Relax Misato, it wasn't his idea

If you’re like me then you fear 3 things above all else: heights, the bastardization of your favorite anime series, and Paris Hilton being given a second attempt at singing, and since this isn’t a music review site or a clifftop, I suppose I’m talking about the second one today. Given the history of people deciding to redo or add to their own series in a desperate attempt to grab younger viewers and cash, I faced the news of Evangelion doing over their series the same way I reacted to the remake of the Star Wars Trilogy. First I broke a window, then I cried, then I drank about a gallon of vodka. When I came to it was November of this year, and the first two movies had already been released in Japan and the first English dub had arrived at my front door.  Naturally I was fearful, but my love for the Evangelion forced me to pop the sucker in and pray for the best.

Use your glowing Eva to fuel SWEET RAVE PARTIES!

The movie starts with Shinji arriving in Tokyo-3 unable to find Misato Katsuragi, a strict lieutenant colonel by day and fun loving gal with an Electra complex escaping her past by night. Just as Misato finds Shinji the first Angel, Sachiel, begins his assault of the city. Misato and Shinji drive off just as the armed forced drop an N-2 mine on the Angel which vapourizes the area, but only delays Sachiel by forcing him to regenerate for 2 hours. Shinji arrives at NERV headquarters located in the Geofront, an underground city Tokyo-3 sinks into when Angels appear, and the last hope for mankind. Here they are met by Ritsuko Akagi, the lead scientist who escorts the two to The Cage. It is here we get the first glimpse of Evangelion Unit 01, and also where Shinji is met by his father, Gendo Ikari, who leaves him with an ultimatum: “Pilot it or leave.” Shinji is naturally scared and refuses to pilot, at which point Rei is called in despite being in an injured state. When Shinji sees Rei bandaged passing by on a gurney to the Eva, he has a moment of remorse, and when Sachiel attacks casuing the building to rock and Rei to fall down painfully, Shinji takes the reins to pilot the Eva. Hooked in and launched to the surface immediatly, Shinji attempts to focus simply on walking, but falls on the second step and is left east prey for Sachiel. Sachiel grabs the Eva and proceeds to break its arm and thrust a beam blade through its right eye before tossing it aside broken and defeated. At this point Unit 01 goes berserk as blood pours from its head, severs it’s link with NERV and attacks the Angel while Shinji is left unconscious in the cockpit. After the Eva miraculously regenerates his arm and slams Sachiel a few times, the battle ends with Sachiel latching to Unit 01 and exploding in its trademark crucifix style. Unit 01 goes silent and the pilot is rescued as a rain of blood pours over the city.

Toji and Kensuke

After awakening in the hospital, he is sent to live alone, but Misato objects and becomes his legal guardian. Misato’s place is a mess littered with booze, snacks, and Pen-Pen, her pet warm water penguin, and while Shinji is reluctant he geos along with it all. School isn’t that easy though as Shinji is decked on his first day by Toji Suzahara who’s sister was injured during the recent Angel battle. Kensuke Aida tries to apologize for Toji, but Shinji wallows in his angst saying he didn’t want to pilot the Eva which wins him another knock to the face. Later, Shinji is called back to NERV as the next Angel has been spotted approching Tokyo-3 and he’s launched to battle the fourth Angel: Shamshiel. Meanwhile, in the underground safety of the retracted city, Kensuke wants to see the battle and ropes Toji in to pick the lock for him. As they get outside the Angel attacks, and Shinji is tossed aside like in the first fight after his umbilical power cable is cut, landing right next to the two watching the fight. Shinji defends at Shamshiel continues his onslaught while the two outside are ordered into the plug with Shinji to keep safe. Shinji lets them in and is told to fall back immediatly, but defies orders and attacks the Angel with his progressive knife with only a minute of internal power left. The battle ends dramatically as Shinji plunges the blade into Shamshiel’s core and the Angel is neutralized as Shinji runs out of power. After the fight, Shinji is repremended for defying orders by Misato, but doesn’t care since they won and he’s the pilot, so he’ll just keep doing what he has to do. Shinji, now dejected, runs away and wanders the countryside for a few days mulling things over before deciding he wants to pilot, at which point the NERV officials that had been following him the whole time make their appearance and bring him back to NERV. Misato tells Shinji to pilot is his choice, and he can leave if he wants, especially if he’s going to have an attitude about it.

Oops, look where I landed.

