Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Rebuild of Evangelion | |||||||
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Written By | Hideaki Anno | ||||||
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Directed By | Hideaki Anno (chief director), Kazuya Tsurumaki, Masayuki | ||||||
Theatrical Release | June 27, 2009 (Japan) | ||||||
Streaming Release | {{{streaming_release}}} | ||||||
Video Release Date | 2.22: May 26, 2010 | ||||||
Angel Appearances | Third Angel, Seventh Angel, Eighth Angel, Ninth Angel, Tenth Angel | ||||||
Eva Sorties | Eva-05, Eva-02, Eva-01, Eva-00, Eva-03, Eva-06 | ||||||
Movie chronology | |||||||
← Previous | Next → | ||||||
"Evangelion 1.0" | "Evangelion 3.0" |
Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance (ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版:破) is the second film in the Rebuild of Evangelion movie series. It premiered in Japan on June 27, 2009. The film was released to Japanese DVD and BD as Evangelion 2.22 with new scenes and dozens of modified cuts.
The movie introduces Asuka Shikinami Langley (formerly "Soryu", and now with the rank of Captain), Ryoji Kaji, and the new character Mari Illustrious Makinami, along with Eva-02, Eva-03, Eva-05, and Eva-06. A combination of familiar (to NGE veterans) and newly-designed Angels appeared over the course of the film. The new locations Bethany Base and Tabgha Base are also featured. Yuko Miyamura and Koichi Yamadera both reprise their roles as Asuka and Kaji, respectively, and Maaya Sakamoto joins the cast to play Mari.
Eva 2.0 departs from the original much more extensively than 1.0, with a greater emphasis on new material. The first half of the film adapts "Action Arc" episodes 08 through 12. The second half adapts the primary conflicts of 18, and 19, while incorporating material up through 23.
Plot
"Disposing of the Angel on the surface is so expensive!" |
The movie opens in Bethany Base, a joint U.S./Russian Nerv base. Mari is seen in Evangelion Unit-05. The Third Angel is escaping, and Mari is out to stop it in a series of corridors and tunnels. Kaji is seen along with the head of Bethany base and several English-speaking Nerv personnel. A fierce battle occurs where Mari ultimately has to self-destruct Eva-05 to defeat the Third Angel. She ejects in her entry plug while Kaji leaves by aircraft, taking a mysterious package with him.
Meanwhile, Shinji and Gendo have a conversation at Yui's grave, which is at a memorial for those lost during Second Impact. Shinji tells Gendo that he's happy they could speak together. Misato takes Shinji home in the car, but en route they witness a battle between warships and the Seventh Angel. As Misato orders Nerv's Evas to intercept the Angel, Eva-02 arrives and proceeds to easily destroy it. The pilot of Eva-02 and Second Girl, European Airforce Captain Asuka Langley Shikinami, introduces herself to Shinji, Toji and Kensuke in the same distinctive fashion as Asuka Langley Soryu, and takes an immediate dislike to Rei Ayanami.
At Nerv, Kaji hands the package to Gendo, the contents of which look like a human nervous system. Gendo calls it the "Key of Nebuchadnezzar", the Key to Human Instrumentality.
Asuka arrives at Misato's apartment, and Misato reveals that both pilots will be living together since they should learn teamwork. Similar to Shinji in Evangelion 1.0, Asuka has a horribly embarrassing encounter with Pen Pen in the bathroom and comes running out naked. Shinji sees Asuka naked and lands up getting kicked in the face. At night, Asuka talks to herself and plays with a doll, saying that she's special and she'll always be alone, in stark contrast to her persona and relationship with dolls in the original series.
Kaji takes Shinji and the others to a maritime preservation zone where the last marine animals are kept alive and the red ocean water is purified to make it habitable. Rei, alone with Shinji, compares her existence to that of fish in a tank, with a miffed Asuka seeing them and then playing a videogame in a corner. Shinji has prepared a box lunch for everyone, but Rei declines to eat until Shinji offers her some Miso soup, which she finds delicious.
