An epic that blows the mind, the Evangelion series is a favorite to fans of anime. This film is basically a synopsis of 26 TV episodes, and a prelude to the end.
--George
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth
Directors: Tsurumaki Kazuya, Masayuki, Amanda Winn Lee (English), Anno Hideaki
Producers: Kadokawa Tsuguhiko, Ikeguchi Norio, Yamaga Hiroyuki, Kuramasu Takuma
Writers: Anno Hideaki, Amanda Winn Lee (English)
Features: Letterbox; Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround (English), English and Japanese Stereo; Subtitle Options for Dialogue & On-Screen Text; Audio Commentary with Amanda Winn Lee (English Language Director and Voice of Rei Ayanami), Jason C. Lee, and Taliesin Jaffe; In-Depth Index of Characters, Angels, Evas & Terms; Photo Gallery; Original Japanese Trailers; Japanese Production Credits; The End of Evangelion Preview; Manga Previews; Web Links; Manga Fan Club; Mukuji Interactive Feature
Characters:
Shinji Ikari - Spike Spencer
Asuka Langley Soryou - Tiffany Grant
Rei Ayanami/Yui Ikari - Amanda Winn Lee
Misato Katsuragi - Allison Keith
Gendo Ikari - Tristan MacAvery
Shigeru Aobo - Jason C. Lee
Genre: Anime
Review:
Not since "AKIRA" have I seen anime so epic, yet the Evangelion series seemed to be more than my neophyte mind could grasp. The enormous scope of this series is contained within 26 episodes, and "Death and Rebirth" and "The End of Evangelion" were the last sections. "Death and Rebirth" had the unfortunate task of summarizing a majority of the episodes, which makes the beginning seem extremely choppy. But if you give it time, the Evangelion series is enjoyable to watch.
Another enjoyable thing was Manga Video's wonderful work in putting this DVD together. While they are still having to compete with Pioneer for picture and sound quality, they blow Pioneer out of the water when it comes to features. The picture was clear enough, but seemed a little washed out in how the colors displayed. The sound was excellent though, with the mix being very dynamic on all channels. I must applaud Manga in utilizing all the channels effectively, which was necessary due to the Evangelion soundtrack that includes classical artists like Bach and Pachelbel. The menu system is easy to navigate and attractive to hear and view. I do tip my hat to Manga for a great disc.
The disc for "Death and Rebirth" was laden with features that were necessary for an anime newbie like me. The index was critical to understanding the terminology and keeping track of all the characters. I would suggest those that are unfamiliar with the Evangelion series review this before watching the film. There are some many characters that are introduced very quickly that it is in your interest to prepare for the onslaught of character development that is flashed before your eyes. There are also terms that are needed to be learned that save you from scratching your head while watching the film. You also get to see all the angels and evas which is important, because that's what the film centers on, and not all the angels are on this movie.
The Photo Gallery was a neat feature to flip through, and it will only take a moment. But most critical to my even surviving the film was the fantastic commentary track that was included. Manga delivered on this feature as the commentary was both informative and entertaining, as I laughed as Winn Lee, Lee, and Jaffe pointed out key plot points, areas of translation, and did it all with wonderful wit. It was probably one of the most enjoyable and memorable commentaries I've listened to, which is saying a lot, since this is an anime film. Manga included trailers, credits, previews, and web links to finish off a great DVD. Pioneer better watch out, or Manga may become the premiere anime distributor out there, if they haven't already become that!
"Death and Rebirth" is too difficult to summarize properly, as this film is trying to summarize like 13 hours of the Evangelion series. Some fans complain that this movie is basically a chop job, as it is a summary of the first 26 episodes, and an intro to "The End of Evangelion" in the last 30 minutes. However, I found "Death and Rebirth" to be crucial to even having a clue as to what "The End of Evangelion" was about, and the latter doesn't have the wonderful index in it to explain to newcomers to the series.
The gist of the movie is that there are these creatures that have been awakened by the Second Impact (why is it that in every anime film, Tokyo ends up getting completely destroyed?), and they are threatening to end mankind. The only thing defending humans are the evas, which are bio-engineered units that have these AT fields that protect them from the angels. The job of the evas is to destroy the angels before they get to the NERV center, which is the Evangelion headquarters, and where the eva pilots, and scientists are located. At the center of the NERV headquarters, Lillith is kept, which is what the angels are trying to get to.
The movie focuses on the pilots of the evas, and their many trials and tribulations. Shinji is the only male (there is another one later, but you will find out about him, and who he really is) pilot, and has difficulty adjusting with his surroundings. He runs away, only to come back later because he doesn't feel right at the place he's run off to. He also has a thing for the other two women pilots, Asuka and Rei, but is too inadequate to ever do anything about it. Asuka has her own issues with her mother, and Rei has issues with Shinji's father, Gendo. It's all pretty twisted actually.
"Death and Rebirth" is definitely choppy in the beginning, but it does also have a flow to it as the movie progresses and you get familiar with the characters. The movie takes an almost Lynchian turn at the "Rebirth" part, as the attacks on NERV come from a different source than the angels, with the target being the evas this time. The pilots are in danger, and their guardian Misato must find a way to save them.
I would definitely recommend the Evangelion series to anime fans and those that are open or curious about anime. It really is an enjoyable series, though I wish I had been able to see the entire series at once to get a better understanding. Still, "Death and Rebirth" does its job, which is introducing everyone to the world of Evangelion and preluding "The End of Evangelion." One precaution, is that this is no normal cartoon! There is nudity, blood and guts, and swearing, so parents might want to preview this before letting the kids try and see this. Nonetheless, I would rate this disc with four stars and a majority of my recommendation come from the wonderful DVD Manga put together. Just read the index before you watch it, and then appreciate the work that went into it. After you watch it, make sure you check out that commentary track. It really is an amazing track, and it goes a long way to answering questions you may have. If your an anime fan, I imagine you will buy this, or already have it in your collection. If you're not, make sure you give it a rent.
---George Castillo