AoD Review: Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum Edition Vol. #5 [Archive]

View Full Version : AoD Review: Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum Edition Vol. #5

Chris Beveridge

03-05-2005, 06:18 AM

Review (http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/3701.php)

[ QUOTE ]
In Summary:

As mentioned in the staff comments in the booklet, this volume really does show how much the characters have changed. Shinji finally attempts to assert himself like a man, even as he runs away from anything that causes him pain. The episode was intentionally structured to contrast with the last time he fled his responsibilities, and his changes really come through strongly. Even if his actions are remarkably similar, his attitude is quite different. Rei also shows a great deal of change herself, as she begins to realize that she has an emotional attachment to Shinji. Asuka’s carefully crafted façade of irrational confidence is actually beginning to crumble as well. The behavior of both girls (Rei’s attempt to sacrifice herself and Asuka’s deep-seated fears) foreshadows what they go through in the next volume.

I think that this might be one of the show’s more clearly structured volumes, as well as one of the more shocking in some ways. It is certainly one of the most memorable. I can still recall the feeling I first had when I saw Eva Unit 01 go berserk and consume Zeruel. Whether to like Evangelion or not, whether you enjoyed it or not, it’s hard to deny the power that it has, and this volume contained some of its most iconic moments.

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Njr Scrawl

03-05-2005, 07:48 AM

Stories = A++
Japanese audio & video = A+
R1 disc as a whole = A

These are the episodes which in the past I have watched the most.

All subtitles are there & are good.

WRT Misato's dub (by Allison Keith), I am generally a fan of her Misato, however the scenes where she could have been better, are the ones that really show Misato's mothery-sisterly humanity, when she is distressed or grieving over Shinji.
Compared to Kotono Mitsuishi's highly emotional performance, Allison's sounds forced in comparison.

I would have liked Carl Horn commentating, perhaps his DH contract made it impossible.

tstidm1

03-05-2005, 09:05 AM

I liked the DVD overall and I can't wait to get the rest of the series ASAP.

demonanya

03-05-2005, 09:37 AM

Must admit I've not even watched any of my Platinum DVD's properly, I'm only really buying them to get the subtitles so I can add them to my Renewal DVD's. However I will say from what I have watched of them, other than a few video issues they've been pretty good. When I say video issues, I don't mean the lack of progressive scan, I mean the video quality isn't as good as the Renewal release.

Nylock

03-05-2005, 09:46 AM

These episodes have my favourite scenes from the entire series. I've no idea how many times I've watched the 13th and 14th Angel fights. The 13th rammed home just how utterly ruthless Gendo is, and is the most vicious in the whole series. The 14th still sends shivers down my spine when the real nature of the Evangelion is revealed. I think it's the large dose of horror that's been added that make these special.

gill2k

03-05-2005, 10:27 AM

This volume contains my favorite episode in the series: where Shinji was forced to helplessly watch his father, using Unit 01, literally murder the Eva/Angel (with Toji in it). I thought it was just a very emotional episode and with the music playing in the background to amplify the mood of it, I just felt really sorry for Shinji and disgusted at Gendo.

Of all the episodes in the series, this one sticks out the most as the best for me.

I already have this DVD but I'm still stuck watching Vol. 3.

Iridium

03-05-2005, 10:43 AM

I was glad to finally see Asuka getting her lumps. She irritated me to no end.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next volume.

Nylock

03-05-2005, 10:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Iridium said:
I was glad to finally see Asuka getting her lumps. She irritated me to no end.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next volume.

[/ QUOTE ]

oh, things get interesting for Asuka alright. /images/graemlins/devil.gif

Dagger

03-05-2005, 11:53 AM

Not A+ material, IMO, but still quite enjoyable.

Njr Scrawl

03-05-2005, 12:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
gill2k said:
This volume contains my favorite episode in the series: where Shinji was forced to helplessly watch his father, using Unit 01, literally murder the Eva/Angel (with Toji in it). I thought it was just a very emotional episode and with the music playing in the background to amplify the mood of it, I just felt really sorry for Shinji and disgusted at Gendo.

Of all the episodes in the series, this one sticks out the most as the best for me.

I already have this DVD but I'm still stuck watching Vol. 3.

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you notice that Toji had lost a leg. See the hospital scene when he's talking to Hikari.

Also interesting that since he's now been an Eva pilot, he can visit the mental train carriage which Rei & Shinji go to.

gill2k

03-05-2005, 01:00 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Njr Scrawl said:
[ QUOTE ]
gill2k said:
This volume contains my favorite episode in the series: where Shinji was forced to helplessly watch his father, using Unit 01, literally murder the Eva/Angel (with Toji in it). I thought it was just a very emotional episode and with the music playing in the background to amplify the mood of it, I just felt really sorry for Shinji and disgusted at Gendo.

Of all the episodes in the series, this one sticks out the most as the best for me.

I already have this DVD but I'm still stuck watching Vol. 3.

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you notice that Toji had lost a leg. See the hospital scene when he's talking to Hikari.

Also interesting that since he's now been an Eva pilot, he can visit the mental train carriage which Rei & Shinji go to.