Kaji tells Shinji of Misato's past and Second Impact. Several flashback images appear: the sky turns red and a black hole appears. Four light bodies with halos appear (the Adams), as well as several red crosses. Meanwhile, Gendo and Fuyutsuki visit Tabgha Base. They see Kaworu sitting atop Eva Mark.06, who turns to Gendo and says "I'm pleased to meet you, father."[1]
The Eighth Angel appears. Misato and the rest realize that is a living bomb that will drop at Tokyo-3, and she plans to intercept it with the Evas, although Ritsuko argues about how foolish the plan is. In the end, the Eva units rush to the impact zone with the help of special buildings such as ramps and jumping spots. After the Angel is destroyed, Gendo praises his son via a voice only communication.
That night, Asuka is unable to sleep because of her inability to face the 8th Angel alone. She goes into Shinji's room, laying atop his bed. Asuka decides they should refer to each other on a first name basis, then asks him why he pilots the Eva. Shinji replies that he isn't sure, but is happy from his father's praise.
Shinji makes daily boxed lunches for Misato, Asuka and himself. One day, he makes a boxed lunch for Rei, who thanks him in surprise. Asuka is approached by the Class Representative Hikari who requests they eat lunch together.
After a session in an LCL tube, Rei and Gendo eat a meal together. Rei requests if she can have a dinner party and invite Shinji and the others. Gendo agrees after being reminded of Yui.
Soon afterwards, Mari arrives in Japan by parachute, landing on top of Shinji at his school's rooftop. She speaks in English on her phone about her landing point being diverted, then tells Shinji before leaving that he's interesting and she likes his smell of LCL.
Among other things, Kaji takes Shinji to his watermelon patch and asks Shinji to protect Misato because he's unable to do it himself. Meanwhile, Rei is learning how to cook in preparation for the dinner party. She cuts several fingers in the process. Asuka also tries learning how to cook. Rei sends out invitations to the party to everyone, even Asuka, although Shinji has no idea that Rei invited Gendo.
After Eva-04 disappears along with the American Nerv base, the United States decides to airlift Eva-03 to Japan. Nerv headquarters encloses Eva-02 because of the Vatican Treaty, which states no more than three active Eva units are allowed in the same country. Ritsuko explains that the Eva units have backups for everything, pilots included.
An irate Asuka runs into Rei in the elevator. Rei explains what it means to be an Eva pilot. Asuka tries to slap Rei but is blocked by Rei herself. Asuka notices Rei has more cuts from cooking than she does and asks Rei what Shinji means to her. Rei replies that being with Shinji makes her "feel warm", and she wants to feel warm at the idea of Commander Ikari and Shinji getting along. A jealous Asuka storms out of the elevator, calling Rei an idiot and stating that Rei's in love with Shinji.
While having some drinks and dinner with Kaji, Misato asks him to tell her the details of Seele and the Human Instrumentality Project. Kaji claims he isn't sure. Misato broods about the pilots having to shoulder the burden of the Evas, and how testing for Eva-03 happens on the same day as Rei's dinner party. Eva-03 arrives and Asuka decides to be the test pilot so Rei can have her dinner party. Asuka talks with Misato before the test, saying that she now understands being with others is a good thing. Inside the Entry Plug, Asuka realizes that she's smiling before she's sucked into the depths of the core. Eva-03 is taken over by the Ninth Angel, setting off an explosion at Matsushiro. Gendo, Rei and Shinji are notified of the emergency.
Eva-01 is the only Eva involved in the battle. Shinji refuses to fight because Asuka is inside Eva-03's entry plug. Being choked, Shinji manages to hold the Ninth Angel's hands, but another pair of arms grows from the shoulders and begin to overpower Eva-01. Gendo orders the Dummy System to be activated. The children's song "Today is the Day for Goodbye" begins to play. The controlled-Eva-01 bites the Entry Plug after dismembering the Angel. Shinji climbs atop the Nerv pyramid in Eva-01, beginning to stomp on it. He yells that Gendo needs to see what it's like to lose somebody important, before Gendo orders the LCL pressure to be increased. Asuka is shown alive but within urgent care, inside a machine similar to the one from the Sixth Angel's first encounter with Shinji. Ritsuko comments that Asuka is a valuable sample.
