Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
Encyclopedia
is a 2007 Japan
ese animated
film written and chief directed by Hideaki Anno
. It is the first of four films released in the Rebuild of Evangelion
tetralogy
based on the original anime
series Neon Genesis Evangelion. It was produced and co-distributed by Anno's Studio Khara
in partnership with Gainax. Hideaki Anno wrote the first movie and is the general director and manager for the entire project. Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
provided character designs for the film, while Ikuto Yamashita
provided mechanical designs. Both Shinji Higuchi
and Tomoki Kyoda
provided the film's storyboards.
The plot is largely a point-for-point adaptation of episodes one through six of the original anime. While some scenes and events are replications of the original series, others unfold differently with new or omitted scenes and newly-available 3D CG technology
. The film received a positive response from fans, with Hideaki Anno himself calling it a "faithful remake of the original series". The film was ranked 4th highest grossing anime film at the Japanese box office during 2007 earning a total of 2 billion yen.
is sent for by his estranged father, Gendo
at the beginning of the film. As he wanders around the town, which has been shut down over an emergency announcement, he is caught in the crossfire between the U.N. army and the fourth Angel. Rescued by Lt. Colonel Misato Katsuragi
, Shinji is brought to Tokyo-3 and NERV headquarters, where he is pressured by Gendo, NERV's Supreme Commander, into piloting the Evangelion Unit-01 against the Angel because the other Evangelion pilot, the mysterious Rei Ayanami
, is too injured to do so. After the initial fight, Shinji is taken in by Misato as her new housemate and enrolled in middle school. The film portrays Shinji's attempts to "settle in" with his newfound life alongside Misato, Rei, and the other characters while continuing to defend Tokyo-3 and the world from the coming Angels.
When the fifth Angel arrives, Shinji becomes too paralyzed to fight. When he is slammed into a mountainside, he nearly crushed two of his classmates, Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida, who had snuck out of the shelters to get a view of the action. Misato has Toji and Kensuke take cover in Unit 01's entry plug before ordering Shinji to retreat. However, Shinji disobeys and destroys the fifth Angel with Unit 01's Progressive Knife. Misato later reprimands Shinji for disobeying her.
At the film's climax, the sixth Angel tries to drill into NERV headquarters. To motivate the despondent Shinji, Misato takes him down to the deepest level of the base and shows him a giant white entity crucified to a giant cross-like restraint: the second Angel, Lilith. Misato explains that reaching this area is the goal of the Angels and that any contact between them and Lilith would bring about the Third Impact and the end of all life on Earth.
With this information and the encouragement from his new friends in school, Shinji and Rei, piloting Unit-00, attempt to kill the Angel by sniping it using the Evangelions and an experimental positron rifle, which requires the entire electrical power output of Japan to function. Rei is nearly killed in the battle, though Shinji is able to save her by prying her out of her damaged Eva using Unit 01's Progressive Knife. Shinji and the normally cold Rei share an emotional moment and Rei eventually shares a warm smile with him.
The final scene opens on the surface of the Moon, with what appears to be blood splashed across a large swath of it. Nine coffin-like containers are arranged in a line on the surface, with five of them open. Kaworu Nagisa
awakens and rises from the fifth container. In front of him is an unidentified white giant, surrounded by construction equipment and scaffolding, wearing a purple Seele mask. Kaworu engages in a brief, cryptic conversation with the Seele 01 monolith, saying that "the third one" has not changed at all and that he looks forward to meeting Shinji.
, the first film of the Rebuild of Evangelion
series was announced to be released in the summer of 2007 with an expected running time of 90 minutes. During pre-production
, Toshimichi Ohtsuki stated that director Hideaki Anno rewatched the entire original television series back to back. It was revealed the success of the series had caused misunderstanding and disarray amongst fans and the new films would clear up any confusion. In the December 2006 issue of Newtype, Anno revealed he was happy to finally recreate Eva "as he wanted it to be" in the beginning and that he was no longer constrained by technological and budget limitations.
In November 2006, it was revealed that most of the staff from the original TV series had returned to work on the movie, along with the entire Japanese voice cast of the original series. The film's climax, Operation Yashima, was created as per Anno's original concept for the sequence, with collaboration from the famed storyboarder Shinji Higuchi
.
. She also provided a reprised remix of the series original ending theme "Fly Me to the Moon
", known as "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) -2007 MIX-", from the version she released in 2000 on her Wait & See ~Risk~
single. It served as the soundtrack to the first full theatrical trailer and was well received by fans, selling nearly 881,000 copies while boosting Utada's own sales.
