Neon Genesis Evangelion Platinum Volume 2 - DVDvisionJapan.com
- DVDvisionJapan.com
- 11/01/04
- click here
SUMMARY
In the year 2000, a meteor crashed into Antarctica. Called the Second Impact, this event causes massive flooding and environmental disasters all across the globe. In the resulting chaos, a new United Nations was formed, under the auspices of a group called Seele. Using information from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Seele knows that strange creatures called Angels are coming. According to the scrolls, if the angels succeed in their mission, the Earth will be destroyed.
Fifteen years later, the organization known as NERV has been created. It's purpose is to defeat the Angels by any means necessary.
Their leader, Gendo Ikari, has assembled some of the finest scientific and military minds to work on creating and maintaining the Evangelions. Using an unknown technology, these gigantic robots are the only thing that can combat this new threat.
Rei Ayanami, pilot of EVA 0, is something of an enigma for Shinji. Apparently, his father has an relationship with the young woman, stronger than his own. Not sure what to make of her, he attempts to understand who she is, and why she is so strange. Checking with his friends, he learns little. He learns even less from Misato and Ritsuko. Attempting to talk with her, he receives minimal response. It may take the threat of the new angel to get the two of them to communicate.
Soon afterward, a new pilot arrives that will put Shinji's emotional reserves to the test. The name is Asuka Langley Soryu, the redheaded female terror of EVA unit 3!
DVD VISION TEST
VIDEO: The DVD quality is excellent. On all three of our video systems, there was nary a pixel, color bleed, or wrinkle to be found. On our Samsung, I magnified it X4, and it still was flawless. The colors are stronger and you can see some of the little details that were missing on the original DVD release. Never has Evangelion looked this good, not even on Laser Disc!
AUDIO: Just like the improved video, the audio has been amped up as well. Both the Japanese and English 5.1 audio tracks are superb. Both have a full bodied sound, with splendid directionality. You feel like you are actually in the EVA, it's so good.
The audio commentary on episodes eight is pretty typical. Tiffany Grant and Allison Shipp are in the foreground, while the show barely eaks out from the back speakers.
EDITS: The Opening and closing themes use the 'clean' versions, replacing the Japanese titles with English. Other than that, every single edit made in the original ADV DVD release has been restored. The original Japanese episode titles are back. The crappy overlays are gone. The original music for the next episode segment is back. In fact, in a reverse edit, they have re-recorded the 'Next Episode' segments. Even Hideaki Anno's name has been restored to the opening animation.
EXTRAS: They are getting better! We have the standard clean open and close, along with audio commentary by Tiffany Grant (Asuka) and Allison Shipp on episode 8. The booklet inside is chock full of interesting facts about the series, as well as angel info. For all you future animators, they have included the full animatics for episode 9, complete with sound effects and music!
WIDESCREEN REVIEW
STORY: One of the best written series of all time. Credit is due largely to series creator and director Hediaki Anno and his group of script writers. This series is hard core science fiction and tackle a wide range of topics. From nerve wracking fights, to X-Files paranoia, this series will keep you riveted to your seat.
ACTING: The English dub is absolutely wonderful. Every voice fits each character. They are distinctive, and easy to tell who is who. Amanda Winn is perfect as Rei Ayanami. She does a fantastic job at keeping the low, quite tone that is her character. Cheers for Spike Spencer for his awesome Shinji!
I absolutely love Tiffany Grant as the terror of Evangelion, Askua. She does a fantastic job at portraying the bratty, pushy, and driven 16 year old. I also love it when she speaks German.
The Japanese cast is nothing to dismiss either. Since this is how I saw the series the first time around, they still can pack a wallop. The one thing I do miss in the English version is Asuka's rally cry of 'Anta Baka!'. Yukio Miamura shrill voice is perfect for the pushy pain in the butt. There are times when the actors voice doesn?t match the urgency of the scene, but most of the time, they are right on the emotional mark.
