031: Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2008)

Title: Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2008)
Starring: Spike Spencer, Allison Keith-Shipp, Brina Palencia (English Cast)
Directed By: Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Hideaki Anno

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone is the first in a series of big screen "re-imaginings" of the classic 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. For fans of the original, this version may seem a little repetitive, as it's almost identical to the origins presented in the series. I've heard though that the second film Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, released in Japan in June of '09, starts to break away from the original series and tell a new story. Still, it's probably a good idea to start with this one if you plan on getting into the film series.

For newcomers, Evangelion tells the story of Shinji Ikari, a lonely 14 year old schoolboy in Japan after an apocalyptic event called the "Second Impact" has wiped out most of Earth's population. The UN and a secret government-funded company called NERV, which is run by Shinji's elusive and mysterious father Gendo, reach out to Shinji for help. It turns out that he is destined to pilot a giant half mechanical/half biological being known as an EVA in a war against the creatures that came to Earth in the impacts called "Angels".

I know this can sound a little hard to follow, but it's not. It's presented in the story one step at a time and even someone who's never seen a single frame of an anime will be able to follow the plot, which is beautifully animated here. The artwork is first-rate showcasing hand-drawn traditional 2-D animation interlaced with 3-D computer animation for the Angels. It really does look fantastic and some of the visuals the creative team present here are awe-inspiring.

Having seen the original anime, I was a little disappointed to see so many familiar scenes. I had hoped for a little more from this film in terms of new material. Overall though, it was great to reconnect with this story, and I'm definitely anticipating the next chapter in this four-part film series. Recommended.

Score: 7.5/10