The complete score for the film, composed and arranged by Shiro Sagisu
, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios
with performances by the London Studio Orchestra. An album featuring full-track selections from the film's score, without any editing to fit them into the film entitled Shiro SAGISU Music from Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, was released on September 26, 2007. The Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone Original Soundtrack, with the complete score and Utada's "Beautiful World" and "Fly Me to the Moon", were released on May 25, 2008. Many of the tracks on both soundtracks are rearranged versions of songs from the original series, with "Angel of Doom" among the new compositions, being used in a promotional clip as well as in the films climactic fight with Ramiel.
and Pizza Hut
. The film was originally planned to premiere in Shinjuku at the Cinema Square Tōkyū theater, but was changed to the Milano 1 theater in order to accommodate the growing crowds. At the film's theatrical premiere on September 1, 2007, the film's official Bandai Channel news feed reported full houses and full applause from fans. The film opened on 84 screens and at first place in the Japanese box office during its opening weekend, with some 236,158 spending 280 million yen (about US $2.8 million). The film dropped to second place during its second week and was later reported to be have been seen by approximately 1 million people in its first four weeks after opening.
The film became Gainax's highest grossing film of the series, earning 1.468 billion yen (about US $16,445,415), beating the previous record set by The End of Evangelion
, which earned 1.45 billion yen or US $16,243,768, and Evangelion: Death and Rebirth
, which earned 1.1 billion yen or US $12,322,858. The film was re-released in April 2008 under the title "Evangelion: 1.01 You Are (Not) Alone" in theaters with an additional 266 enhancements to coincide with the DVD release. The film was ranked as the 4th highest grossing anime film at the Japanese box office in 2007, earning approximately 2 billion yen (US $18.7 million) during its theatrical run.
The first international screening of the film was on October 12, 2007 as the closing film of the 2007 Pusan International Film Festival
in Japanese with Korean and English subtitles. The film has been released internationally throughout early to late 2008. The film was released in South Korea (January 24, 2008), Malaysia (July 1, 2008), Singapore (March 13, 2008), Hong Kong (April 3, 2008), Taiwan (April 18, 2008), Germany (October 2008), and Italy by Dynit
(October 30, 2008). The film was released on DVD in Australia by Red Ant Enterprises
on November 12, 2008, although that release is no longer available for sale as Red Ant Enterprises went into receivership in January 2009. The Australian rights have since been sub-licensed to Madman Entertainment
, who have a special relationship with FUNimation and have the rights to the TV series and movies from Manga Entertainment
and ADV Films. The film was released in France by distributor Dybex at the out of competition screening at the 2008 Annecy International Animated Film Festival
. The film made its Canadian premiere at the Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema
in November 2008.
Madman Entertainment released the film in Australia on November 30, 2009. Madman then sub-licensed Evangelion 1.11 from Manga UK
and has done the same for Evangelion 2.0.
The film made its North American premiere at the 24th Santa Barbara International Film Festival
as well as at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival
in March 2009.
In November 2008, FUNimation Entertainment
issued a cease and desist
order to fansubbers of Evangelion 1.0 on behalf of NTV
, along with several other anime properties. On December 31, 2008, FUNimation announced that it had acquired the rights to the first Rebuild of Evangelion film. On May 23, 2009, the cast was announced for the English dub for the film at Anime Boston, with Spike Spencer
and Allison Keith
reprising their respective roles as Shinji Ikari and Misato Katsuragi. Their website listed November 17, 2009 as the film's release date, however in Canada the film was released in theatre on September 30, 2009. The film is rated PG-13 in the United States for action violence and some nudity. The film was also shown in at least 77 movie theaters across North America, 60 of which are in Canada, starting with Anime Expo
in Los Angeles
, California
, on July 2, 2009. In North American cinemas, the film took in over $100,000. FUNimation released Evangelion: 1.01 on DVD in North America on November 17, 2009, and later released 1.11 on Blu-ray and DVD on March 9, 2010.
In August 2010, Evangelion 1.0 premiered in Mexican theaters, being the first time ever a non-commercial anime film was featured in widescreen cinema theaters in Mexico, Guadalajara, and Monterrey cities, in celebration of 400 years of diplomatic relationship between Japan and Mexico.
in Japan on April 25, 2008. The release contained 266 shots that received minor enhancements and fine tunings in picture, editing, and sound quality. The first disc contained the movie and the script, while the second contained music videos, trailers, and the "Explanation of Evangelion" feature, which overlaid the film with textual labels and explanations.
In addition, each DVD set contained film strips of five animation frames from actual reels of the film (which were otherwise only available in the "Rebuild of Evangelion 1.0 All Collection" artbook), some of which received bids at online auctions over 29,000 yen or over $200 (frames from the famous scene of Rei smiling at the end of the film were sold for 152,000 yen or about $1921). Only 300,000 of these special-edition DVD sets were made. The film was released on DVD in a "Normal Edition" on May 21, 2008.
The DVD release was promoted by numerous Japanese restaurants, including "Cure Maid Café
" in Akihabara, which offered numerous Evangelion menu options such as an "LCL Drink", "Sachiel Pasta", and an "Asuka Cocktail
". The Pasela chain of Japanese restaurants offered options such as "Eva Honey Toast" and "Misato's Curry
Ramen
". By April 29, less than one week after its release, more than 219,000 copies of the film were sold, making it the best-selling DVD for the first half of 2008 in Japan. Ultimately, the "Limited Edition" release ranked as the fourth best-selling DVD in Japan in the first six months of 2008, selling an estimated 263,395 copies in that time. Amazon
Japan ranked the "Equipment Edition" release as the best-selling DVD in Japan during 2008.
