Reichu wrote:I don't consider the compression of episodes 1-3 to be particularly well done, and I think it would have served the film much better to do the front half the same as the last: base it on the original episodes, but cook up almost entirely new storyboards to fit instead of forcing the old storyboards into a totally new format they're not suited for.

I actually liked how they finally let the timeline of Episodes 1 and 2 flow naturally, rather than making half of it a flashback scene. That I have no issue with. Though, I will admit that the compression of Ep 3 kinda makes the whole fight scene feel a little forced, narratively speaking.

It's interesting how the more different the movies were allowed to be from the TV series, the better they became.

FreakyFilmFan4ever wrote:I actually liked how they finally let the timeline of Episodes 1 and 2 flow naturally, rather than making half of it a flashback scene.

That part was fine. I was referring to the pacing in general. Seems like the timing of central battle scenes was left more or less alone, but everything else... I dunno, man. Never feels right. The first part of the movie is at once too slavish to the original episodes, and not faithful enough. The first half of the film is speeding its way through familiar scenes and set pieces less like it means it and more out of a misplaced sense of obligation. The original material really wasn't designed for such a brisk pace, as the storyboards were made for 23-minute episodes with minimal budget in mind, not a cinematic feature with very different requirements. Chopping stuff out and leaving the rest basically the same also proves to have rather lacking results with episode 3, as you've noted. The fight scene feeling forced only starts touching on the problems there, IMO.

Another of 1.0's problems that I seldom hear mentioned is that a lot of the cast (the original one, natch) sound like they're phoning it in. This problem isn't present in the next two films, so I wonder what exactly went wrong there. Maybe the same thing that resulted in Eva-01 sounding like the constipated lovechild of a caveman and a lawnmower. Ugh.

I wish they'd done more to show or explain how civilians were injured during Unit 01's first sortie. Tokyo-3 seems abandoned when the fight happens and the only damage we see in the Geofront are those few buildings that get knocked loose from the roof, so how did Sakura get hurt?

Reichu wrote:Maybe the same thing that resulted in Eva-01 sounding like the constipated lovechild of a caveman and a lawnmower. Ugh.

The new roar did leave something to be desired. The first few times I watched 2.0, I remember being really disappointed that Unit 01 only made those throaty, raspy grunts instead of roaring like a maniac. It made the Eva seem less bestial, and now I feel that was probably the point. Super Robot Wars' take on the scene gives Unit 01 a bellowing roar and it just doesn't work as well.

I'm really curious what spurred that change between 1.0 and 2.0.

I remember reading a statement made by Anno in 2006 in which he spoke about the reasons for the 'Rebuild-series':

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... ion-movies

“The desire to connect today's exhausted Japanese animation [industry] to the future.
The desire to fight the continuing trend of stagnation in anime.”

Rebuild of Evangelion, in my opinion, functions as a contemporary take on a 20 year old work of animation. An updated version of Evangelion, meant to connect with a contemporary audience, supplying the current Anime-landscape with a boost in quality.

Aside from that, I have always had tremendous respect for directors that were able to use film as a means to communicate a certain mental state. Anno used Neon Genesis Evangelion in 1995-1997 to do exactly that and is doing it again, with Rebuild of Evangelion, giving us a set of films that communicate a much more updated version of his mental state.

With that said, I think that the films are definitely worth watching, for they are visually overwhelming and will supply you with enough food for thought to compare, analyze and ultimately see Evangelion in a completely different context.

Yet, I have to say that I could very well live without any of the 3 films, because they simply lack the slower-paced, and therefore extremely detailed character development (not to forget: the extremely polarizing effect the cast had on its audience) and highly ambiguous storytelling + nostalgic atmosphere (the original colorpalettes and soundtrack are beyond perfect) of the original series. I can't imagine being only familiar with the 3 films; too many important scenes, quotes and shots are in my opinion absent.

Still, I think that the 3 films are better than 90% of the animation that is being produced today, delivering on Anno's original promise.

I would say yes they are and if you buy them buy them as blu ray not DVD because the animation is mind blowing and you see everything right down the iris patterns in a characters eyes. Sadly though as of now I'm quite torn with regards to which is better the original series or the Rebuild movies as the rebuild series is not complete and with out the final movie I feel it would very hard to make a judgement call, as everything might come together in the final movie and it will all make sense. I'd say the original series and EOE is much better viewing if you want a physiological and more thought provoking experience where as the rebuild to me at least feel more like action movies but at the very high end in that you do have good characters who are not throw away or props and interesting things going on and some laughs though thats mostly in 2.22.