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Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone. (that is indeed the title) was released in Japan on September 1, 2007. Ten. Years. Ago. A decade.

If you're unfamiliar with the concept, Rebuild of Evangelion is a film series that reimagines the original film series. While 1.0 is essentially a straight up remake of the first six episodes minus an eyebrow-raising segment at the end, 2.0 on mixes in familiar moments with new material/nonsense. I haven't bothered to see 3.0 yet, I can't even imagine the insanity that must be present in that film. There is still one more movie to be released, 3.0+1.0 (again, that is indeed the title), but it has no release date.

So let's reflect on a project that many could claim started the anime remake resurgence we've seen lately. A fan of the film? Frustrated at the slow release date? Completely confused at what is actually happening?

 

[Fat4all]

10 years ago today the mistake started

 

[Zaru]

Rebuild 1 has a special place in my heart because of the reimagined Ramiel fight.

It's an audiovisual orgy and probably my most rewatched scene of anything ever.
The buildup sounds. The screams. The beam attacks. It's just special.

 

[MMarston]

Rebuild Ramiel best Ramiel.

 

[UnluckyKate]

Rebuild 1 has a special place in my heart because of the reimagined Ramiel fight.

It's an audiovisual orgy and probably my most rewatched scene of anything ever.
The buildup sounds. The screams. The beam attacks. It's just special.

Ramiel and the Orbital Drop Angel are the two reason to accept Rebuild. Fucking top class animation

 

[Robot Carnival]

yeah, despite all the flaws, I still like the Rebuild series. the fights in the first 2 we're so awesome that I can over look all the crazy stuff in the third one.

 

[MadeULook]

Rebuild Ramiel best Ramiel.

I may give the Rebuild movies a ton of shit but they are damn good looking movies. The art and animation is some of the best in it's field.

 

[CloudyTuba]

Ten years and it still isn't finished yet. Dude sure likes to take his time.

Then again I got Shin Godzilla so I guess I can't complain all that much.

 

[geomon]

I still hate Shinji but damn that's some beautiful animation.

 

[CalamityPixel]

Rebuild Ramiel best Ramiel.

Ramiel is best girl

 

[MMarston]

I remember marking the hell out as a teenager when I saw the leaked camrip of the last 20 minutes of the second movie too. In fact, I'd say it's a highlight of the entire franchise in general for me, albeit still doesn't go anywhere close to EoE's climax.

 

[Abdozer]

Does the initial anime still hold up? I've been meaning to start watching this whole series.

 

[game-boi]

I must be a weirdo. Outside of the release awful schedule (particularly outside of Japan), I have loved each installment, especially 3.0 which felt like a return to Eva's unique brand of crazy. I don't know where it's going in 3.0+1.0, but I'm excited to see it all come together (or not?).

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Beautiful World as catchy as ever

 

[WickedLaharl]

Ten years ago anno started his long journey to take another shit on evangelion fans.

 

[AuthenticM]

Remember when they said we'd get one movie a year, with the last two movies being shown together?

lol

 

[Geist-]

Does the initial anime still hold up? I've been meaning to start watching this whole series.

I'd say so, I rewatched it a few weeks ago.

 

[Palette Swap]

Speaking of these, I just realized yesterday you can't buy the series or the movies digitally, which is a bummer.

 

[CalamityPixel]

Does the initial anime still hold up? I've been meaning to start watching this whole series.

I watched the series for the first time a few months ago, it holds up pretty well. That and The End of Neon Gensis.

 

[munchie64]

I remember finishing the show, seeing a movie was already out and thinking they would be done sooner rather thsn later

 

[sixteen-bit]

happy anniversary

 

[Keym]

Why does everyone hate the third movie? It was just as insane as I hoped it'd be.

 

[MMarston]

Why does everyone hate the third movie? It was just as insane as I hoped it'd be.

I don't think people hated the insanity (I liked that part, personally) as much as they hated the inexplicable leap from the previous film that pretty much just ruined the momentum of whatever was already established. Not to mention totally contradicted the initial purpose of making the series a somewhat more accessible to newer people.

Also, the animation quality took a big downgrade

First film

Third film

 

[BigFwoosh]

Why does everyone hate the third movie? It was just as insane as I hoped it'd be.

