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 0:7

By John Huxley
20th May 04

If you were disappointed that the otherwise excellent seventh volume of Neon Genesis Evangelion ended with a whimper, you'll be glad to know that there's no such discrepancies in the eighth and penultimate volume as the story heads towards its notorious climax.

Before the story can move forwards, however, we're treated to a little background information as we're whisked back to a time before the second impact, where Gendo and Yui Ikari were college students under the tutelage of professor Fuyutsuki. While this episode also provides an interesting insight into the character of Gendo Ikari (watch his intimidating office expand further and further and into the distance along with his ego), its main aim is to retell the creation of NERV, providing us with a sneaky peek in to the inner workings of the various people and organisations responsible for the evangelions. Although it does help clarify some of the more ambiguous elements of the series, I'd question the necessity of providing such a lengthy backstory; there's very little here that we didn't already know or could have presumed, and I'm not too sure if it really helps the series progress. Whatever the case, it's all extremely well executed as usual, with Hideaki Anno's expert framing techniques that give the series much of its flavour.

This flashback episode also marks the one and only appearance of Shinji's long departed mother, Yui Ikari. In actuality it's more of a cameo role, never really giving her character the space and time to develop into anything other than the stereotypical perfect image of motherhood, an omission that happily never brings in to question Shinji's dubious perception of his mother (while the complete opposite is true of Ritsuko's much maligned mother).

For the last two episodes on this disc it's back to a more familiar timeline as we're reacquainted with a distraught cast characters on the verge of breakdown. Unable to cope with the onslaught of angel after angel and all the emotional turmoil they bring with them, Shinji, Asuka and Misato must resort to desperate measures to save the human race - and themselves - from oblivion. With barely a laugh to be had, this is a truly sombre affair that is utterly detached from the carefree episodes that punctuated the series early in life. What it lacks in humour, however, it easily makes up for with plenty of startling plot developments and enthralling drama that will have your pulse racing simply at the elation of it all. This is really a continuation of the good work started the volume previous; a series of events that progress like a chain-reaction, devastating the lives and livelihood of everyone involved and culminating in a coup de grace that will decide the fate of humanity itself. A tad over dramatic, perhaps, but undeniably engrossing.

There's very little left to say that hasn't already been said, by myself or others, so I'll wrap this up quick. Don't let the score fool you - Evangelion is by no means perfect and I'm certain not everyone will enjoy it as much as myself - yet I cannot deny that it is simply one of the best anime series I have ever had the pleasure to watch. But don't get stuck reading my incoherent ramblings - go watch the series, and if you've seen it already, watch it again.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English, Spanish and Japanese audio, English subtitles, character bios, ADV previews

Release information: UK release date: 15th December 2003, ADV

Notes: The features are as expected. Which is to say, disappointingly lean. The presentation remains uniform since those unexpected alterations were made a few volumes back, though I did notice that the artwork on the cover was of a slightly lower quality than usual...or perhaps that's just me being pedantic.

-- John Huxley 20th May 04

Neon Genesis Evangelion Images