Evangelion
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Evangelion
EVANGELION WIKI
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in: Films, Death and Rebirth, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Released in 1997
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Evangelion: Death and Rebirth

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"Death" and "Evangelion: Death" redirect here. For the soundtrack Evangelion: Death, see Evangelion: Death (soundtrack).

Evangelion: DEATH & REBIRTHWP (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン 劇場版 DEATH & REBIRTH シト新生, Shin seiki Evangerion Gekijō-ban: Shito Shinsei?, lit. Neon Genesis Evangelion Theatrical Edition DEATH & REBIRTH Shito Shinsei) is the first film in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It consists of two parts, DEATH and REBIRTH, respectively. It was released on 15 March 1997 along with its sequel The End of Evangelion in response to the success of the TV series and strong demand by fans for another ending. It has since been re-edited and re-released several times.

Characters[]

Evangelions[]

Angels[]

Staff[]

DEATH[]

  • Screenplay: Hideaki Anno
  • Scenario: Akio Satsukawa
  • Storyboard: Masayuki
  • Editing: Sachiko Miki
  • Music: Shirō Sagisu
  • Color Design: Harumi Takahoshi
  • Art Director: Hiroshi Katō
  • Director of Photography: Hisao Shirai
  • Sound Director: Hideyuki Tanaka
  • Production Manager: Hisaaki Sakabe
  • Director: Masayuki
  • General Director: Hideaki Anno[1]

REBIRTH[]

Production[]

DEATH[]

DEATH is a recap of the first 24 episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion, lasting 70 minutes in length, and was released on 15 March 1997 along with REBIRTH. Sections are separated by scenes of a string quartet, each focusing on one of four characters: Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Kaworu.

The theatrical release of DEATH showed extra footage that had never been seen previously. This footage would be inserted into the "director's cut" versions of episodes 21 through 24. DEATH was later re-edited when DEATH & REBIRTH premiered on the Japanese "WOWOW" satellite TV network and was renamed DEATH(TRUE), in which much of the new footage was cut. A third edit, titled DEATH(TRUE)², was shown on 07 March 1998. This version is identical to DEATH(TRUE) with the exception of a couple of new scenes that have never been seen before in either prior incarnation (these new scenes are also in the previously-mentioned "director's cut" episodes).

The 2015 Blu-ray BOX release of Neon Genesis Evangelion includes the theatrical release of DEATH on home video for the very first time.

See below for more details on the "(true)" versions.

REBIRTH[]

REBIRTH is the unfinished version of the first portion of Episode 25'. It was released in theaters along with DEATH on 15 March 1997, and consists of 27 minutes of entirely new animation that would eventually form the first third of the film The End of Evangelion, which was released four months later. Because of time constraints, REBIRTH only covers the initial preparations of the Human Instrumentality Project and the invasion of the Geofront by SEELE, ending with the arrival of the Mass Production Evangelions (in The End of Evangelion, the final version of Episode 25' concludes with the end of Asuka's fight with the Mass Production Evangelions). The ending of REBIRTH featured the song "Soul's Refrain" by Yoko Takahashi.

Unlike the U.S. Manga Entertainment DVD release of REBIRTH (which was an exact copy of the first 27 minutes of Episode 25'), the REBIRTH that was seen in Japanese theaters had a different Japanese dub, a different BGM in certain places, and an extra cut not found in Episode 25', as well as some scenes that are either missing or had their order rearranged.

Differences between Neon Genesis Evangelion: Rebirth and The End of Evangelion[]

Due to REBIRTH being an unfinished version of Episode 25', there are numerous differences between the two versions, most of them cosmetic.

  • Asuka's vitals on her hospital monitor move significantly faster in REBIRTH.
  • The eyecatch for the episode is :REBIRTH in the original version and 25 Air in the final release.
  • The Magi display is paler in REBIRTH.
  • The scene where the JSSDF tanks turn to fire upon NERV HQ is significantly modified in Episode 25':
    • In REBIRTH, the tanks are mobile with enclosed caterpillar tracks. In Episode 25', the tanks are stationary with three large wheels on each side.
    • The tanks turn consecutively and fire two shots in REBIRTH. In Episode 25', they turn simultaneously and fire three shots.
    • The trees in the foreground are different.
  • The panning from left to right of the Command Deck after the loss of observation posts is slower in REBIRTH.
  • The shot of Rei floating in a tube of LCL pans upwards in REBIRTH and lasts slightly longer than in Episode 25'.
  • When Misato observes security footage of a depressed Shinji, Episode 25' removes a scene from REBIRTH that shows a worried Misato with Hyuga.
  • After Fuyutsuki asks Gendo to say "Hi" to Yui for him, the scene of him standing is slightly longer in Episode 25'.
  • The bakelite that Misato pumps into NERV HQ looks noticeably smoother in Episode 25', and some of the streams flow from different places than in REBIRTH.
  • The scenes of bakelite filling a corridor and dead NERV personnel on a staircase are reversed in Episode 25'.
  • The scene of JSSDF troops observing the attack on NERV contains several differences:
    • The flora are conspicuously different.
    • The radar dish is smaller and out of focus in Episode 25'.
    • The missile explosions are white in REBIRTH and yellow in Episode 25'
  • Staying true to the original TV series' formula, Episode 25' adds an eyecatch showing its secondary title, "Love is destructive."
  • The scene of Rei turning her head as Gendo calls for her is faster in REBIRTH.
  • Misato's firefight with the JSSDF is several seconds shorter in REBIRTH than in Episode 25'.
  • The N2 explosion is pink in REBIRTH and white in Episode 25'.
  • The NERV HQ pyramid emits sparks upon being hit by the N2 explosion in Episode 25'.
  • The scene of the bridge beside NERV HQ features an explosion next to it in Episode 25'.
  • The scene of missiles raining down on the Geofront features different lighting effects in REBIRTH and several white lights in the water that are absent in Episode 25'.
  • When Asuka lies within Evangelion Unit-02, the screen shakes periodically in REBIRTH to show that depth charges are being detonated in the lake. In Episode 25', these tremors are absent.
  • The scene of Asuka opening her eyes is shorter in REBIRTH.
  • Episode 25' adds a scene of a young Asuka grabbing her mother's hand as the real Asuka recovers from her catatonic state.
  • The scene of EVA-02 emerging from the lake is slightly longer in REBIRTH, while Episode 25' adds some buildings in the background to it.
  • In REBIRTH, EVA-02 is not being fired upon as it throws the NERV frigate that it is holding. Episode 25' also adds burnt trees in the foreground to it, changes the water from white to blue, and provides a more detailed smoke effect.
  • In REBIRTH, the VTOLs that EVA-02 roundhouses do not fire upon her.
  • The scene of the Mass Production Evangelions descending from their carriers is shorter in REBIRTH.
  • The scene of the Mass Production Evangelions circling EVA-02 is several seconds longer in REBIRTH and fades to black rather than cutting to Fuyutsuki.
    • This scene is also where REBIRTH ends, with the credits rolling after fading to black.

Gallery[]

Releases[]

EVANGELION: DEATH(TRUE)[]

Screened on 02 January 1998 on the Japanese Satellite TV channel WOWOWWP, this version of EVANGELION: DEATH was re-edited personally by Masayuki. Masayuki opted to remove excerpts of the new scenes from episodes 21 to 24 from this new version. This version has only been released on home video once, in the Archives of Evangelion DVD set from 2015.

EVANGELION: DEATH(TRUE)²[]

This is yet another edit of DEATH, releasing on 07 March 1998 as a part of Revival of Evangelion. Effects and additional images were added and changed, but nothing was added back from the original version of DEATH. The sound mixing is a bit different in some scenes of the film as well, bringing out the soundtrack and background dialogue better. This version is used in the Manga Entertainment home video release of DEATH & REBIRTH, and is also the version available on Netflix and all current Blu-ray/digital releases.

Reception[]

In Japan, between its release and October 1997, DEATH & REBIRTH grossed 1.1 billion yen.[3]

Trivia[]

  • The film's Japanese title, SHITO shinsei (シト新生?), can be read two different ways due to the utilization of katakana for the first half. 新生, "shinsei", means "rebirth". SHITO could be 死と ("shi to"), "death and", as per the English title. However, SHITO is also 使徒 ("shito"), what the Angels are called in Japanese (literally "apostle").

See Also[]

References[]

External Links[]

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