If you've read some of my reviews, chances are I've mentioned Neon Genesis Evangelion a few times. I'd say this is a testament to how highly I regard the show. I only watched it three years ago, but it feels like such a cornerstone of my anime experience. Even if I have some misgivings about the canonical conclusion to the series, Neon Genesis Evangelion has remained among my favorite anime. Shocker, I know. An anime fan who likes Evangelion!? In fact, it would be more marvel to state that I didn't like Evangelion, but it took my breath away when I watched it and I still feel I need an inhaler. I think it's important context for this review to know that I absolutely love Evangelion, particularly the beginning.

Being a fan of the series, I naturally heard of the Rebuild movies, a retelling/reimagining of the story made to be accessible to old and new fans alike. They also offered a new conclusion to boot. My mixed feelings regarding End of Evangelion should have made me jump at the chance to watch the Rebuilds. When I completed Evangelion in 2017, three Rebuild movies had been released. The latest installment premiered in Japan in 2012 and there was absolutely no word on when the third and final entry would release. Even independent of reviewing, I tend to prefer watching things that have already finished to ensure my experience of the story isn't arbitrarily extended. I'd prefer knowing the end was in sight so I could go into the final movie with the predecessors fresh in my mind. But, with word that the final movie, 3.0+1.0 would be releasing this Summer, I decided it was finally time to watch the Rebuild movies…

...then the Covid-19 Pandemic caused it to be delayed. There are more dire things that the virus has caused than the delay of my Japanese cartoon, so I won't complain. I decided to begin watching the movies anyway.

So, as a fan of the original show, what do I think of the beginning of this new saga of Evangelion? Does this retelling live up to the excellence of the original? In short yes. It achieves this by — and I say this lovingly — being Evangelion. Save for a very select few new bells and whistles,Evangelion: 1.0 You (Are) Not Alone, proceeds like a remastered Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (known in Japan as Evangelion: The New Movie: Prelude) takes place in the post-apocalyptic haven known as Tokyo-3, fifteen years after a cataclysmic event known as the Second Impact. We follow Shinji Ikari, a meek, depressive boy who finds the world suddenly on his shoulders as he's sent by his aloof father to pilot the newly created Evangelion Unit-01 in order to combat the Angels, mysterious lifeforms who are hellbent on breaching Tokyo-3's GeoFront and accessing the secrets that lie within in order to put an end to humanity for good.

If you're a returning fan, this premise will doubtlessly sound very familiar as it's the exact same as the premise for the original series. If you've watched the original series, you know exactly what you're getting into with You Are (Not) Alone. The similarities don't end here as it’s virtually the exact same as the first arc of Evangelion. Now, bear in mind that it's the same as far as I can remember. I concede that I have the memory of a goldfish at times, but this felt very familiar and I recall distinct story beats from the original. And to be fair, I'm not the only person who felt this way. My friend who watched it with me stated that, "[it] was exacfly[sic] the same as the anime."

This isn't exactly a bad thing. 1.0 looks absolutely beautiful in ways a TV anime budget would never allow for. Scenes from the original are just as striking, but now with the added pizazz of a movie budget to make them even more beautiful. The scene of Shinji seeing the massive Unit-01 for the first time comes to mind.

Shinji's distinct personality shines through You Are (Not) Alone and I can't help but be compelled at how depressingly real he feels. This kid is a broken doormat and it shows in how he reacts to his duty piloting the Evangelion, feeling both used yet ignored. Realistically, this is a kid who won't jump at the call to arms. Some might find this frustrating, but I appreciate its genuineness and it makes it all the more satisfying when Shinji does pull through in the end. We don't really see anyone nearly as much as we do Shinji, but others are strongly characterized as well. Rei's robotic lack of emotion despite the embarrassing situation she finds herself in during the signature scene in her room is quite chilling. This might just be my memory, but I think the movie did a better job of characterizing Misato than the show did. We still see the lighter, jocular side of Lt. Colonel Mitsuragi, but I feel like the movie emphasizes the serious, no-nonsense side of her more. This could simply be a product of her newfound rank, but I appreciated the change. It made Misato easier to take seriously, which helped foster the dire tone of the film.

Speaking of which, one thing that I've always appreciated about Evangelion is that tone. The world is a mess and it always seems that with one false move, humanity will be wiped out. This combined with the strained character relations makes everything feel tense: from simple conversations to heart-pounding battles between the Evas and Angels. I know how vague it sounds, but this contributes to the movie feeling very "real.” There wouldn't be much glamor to be had being thrust into the pilot seat of a mech; it would be grim and nerve-wracking and 1.0 captures this feeling very well.

The OST is great, too and also feeds into the tone. Listen to Bataille Decisive and tell me it doesn't get your blood pumping.

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But these are all things that I could say about the first six episodes of the original series. It doesn't really seem like Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone brings anything significantly new to the table. Oh sure, the ocean is red, we see important plot information much earlier, and Kowaru briefly appears at the end of the movie, but these additions feel more superflous than anything. I'm not sure what veterans really get out of Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone.

Incidentally, I happen to be going through another reimagination as I embark on the Rebuild series — Final Fantasy VII Remake. From my experience with that game, I know that opposing arguments can be made in regards to the beginning of a remake. I believe I'm roughly a fourth through the game. On one hand, I've already experienced a number of drastic changes from the original game and one could make the argument that, so far in, significant changes are necessary lest it feels like nothing more than a slight edit. On the other hand, the Bombing Mission, the first section of the game, is pretty identical to its original incarnation. From this, the argument can be made that it's necessary for a remake to play it safe at first, allowing viewers to get acclimated to the new continuity by utilizing familiar aspects.

So what about me, do I ultimately praise 1.0 for sticking to the source material or do I criticize it for playing it safe and feeling uninspired?

At the end of the day, I don't really care. It feels weird to praise something for lack of innovation, but as the adage goes, if it's not broken, don't fix it. Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone ultimately reminded me what I loved about Neon Genesis Evangelion. As of late, I've thought a lot about why I don't really care for End of Evangelion, but this made me think about why I loved those first few episodes: the somber tone, the tenseness, the gripping mecha action, the mystique, the lack of Asuka. Even if there isn't much new brought to the table, I'm not going to complain because I already love what's on the plate. Besides, the ending is the whiff of the new aroma from the kitchen. I'm excited to see what Anno has cooking up for us in the kitchen.

I'm sure newcomers will appreciate this movie, even as a standalone fare. Shinji's narrative ties the whole movie together, his loneliness driving him further into depression. This culminated in a touching climax wherein he discovers that his belief is false: the entirety of Japan is behind him and his fellow pilot is behind him. The title of the movie, "You Are Not Alone" ends up ringing true for Shinji. Evangelion was as good in 2007 as it was in 1995 and the improved visuals only make 1.0 even more appealing for newcomers looking to get into the series. You could watch the movie alone as a decent mecha/coming-of-age movie.

For veterans, it might seem like a big ask to watch a glorified recap of a show you already watched. Hopefully, it seems like less of an ask when I stress that it's a recap of fucking Evangelion. It's a very entertaining watch if you've seen it before and I can't see how it's a bad thing to start off the new journey with something tried and true, something you know and love. I'm sure more radical changes are on the way. The only veteran that might not like 1.0 is one who didn't like the original Evangelion in which case, it might behoove them to conduct research to see if the other movies go in directions they're interested in.

Ultimately, I’ll have to hold off judgement regarding the new continuity until it becomes, well, new, but it was nice revisiting a show I love in a fancy coat of paint. From the ending, I know changes are coming and I'm excited to see where the reimagining takes us.

8.8/10

B+