For real, I appreciated that it went in a totally unexpected direction. I did love 2.0 since it made the characters feel a bit more normal than in the original series, but I'm not really bothered that they kinda threw that out the window in 3.0. Excited to see what happens when 3.0+1.0 comes out, if it ever does.

Also watch Shin Godzilla if you haven't. It's pretty much the live action Eva movie we never got.

 

[javac]

3.0 had an absolute amazing soundtrack, like holy shit.

 

[The Driver]

I find this series so cool to look at and I've watched a good amount of the series on YouTube but I've never actually watched the thing or any of the movies.

I appreciate the animation but hearing about the creator's apparent disdain for fans of the series and how the story flies off the rails + stuff like this where it gets remade by the same people (lol) has always kinda put me off.

Still wanna watch it someday, especially if the "best" way to watch it are these newer movies but I have no idea where to start or where to watch it.

 

[BocoDragon]

Does the initial anime still hold up? I've been meaning to start watching this whole series.

Absolutely. I've watched at 3 times in my adult life (no teen nostalgia involved) and I think it's pretty much the best anime series.

I'm in the process of watching it with a friend right now, actually. He's never seen it and it's been a ride.

 

[Zaru]

Ramiel is best girl

 

[Moonkid]

3.0 had an absolute amazing soundtrack, like holy shit.

Preach it. It has a memorable motif used effectively across multiple arrangements, a mix of quiet piano pieces, and bombastic ensemble songs that go to 100 and then some.

 

[javac]

I appreciate the animation but hearing about the creator's apparent disdain for fans of the series and how the story flies off the rails + stuff like this where it gets remade by the same people (lol) has always kinda put me off.

This isn't true, I don't blame you for thinking that however, it's just narrative people made up, his disdain was aimed at himself if anything.

Still wanna watch it someday, especially if the "best" way to watch it are these newer movies but I have no idea where to start or where to watch it.

The TV series is the best place to start, it's out of print in the west however and can be very very pricey on the second hand market. the Platinum DVD Collection is typically the one you want to go for, you can find single volumes out there. They released the series on Blu-ray in Japan but it doesn't come with English subtitles or audio.

 

[TurnipFritters]

I don't think people hated the insanity (I liked that part, personally) as much as they hated the inexplicable leap from the previous film that pretty much just ruined the momentum of whatever was already established. Not to mention totally contradicted the initial purpose of making the series a somewhat more accessible to newer people.

Also, the animation quality took a big downgrade

That doesn't seem to have been the initial purpose, because 1.0 and 2.0 are both complete nonsense if you don't have passing familiarity with the show. 3.0, on the other hand, works as an actual movie since it gets to do its own thing without trying to cram six episodes' worth of content in.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

Why does everyone hate the third movie? It was just as insane as I hoped it'd be.

Because it was incredibly stupid. People use "insane" as an excuse for things that make no logical or narrative sense, but it's a weak excuse. When you watch a movie and the entire time you're thinking "This could be avoided if x person explained things to y" and it happens over and over and over, it's inexcusable. "Insane" doesn't mean blatantly illogical for no good reason

 

[KojiKnight]

I never even got around to 3.0... I managed 2.0 at some point and I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't exactly clamboring for more. I'll get around to rewatching them all sometime around 4.0's release.

 

[jungomitis]

I like them - if only for the art and animation.

3.0 was kinda bad, but the series has some ambition and 3.0+1.0 is probably the last we’ll see of the series. Pretty excited - they can take as long as they need.

 

[geomon]

I never even got around to 3.0... I managed 2.0 at some point and I wasn't disappointed, but I wasn't exactly clamboring for more. I'll get around to rewatching them all sometime around 4.0's release.

See you in 15 years.

 

[Takamura-San]

Completely worth it just for 2.0.

 

[Guess Who]

Because it was incredibly stupid. People use "insane" as an excuse for things that make no logical or narrative sense, but it's a weak excuse. When you watch a movie and the entire time you're thinking "This could be avoided if x person explained things to y" and it happens over and over and over, it's inexcusable. "Insane" doesn't mean blatantly illogical for no good reason

Yep.