A Blu-ray Disc
and new DVD release titled Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone was released on May 27, 2009. The film was given a re-transfer to fix some darkness issues in the previous DVD release and roughly 3 minutes of new animation was added to the first 15 minutes of the original film. The release became the best-selling Blu-ray in Japan thus far, with around 49,000 copies sold by the start of August 2009.
Funimation released the 1.01 version on DVD on November 17, 2009. The 1.11 DVD and Blu-ray was released on March 9, 2010. However, people who pre-ordered the movie received it early (primarily from Right Stuf
and AnimeNation
). The 1.11 DVD and Blu-ray discs come with a 20-page booklet with character art and production stills and information about how the movie was made. The DVD's first disc has the movie on it, while the second disc contains special features, including a music video of "Angel of Doom", a preview for Evangelion 2.0, along with trailers from the 1.0 release.
1.0 was broadcast on NTV
on 3 July 2009 (with a modified preview trailer for 2.0).
Instruments design, designed in the image of the Evangelion units from the film, for February 2009. In January 2009, Salomon
also announced the release of an Evangelion snowboard
and a "Snow-Compatible Plug-Wear Model 00" gear in Japan in early February. Appliya, Inc. announced it would produce iPhone
and iPod Touch
applications based on the film series, utilizing the films' visual style, characters, and storyline while taking advantage of the devices' touch screen, camera, calendar, and clock functions.
In April 2009, Namco Bandai Games
announced an action adventure game based on the film's storyline to be released on the Sony PlayStation Portable
, titled "Evangelion: Jo". The game features Shinji, Rei, Misato, Asuka, and Kaworu and was released on June 4, 2009 to correspond with the release of Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance.
The 328 page artbook
for 1.0, Groundwork of Evangelion 1.0, was released on May 28, 2011 for 3,675 yen.
fans gave the film an average of "4 out of 5 stars".
Anime News Network
gave the film an overall "B-", stating that while the film had "great animation, excellent fight scenes, some hints at exciting changes to come and a cool cameo at the end," it was stated as "feeling pointless and dull at times with the cast's previous emotional complexity being dumbed down"; Tom Tonthat of The Escapist Magazine
criticized it for being, beneath "the shiny new packaging...a dumbed-down version of the original series", "truncating the subtle exposition and character development". Miguel Concepcion, writing for the Examiner, praised the artwork on the animation, and singled out Ritsuko Akagi's voice actress as making Akagi "sound one-dimensional at times". The New York Times reviewer Mike Hale criticized 1.0 because "nearly everything that made the first two-thirds of the television series distinctive — the deliberate pace, the wry humor, the subtle (for anime) characterizations — is lost. Evangelion becomes just another giant-robot story."
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone received the 2008 Tokyo International Anime Fair
award for anime of the year and Anno received best director. The film was also nominated for Animation of the year
at the 2008 Japan Academy Prize, but lost to
Tekkon Kinkreet
. The film was awarded the DCAJ Chairperson Award during the 22nd Digital Contents Grand Prix in Akihabara
on October 11, 2007. The film also won the Tōkaimura Genpachi Award at the 7th Annual Japanese Otaku Awards on January 5, 2008 and the Theatrical Film Award at the 13th Animation Kobe
Awards on November 2, 2008. The film was judged ineligible for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Oscar because of its 2007 Japanese release.
At the 2009 Anime Expo
, FUNimation Entertainment premiered the English dub of the film and once the credits rolled, the film received a standing ovation from its audience. The AX audience was overwhelmingly pleased with the voice acting direction that ADR director Mike McFarland
had with the film, while also noting the more realistic performance than the TV series was known for. Also, the voice actress rendition of Rei Ayanami
, Brina Palencia
, was very well received by fans for her performance as Rei, and many noted it was on par with Amanda Winn-Lee
's performance, or in some cases, surpassing hers; Animation Insider described Palencia's voice-acting of Rei as having "subtle hints of emotion lingering under her facade". Asian Weekly listed it as the 7th best 'Asian film' of 2009.
, a new character, redesigned Eva units, and hints of a new storyline. The film was released in Japan on June 27, 2009. The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan on May 26, 2010 with the title Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese animated
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
film written and chief directed by Hideaki Anno
Hideaki Anno
is a Japanese animation and film director. Anno is best known for his work on the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. His style has come to be defined by the touches of postmodernism that he injects into his work, as well as the thorough portrayal of characters' thoughts and emotions,...