Shinji, meanwhile, has a train car vision. He talks with Rei and his younger self, admitting that his SDAT player used to belong to Gendo, but Shinji doesn't need it anymore because he's decided to cast aside the cruel world.
Upon awakening in his hospital room, Shinji is brought to Gendo. The commander offers advice, stating that you have to attain your goals through force of will and other people don't do it for you. Gendo adds that Shinji needs to grow up, before Shinji retorts he doesn't know what being an adult means anymore, and quits Nerv. Misato tries to convince Shinji to stay, saying that Rei wanted to hold the dinner party so Shinji and his father could grow closer. Shinji decides to leave anyway. Rei comes across Shinji's abandoned SDAT inside a garbage bin and takes it.
Shinji tries to leave Tokyo-3 but the arrival of the next Angel is reported. At Nerv, Mari hijacks Eva-02 and launches into the Geofront. On the Moon, Kaworu prepares his descent to Earth, standing atop the Mark-06. The 10th Angel attacks, severely damaging Tokyo-3's defenses and causing massive explosions all around. Inside a shelter, Pen Pen, Kensuke, Hikari and Toji are taking cover. Toji protects Hikari as explosions shake the shelter.
Mari confronts the Tenth Angel, but can do no damage. She inputs a secret code that causes Eva-02 to enter an inhuman "Beast Mode" state, but is severely damaged by the Tenth. Rei in Eva-00 arrives with an N² Missile. Together the Eva units remove the Angel's AT Field and Rei pushes Eva-02 away to safety before a large explosion occurs.
Mari crash-lands into Shinji's shelter and tries to take him away to safety while he says he refuses to pilot any more. Mari and Shinji witness Eva-00 being devoured by the Tenth Angel, who begins to match Eva-00's identification signal.
At Nerv, Gendo is unable to active Eva-01 with the Dummy System and questions why Yui is doing this to him. Shinji arrives, telling Gendo to let him pilot Eva-01. Much as in the original series, Eva-01 stops the Tenth Angel from destroying the bridge and battles it till it loses power on the surface, losing an arm in the process. In the darkened entry plug, Shinji's eyes glow red as he yells "Give me back Ayanami!" before Eva-01 suddenly reactivates. Eva-01 blocks the Angel's attacks with a strong AT Field and regrows its missing arm. Eva-01 slices the Tenth Angel in half with eye beams, opening up the core.
Rei's voice tells Shinji that she can be replaced. The song "Please Give Me Wings" plays. Shinji denies Rei's claim and gradually enters the fused Tenth Angel and Eva-01, saving her. As Shinji embraces Rei and they dissolve inside Eva-01, Shinji thanks Rei for her efforts of getting Gendo and Shinji together. Rei apologizes that she couldn't do anything, but Shinji says things are okay the way they are.
The body of Tenth Angel, now a red giant naked Rei, fuses with Eva-01's core. The sky turns red and a black hole appears, sucking the damaged Tokyo-3 into it. Misato and the rest of Nerv realize that this is the beginning of Third Impact.
After the credits, a lance impales Unit-01 from the sky, appearing to stop Third Impact as Unit-01's AT-arm disappears and the doors to the Chamber of Guf close. Misato and Ritsuko look up to the sky, Misato exclaiming "What the hell was that?", before the completed Mark-06 with the same halo as the awakened Unit-01 is shown descending from the sky. From the cockpit, Kaworu says "The promised time has come, Shinji Ikari", the moon large and looming at his back. The movie ends showing Unit-01 bent in half and skewered by the lance with Mark-06 descending to meet it, as Kaworu finally states "This time, I'll be sure to bring you happiness." [2].
Evangelion Q: Next Time Preview
Misato announces the following for the Next Time Preview of Evangelion Q/Quickening: "Eva-01 is frozen with Shinji and Rei still trapped inside. The fortress city is abandoned. Nerv personnel are held in confinement. Eva-06 is dropped into Dogma. The quickening Eva-08 and its pilot. And finally, the children fated to meet are gathered at last. Where will this story of people wishing to live lead?" Along with a promise of more fan service next time. However, none of the scenes from the next time preview make it into the final cut of Evangelion 3.0 that was released.
