Looking for something interesting to watch this summer? Well you could check out Neon Genesis Evangelion on Netflix. This is one of my favorite anime series, and has been cleaned up a bit for the release over to Netflix. Sure you've probably seen people complaining about the new dub, but you can watch the subtitled version just as easily.
Now, it has been nearly a decade since I revisited the series. But I pulled out my old Platinum edition DVDs and started watching the show again. Some things have held up pretty well, other times I'm seeing some of the seams where the limited budget was peaking through. The show was unique for its time, and these days so many shows have been inspired by it, that many of the fresh elements are tropes.
Still, the characters are handled well, the robot and monster design is unique as hell, and all the philosophical, psychological and religious explorations are still worth delving into. The show doesn't really dive into those elements until we reach the second half, but man does it get nuts. Netflix has also gotten the rights to the End of Evangelion which was the feature film that provided an alternate ending (or the correct ending if you listen to some folks) to the series.
All told, this show is worth watching, and after I finish my revisit I'll delve into a bit more on this blog.
Limitations on production values are always less important than the script. By the same token, I'd rather see a good play produced by a local theater company than crappy play produced on Broadway.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I never noticed all the cost saving measures, especially when I first watch the show back in the late 90s. Now some of them really stand out, but they also used some of interesting techniques to add to the themes of the show. We don't see a character speaking... and you find out later that they were lying their ass off. Or a character is backlit and surrounded by darkness, as they talk about oppression and depression. Some very creative work in this show.
ReplyDeleteI saw where Netflix was re-showing these, but don't have the streaming feature. Interesting that they reboot parts of it. Good to know that Netflix got the rights to End of Evangelion.
ReplyDeleteThe other day I saw where Amazon got the rights to GrimJack a neat comic I used to read back in the day, and is turning it into a series. I hope they do it well enjoy for a series. It's sort of a SF, gun for hire story.
Oh yeah, I've heard of GrimJack. Curious to see how they approach that.
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