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Movies / anime / 1997

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth

新世紀エヴァンゲリオン劇場版 シト新生Shin Seiki Evangelion Movie: Shi to Shinsei

Also known as Shin Seiki Evangelion Movie: Shi to Shinsei · Shinseiki Evangelion Movie: Shi to Shinsei · Evangelion: Death (True) · Evangelion: Death (True)² · Revival of Evangelion

Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (character design) · Gainax (studio) · Production I.G (studio)

Completed★ 2.5 / 5

Seen in a theater

Compilation recap movie for the series Shin Seiki Evangelion. Due to the struggling production of the movie 'End of Evangelion' delaying the film a month before it was set to release, this film was announced to 'hold fans over'. During the early 21st century a meteorite crashed into Antarctica. After scientists went to study the crash a gigantic explosion followed, classified as the 'Second Impact'. Shinji Ikari is a fourteen year-old boy who has come to Toyko3, a city that also serves as a fortress, to meet up with his father who left him many years ago. The city also happens to be under siege by monstrous creatures called 'Angels' at the time of his arrival. Somehow Shinji finds himself in Evangelion Unit 01, and manages to synchronize with the giant robot. Shinji is told to become its permanent pilot, and is thrown into combat as the city's last defense for fighting off the angels. However, as Shinji fights, he begins to realize the truth behind the Angels, the Second Impact, man's struggle against God and what he truly is afraid of. (Source: Anime News Network) Note: Exists in several versions: (with most appearing on the Japanese 2015 Blu-ray Boxset) • Evangelion: DEATH & REBIRTH, released theatrically on March 15, 1997 - 2-part feature, the first 2/3rds titled 'Death' consisting of a recap of the TV series with new/re-drawn animation added in, and the later 1/3rd titled 'Rebirth' consisting of the first 28 minute rough cut of End of Evangelion. • Death(True), aired on TV channel WOWOW on January 2, 1998 - re-edited version of 'Death' by director Masayuki, with most of the new animation cut (as it was moved to the "Directors Cut" of Episodes 21-24), but with some new shots added. Later released on the 'ARCHIVES OF EVANGELION' DVD Boxset. • Death(True)², released on March 7, 1998 - a further edited down version of Death(True), but with some new animation added. Regarded as this film's 'definitive' release, this is the version opted to be licensed by Netflix. • Revival of Evangelion, released theatrically on March 8, 1998 - Theatrical double feature consisting of Death(True)² + 4 minute intermission + End of Evangelion. For simplicity's sake, we are only counting the first theatrical release in this entry.

Release year
1997
Released
Mar 15, 1997
Runtime
104 minutes
Country
Japan
Genres
Drama · Mecha · Psychological · Sci-Fi

Review

This is a real odd duck in the realm of anime compilation movies. The first part, Death is a recap of e1-24. And it's mostly by the book but I think it's worth noting that it's a very fast paced recap, with a number of flashbacks or flash forwards, and I think would be utterly incomprehensible to someone who has not watched the show. Which I respect! As a recap of a singularly Important anime there is a lot to recommend, there is a fair bit of redrawn or new animation and the TV show has never looked better. The other thing to note here the string quartet framing device, which is fantastic and makes me want to bump this up. I think what really hurts this as a film isn't the recap section, it's rebirth, the new section. Which is good! But is also just a preview of End of Evangelion. Which must have been so cool to people watching this in a Tokyo theater in the summer of 1995. Note: I'm pretty sure this should be listed as 1998 not 2026 but 🤷

Consumption history2

  1. Completed★ 2.5 / 5

    Theater viewing

  2. Unknown

    Completed

External identifiers
myanimelist
31
anilist
31
letterboxd
woHc