Neon Genesis Evangelion

TV Series 1-26 (full)

CARL's TAKE: <<<Four out of Four Stars>>>

Summary - Neon Genesis Evangelion has a deep and overly mysterious plot that prides itself in revealing its layers in continuing revalations that force you to constantly reevaluate what you think is actually going on. In the year 2000, a strange new life form is discovered in Antartica, called an Angel. But something at the discovery site goes wrong and the monstrous angel melts the icecap in an event called the Second Impact, the second impact being the floods that decimated a large portion of humanity. Fifteen years later, Shinji Ikari is a depressed, neglected teenager who is summoned by his father to NERV headquarters in Japan. More Angels are being born in the order predicted in the dead sea scrolls and NERV is the only agency with the technology to stop these 'monsters'. Their weapon: massive, living mecha called Evangelion that are clones of the original Angel. And the only people who can pilot these beasts are the rare fourteen year-olds conceived during the second impact like Shinji, his cryptic partner Rei, and the moody Eva 03 pilot Asuka Langley. But as Shinji deals with his depression and the inherent difficulties of living with two hot women you have to wonder who is really pulling the strings behind NERV...what really are the Evangelions or even the Angels for that matter?

Impression - a cult classic for good reason, this show is required viewing for casual fans and otakus alike.

Review - The Impression really says it all. Eva is a work of art that seems to find a niche in the hearts of just about all fans of anime. That's because the world of Eva is so well developed you can't help but get dragged into the struggle between man and angel. But the true joy of Eva is unraveling its complex, sometimes overbearing plot. Bring up Eva in a room and you'll get a heated argument with 30 different takes on the series. It means something different to everyone, which makes it one of the most well-known anime series ever. I'm not saying its the undisputed king of anime, but most fans will agree you have to see it to truly understand what the talk is about.

VERDICT: a little intense at times and full of symbolism always, so more casual fans of anime shouldn't take this title lightly. I like the crisp quality of the DVD, but if you can get ahold of a copy in any quality it'll probably make your day.

Sub vs. Dub - I admit I've only seen two of the dubbed eps, and a few of the jokes probably benefitted from being in my native tongue, but I couldn't get over the dubbed voices. Japanese Shinji was characterized by an airy, desperate voice that would go from subtle whisper to high-pitched, tormented scream in an instant. The only thing that makes the numerous scenes inside his head work is the masterful, sincere performance of his original voice actor. In comparison, the English Shinji was cartoony and fake. It has more comedic value, and that might be why my collection of the series had the hilarious first Asuka episode in English, but for a show that's characterized by its deep, thoughtful examination of the human psyche, it's just inappropriate.

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