. It is the first of four films released in the Rebuild of Evangelion
Rebuild of Evangelion
Rebuild of Evangelion, known in Japan as , is a Japanese animated film series and a remake of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series. It is being produced by Studio Khara and KlockWorx in partnership with Gainax...
tetralogy
Tetralogy
A tetralogy is a compound work that is made up of four distinct works, just as a trilogy is made up of three works....
based on the original anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Neon Genesis Evangelion. It was produced and co-distributed by Anno's Studio Khara
Studio Khara
is a Japanese anime production company best known for its work on the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy of films in conjunction with Gainax; is the primary animation production studio for the films. It was founded by Hideaki Anno in May, 2006, and was first mentioned publicly on 1 August when...
in partnership with Gainax. Hideaki Anno wrote the first movie and is the general director and manager for the entire project. Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
is a Japanese character designer, manga artist, and one of the founding members of the Gainax anime studio. Before the studio was founded under the official name , he served as animator on the second animated project, the Daicon IV opening animation...
provided character designs for the film, while Ikuto Yamashita
Ikuto Yamashita
is a Japanese male manga artist and designer.-Overview:Yamashita was born in the Gifu Prefecture and is a graduate of the Nagoya University Of Arts....
provided mechanical designs. Both Shinji Higuchi
Shinji Higuchi
is a storyboard artist and is one of the top special effects wizards in Japan, best known for his work on the Heisei Gamera Trilogy. He works on both anime and tokusatsu projects.-Biography:...
and Tomoki Kyoda
Tomoki Kyoda
is a Japanese animation director and animator.Kyoda was born in Osaka, Japan. Formerly a graphic designer, he changed his occupation to the animation industry, having aspired to be an animation director since his childhood...
provided the film's storyboards.
The plot is largely a point-for-point adaptation of episodes one through six of the original anime. While some scenes and events are replications of the original series, others unfold differently with new or omitted scenes and newly-available 3D CG technology
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
. The film received a positive response from fans, with Hideaki Anno himself calling it a "faithful remake of the original series". The film was ranked 4th highest grossing anime film at the Japanese box office during 2007 earning a total of 2 billion yen.
Plot
Shinji IkariShinji Ikari
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise created by Hideaki Anno. The protagonist of the series , he is the Third Child and pilots the Evangelion Unit 01...
is sent for by his estranged father, Gendo
Gendo Ikari
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. He is the commander of Nerv. While all of the English versions romanize his given name as Gendo, Gainax's website romanizes it Gendoh, and some fansites romanize his name as "Gendou"....
at the beginning of the film. As he wanders around the town, which has been shut down over an emergency announcement, he is caught in the crossfire between the U.N. army and the fourth Angel. Rescued by Lt. Colonel Misato Katsuragi
Misato Katsuragi
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise created by Hideaki Anno. She is the operations director at Nerv, initially with the rank of captain; she is later promoted to major. In Rebuild of Evangelion Misato's rank is lieutenant colonel...
, Shinji is brought to Tokyo-3 and NERV headquarters, where he is pressured by Gendo, NERV's Supreme Commander, into piloting the Evangelion Unit-01 against the Angel because the other Evangelion pilot, the mysterious Rei Ayanami
Rei Ayanami
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, a Japanese anime from Gainax. She is the First Child and pilot of the Evangelion Unit 00....
, is too injured to do so. After the initial fight, Shinji is taken in by Misato as her new housemate and enrolled in middle school. The film portrays Shinji's attempts to "settle in" with his newfound life alongside Misato, Rei, and the other characters while continuing to defend Tokyo-3 and the world from the coming Angels.
When the fifth Angel arrives, Shinji becomes too paralyzed to fight. When he is slammed into a mountainside, he nearly crushed two of his classmates, Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida, who had snuck out of the shelters to get a view of the action. Misato has Toji and Kensuke take cover in Unit 01's entry plug before ordering Shinji to retreat. However, Shinji disobeys and destroys the fifth Angel with Unit 01's Progressive Knife. Misato later reprimands Shinji for disobeying her.
At the film's climax, the sixth Angel tries to drill into NERV headquarters. To motivate the despondent Shinji, Misato takes him down to the deepest level of the base and shows him a giant white entity crucified to a giant cross-like restraint: the second Angel, Lilith. Misato explains that reaching this area is the goal of the Angels and that any contact between them and Lilith would bring about the Third Impact and the end of all life on Earth.
With this information and the encouragement from his new friends in school, Shinji and Rei, piloting Unit-00, attempt to kill the Angel by sniping it using the Evangelions and an experimental positron rifle, which requires the entire electrical power output of Japan to function. Rei is nearly killed in the battle, though Shinji is able to save her by prying her out of her damaged Eva using Unit 01's Progressive Knife. Shinji and the normally cold Rei share an emotional moment and Rei eventually shares a warm smile with him.
The final scene opens on the surface of the Moon, with what appears to be blood splashed across a large swath of it. Nine coffin-like containers are arranged in a line on the surface, with five of them open. Kaworu Nagisa
Kaworu Nagisa
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. He is the Fifth Child and the seventeenth Angel, Tabris. He is sent to Nerv by Seele as a replacement pilot for Unit 02 after Asuka Langley Soryu's synchronization ratio falls below usability...
awakens and rises from the fifth container. In front of him is an unidentified white giant, surrounded by construction equipment and scaffolding, wearing a purple Seele mask. Kaworu engages in a brief, cryptic conversation with the Seele 01 monolith, saying that "the third one" has not changed at all and that he looks forward to meeting Shinji.
