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[ café reviews ]

EVA-02 and EVA-01 about to start their attack.

eva_0000.gif

Shinseiki Evangelion
(Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Episode 9: With One Accord in a Flash / Both of You, Dance Like You Want to Win!


Copyright: 1995 TV Tokyo / GAINAX / NAS (Japan), 1997 AD Vision (North America)
Length: 30 minutes
Rating: Contains Violence and Mature Situations, Parental Guidance Suggested
Format: Subtitled/Dubbed (VHS)

Screenplay: Satsukawa Akio, Anno Hideaki Director: Mizushima Seiji Producers: Yamamura Atsuko (TV Tokyo) Sugiyama Yutaka Character Design: Sadamoto Yoshiyuki English Version Executive Producer: John Ledford (A.D.V. Films) Translation by: Kimura Kuni


[ plot summary ]

vhs jacket

The seventh angel has appeared, and Asuka is eager to show her prowess in the first combat production model Evangelion, the bright red EVA-02. Still trying to recover from the recent attack from the sixth Angel, Misato decides to deploy both EVA-01 and EVA-02, and intercept the new aggressor while it's outside of Tokyo 3's defense perimeter. Asuka, wanting to show off her skills, immediately attacks the new Angel, splitting it neatly in half with her prog lance -- only to discover that this creature has a unique ability: the two halves can immediately rejuvenate itself into two separate entities! Suddenly, NERV has double the trouble to contend with...


[ capsule review ]















This series continues to confound me. The previews for this episode in Volume 4 made me want to cringe, but watching the episode had the totally opposite effect: this episode was hilarious! I'd rank this one as a 'guilty pleasure'; one of those shows that you can't help watching, but feel like you shouldn't be enjoying it. The entire episode is played very seriously by the voice actors, but the deadpan delivery is exactly what's needed to make this episode enjoyable. Perhaps the best line in the episode comes after the NERV personel review the tapes of the first failed battle, and Fuyutsuki Kozo (Ikari Gendo's assistant) calmly states that they would again have to re-draw the maps, after making yet another huge crater with an N2 mine. But the most striking aspect of this episode by far is the final battle between the split Angel and the two EVA units. It's not very often that you see two mechs destroying everything in sight, keeping perfectly in time with fully orchestrated piano music, much like an olympic synchronised swim team. (Did I mention that Asuka and Shinji trained on a 21st century version of Twister in preparation for this final battle?)

Not everything was perfect in this episode, however. There was another attempt at an innovative cut scene, when Misato first discovers that the new Angel has a split personality. Frankly, I liked the idea; too bad the execution fell flat. (Personally, I would have liked to have seen GAINAX use a horizontal effect, as if someone had changed a slide in a projector. But then, would they be using slides in 2015?) The script was pretty decent, and the acting, especially Asuka and Shinji's single voice routine was very well done. Music is pretty decent, the concerto 'Both of You Dance Like You Want to Win' being the most prominent by far. (How could you not miss two giant EVA's doing back flips in perfect unison, choreographed to music?) The animation quality was surprisingly low in parts of this episode, as if funds were running low. Lots of panned shots and sliding cels were used throughout the episode, giving this a very cheap feel. Even then, some of the stills from the failed first battle are great, most notably when you first see what happened to the two EVA's, and the "climactic battle" is a well-produced sight you won't soon forget. A much-needed shot in the arm, for a series that seemed to be wallowing in the mud. - AN



[ café rating ]

Original: Subbed: Dubbed:
Story: N/A 3 stars N/A
Direction: N/A 4 stars N/A
Acting: N/A 4 stars N/A
Animation: N/A 2 stars N/A
Music: N/A 4 stars N/A
Translation: N/A 4 stars N/A
Overall Rating: N/A 4 stars N/A


[ café trivia ]



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