Rei's portrayal in rebuild

[evafanatic]

Let me just start off by saying that I thought Rei's rendition in the Rebuild movies have been great so far. However, I did find her less intriguing than the original Rei due to her being less of an enigma(might be due to my knowledge of Rei after watching the original series and eoe) and I really thought Anno should've maybe somehow made her more mysterious somehow(especially in 1.xx).

In spite of all that, I'm really enjoying Rei's extra screen time and portrayal in Rebuild.

So guys, what are your thoughts on Rei's characterization in Rebuild?


and


How does it fare to the original Rei?

[Seele00TextOnly]

...

[GasmaskAvenger]

Rebuild Rei is Rei if she...ummm...lost an RPG fight and took a level down instead of up

so instead of a Rei who should've been somewhat more human, we got a Rei who's actually slightly less human (if that makes any sense)

[Shogo-Kun]

I like Rebuild Rei. Much more approachable.

[child of Lilith]

I don't care for Rebuild Rei. Pretty much for the same reasons Seele already mentioned.

[GasmaskAvenger]

I miss old Rei :(

at least I can pretend the Rei figma I ordered is that Rei

[Azathoth]

got moeblobbed up and lost most of her scariness in 2.0. Then she goes down the same unpleasant route of NGE/EoE "lol i don't matter, just let me kill myself for your happiness", only this time she's kind of forced/pressured into it by Shinji as opposed to choosing it (relatively) freely. Which isn't a problem with how the character is written per se but it's not very nice to her either.

Also "they can only live in here, just like me " is quite possibly the derpiest Eva line ever written (although I'm sure I could think of a derpier one if I tried). It's a pity because when it gets drama-repeated towards the end, it's pretty effective. I just wish they could have made the introduction of the idea a little less retardedly blatant.

[Ornette]

Although the book Rei is reading DID end up sort of having some relevance by the end of 2.0 (metal statue who befriends a migratory bird, they bring happiness to others, in life as well as in death, etc).

[Xard]

Rebuild Rei is moe

I'm really not seeing why 14 year old (9) Japanese girl reading Twain would automatically make her less intelligent than reading physics book nor do I see why it would mean she doesn't do that too. Why can't she read both?

Rei's awkwardness and lack of know-how when it comes to living is not really different from the series.

I of course like the mysterious, alien series Rei more but as far as humanized ("moeblobbed") Rei goes Rebuild did good job. I can only imagine how gladly Japanese fans ate it up

[Warren Peace]

NGE is probably the reason you find her "less intriguing". Unless Anno drastically alters her back story, we already know what she's about. When you first watch the series, you don't know what this weird chick's deal is.

[Jornophelanthas]

I agree that the reason Rebuild-Rei does not seem mysterious is because of all the revelations done about her in NGE and EoE.

However, while watching Rebuild try to bear in mind that it doesn't have to be exactly the same way as in NGE.

For example:

- Rei could have (a part of) Adam's soul.
(If you wish to believe that the white giant in the basement is not Lilith, but (an) Adam, then Gendo never had access to Lilith.)
- Rei could have her own soul.
(Rather than the "Chamber of Guf" being empty when she was first awakened in NGE, perhaps it wasn't in Rebuild. And a new soul came into the world in Rei's artificial body. And because the body is made of PWM rather than flesh, this explains her sub-human behaviour.)
- Rei could have (a part of) Yui's soul.
(If most of Yui's soul is in Unit-01, and only a piece of her is in Rei, this explains Rei's less-than-full understanding of being human.)
- Rei could have a part of Gendo's soul.
(Perhaps Gendo split his own soul to animate the body created in Yui's image, resulting in both of them losing most of the awareness of their emotions, turning Gendo into a sociopath and Rei into a puppet. I'll grant you that this detracts from Gendo's character so much that I find it highly unlikely.)
- Feel free to expand or alter this list as you please.

My point is not to argue any or all of these theories. Rather, if you believe that some of these suggestions may be possibilities as to Rei's true nature in Rebuild, the mystery is back.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

she goes down the same unpleasant route of NGE/EoE "lol i don't matter, just let me kill myself for your happiness", only this time she's kind of forced/pressured into it by Shinji as opposed to choosing it (relatively) freely. Which isn't a problem with how the character is written per se but it's not very nice to her either.

Well, that's just part of the character interactions having a greater importance in this section of Rebuild than they did in that same section of NGE. In NGE Rei has kind of been handled as an island unto herself (and Gendo) for most of the first half of the series, saying she'll only interact with others if she's ordered to. Shinji's influence on the character was never fully realized until EoE. In Rebuild we see Shinji's influence in the character much sooner. Asuka even seems to have left somewhat of an impression on her, what with her calling Asuka on the phone. (Two girls calling each other on the phone? What?!) This makes me question where the rest of Rei's story is going.

[AuraTwilight]

Rebuild Rei is moe

I'm really not seeing why 14 year old (9) Japanese girl reading Twain would automatically make her less intelligent than reading physics book nor do I see why it would mean she doesn't do that too. Why can't she read both?

Rei's awkwardness and lack of know-how when it comes to living is not really different from the series.

I of course like the mysterious, alien series Rei more but as far as humanized ("moeblobbed") Rei goes Rebuild did good job. I can only imagine how gladly Japanese fans ate it up

I agree with all of this. Rebuild Rei really isn't that significantly different, and the parts that are different are just her warming up to Shinji which we all pretty much wanted deep down (admit it).

I mean, the poor fucker needs SOMEONE his own age to give a damn about him.

[Azathoth]

I agree with all of this. Rebuild Rei really isn't that significantly different, and the parts that are different are just her warming up to Shinji which we all pretty much wanted deep down (admit it).

Not if it means her killing herself so he can be happy again, I didn't. Bitch needs to hang out with Utena for a couple weeks.

[Kendrix]

I don't see how her portrayal is actually that different - we see more of Reis actual personality beneath the ice, but except for that planning streak, all those personality traits were in NGE as well.
Out of all the characters that haven't gone out of focus, Rei is the once whose portrayal has changed the least.

...And, kid books? me demands a screenshot.

[Warren Peace]

People (understandably) look at the character through the lens of NGE instead of Rebuild. Going by the movie's chronology, the Ramiel fight is what brought them closer together. It's a direct continuation of the end of 1.0. The series didn't really build on that moment, at least not in as an immediate a way.

[Xard]

...And, kid books? me demands a screenshot.

She is reading collection of Mark Twain's stories in 1.0 hospital scene. Seele 00 just felt a need to put it down for some reason, hence the condescending tone

[Warren Peace]

I don't know how it is in Japan, but in the states schools are likely to assigned those books at her age (maybe a tad earlier). Could be the case. In any event, it's not like she's reading Dr. Seuss or something. Twain is serious business.

[Kendrix]

I don't know how it is in Japan, but in the states schools are likely to assigned those books at her age (maybe a tad earlier). Could be the case. In any event, it's not like she's reading Dr. Seuss or something. Twain is serious business.

There we have it: It's a school book! That means, something she's ordered to read by others, most likely her English teacher. This is in-character for her.
If ppl read it at school, it's probably a classic, anyway.
(I don't know it T~T *tries to recall some lines from Faust to convince herself that she is not badly educated*)
The genetics books were still in her room in 1.X.

[Ornette]

She is reading collection of Mark Twain's stories in 1.0 hospital scene. Seele 00 just felt a need to put it down for some reason, hence the condescending tone

I thought it was The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde. I couldn't find "Twain" in any post in the Rebuild subforum related to Rei's books until this thread.