated rating - it's just my rating. I've been through 90 episodes, and on many of the series I've reviewed, dragged down the score accordingly. Naruto doesn't need to drop down yet.

It's clear you don't feel the same way about Naruto, Hitokage, but I just can't imagine any given episode of the series being "just average".

EDIT: What I'm getting at is that you mixed in "bullshit Naruto score" with "generic ratings comments". Take a look at my NTHT comments - I fully understand the relationship of concept and execution. I just happen to see a lot of advantages in Naruto that you consider to be flaws.