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[ café reviews ]

Asuka and Shinji take EVA-02 on an unauthorised mission.

eva_0000.gif

Shinseiki Evangelion
(Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Episode 8: Asuka Strikes!


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: Tsurumaki Kazuya Assistant Director: Otsuka Masahito 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

Katsuragi Misato and her entourage are on-board a MiG-55D transport helicopter to rendevous with the UN naval carrier, the Over the Rainbow, to take delivery of a precious new cargo: The recently completed EVA-02 combat unit, built by the German alliance government. Along with the new cyborg mecha comes the pilot, the self-assurred Second Child, Asuka Langley Soryu. Misato has also brought along a few observers: Shinji's recently made friends, Toji and Aida. Unfortunately for Misato, she also runs into two rather unexpected vistors while onboard the carrier: Koji Ryoji, her ex-flame, and even worse -- a sixth Angel, which seems intent on finding something onboard the carrier group. Now it's up to Asuka and Shinji to get the EVA-02 combat model into action before disaster strikes!


[ capsule review ]

Well, well, well... Just how many more stereotypes can we toss into an already crowded series? How about a third EVA pilot, who happens to be a brash, egotistical brat who wears long skirts and has red hair? Not enough? OK, how about throwing in a former love interest for Misato? Of course, Koji also happens to have some secret ties with Ikari Gendo as well. (Now, why on Earth didn't I see that coming???) Still not enough? How about the dramatic entrance of the EVA-02 unit, complete with a 'Phantom of the Opera' style cloak? (Did I hear someone yell, "Buster Shield?") I haven't even mentioned the Pacific Fleet's unauthorized fishing trip... I keep finding myself trying to re-evaluate what age group this series is targeted for, and invariably, I fail. The first few episodes could have been for the mid-teens; now I'm under the impression that the show's for grade-schoolers. And just when I think I've got that part figured out, there's a fairly involved sub-plot that blows all of it out the water (no pun intended, of course).

Asuka's character bothers me the most -- not because we've seen it so often before from other studios (though that's bad enough); but all the main characters from Evangelion have had a counterpart in another GAINAX production, GunBuster. Swap Gendo for Coach. Misato for Amano. Shinji for Noriko. Now add Asuka for Jeung-Freud. Shake well, and serve. (Did I mention something about the 'Buster Shield?') The one bright spot to this episode was again the directing -- yeah, I was laughing hard enough to mistake this for a comedy, but the show does have flow; something to which a lot of other feature's can't lay claim. But even that won't save a script which is utterly insipid. Come on! Since when would the military allow non-rated civilians onto a carrier during a mission, let alone kids with a handy-cam? Should I mention the bit about how the EVA-02 nearly swamped the carrier, Over the Rainbow, when it jumped onto the flattop from an adjacent destroyer, but absolutely nothing occurred when the EVA was propelled some ridiculously long distance from the exploding 6th Angel, onto the carrier deck? (I could have sworn I heard someone yell, "Buster Shield!") - AN



[ café rating ]

Original: Subbed: Dubbed:
Story: N/A 1 star N/A
Direction: N/A 4 stars N/A
Acting: N/A 4 stars N/A
Animation: N/A 3 stars N/A
Music: N/A 3 stars N/A
Translation: N/A 4 stars N/A
Overall Rating: N/A 2 stars N/A


[ café trivia ]



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