Review: Evangelion:1.01 You Are (Not) Alone

Eva is a story of repetition.
It is a story where our protagonist faces the same situation many times over and determinedly picks himself back up again.
It is a story of the will to move forward, even if only a little.
It is a story of the resolve to want to be together, even though it is frightening to have contact with others and to endure ambiguous loneliness.
I would be most gratified if you find enjoyment in these 4 parts as it takes the same story and metamorphoses into something different.
- Hideaki Anno

I understood Evangelion:1.01 to be a theatrical remake of episodes one through six of the Neon Genesis Evangelion television series. And, initially, I was correct. This film starts as a scene-for-scene remake of the television series spruced up via new animation and CG effects. But as the story progresses one comes to realize a shocking truth: this is not a simple remake; this is something different; this is a new Evangelion.

I came to this realization during the scene in which Shinji is first introduced to Evangelion Unit 01. In the series, this scene is the first instance of Unit 01 activating itself to protect Shinji. But in the film, Eva Unit 01 does not activate. So I thought to myself, "Wait a minute...in episode 20 Misato remarks that Eva 01 activated three times...they just removed the first time!" So I wondered how the film series would reflect this change, how they would alter the narrative to account for the lack of this initial self-activation of Unit 01. I stopped wondering this as the film progressed and I came to realize that, well, this is a new story.

I am not going to list all of the changes. If you give a damn about Evangelion then you deserve to experience these changes as I experienced them. You deserve to experience the feeling of minding your own business only to have your jaw drop, your eyes bug out, and to be overwhelmed by an inexplicable feeling of shock as you think aloud, to an empty room, "WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!?!"

*cough*Kaworu*cough*

Anyway.

The overall experience of the film is enjoyable. Memorable scenes from episodes one through six are replicated with, at the least, animation enhancements and, at the most, CG enhancements. For the most part, the CG enhancements meld seamlessly with the animation. There were only a few moments of painfully gratuitous CGI. Overall, the aesthetic experience is enjoyable and I appreciated the enhancements.

Also, the musical score retains the memorable songs from the series yet utilizes them in a far more tasteful and enjoyable manner. There are times in the original series where one finds the music to be annoying or jarring yet I thought music to be well-utilized in the film.

The English voice cast maintains only Spike Spencer and Allison Keith, the voices of Shinji and Misato from the original series. While this is initially quite jarring one eventually comes to accept the new voices. My main regret is that they lost Tristan MacAvery, the original voice of Gendo Ikari, because he was a fucking awesome Gendo Ikari. Rei's new voice actress is quite charming. And, let's be honest, Rei's is not a difficult voice to do. Asuka is not in this first film, but my understanding is that Tiffany Grant will not be the voice for the films. I withhold judgment on whether this is good or bad.

An aspect of the film which bothered me is the minor changes to the script. I have seen the original series I think 14 times, so I have most of the dialog memorized. So in scenes which are replicated between the television series and the film I was at a loss to explain why the dialog changed. For the most part characters say the same things, but in different ways. This was especially consternating with lines of Shinji and Misato. When the same voice actors are saying, basically, the same things in the same scenes one wonders why the lines would change and why the voice inflection would change.

For example, when Shinji first enters Misato's apartment this is the dialog difference:
Television series:
Shinji: I'm home.
Misato: Welcome home.

Film:
Shinji: Home sweet home.
Misato: Home sweet home.

I will admit that I am not comfortable with change, and so I recognize that my concern for these sorts of changes may be without merit. But come the fuck on; did that shit really need to change?

I think the most impressive accomplishment of Evangelion:1.01 is that it maintains the feel of the original series. It is often the case that a film adaptation will blatantly and brashly introduce a character rather than allow the audience to come to know the character. Given that the core narrative of Evangelion is manifest via one's coming to sympathize with Shinji, I appreciate that this film articulates his character in much the same way as the series. The film covers six episodes worth of content in 98 minutes yet still maintains the same feel and, for the most part, pacing of the series. This is impressive.

The ultimate point I need make, though, is that Evangelion:1.01 You Are (Not) Alone is not simply a remake of Neon Genesis Evangelion. This is a new narrative. To quote Hideaki Anno, this is a metamorphosis of the narrative from the series into something new, something different. If you watched Neon Genesis Evangelion you have not seen Evangelion:1.01. The film series is something else.

Perhaps this is best explained by comparing Evangelion to Star Wars. Remember how the Star Wars - Special Edition version of A New Hope was basically a prettier version of A New Hope with more Dewbacks? Alright. Evangelion:1.01 is not prettier Evangelion + Dewbacks. Evangelion:1.01 is like if in the Special Edition of A New Hope Luke Skywalker had a brother...and Obi-Wan didn't die.

For serious.

At the moment my curiosity is whether it is best to watch the film or the television series first. Initially I thought it would be best to watch the episodes first and then the film, to think of the film as a supplement to the series. But given that the film is something else...I remain unsure. I mean, the Evangelion television series was released in the states in 1998. So one way of experiencing the film is to have watched the series repeatedly since 1998 and then come to watch the film. As that is an impossibility for a new viewer, I wonder what the experience would be to either watch the episodes tomorrow and watch the film the next day, or watch the film tomorrow and watch the episodes the next day. In my estimation it is best to have watched the series repeatedly since the late 90s and then watch the film. But if that is not possible...best to just feel bad for not having watched the series already, you fucking slacker.

One last thing. When you watch it? Watch through the end of the credits. Oh sweet mother of Christ watch through the end of the credits. Actually, that answers my curiosity. You'll only understand what happens after the credits if you have watched the television series.

So, go watch the first six episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Then watch Evangelion:1.01.

And watch through the end of the credits.