Production
In September 2006, the October edition of the Japanese anime magazine NewtypeNewtype (magazine)
is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime and manga . It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985 with its April issue, and has since seen regular release on the 10th of every month in its home country...
, the first film of the Rebuild of Evangelion
Rebuild of Evangelion
Rebuild of Evangelion, known in Japan as , is a Japanese animated film series and a remake of the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series. It is being produced by Studio Khara and KlockWorx in partnership with Gainax...
series was announced to be released in the summer of 2007 with an expected running time of 90 minutes. During pre-production
Pre-production
Pre-production or In Production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance.- In film :...
, Toshimichi Ohtsuki stated that director Hideaki Anno rewatched the entire original television series back to back. It was revealed the success of the series had caused misunderstanding and disarray amongst fans and the new films would clear up any confusion. In the December 2006 issue of Newtype, Anno revealed he was happy to finally recreate Eva "as he wanted it to be" in the beginning and that he was no longer constrained by technological and budget limitations.
In November 2006, it was revealed that most of the staff from the original TV series had returned to work on the movie, along with the entire Japanese voice cast of the original series. The film's climax, Operation Yashima, was created as per Anno's original concept for the sequence, with collaboration from the famed storyboarder Shinji Higuchi
Shinji Higuchi
is a storyboard artist and is one of the top special effects wizards in Japan, best known for his work on the Heisei Gamera Trilogy. He works on both anime and tokusatsu projects.-Biography:...
.
Music
In mid-2007, Hikaru Utada was chosen to provide the ending theme song for the film. "Beautiful World" was chosen from her single Beautiful World/Kiss & CryBeautiful World/Kiss & Cry
"Beautiful World/Kiss & Cry" is Utada Hikaru's 19th Japanese single . The single was released on August 29, 2007 as her second single for 2007. "Beautiful World" was re-released in 2009 as "Beautiful World " for the release of the movie Evangelion: 2.0 You Can Advance.Beautiful World / Kiss & Cry...
. She also provided a reprised remix of the series original ending theme "Fly Me to the Moon
Fly Me to the Moon
"Fly Me to the Moon" is a popular standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954. It was originally titled "In Other Words", and was introduced by Felicia Sanders in cabarets...
", known as "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) -2007 MIX-", from the version she released in 2000 on her Wait & See ~Risk~
Wait & See ~Risk~
is a song by Hikaru Utada, released as her fifth Japanese language single on April 19, 2000. "Wait & See: Risk" sold 1,662,000 copies and debuted at #1 on the Oricon charts with 804,570 in its first week. Utada had two versions released: CD and DVD...
single. It served as the soundtrack to the first full theatrical trailer and was well received by fans, selling nearly 881,000 copies while boosting Utada's own sales.
The complete score for the film, composed and arranged by Shiro Sagisu
Shiro Sagisu
is a well-known Japanese music producer and composer. With a career spanning over 25 years , he is best known for his work as a record producer for acts including Misia, Satoshi Tomiie, and Ken Hirai...
, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
with performances by the London Studio Orchestra. An album featuring full-track selections from the film's score, without any editing to fit them into the film entitled Shiro SAGISU Music from Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, was released on September 26, 2007. The Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone Original Soundtrack, with the complete score and Utada's "Beautiful World" and "Fly Me to the Moon", were released on May 25, 2008. Many of the tracks on both soundtracks are rearranged versions of songs from the original series, with "Angel of Doom" among the new compositions, being used in a promotional clip as well as in the films climactic fight with Ramiel.
Release
In the weeks leading up to the film's theatrical release, the film was promoted by promotional campaigns by numerous media outlets, including the Japanese edition of Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
and Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
. The film was originally planned to premiere in Shinjuku at the Cinema Square Tōkyū theater, but was changed to the Milano 1 theater in order to accommodate the growing crowds. At the film's theatrical premiere on September 1, 2007, the film's official Bandai Channel news feed reported full houses and full applause from fans. The film opened on 84 screens and at first place in the Japanese box office during its opening weekend, with some 236,158 spending 280 million yen (about US $2.8 million). The film dropped to second place during its second week and was later reported to be have been seen by approximately 1 million people in its first four weeks after opening.
The film became Gainax's highest grossing film of the series, earning 1.468 billion yen (about US $16,445,415), beating the previous record set by The End of Evangelion
The End of Evangelion
is a 1997 Japanese animated science fiction film written and directed by Hideaki Anno along with Kazuya Tsurumaki; it ended the anime releases in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise until the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy remakes were announced in 2006....
, which earned 1.45 billion yen or US $16,243,768, and Evangelion: Death and Rebirth
Evangelion: Death and Rebirth
is the first movie in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It consists of two parts, Death and Rebirth, respectively. It was released, along with the follow-up, The End of Evangelion, in response to the success of the TV series and a strong demand by fans for another ending...
