Customer Reviews

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Genesis Reborn (Director's Cut, Episodes 24-26)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is DVD is a good for those of you out there who do not own the original version of Episodes 24-26. On the other hand for those of you who do, rent it, rip it, download it, but do not buy it. The few extra scenes added to Episode 24 do not justify the cost of the DVD. Episodes 25 and 26 do not change except for a remastered audio (maybe). I will give your a run down latter. This, in my opinion does not hold true for the first edition of the Director's Cuts. The Director's Cut of episodes 21-23 is worth the extra money because of the addition character back-story done for Asuka and Rai.

For those of you who insist on buying this DVD I will give a review of the differences without giving away the ending for those of who have not see it yet.

1) The True Identity of Kauro
2) Kauro's Relation to Rai
3) Shinji tells Asuka about Kaji
4) The True Location of Adam
5) It's been redubed.

While this may seem like a lot of information, the only truly new scene is the true identity of Kauro. The rest are about one to four second clips.

Before this came out, I knew there was four director's cuts versions but I also knew that they were going to release two DVDs. I was curious as to see what was going to be on the second DVD. Here ADV really disappointed me. It seems to me that ADV should have released all the material on one DVD or got the rights to End of Evangelion to supplement the second DVD. Something should have gotten done.

Anyway
Enjoy.

The directors' cut of episodes 21-23 was something of a lightning strike, whole new facets of the story were realized. Unfortunately, this DVD, of the last three episodes has nothing like the same impact. Even counting a more revealing version of Asuka's bathtub scene, there probably isn't 90 seconds of notable material. There is nothing that changed the overall meaning if the episodes at all.

The ending of Evangelion has always been difficult for fans. Everything promises an apocalypse and instead we get an internal journey and an epiphany. I happen to like the ending, perhaps because the stories of fan disappointment prepared me for it. As he has done all throughout the series, Anno stays focused on the characters. While the film version, End of Evangelion, focuses far more on the story. While less meaningful, it is far more affecting.

If you don't have the last few episodes, then this is the best way to buy them. If you do, then think twice. Whether you are happy with the purchase will depend more on your need for completeness. For me, expecting the same discoveries that Resurrection provided, this was a disappointment. Good because the original was good but offering little to justify the additional cost.

This final installment in the Directors Cut series that ADV has put out, is an interesting, but somewhat less then mind blowing cut of the show that is promoted. The first edition added scenes that expanded upon and added to the show. This edition of the final three episodes adds only one major new scene in the first episode and leaves the final two as they where originally seen. Their are minimal things added (a little cut their, a slower cut here), but you are getting nothing overly changed. My mane gripe with the package is that the sneak peek of the live action Evangelion film (which looks incredibly awesome from the photos) is pretty much a recap of the same drawings from the first DVD. Some new illustrations have been added, but not much.

Over all, this DVD is a great buy if you just got into Evangelion and don't own the final episodes yet, or you are just a big fan and want to see a little bit of new Eva. With the latter, your opinion of the final two episodes may come into play. Ether you love the way the show originally ended, or you prefer the way the End of Evangelion tells it. With me, I like both. I love how the original episodes examine the psyches of the three mane character and give you an ending to there stories, while the film has the same, but adds the whole plot of the show into it. It all comes down to a matter of your own opinion.

This is DVD is a good for those of you out there who do not own the original version of Episodes 24-26. On the other hand for those of you who do, rent it, rip it, download it, but do not buy it. The few extra scenes added to Episode 24 do not justify the cost of the DVD. Episodes 25 and 26 do not change except for a remastered audio (maybe). I will give your a run down latter. This, in my opinion does not hold true for the first edition of the Director's Cuts. The Director's Cut of episodes 21-23 is worth the extra money because of the addition character back-story done for Asuka and Rai.

For those of you who insist on buying this DVD I will give a review of the differences without giving away the ending for those of who have not see it yet.

1) The True Identity of Kauro
2) Kauro's Relation to Rai
3) Shinji tells Asuka about Kaji
4) The True Location of Adam
5) It's been redubed.

While this may seem like a lot of information, the only truly new scene is the true identity of Kauro. The rest are about one to four second clips.

Before this came out, I knew there was four director's cuts versions but I also knew that they were going to release two DVDs. I was curious as to see what was going to be on the second DVD. Here ADV really disappointed me. It seems to me that ADV should have released all the material on one DVD or got the rights to End of Evangelion to supplement the second DVD. Something should have gotten done.

Anyway
Enjoy

First of all,this is not a necessary buy if you already own these episodes on the platinum edition. But for those of you who haven't seen them, you should give this some consideration.

There aren't that many changes to the episode's content; the most we find out is that SEELE and the last Angel are directly cooperating, which raises a lot of questions that never get answered.

I heavily advise watching the last 2 episodes on this disc before or after watching the End of Evangelion. It provides 2 distinct ways of observing the same story- End of Evangelion shows the external events, while the T.V. ending compiles the characters' internal conflicts. As far as conclusions go, this ending is incredibly multi-leveled and is worthy of lengthy examination.

P.S. While I have read that most people think the TV ending's finale is different than End of Evangelion, I just don't see it that way. There are so many parallels between the two (maybe more here because its a directors cut) that I believe that they express 2 visions of the same ending. But I guess that would be up to the viewer.

Despite what ADV claims, episodes 25 and 26 did not receive directors cuts. The only episode on this DVD that is a directors cut is episode 24, which smacks of greed on ADV's part since they could have just thrown episode 24 onto the first Director's Cut DVD. Frankly, I'm really disappointed, as I was looking forward to seeing a directors cut version of the TV episodes 25 and 26.

The show, no matter how great it is, is not changed in any significant way in this DVD. It is just an attempt for ADV to make more money. Only worth the price to find out more information on the upcoming live action NGE movie. Only worth it if you are a true fan.

Evangelion has always been a favorite of mine, so to see the shows how they were intended to be is great. This series is one of the deepest and most well thought out anime of all time.

I first saw these episodes when I was 12 or so. At the time, my grasp on metaphors and motifs weren't super strong. Now being 18 and seeing it again, I'm able to make more sense of it.

Regardless, the end was still somewhat incomprehensible. The final episodes of one of the strongest series in anime ever are dark and obscure. The ending fell sort of short. Episode 12 was great, but all the last 2 episodes did were stay in the slurred and mixed up mind of Shinji. Yes, it's cool and all, but we've been inside his head the whole damn series. It wasn't necessary, and we didn't see anything like the 3rd Impact, or how everyone died. We never knew (until the End of Evangelion) that SEELE had killed off everyone at NERV. They could have shown some of the action and did the whole Shinji's mind thing. But it was just done way too much. Resorting to that again for a conclusion just didn't do it.

If you have followed the series, you should see these episodes. Do yourself a favor, though, and see the movies Death & Rebirth and The End of Evangelion. They re-cap the end, and do a much better job. Death and Rebirth is better, but not super great. End of Evangelion is one of the best movies I've ever seen.