Neon Genesis Evangelion Highly recommended

Publisher
ADV
Director
Hideaki Anno
Production
GAINAX, NAS, TV Tokyo
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
1995

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Collection 0:6

By John Huxley
20th May 04

The sixth volume of Neon Genesis Evangelion marks a turning point in the series. The previous outing had seen a downturn in fortunes for the unlucky pilots of the eva units, but little can prepare them for the abject misery they are about to suffer.

Skip the to next paragraph if you'd like to avoid any spoilers!

Eva Unit 03 has been reclassified as an Angel after some routine synch ratio tests went horribly wrong, the unknown pilot trapped inside. As the hybrid Angel heads for Tokyo-3 and NERV headquaters, it's up to Shinji, Rei and Asuka to once again save the day. But there's nothing routine about this encounter - the unlikely trio have yet to face such a fearsome opponent and, knowing there is a human trapped inside the angel, Shinji is unwilling to fight. Utilising the unproven dummy plug AI control system as a last resort, Gendo Ikari forces Shinji to watch on as he brutally attacks the Angel, destroying even the entry plug that houses the hapless ex-pilot of Unit 03. Shell shocked and infuriated by his fathers actions, Shinji is mortified to learn of the pilot's true identity...

Watching the poor boy go through such turmoil might sound like a harrowing experience (and it is) yet it's also highly entertaining, edge-of-seat stuff that will have your eyes glued to the screen. For seventeen long episodes we've watched these characters develop through a whole variety of trials and tribulations, we've seen them through their finest achievements and personal dilemmas both great and small. In short, we've become unwittingly and irreversibly attached to Shinji, Rei and company, something which adds a great deal of potency to this kind of dramatic turn. It's almost as if Hideaki Anno enjoys playing around with our emotions - he lets us become attached to his characters, winning us over with an easily accessible, deceivingly typical introduction to the series, slowly building up our expectations with humourous asides and trivial dilemmas. Only once we're well and truly embroiled in the world of these characters does he submit them to all manner of atrocities, leaving the characters unstable and traumatised and leaving us shocked and bemused. Even the least susceptible of us will have to admit that Evangelion's characterisation is highly effective and, along with the visual design of the show, is the most accomplished and entertaining aspect.

The second episode on this disc continues with the melodramatics as a deadly new Angel threatens Tokyo-3 and NERV headquarters itself. With Shinji out of action following the emotional turmoil of recent events and Rei and Asuka defenceless against the Angel's superior strength and agility, could this be the end of NERV, the end of Tokyo-3 and perhaps the end of humanity? Almost...

Without wanting to spoil anything, it's safe to say that Shinji, having been through such a terrible ordeal during the previous episode, is given fresh hope and renewed vigour from an unexpected turn of events and a little encouragement from a familiar face...only for everything to back-fire, crushing his fragile confidence and placing his friends, family and the fate of humanity in jeopardy. In the process we learn the true form of the evangelions; a bestial, unnatural and ever so slightly disturbing (yet brilliantly animated and wonderfully realised) creature that's convincingly horrific. Watching this inhuman abomination ferociously attack its enemy with a relentless bloodlust is easily one of the series highlights, providing some great action, drama and fantastic visuals.

Sadly, after the unparalleled heights of the previous two episodes, the last on this disc is something of a letdown. Though related to recent happenings, the plot is almost entirely devoid of any kind of development whatsoever, choosing instead to delve further into Shinji's tormented psyche with a series of overly familiar (but very cheap) scenes that really do little to enhance either character or plot. Unfortunately this whole episode feels as if it were little more than a cost cutting exercise; there are several scenes in which the animation is so limited it's almost laughable, such as the last few minutes which are spent staring at a glass of spirits sitting on a sideboard while the characters talk off screen. It's not a particularly desirable quality and sadly doesn't make for great entertainment.

Regardless of a poor finale, this disc represents some of the best Evangelion has to offer, which is incidently some of the best anime and animation in general has to offer.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English, Spanish and Japanese audio, English subtitles, character bios, clean open/close, ADV previews

Release information: UK release date: 17th November 2003, ADV

Notes: If you were hoping for some improvements over the last five volumes...sorry, you're out of luck! It's a relatively bare package with only the various audio options (including Spanish), a few character profiles and a single page leaflet with some colour artwork, this time boasting a picture of the stunning blood soaked river as seen in the second episode.

-- John Huxley 20th May 04

Neon Genesis Evangelion Images