, which earned 1.1 billion yen or US $12,322,858. The film was re-released in April 2008 under the title "Evangelion: 1.01 You Are (Not) Alone" in theaters with an additional 266 enhancements to coincide with the DVD release. The film was ranked as the 4th highest grossing anime film at the Japanese box office in 2007, earning approximately 2 billion yen (US $18.7 million) during its theatrical run.
The first international screening of the film was on October 12, 2007 as the closing film of the 2007 Pusan International Film Festival
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
in Japanese with Korean and English subtitles. The film has been released internationally throughout early to late 2008. The film was released in South Korea (January 24, 2008), Malaysia (July 1, 2008), Singapore (March 13, 2008), Hong Kong (April 3, 2008), Taiwan (April 18, 2008), Germany (October 2008), and Italy by Dynit
Dynit
Dynit SRL is one of the main Italian manga and anime publishers. It was founded in 1995 by Francesco Di Sanzo, Claudia Cangini, Francesco Bombardini, Paolo Nascetti, Saetti SRL and Federico Colpi and its original name was Dynamic Italia SRL. The name was changed following a litigation between Colpi...
(October 30, 2008). The film was released on DVD in Australia by Red Ant Enterprises
Red Ant Enterprises
Red Ant Enterprises Pty Ltd was an Australian owned video game, anime, home video and PC software distributor. Red Ant is the largest such company in the country, as well as the local distributor for over 30 publishers that are based overseas, including 505 Games and Oxygen Games and previously...
on November 12, 2008, although that release is no longer available for sale as Red Ant Enterprises went into receivership in January 2009. The Australian rights have since been sub-licensed to Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
, who have a special relationship with FUNimation and have the rights to the TV series and movies from Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
and ADV Films. The film was released in France by distributor Dybex at the out of competition screening at the 2008 Annecy International Animated Film Festival
Annecy International Animated Film Festival
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival was created in 1960 and takes place at the beginning of June in the town of Annecy, France. Initially occurring every two years, the festival became annual in 1998...
. The film made its Canadian premiere at the Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema
Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema
The Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema is an annual international film festival for animated feature films, held in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada...
in November 2008.
Madman Entertainment released the film in Australia on November 30, 2009. Madman then sub-licensed Evangelion 1.11 from Manga UK
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
and has done the same for Evangelion 2.0.
The film made its North American premiere at the 24th Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a film festival and non-profit organization, established in 1985, that showcases independent American and international films. The SBIFF line-up includes 20 world premieres and 11 U.S. premieres, with newly expanded 11-day festival...
as well as at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
in March 2009.
In November 2008, FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
issued a cease and desist
Cease and desist
A cease and desist is an order or request to halt an activity and not to take it up again later or else face legal action. The recipient of the cease-and-desist may be an individual or an organization....
order to fansubbers of Evangelion 1.0 on behalf of NTV
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
, along with several other anime properties. On December 31, 2008, FUNimation announced that it had acquired the rights to the first Rebuild of Evangelion film. On May 23, 2009, the cast was announced for the English dub for the film at Anime Boston, with Spike Spencer
Spike Spencer
Charles Forrest "Spike" Spencer is an American actor best known for dubbing Japanese anime films. He is best known for roles in ADV Films dubs of Neon Genesis Evangelion , Martian Successor Nadesico , and Excel Saga . He has also performed voice acting for radio, especially commercials...
and Allison Keith
Allison Keith
Allison Keith is an American actor and voice actor who is best known for her English-dubbing work with ADV Films on such anime movies and television series as Neon Genesis Evangelion, in which she voiced the character Misato Katsuragi...
reprising their respective roles as Shinji Ikari and Misato Katsuragi. Their website listed November 17, 2009 as the film's release date, however in Canada the film was released in theatre on September 30, 2009. The film is rated PG-13 in the United States for action violence and some nudity. The film was also shown in at least 77 movie theaters across North America, 60 of which are in Canada, starting with Anime Expo
Anime Expo
Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation . With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the July 4th weekend and lasts for four days...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, on July 2, 2009. In North American cinemas, the film took in over $100,000. FUNimation released Evangelion: 1.01 on DVD in North America on November 17, 2009, and later released 1.11 on Blu-ray and DVD on March 9, 2010.
In August 2010, Evangelion 1.0 premiered in Mexican theaters, being the first time ever a non-commercial anime film was featured in widescreen cinema theaters in Mexico, Guadalajara, and Monterrey cities, in celebration of 400 years of diplomatic relationship between Japan and Mexico.
Home media
The two-disc "Evangelion: 1.01 You Are (Not) Alone: Limited Design Edition" was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in Japan on April 25, 2008. The release contained 266 shots that received minor enhancements and fine tunings in picture, editing, and sound quality. The first disc contained the movie and the script, while the second contained music videos, trailers, and the "Explanation of Evangelion" feature, which overlaid the film with textual labels and explanations.
