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So far, with the previous two reviews in this series I have gone over the improvements of both audio quality and video presentation in an attempt to convince you that even though, as an anime fan, you most likely own this series already, it would be very worth your while to reinvest in these Platinum Series collections. Completely remastered, the series looks and sounds phenomenal...far better than most fans have ever expected to witness. But this time around I want to look a little more at some reasons that these editions are the perfect place for a NEW Evangelion fan to start their own obsession with this show.
If by some chance, you find yourself to be reading this and saying to yourself, "I have held out this long...why would I buy Evangelion now?", you had better give the computer back to your little sister so she can do her homework and get your butt down to the local DVD store to start grabbing your Platinum copies. I don't need to sell you on the series...for that you can head back a menu or two and start reading the multiple reviews we already have posted. But what I can sell you on is the fact that this is the format in which you should own the series.
First up is the obvious...the amazing clarity of sound and visuals. Check out the last two reviews for more on that; but I have yet to talk much about the included extras. You will find some very informative commentaries included throughout the releases, usually at about a rate of one or two commentaries per disc. The series director, restoration crew, and voice talent all pitch in to bring you some behind the scenes dirt about the re-recording of Evangelion from Japanese to English, as well as from basic stereo to 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround. These commentaries bring you in on two secrets...the first being that these folks over at ADV have always had a heart-felt affinity towards the medium of anime and that they do what they do as a labor of love. The second revelation is that sometimes the stereotypical "anime nerd" being a slightly-too-old-for-cartoons guy who might or might not have ever had a girlfriend and tucks his t-shirts into his jeans is exactly accurate.
Now, whether you are of the ilk that reading subtitles is too much work (or you just can't read well enough to keep up), or you feel that to dub another language into English for our mass consumption is a rape of the intended message and a slap to the original acting talent (like I do), you will have to agree on one thing after watching these commentaries...these people take what they do seriously and put themselves into it 100%. I still refuse to watch my anime in dubbed form if it is at all possible, but at least I have a new understanding of where these folks come from and that dubs are not performed out of malice, even if it is the English voice actor who portrays Shinji completely destroying the character!
In addition to these looks into voice talent, you also get some peeks into the technical updating of the series. For true animation fans, this is a special treat. A look into a series as powerful and eternal as Neon Genesis Evangelion is a glimpse into the making of something special. We are not talking about Spongebob Squarepants here...we are talking about characters with dreams, fears, motivations, desires, faults, and other traits which cause us to feel an emotional attachment to them. Seeing how these characters are brought to life is an intriguing benefit of these discs.
Even down to the liner notes, these new discs are perfect for the beginning Evangelion fan. Liner notes doesn't seem to do justice to the multi-paged booklets which are included with each volume. You will find extremely detailed episode guides, full color screen-shots, comprehensive looks into each and every Angel, and in-depth information on the restoration of this series and the Platinum treatment it is receiving. Come to think of it, these tools are of just as much interest to the seasoned Evangelion fan as they are to a new recruit...think of it as a lot of fan information gathered into tidy volume specific packages. Really good stuff.
So, as we wrap up this third look at the Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum discs, I can tell you that I am eagerly looking forward to the next volume. It is in these episodes that the conspiracies begin to fly and the action really gets heated up. Things take a sharp turn towards the dramatic and we begin to be let in on a few of this shows mysteries (of which there are many!) through revelations, clues and vital bits of spoken secrecy. I suppose that this makes it fitting to discuss some of the changes made to the translations next time around. See ya then! Episode 11 – In the Still Darkness: The Day Tokyo 3 Stood Still The Angels aren’t the only foes that NERV must face, and one of the greatest strikes without warning. What could be more deadly? Power failure and the results leaves NERV defenseless. As if on cue, Matariel, the Ninth Angel, heads towards the vulnerable Tokyo 3, and Shinji, Rei, and Asuka must find a way to make it into the pitch-black headquarters to mount a counter strike against the invading Angel. Episode 12 – The Value of a Miracle Is Misato is promoted to the rank of Major, and it seems that her newfound ranking will be put to the test. NERV headquarters find itself threaten by Sahaqiel, the Tenth Angel, and it is soon discovered that it is in fact a bomb onto itself and its final target is obvious. With both Ikari and Fuyutsuki away in Antarctica, the leadership duties pass to Misato, and the situation is grave: either evacuate and save themselves, or bring the EVA’s into battle and risk loosing them. Even with the odds stacked against them, Misato risks the lives of not only the EVA pilots but also NERV personnel to eradicate the invading Angel. Episode 13 – Angel Invasion The time has come to work on updating the technology for Central Dogma and the EVA units, but all doesn’t go according to plan. Rei’s unit seemingly malfunctions and goes berserk when Shinji tries to pilot it, but they soon discover something more sinister is at work. The Eleventh Angel, Ireul, has found its way into NERV and this Angel isn’t the standard foes. It exists as a microbe and is capable of not only replicating itself, but also becoming a computer virus, and it immediately sets out to infect the NERV computers. The EVA units are quickly jettisoned from Central Dogma, but the Angel has yet another goal: the MAGI. Ritsuko and Maya quickly attempt to create a self-destruct program to force the Angel to reach a evolutionary dead-end, but time it seems may be working against them. Episode 14 – SEELE, Throne of Souls Commander Ikari has been summoned before a UN Council that is concerned over the fact that an Angel was able to penetrate Central Dogma. Ikari however denies the allegations, quickly quelling the situation. Back at NERV headquarters, Ritsuko continues her tests on the compatibility between the pilots and their EVA units. Shinji begins reliving events from Rei’s life while inside Unit 01, and very similar to what had happened with her before, the EVA rejects him. However, unlike what Rei had undergone, Shinji finds himself unharmed by the experience, although he recalls nothing that occurred. The team finds that the rejection wasn’t caused this time because of the pilot, but because of the EVA itself. -aaron-
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