Evangelion 2.22
Eva 2.0 skipped the DVD-only "X.0X" treatment of its predecessor and was released straight to a DVD & BD 2.22 version supplemented with new scenes and dozens of modified cuts. New scenes include Shinji meeting Kaji at a Tokyo-3 train terminal and Eva-03 being air-lifted out of the American base.
Trailer Summaries
Preview
A preview following the credits of Eva 1.0, structured the same as the "Next Episode Previews" in Neon Genesis Evangelion, complete with the same musical theme, voice-over by Misato, and promise of more fan service.
It opens with an introduction to the Evas scheduled to appear: The "provisional" Eva-05 on an underground rail, Eva-02 being air-dropped (outfitted with the new "S-type Equipment"), Eva-04's explosion, Eva-03 (infected by Bardiel), and Eva-06 descending from the Moon. The text "ADAMS" and a cryptic image of several ghostly, vaguely humanoid figures are flashed on the screen. The text "LILIN+?" then appears, followed by several shots of the "human" cast: Kaji and Gendo (as seen at the end of Episode 08); Misato slapping Ritsuko (recycled from Episode 16); Asuka, Rei, and Shinji (from the Zeruel battle in 19); and Kaworu (smiling against a dusky sky). Finally, the new character Mari is seen from behind, looking up at multiple giant glowing pink crucifixes, followed by a close-up of her face, a fleeing flock of birds reflected in her glasses.
Theatrical Trailer #1
Released in Japanese cinemas on March 14, 2009, set to "FLY ME TO THE MOON (IN OTHER WORDS) 2007 MIX" by Hikaru Utada (same as 1.0's theatrical trailer). Yahoo! Japan subsequently released a 27 second long "special version" edit, which rehashed some of the clips to a remix of the "Next Episode Preview" theme, along with hosting the original theatrical trailer[3].
Fans get their first glimpse of Mari in Eva-05, some Angel attacks, and several character shots. The trailer ends with an aerial shot of Shinji standing at his mother's grave, watching Gendo fly away. He walks off-camera and 2.0's title comes onscreen, thus ending 2.0's theatrical trailer much the same as 1.0's ended.
Theatrical Trailer #2
Released to Japanese cinemas on April 25, 2009, the Bandai Channel on May 8, 2009[4], and set to a bombastic choral/instrumental piece, "The Final Decision We All Must Take" by Shiro Sagisu. Various Angel battles and character shots are shown throughout the trailer.
DVD Promo
A minute-long DVD Promo was released in late March 2010 at the Tokyo Anime Fair.[5] The Official Evangelion website released the Promo online on April 14th, 2010.[6] The promo clip was set to a variation of Megumi Hayashibara's version of "Tsubasa o Kudasai" (entitled "Wings_HayashibaraNew_FullCD") while the images consisted of various spoiler scenes and examples of touch ups for 2.22 (including a new scene of Mari and Eva-02 jumping upside down as well as Eva-03 being air-lifted).
References
- ↑ Evageeks.org: Kaworu calling Gendo "father". Retrieved 2011/02/19.
- ↑ There's more than a little confusion as to whether Kaworu's line must be translated as "at this time" or "this time around", both of which have very different implications for the rest of the story.
- ↑ Yahoo! Japan. Evangelion New Theater Edition: Breakup. Newsflash. Retrieved 2009/04/28.
- ↑ Bandai Channel. Evangelion New Theatrical Feature: Division, Trailers. Retrieved 2009/05/09. A Japanese IP or proxy is required to view the trailer.
- ↑ Tokyo Anime Fair. Retrieved 2011/02/19.
- ↑ Eva 2.22 Promo. Retrieved 2011/02/19.
Guides
External Links
See Also
Episodes & Films | |
Television Series | Episode 01 | Episode 02 | Episode 03 | Episode 04 | Episode 05 | Episode 06 Episode 07 | Episode 08 | Episode 09 | Episode 10 | Episode 11 | Episode 12 | Episode 13 |
Movies | Death | Rebirth |
Rebuild of Evangelion | Evangelion 1.0 | Evangelion 2.0 | Evangelion 3.0 | (-46h) | (-120min) | Evangelion: 3.0 + 1.0 |