FAN SERVICE: Well, plenty of hints of the bodies that are under those tight uniforms. We do get some partial shots of Asuka's and Misato's breasts and a shot of Misato in her slip. Never directly showing nudity, this series comes very close.
CONCLUSION
When Evangelion hit the scene in both Japan and the U.S., it was the re-birth of the giant robot genre. Taking the standard plot devices of the brave hero, philanthropic father figure, and sexy assistant, Evangelion added a dysfunctional twist. The hero was not brave, the father was a jerk, and the sexy assistant had her own demons to exorcise. This tale of complex human emotion, combined with hard hitting robot combat, guaranteed it's place in the anime history books.
Starting where volume 1 left off, a new angel has arrived in Tokyo 3. Seemingly invincible, nothing can get close with out it attacking. Shinji, wounded from the initial attack is recovering in the hospital while Misato enacts a dangerous plan, sniper at the Angel with a rail-gun using the entire energy grid of Japan to power it. Everything hinges on how well Shinji and Rei work together.
After the battle, Shinji has little time to recoup before something more dangerous than the angels arrives, new pilot Askua Langley Soryu.
Assigned to NERV from the 3rd branch in Germany, Asuka is an overly confident, combative, and mean spirited young woman of mixed Japanese and German heritage. So sure of her abilities, that she refuses to accept any help and charges into battle to prove herself. The fact that week Shinji has more experience drives her nuts. Also her European sensibilities do not go over well with Toji and Kenosuke, putting Shinji in the middle of a conflict he would rather not be in.
The episodes on this disc are a lot more interesting than on volume 1. They are paced better, and there is a good balance between characterization, action, and comedy. Episode 8, 'Asuka Strikes' is by far one of the funniest, and most entertaining on this disc. Thanks to the superior work of both Tiffany Grant and Yukio Miamura as Asuka, they really help define one of the best anime characters of all time.
Yukio's Asuka is a shrill sounding harpy, who is way more vocal than most Japanese girls. Every time she yells 'Anta Baka!' at Shinji, I can't help but cheer. When she drops her voice, her coquettish cooing is so convincing, you forget that Asuka is a seething pit of rage.
Tiffany Grant on the other hand, makes Asuka a bit more believable than her Japanese counterpart. Her use of German during scenes of high stress or anger seems natural. Unlike the shrill voice of Yukio Miamura, Tiffany uses a more 'domineering' tone for this pushy brat, which I think is more appropriate for a half European half Japanese character.
As usual, only little tidbits of back history is given. You are still very much in the dark about Gendo's plan, or the 'present' from NERV 3. You also learn very little about new character Kaji. His appearance of a cool looking, sweet talking, flirtatious stud hides his true purpose. The only truth you discover about him is that he and Misato had a prior relationship. It is obvious the two of them still have some feelings for each other.
The transfer is gorgeous. Better than VHS! Better than Laser Disc! Better than any DVD that came before it. The colors are bright, not washed out at all. The details are fine, with no noticeable edge enhancement. There are no pixels or artifacts that were noticeable. The picture is a little darker than the original release, but it helps add to the dire tone of the series. I really need to get a plasma screen TV so I can really experience the beauty of this transfer.
The audio is also fantastic. Both the English and Japanese 5.1 will knock you to the back of the room. Considering that these are the same audio tracks from the original 2.0 versions, you have to give the recording engineers credit for all their hard work.
Of the extras, my favorite was the audio commentary. Hearing Tiffany Grant and Alison Shipp swoon over Aaron Krohn (the voice of Kaiji) is funny considering it's the voices of Asuka and Misato talking about the 'man' in their lives. The only negative is that towards the end, they don't talk as much, making the one audio commentary on the disc feel a little too short.
Like Platinum 01, 'Neon Genesis Evangelion Platinum 02' truly is the definitive version of Evangelion. The amazing video and audio combined with the animation of Gainax, and the awesome storytelling of Hideaki Anno makes buying this DVD a priority. Yes, even if you have the original release!
Posted on Monday, November 01, 2004 (Archive on Wednesday, December 01, 2004)