People compare it to EoE because EoE was divisive and “confusing”, but EoE was a believable and rational conclusion to the plot threads and character arcs and themes of the series. 3.0 is just “lol everything is different now and all the characters are assholes for no good reason.”

 

[game-boi]

Yep.

People compare it to EoE because EoE was divisive and ”confusing", but EoE was a believable and rational conclusion to the plot threads and character arcs and themes of the series. 3.0 is just ”lol everything is different now and all the characters are assholes for no good reason."

I believe this remains to be seen. By the end of 3.0,

Spoiler

Shinji (and the viewer) still does not have a full understanding of the world around them, what happened in the time jump, and where the story is going. I think it's easier to love something like EoE because it's out, complete, and ripe for analyzing. I don't like 3.0 because its "lol so random," but because of the doors of possibility it opened. I think it's totally possible that 3.0 will age really well when the final movie is out and people can pick apart the series as whole.

 

[J-Roderton]

Love em all.

 

[TurnipFritters]

Yep.

People compare it to EoE because EoE was divisive and “confusing”, but EoE was a believable and rational conclusion to the plot threads and character arcs and themes of the series. 3.0 is just “lol everything is different now and all the characters are assholes for no good reason.”

There is actually an extremely good reason all the characters are assholes, it's sort of the thrust of the entire movie.

 

[TheVampire]

1.0 was good. Pretty much the same as the tv series start.

2.0 was cool. Half the same as the tv series then the last half goes somewhere different but awesome.

3.0 was shit. FUCK that 10 year time skip.

 

[Yazzees]

Still haven't watched 3.0 since I saw a synopsis and nope'd out.

I somehow never made the connection that the Rebuild would be responsible for all these high school shitters on twitter with Rei avatars.

God bless Anno even though he hates me.

 

[munchie64]

1.0 was good. Pretty much the same as the tv series start.

2.0 was cool. Half the same as the tv series then the last half goes somewhere different but awesome.

3.0 was shit. FUCK that 10 year time skip.

Fuck them for wasting the time skip.

I want adult Asuka.

 

[Very Berry Sunday]

I never watched any of these.

Which one should I watch? Which one is the best?

 

[Nicolada]

Wake me up when they make Rebuild of Nadia instead.

 

[Dead]

Wake me up when they make Rebuild of Nadia instead.

still need to buy Nadia on blu-ray///

 

[Semblance]

Wish he'd just let go. He's zero for three with Rebuild.

Shin Godzilla was pretty neat though. Branch out some more, Anno.

 

[Narroo]

It's been 10 years? These movies shouldn't have taken that long.

Hopefully 4 will be good, but yes, 3.0 was a disappointment.

 

[Rell]

I never watched any of these.

Which one should I watch? Which one is the best?

Have you seen the original series?

Either way, just watch them in the order they were released. They aren't long movies.

Part 1 is a pretty straight forward adaptation of the first third of the tv show that ultimately suffers because of it. Not because there's anything seriously wrong with it, but because it missed the opportunity to be more of its own thing.

Part 2 is a club banger remix of the second third of the show that is 100% unique animation and features a "cover version" of the plot. This movie skips a lot of the melodrama the original series is famous for and instead makes an energetic spectacle/blockbuster type movie. And it totally works. And the animation is fantastic.

Part 3 is a bizarre twist that takes the plot (and setting) to a completely different place than the original. It came out of nowhere for a lot of people and the whole movie is vague and kind of confusing. Everyone's thinking (hoping) that we'll get some payoff in the next film. While it's a fine movie with some great animated sequences, the jury is out on this.

Nobody can make heads or tails of what Part 4 is going to do. I hope it's bonkers. I hope Anno gets us good.

Tonally these films are pretty different from the television series. They don't focus as much on introspection and the main thematic material that is the real backbone of the original series is only implied (or absent), rather than forced to center stage. A lot of people really don't like the changes that have been made.

In one of the earlier DVD notes Anno says that he wanted the Rebuild movies to be like riding a train to a place you've never been before. When you first leave the station, everything looks familiar, but the further along you get the more alien and unique your surroundings become.

 

[bwahhhhh]

damn, as long as the time between EoE and 1.0