

Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone

After the Second Impact, Tokyo-3 is being attacked by giant monsters called Angels that seek to eradicate humankind. The child Shinji’s objective is to fight the Angels by piloting one of the mysterious Evangelion mecha units. A remake of the first six episodes of GAINAX’s famous 1996 anime series. The film was retitled “Evangelion: 1.01” for its DVD release and “Evangelion: 1.11” for a release with additional scenes.
As a longtime Evangelion fan, this first Rebuild film is a satisfying return to familiar ground. It's a faithful retelling of the early episodes of the original series, but polished with a flashy, modern edge. The upgraded animation is gorgeous and fluid, watching iconic moments reimagined with new technology is a real treat. That said, while it looks stunning, some of the gritty, psychologically intense charm of the original is lost in translation. This version feels more action-oriented and less meditative.
The emotional tone is still present, just dialed back a bit. The mystery and quiet tension that made the original feel so hauntingly special is replaced by something faster-paced and more overt. Characters are still memorable, and Shinji is portrayed well, though he doesn’t have the same layered nuance as in the original.
Knowing the deeper context behind why the Rebuild films exist really helps, this isn’t just a remake but a part of a broader, looping narrative. And for fans who complete all the Rebuild films and dig into the fan interpretations of the timeline, there’s added value and thematic depth.
This isn’t a replacement for the original, but a complementary experience. I’m glad it exists, and it holds up well on rewatch. Definitely worth checking out for any Eva fan.