Coming back to school, Toji has Shinji punch him in the face and apologizes for the other day, and the three become friends. While at school Shinji notices Rei Ayanami, the First Child, and is told about how his father rescued her during the start up of Unit 00, explaining her prior wounds. At NERV he sees Rei talking with Gendo from his cockpit and the two smiling, somewhat unsettling for him as he has no relationship with his own father. In hopes of the two becoming closer allies, Shinji is asked to take Rei’s new pass card to her apartment. No answer at the door he enters and finds a pair of his father’s glasses. Just as he tries them on, Rei emerges from the shower, and while she has no problem walking over and plucking the glasses from Shinji’s face, he panics seeing her in the nude, stumbles as she approches, and falls on top of her. A brief awkward silence falls on the scene until Rei asks: “Would you get off me?” as which point Shinji notices one of his hands had landed on Rei’s chest. Shinji stammers an explaination, but Rei gets dressed and leaves. Shinji delivers the card later and asks Rei if she’s scared to get in the Eva again. Rei asks back whether or not Shinji has faith in his father’s work. Shinji tells Rei “Of course not, how could anyone?” which gets him slapped. The sixth Angel, Ramiel, appears at this point and Unit 01 is called into action, but just as Shinji’s launched, power surges from the Angel and focuses an awesome attack on Unit 01. The power of the Angel is overwhelming and Shinji is left exposed to the full attack for a moment while Misato calls within NERV to detonate the holding bolts of that section of the city causing it to collapse down so they can rescue Shinji who is immediatly put into emergency surgery. Ramiel begins drilling right down through the city and towards the Geofront, but thanks to the shielding, will be delayed by 10 hours, however this is little consolation as there is little to no chance to fight back. Misato calls to requisition a prototype positron rifle to be aimed by the Eva, and all the power of Japan to power one shot to destroy the Angel. It’s a desperate plan, but all they have.

Crazy shapeshift knockout laser?!

Rei is waiting when Shinji comes to and brings him up to speed on the plan, then leaves. Shinji never leaves though and thinks it’s unfair he has to pilot the Eva, how everything’s shouldered upon him. Misato finds Shinji and takes him into the deepest recesses of NERV, to Central Dogma where she reveals the second Angel and origin on life, Lilith, who is the key to Second Impact, and what the Angels seek to trigger Third Impact and eliminate humanity. Shinji agrees to pilot the Eva and is sent to his sniper post. Shinji has one last conversation with Rei asking if she’s scared since if they fail they will both be killed, but Rei says “You won’t die, because I will protect you.” Shinji recieves an inspirational message from Toji and Kensuke, then awaits orders with Rei. Shinji asks her why she pilots the Eva which she explains is a bond to everyone and that she has nothing else before simply saying “Goodbye.” The countdown hits zero and the positron rifle is set to fire while unmanned turrets launch an attack to keep the Angel distracted. The fire is let loose and for a moment it looks successful… but the attack was slightly off and it fires back at Eva 01! Shinji is hurled back from the rifle, Gendo dismisses Shinji and calls for Rei to grab the rifle and take a shot, but Misato calls for Gendo to have

Smile like you mean it

faith in his son and let him try again. Gendo reluctantly allows it and Shinji takes to the rifle once more. Just as the charging of the gun begins, Ramiel charges again and fires immediatly, but the continuous shot is blocked by Unit 00 and Rei equipped with a shield that begins to deteriorate quickly. The power maxs out just as the shield fails, Shinji fires, and Ramiel is destroyed… but Unit 00 collapses lifelessly into the pool of blood left over. Shinji rips the pilot plug from Unit 00 and opens the hatch with his bare hands in the same fashion his father did to the unresponsive pilot. Rei comes to as Shinji gets inside and begins to cry telling her not to say goodbye anymore like that. Rei apologizes not knowing how to respond to his tears, to which Shinji replies “You could start by smiling.” And she does.

Kaworu chillin'... naked... on the moon...

Suddenly we find ourselves on the moon where the twelfth and final Angel of the original series has awoken. Kaworu Nagisa, the Angel in human form, Tabris. A member of SEELE appears in his traditional pillar form and informs Kaworu it is time. Kaworu looks out at an excavation revealing the original Lilith from the TV series, looks up at the Earth and says “I’m looking forward to seeing you, Shinji Ikari.”

Despite my early resignations on the film I found it compelling and amazing, it progressed the stories of all the characters while staying true to the original plot closely. If you’re a fan of the series, then like me you’ll notice a few change including Unit 01’s green pain being glow in the dark which was odd, and the final scene with the original Lilith lying in the moon while this imposter Lilith resides in Central Dogma which is quite perplexing. Another note woth making is the series seems much more graphic, Angels explode in a shower of blood, Eve Unit 01’s arm regeneration is done in a fleshy way, and I can only imagin how graphic it will get when we reach Zeruel… I’ve heard rumour that as the series progresses it makes major changes to the plot, and while I fear for the integrity of the original series, I am optimistic that Hideaki Anno and his team will maintain their integrity as the series goes on.