While "1.0 You Are (Not) Alone" was essentially a frame by frame remake, “2.0” tries to shake things up a little. It retells the same story with a few twists, but also tries to add new characters, new events and give a grander sense of scale. Most of the extra fat has been trimmed, and some unconvincing situations have been corrected (above all, the somewhat ridiculous coincidence that saw Toji suddenly becoming a pilot). The voyeuristic boobie panty tease shots are still there, unfortunately. The portrayal of the characters’ emotional state and inner conflicts might not be as subtle as it used to be, but they still managed to deal with the most important issues within a reasonable running time. Above all, I appreciated how the film has its own self-contained plot line and is (almost) perfectly enjoyable as a standalone piece. Unfortunately, the other “Rebuild” entries felt more like overlong anime episodes rather than actual films.

AWESOME. absolutely AWESOME movie. one of the best Hideaki Kanno's work. 9/10

This film is a blast. While I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it more than 1.0, I’d say it hit just as smoothly, it’s a tight, cinematic experience that reimagines the original story in such a fascinating way. I still prefer the emotional and psychological weight of the original Evangelion, but this rebuild is honestly amazing in its own right. The animation? Absolutely gorgeous. The action? More intense. The characters? Familiar yet fresh, with new dynamics and tweaks that keep everything interesting. It’s kind of surreal seeing these developments, almost like peeking into an alternate timeline where things spiral differently. There’s still that emotional undertone, though the depth doesn’t quite hit the same way the original did. Still, it offers more than enough to stay compelling throughout. I see the Rebuilds as more like standalone, bite-sized reinterpretations, snappier, punchier, and more stylized. They lack that spiritual, mysterious atmosphere the show built so masterfully, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just a different flavor of the same incredible universe. For fans of the original, this is an essential watch. And once you’ve gone through all four Rebuilds, I definitely recommend watching a breakdown of the overall timeline, it makes the entire experience feel so much more cohesive and rewarding.

**Evangelion: 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone** is a masterful reboot of the TV series, and among the very best animes. To me, **Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance** is technically dazzling but bogged down by weak character introductions and growth (which was always a problem with the TV series but I was hoping for some improvement) and cliched rebirth finale. It doesn't help that many of the action sequences are messy and much more difficult to comprehend than its predecessor.

what the heck is this movie why is everyone christian and the guy bisexual. i really disliked the lack of character development and exploration and also how confusing the ending is and we havent learned anything about 2 of the characters. ultimately creativity comes from constraints, without constraints, so much is missing. it looks really cool though