In addition, each DVD set contained film strips of five animation frames from actual reels of the film (which were otherwise only available in the "Rebuild of Evangelion 1.0 All Collection" artbook), some of which received bids at online auctions over 29,000 yen or over $200 (frames from the famous scene of Rei smiling at the end of the film were sold for 152,000 yen or about $1921). Only 300,000 of these special-edition DVD sets were made. The film was released on DVD in a "Normal Edition" on May 21, 2008.
The DVD release was promoted by numerous Japanese restaurants, including "Cure Maid Café
Cosplay restaurant
, are theme restaurants and pubs that originated in Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan around the year 1999. They include and , where the service staff dress as elegant maids, or as butlers. Such restaurants and cafés have quickly become a staple of Japanese otaku culture. Compared with service at normal...
" in Akihabara, which offered numerous Evangelion menu options such as an "LCL Drink", "Sachiel Pasta", and an "Asuka Cocktail
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
". The Pasela chain of Japanese restaurants offered options such as "Eva Honey Toast" and "Misato's Curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
Ramen
Ramen
is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn...
". By April 29, less than one week after its release, more than 219,000 copies of the film were sold, making it the best-selling DVD for the first half of 2008 in Japan. Ultimately, the "Limited Edition" release ranked as the fourth best-selling DVD in Japan in the first six months of 2008, selling an estimated 263,395 copies in that time. Amazon
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
Japan ranked the "Equipment Edition" release as the best-selling DVD in Japan during 2008.
A Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
and new DVD release titled Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone was released on May 27, 2009. The film was given a re-transfer to fix some darkness issues in the previous DVD release and roughly 3 minutes of new animation was added to the first 15 minutes of the original film. The release became the best-selling Blu-ray in Japan thus far, with around 49,000 copies sold by the start of August 2009.
Funimation released the 1.01 version on DVD on November 17, 2009. The 1.11 DVD and Blu-ray was released on March 9, 2010. However, people who pre-ordered the movie received it early (primarily from Right Stuf
The Right Stuf International
The Right Stuf International, Inc. is an American retailer based in Grimes, Iowa that markets and distributes anime and manga-related products throughout the United States and internationally...
and AnimeNation
AnimeNation
AnimeNation is an American retailer of anime, manga, and other products of Japanese culture. It was founded in 1995 and is located in Tampa, Florida...
). The 1.11 DVD and Blu-ray discs come with a 20-page booklet with character art and production stills and information about how the movie was made. The DVD's first disc has the movie on it, while the second disc contains special features, including a music video of "Angel of Doom", a preview for Evangelion 2.0, along with trailers from the 1.0 release.
1.0 was broadcast on NTV
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
on 3 July 2009 (with a modified preview trailer for 2.0).
Merchandise
Various action figures of characters were released to coincide with the theatrical and DVD release, including Rei Ayanami, Kaworu Nagisa, and Misato Katsuragi. Gainax provided the licensing, while Kotobukiya provided distribution in Japan. Revoltech also released numerous figures from the film including the Eva units and characters. In December 2008, Gainax announced the release of the "EVA-W01" Quad Elements watch with a SeikoSeiko
, more commonly known simply as Seiko , is a Japanese watch company.-History and ongoing developments:The company was founded in 1881, when Kintarō Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop called in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan. Eleven years later, in 1892, he began to produce clocks under the...
Instruments design, designed in the image of the Evangelion units from the film, for February 2009. In January 2009, Salomon
Salomon Snowboards
Salomon Snowboards is a category of Salomon Group. Marketing for Salomon Snowboards is based in Portland, Oregon, near Mt. Hood, while design and development takes place at the base of the French Alps, in Annecy, France...
also announced the release of an Evangelion snowboard
Snowboard
Snowboards are boards, usually with a width the length of one's foot, with the ability to glide on snow. Snowboards are differentiated from monoskis by the stance of the user...
and a "Snow-Compatible Plug-Wear Model 00" gear in Japan in early February. Appliya, Inc. announced it would produce iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
applications based on the film series, utilizing the films' visual style, characters, and storyline while taking advantage of the devices' touch screen, camera, calendar, and clock functions.
In April 2009, Namco Bandai Games
Namco Bandai Games
is an arcade, mobile and home video game developer and publisher based in Japan which is the product of a merger between the video game development divisions of Bandai and Namco. Namco Bandai Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings and specializes in production and sales of...
announced an action adventure game based on the film's storyline to be released on the Sony PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, titled "Evangelion: Jo". The game features Shinji, Rei, Misato, Asuka, and Kaworu and was released on June 4, 2009 to correspond with the release of Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance.
The 328 page artbook
Artbook
An art book may mean a conventional book on art or art history, or an artist's book, which is a work of art in the form of a book, usually produced in a small limited edition, often not just using normal printing techniques. The term might also cover graphic novels, books of anime and other types...
for 1.0, Groundwork of Evangelion 1.0, was released on May 28, 2011 for 3,675 yen.
Reception
The film was well-received by fans of the series and audiences alike, with some forming lines outside theaters on the films opening day. Eiga reported users gave the film "A-" while on Japan Yahoo! MoviesYahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies , provided by the Yahoo! network, is home to a large collection of information on movies, past and new releases, trailers and clips, box office information, and showtimes and movie theater information. Yahoo! Movies also includes red carpet photos, actor galleries, and production...
fans gave the film an average of "4 out of 5 stars".
Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
gave the film an overall "B-", stating that while the film had "great animation, excellent fight scenes, some hints at exciting changes to come and a cool cameo at the end," it was stated as "feeling pointless and dull at times with the cast's previous emotional complexity being dumbed down"; Tom Tonthat of The Escapist Magazine
The Escapist (magazine)
The Escapist is an online magazine covering video games, gamers, the gaming industry, and gaming culture. Published by the Themis Group, it was edited by Julianne Greer up to June 30, 2009, then by Russ Pitts through September 2011, and is currently edited by Steve Butts. The Escapist was first...
criticized it for being, beneath "the shiny new packaging...a dumbed-down version of the original series", "truncating the subtle exposition and character development". Miguel Concepcion, writing for the Examiner, praised the artwork on the animation, and singled out Ritsuko Akagi's voice actress as making Akagi "sound one-dimensional at times". The New York Times reviewer Mike Hale criticized 1.0 because "nearly everything that made the first two-thirds of the television series distinctive — the deliberate pace, the wry humor, the subtle (for anime) characterizations — is lost. Evangelion becomes just another giant-robot story."
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone received the 2008 Tokyo International Anime Fair
Tokyo International Anime Fair
The Tokyo International Anime Fair also known as Tokyo International Animation Fair is one of the largest anime trade fairs in the world, held annually in Japan. The first event was held in 2002 as "Tokyo International Anime Fair 21". The event is held at Tokyo Big Sight, a convention and...
award for anime of the year and Anno received best director. The film was also nominated for Animation of the year
Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year
The of the Japan Academy Prize is one of the annual Awards given by the Nippon Academy-sho association .-History:...
at the 2008 Japan Academy Prize, but lost to
Tekkon Kinkreet
Tekkon Kinkreet
is a three-volume seinen manga series by Taiyō Matsumoto, which was originally serialized from 1993 to 1994 in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits and first published in English as Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White. It was adapted into a 2006 feature-length Japanese anime film of the same name, directed by...
. The film was awarded the DCAJ Chairperson Award during the 22nd Digital Contents Grand Prix in Akihabara
Akihabara
, also known as , is an area of Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to in Japan...
on October 11, 2007. The film also won the Tōkaimura Genpachi Award at the 7th Annual Japanese Otaku Awards on January 5, 2008 and the Theatrical Film Award at the 13th Animation Kobe
Animation Kobe
The is an event created by Kobe city in 1996, to promote anime and other visual media. In the event, the are awarded annually by Kobe and the Organizing Committee of the event, to creators and creations.-Event:...
Awards on November 2, 2008. The film was judged ineligible for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is one of the annual awards given by the Los Angeles-based professional organization, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
Oscar because of its 2007 Japanese release.
At the 2009 Anime Expo
Anime Expo
Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation . With rare exceptions, the convention is traditionally held on the July 4th weekend and lasts for four days...
, FUNimation Entertainment premiered the English dub of the film and once the credits rolled, the film received a standing ovation from its audience. The AX audience was overwhelmingly pleased with the voice acting direction that ADR director Mike McFarland
Mike McFarland
Michael Charles McFarland is an American voice actor, ADR Director, Script, and Line Producer at Funimation Entertainment. He also did work with ADV Films, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, New Generation Pictures and Okatron 5000...
had with the film, while also noting the more realistic performance than the TV series was known for. Also, the voice actress rendition of Rei Ayanami
Rei Ayanami
is a fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, a Japanese anime from Gainax. She is the First Child and pilot of the Evangelion Unit 00....
, Brina Palencia
Brina Palencia
Brina Michelle Palencia is an American voice actress, singer, and ADR director who works for Funimation Entertainment. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series.Apart from her adult female voices, she has been cast in younger...
, was very well received by fans for her performance as Rei, and many noted it was on par with Amanda Winn-Lee
Amanda Winn-Lee
Amanda Beth Winn Lee is an American voice actress, writer and ADR director who works mainly on anime dubs. She was the voice of Mimiru in .hack//SIGN, Rally Vincent in Gunsmith Cats, Yohko Mano in Devil Hunter Yohko, Momiji Kushinada in Blue Seed, and was featured most notably as Rei Ayanami of...
's performance, or in some cases, surpassing hers; Animation Insider described Palencia's voice-acting of Rei as having "subtle hints of emotion lingering under her facade". Asian Weekly listed it as the 7th best 'Asian film' of 2009.
Sequel
The next film in the series, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, was previewed in a trailer following the credits, continuing the story with the introduction of Asuka Langley ShikinamiAsuka Langley Soryu
is a 14-year old fictional character from the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. Within the series, she is designated as the Second Child and the pilot of the Evangelion Unit 02...
, a new character, redesigned Eva units, and hints of a new storyline. The film was released in Japan on June 27, 2009. The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan on May 26, 2010 with the title Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance.