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: Perfect Collection boxset

By John Huxley
9th Jan 05

This being a collected edition of a series that was released on DVD last year, I'll skip the details and move straight on to the good stuff. If you're really desperate to know more about each disc check out the links just below this review.

First up is the box itself. Constructed using a double sheet of cardboard and measuring around two inches thick, this box just exudes class that belies the average build quality. This is mostly thanks to a wonderfully subtle yet strangely eye-catching design that wraps around the front, back and spine of the box. You can't really see it too clearly in photographs, but the black mass of colour hides a semi-gloss finish that reveals itself when tilted towards the light. On the front cover is a close-up of an Eva unit's head, it's eyes glowing red, while the back cover and spine are decorated in the biblical ramblings you'll recognise from the show's introduction, the NERV logo's autumn leaf dominating as the centrepiece. All this is crowned by a simple red logo on the front, back, spine and top of the box. Hidden away at the bottom of the box is all the usual ADV copyright notices and disc info. Make no mistake, this box will look beautiful sitting on your shelf.

Shake off the slipcase and you'll find that it's surprisingly sturdy - it'll easily bend if you step on it but you'd have to be malicious to do it any real damage from daily wear & tear. The discs themselves are housed in two plastic snaplock cases carrying four discs each, with two discs sitting securely on a holder that rests in the middle of the case attached to the spine. The cover artwork for each case is unique, both depicting different images of the Eva unit 0. Although both are amongst the most attractive covers the series has had to offer, the second is a real standout; a moody picture of a berserk Eva unit 0 with its breath clearly visible as though steam were rising from its mouth. Again the same subtle logo refuses to draw attention to itself at the top of the box - everyone should know what they're holding, after all. The back covers are less spectacular and mimic the design of the regular series almost exactly. The blurb is different, but the design will be familiar.

Place both boxes side-by-side and the spines reveal a close-up of the Eva unit 0's head (can you spot a theme here?) and a small NERV logo above, an alluring design that is visible even when they're placed inside the slipcase. Crack open either box and you'll find four plain black & white discs decorated with a the series' logo and that ever-present NERV logo. The covers are double-sided with several character portraits to welcome you as you open the box - a nice touch that really rounds off a great package.

Now, the discs themselves. All eight discs from the regular series are here in full with all 26 episodes. As far as I can tell the content is no different from earlier releases; meaning that extras are thin on the gound, the image quality is less than perfect and the Spanish subtitles remain intact. Of course the series itself is still as great as it ever was, but many will bemoan the lack of the director's cut. If you're not bothered about the re-edited final few episodes with extra footage, this is a fantastic package that beats the regular release hands-down. Obviously it's not worth picking up if you already own the entire series and perfectionists might want to wait for the upcoming 'platinum' releases, but newcomers should definitely hunt down this version - it's smaller, cheaper and far prettier.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English, Japanese & Spanish audio, English subtitles

Release information: UK: ADV, 2004

Notes: Nothing much to say here! As far as I can tell the contents of all eight discs are identical to the regular releases, so check my individual reviews for a run-down of the DVD extras.

-- John Huxley 9th Jan 05

Neon Genesis Evangelion Images