Rebuild of Evangelion: 01 You Are (Not) Alone
I remember reading an interview with Hideki Anno in an early volume of the Evangelion manga a year or so after I’d seen the anime. In it he made the simple statement that Misato is the second protagonist of the show, and my hardcore fandom has yet to feel so vindicated. I sat there nodding like a fool, feeling smugly superior to all the Rei and Asuka fanboys who infuriated me online with their ignorance of Misato’s towering significance. At least the creator wasn’t completely preoccupied with a glorified sex puppet or some mouthy ginger bitch; at least Anno knew exactly who mattered in his show.
My love for Misato knows no bounds. She is completely fundamental to my Evangelion fanaticism. Rebuild: 01 loves her, too, and every new or improved scene acknowledges how essential she is to the show’s success. Her friendship with Risuko; her awkwardly maternal connection to Shinji; her fierce sense of duty. They’re all accounted for and accentuated in fantastically moving ways.
Specifically, there’s one scene that really hit me hard. Shinji, having almost died in a previous battle, is apprehensive to fight again. Misato, knowing there’s no other choice, takes Shinji to Central Dogma to see the crucified Lilith and explain his worth and that, most importantly, he is not alone. The camera frequently cuts away to the pair holding hands throughout their descent and in this final scene of encouragement it cuts away again to Misato’s hand tightening around Shinji’s after he accepts to fight ‘one more time’. His hand seems limp under her conviction yet he slowly reciprocates and the camera lingers on their hands firmly in one another’s grasp. The impact of this scene, its structure, the dignity and compassion it depicts, had me in tears.
Scenes like these validate Rebuild’s existence for me. It feels like Anno has taken all the brutally candid Misato-Shinji moments of End of Evangelion and transplanted their sensibility into these earlier events. It’s phenomenally successful and enough for me to ignore the overt cynicism Rebuild inspires as a concept. Everything else is adequate in its reproduction – this first film does little to rock the boat – but these minor bits of refinement make all the difference. If Hideki and chums can keep up their promise of ‘less wankery, more humanity’ and keep doing it like this then I will be satisfied.
I’d be a fool liar if I denied the simple pleasure I get from seeing everything so lushly animated. FLCL and Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo demonstrated that it verges on a hate crime not to animate Yoshiyuki Sadamoto’s character design to the highest possible standard, and Rebuild: 01 joins their ranks comfortably. Plus, the promise of original content in the next film does actually excite me. It suggests Anno has new things to say in his world and I’m inclined to listen when the man speaks. Whether this makes me a complete tool or not is unimportant. Kaworu is coming from the moon in a new Evangelion unit for Christ’s sake. The goddamn moon.
March 14th, 200811:38 pm at
[...] http://higevsotaku.com/?p=166I remember reading an interview with Hideki Anno in an early volume of the Evangelion manga a year or so after I’d seen the anime. In it he made the simple statement that he considered Misato the second protagonist of the show. … [...]
March 15th, 20082:49 pm at
Ah, I’m glad to see you back, Hige. I hope your thesis is going well.
I didn’t even realize that the first movie already came out! In fact, I have only seen Evangelion once (about 6-7 years ago?) and never came around to watch it again. The movies are the perfect opportunity for me so I actually always appreciated the project.
PS. Misato has always been my favourite character too, especially in the manga. The only drawback about her is that for some reason, I have the impression that Sadamoto creates a Misato character in every single of his works… ugh.
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March 15th, 20083:50 pm at
Sasa: Hmm, I think Misato abides a much broader stereotype in anime – sassy girl who can kick arse – and Sadamoto used that as his base for her design. She rips off Matoko from GitS in many ways. Can’t really think of anything else where he’s used the same archetype (bearing in mind he doesn’t write the majority of what he designs for!).
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March 15th, 20084:25 pm at
Speaking of theses, is it a cruel angel thesis you’re wri- …nevermind.
I believe it’s been about 5 years since I’ve seen Evangelion in its entirety, so thanks for the tip. Can’t remember much besides the immense mindfuck it inflicted upon my teenage self back then, but I’m sure I can handle whatever Anno’s going to throw at me this time around. Great review.
Also, let me know on IRC how exactly did you manage to watch this. A wee bit curious.
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April 30th, 200810:58 pm at
This was everything I’d hoped it would be…nothing more and nothing less.
The only difference between this and the TV version, apart from it being visibly prettier and shinier without being jarringly so, was that ‘human touch’ – like you, I’ve been a Misato fanboy since day one so was overjoyed that she was portrayed as the emotional and moral anchor that Shinji (and therefore, indirectly, the whole world) relies on – a great character who is finally given the attention she deserves. Needs moar Kaji though.
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that this is merely a smoother and more ‘cinematic’ retelling that doesn’t alter too much because the really interesting – and in the broader scheme of things, more important – stuff happens towards the latter parts of the series. For now though I’m content with one of my favourite stories being given a second chance to fulfil its potential.
The great just became greater…
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May 6th, 20087:32 pm at
Rebuild of Evangelion 1.0: you are (not) alone…
I was initially very sceptical of an NGE remake due to the cash cow-milking that the show has suffered from during the past thirteen years already; as much as the original series and cinematic alternate ending have been instrumental (pun intended >_…
May 6th, 20087:34 pm at
[...] When we say “oh, there’s nothing to be analyzed,” it only illustrates our unwillingness to just scratch past the surface. Unfortunately I cannot say that society 2008 is not lethargic at all, but must anime spoon-feed us meaning? There is a difference, again quoting the Animanachronism, between intellectual fanservice and an actual depth. Just because we see an anime denote religious symbols does not mean we must focus our attention wholly on the visible. In all my of my internet career I haven’t ever really seen analysis into the relation between Misato/Ritsuko/Kaji/Gendo except in Hige vs. Otaku’s concentration on the significance of Misato. [...]
June 27th, 20082:51 pm at
[...] When we say “oh, there’s nothing to be analyzed,” it only illustrates our unwillingness to just scratch past the surface. Unfortunately I cannot say that society 2008 is not lethargic at all, but must anime spoon-feed us meaning? There is a difference, again quoting the Animanachronism, between intellectual fanservice and an actual depth. Just because we see an anime denote religious symbols does not mean we must focus our attention wholly on the visible. In all my of my internet career I haven’t ever really seen analysis into the relation between Misato/Ritsuko/Kaji/Gendo except in Hige vs. Otaku’s concentration on the significance of Misato. [...]