[/ QUOTE ]

I never noticed that. I'll keep an eye on it when I get around to watching it tonight.

Mahlernut

03-05-2005, 01:24 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Njr Scrawl said:

Did you notice that Toji had lost a leg. See the hospital scene when he's talking to Hikari.

[/ QUOTE ]

And all things considered he got off pretty easily. The resolution of this particular element of the story is the one place where I enjoyed the manga a lot more than the anime. I was particularly happy when (manga spoiler) Kaji grilled Shinji on why he didn't try to do -something- instead of just sitting back and letting the possessed Eva throttle him

Njr Scrawl

03-05-2005, 01:32 PM

I thought that was asking him why Shinji did not act before Gendou took over, pointing out that it was because he did nothing that Gendou over-rode control. Had Shinji been fighting, Gendou would not have interfered, & Shinji would have had control of when to stop & where to strike (unless Shinji was KOed - but then the Eva would have beserked again anyway I expect).

Mahlernut

03-05-2005, 09:59 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Njr Scrawl said:
I thought that was asking him why Shinji did not act before Gendou took over, pointing out that it was because he did nothing that Gendou over-rode control. Had Shinji been fighting, Gendou would not have interfered, & Shinji would have had control of when to stop & where to strike (unless Shinji was KOed - but then the Eva would have beserked again anyway I expect).

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Did Kaji and Shinji have that conversation in the anime? I know it was a big deal in the manga, but I honestly don't remember it much in the anime. But yeah, Shinji could certainly have at least tried to do something, but by refusing to do so he bears some responsibility for what happened. Gendou still pulled the trigger, so to speak, but only because Shinji decided to make it necessary for someone else to do something (not to excuse Gendou, mind you)

Njr Scrawl

03-06-2005, 04:03 AM

It was in the manga. Basically Kaji was laying a guilt-trip on Shinji as a wake-up call to human nature. IMO anyway /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Kaji & Misato both are driven by survivor's guilt from Second Impact, on top of their personal history tragedies.

In the animé, its the watering-melons chat. Kaji already knows his position,he's a marked man, forewarning of the next episode but Shinji is still free to act on behalf of others.

Shsway

03-06-2005, 09:00 PM

The release of the next disc can't come fast enough. I truly hated Asuka in this volume - I yelled absolutely filthy things at her, in response to one or two of her reactions to the situation - and my heart broke for Toji and Shinji. I was sobbing when I saw what the Unit 01 had been led to do in episode 18. The horror and creepiness of the next few episodes about did me in.

And Misato. Wow. How could anyone not love this woman? Truth be told, it was a real guilty pleasure hearing Mitsuishi Kotono warm up those vocals a bit more than usual at the end of episode 20... /images/graemlins/shy10000.gif

gill2k

03-06-2005, 11:54 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Shsway said:
The release of the next disc can't come fast enough. I truly hated Asuka in this volume - I yelled absolutely filthy things at her, in response to one or two of her reactions to the situation - and my heart broke for Toji and Shinji. I was sobbing when I saw what the Unit 01 had been led to do in episode 18. The horror and creepiness of the next few episodes about did me in.

And Misato. Wow. How could anyone not love this woman? Truth be told, it was a real guilty pleasure hearing Mitsuishi Kotono warm up those vocals a bit more than usual at the end of episode 20... /images/graemlins/shy10000.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I finally got the chance to see this today as well. I watched the Toji episode twice! (My favorite episode in the series).

I also finally get to see the Director's cut of these episodes. The DC of Rei III was really great, especially when Unit 00 turned into Rei.

And yes, Asuka finally got what she deserved. After all these years watching the series, she never really got on my nerves until now (probably because I was watching it in its original Japanese language for the first time, I always watched it dubbed).

Nylock

03-07-2005, 08:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
gill2k said:
I finally got the chance to see this today as well. I watched the Toji episode twice! (My favorite episode in the series).

[/ QUOTE ]
ok, that's volume 5, however the rest of your post is about volume 6, so the whole lot should probably be in spoilers.

Njr Scrawl

03-08-2005, 09:44 AM

[ QUOTE ]
And Misato. Wow. How could anyone not love this woman? Truth be told, it was a real guilty pleasure hearing Mitsuishi Kotono warm up those vocals a bit more than usual at the end of episode 20...

[/ QUOTE ]

Its those Misato scenes that really brought me into animé. You don't get hyper-emotional scenes & voice acting in US made cartoons. Animé like that is pure realistic human drama depicted as animation, not kid entertainment but for all ages of sensitive audience.

Must be even more gripping on a big screen.

Be prepared for the next 3 episodes, because the emotional levels shoot higher still! Eva & animé at its best.

gill2k

03-08-2005, 09:52 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Nylock said:
[ QUOTE ]
gill2k said:
I finally got the chance to see this today as well. I watched the Toji episode twice! (My favorite episode in the series).

[/ QUOTE ]
ok, that's volume 5, however the rest of your post is about volume 6, so the whole lot should probably be in spoilers.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry! /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif