Evangelion DVD's

[SonGokuQ]

Let me just start by saying that I looked for topics pertaining to my question and couldn't find any, which is wierd because I remember seeing something about this somewhere.

Anyway, I have the complete collection of Evangelion which I purchased a while ago. I got this way before I even knew about "Director's Cut's" or "Platinum" versions or even the "Resurrection" or "Genesis Reborn" versions.
I'm trying to get the most complete version of this anime with any extras, additions, etc. Which versions would be recommended?
I've heard that the "Platinum" versions might be the best but I was a bit confused when I saw other versions cost more than the Platinum. Money really isn't an object to me, I just wanted to make sure tht I got the most complete version. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Ornette]

Maybe you were looking at the "Platinum Thinpak" which is a cheaper version of the platinum collection. You don't get extras and the box is super compact. But yes, the platinum collection rules, and it includes the NPC versions of episodes 21-24 (Resurrection and Genesis Reborn).

[Soluzar]

The Platinum release is the higherst quality version, and it's also almost complete. When they did the remaster, they removed a few things, though. Groupthink on this forum says that's OK. I disagree.

[SonGokuQ]

The Platinum release is the higherst quality version, and it's also almost complete. When they did the remaster, they removed a few things, though. Groupthink on this forum says that's OK. I disagree.

You said the Platinum version is almost complete? Which version is 100% complete?

The Platinum thinpack is the a cheaper versin of the Platinum without the extras? Which extras don't you get? Are you talking about extras as far as the episodes are concerned, in which there are scenes and dialogue that are excluded or extras as far as Director's commentary and stuff like that?

Is the Evangelion Platinum DVD Complete Collection on sale for %53.99 the Platinum thinpack or the other Platinum?

And which would be more recommended, considering what I already have. Would it be to get another collection that is 100% complete, or to just get Resurrection and Genesis Reborn or whatever to finish off the collection?

[Soluzar]

You said the Platinum version is almost complete? Which version is 100% complete?There really isn't a complete set.The first US release of Eva on DVD was the Perfect Collection, which was just the old VHS versions transferred to DVD. That's missing the four "Director's Cut" episodes. You can buy those episodes on two additional DVDs to complete the set, but then you're still watching those episodes in the original quality, rather than the new remastered version.

The problem I have with the Platinum edition is that a few (admittedly minor) pieces of animation have been removed from the long montage scenes. It is debatable how much the background imagery in the "Reiquarium" scene adds to the experience, but I'm not happy that it's been removed. I think you'll find the fault for this decision lies with GAINAX, rather than ADV.
The Platinum thinpack is the a cheaper versin of the Platinum without the extras? Which extras don't you get?I can't answer that, because I don't have both versions of Platinum, but the extras aren't great anyway.
Would it be to get another collection that is 100% complete, or to just get Resurrection and Genesis Reborn or whatever to finish off the collection?
It depends entirely on whether you want the best possible quality, or the most complete version. As I said, there's footage missing from Platinum. It's minor, but I'm not pleased. Other than those scenes, Platinum is a good set.

[SonGokuQ]

There really isn't a complete set.The first US release of Eva on DVD was the Perfect Collection, which was just the old VHS versions transferred to DVD. That's missing the four "Director's Cut" episodes. You can buy those episodes on two additional DVDs to complete the set, but then you're still watching those episodes in the original quality, rather than the new remastered version.

Yeah, I think thats what I have. What are the missing episodes? By the "Director Cut" episodes, do you mean Resurrection and Genesis Reborn? I think thats what you mean, I just wanted to make sure. I only ask because I thought Resurrection and Genesis Reborn were three episodes each.

It depends entirely on whether you want the best possible quality, or the most complete version. As I said, there's footage missing from Platinum. It's minor, but I'm not pleased. Other than those scenes, Platinum is a good set.

So what you're saying is if I want the best quality, get the Platinum version? If I want the most complete version, what do you recommend? And that missing footage from Platinum, is there any way to get that without buying a whole other set?

Sorry for all the question but this "re-release, extra footage, missing scenes" crap is confusing the hell out of me. I really do appreciate all your help.

[Wraith Gundam]

Just to add to the confusion, I've also been thinking about buying some of the recent Eva DVD releases and also got confused with which is the most complete; I found this scene on youtube and thought it might be from the platinum edition and it ads an EoE-esque feel to the episode in question.

Here's the scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHVKsKHqLLk&mode=related&search=)

[Reichu]

I found this scene on youtube and thought it might be from the platinum edition and it ads an EoE-esque feel to the episode in question.
That is from the Video & LD Version of episode #23.

Quick lingo: In Japan, the versions of the episodes that aired on television are called OA (On Air), and the ones released to video/LD (in the days before DVD) are called Video & LD. For the first twenty episodes, very few modifications were made when the episodes were released to video. However, in the case of #21 through #24, they were completely revamped, with art from many preexisting scenes being redone from scratch, preexisting scenes being extended, and completely new scenes being added.

#21 and up were not actually available for purchase on video until after EoE's debut. (I can't recall the exact timing offhand.) ADV was releasing the series overseas, and they didn't want to wait so long for these 'special' versions of #21 through #24 to come out in Japan -- so they simply brought over the OAs instead. We were stuck with nothing but the crappy versions of those episodes for years, and when ADV finally got off their arses and released the Video & LD versions as the "Directors' Cuts", they followed it up quickly with Platinum (an import of the remastered TV series), thereby pissing a lot of people off.

What Soluzar was referring to: In the original version of the "Reiquarium" scene in #23, Ritsuko just babbles nonsensically during a long, slow pan of naked, smiling Rei. In the Video & LD Version, they actually superimposed images over the Rei that, in many cases, give considerably more meaning and context to her words (or otherwise provide very vague and mysterious visuals to boggle over). [If you want to see the images, go to my site -- see sig -- then Bitter End --> 23 --> Reiquarium.] Mysteriously, when the episode was remastered for Renewal, they didn't make these images easier to see or anything (like having clean versions appear briefly on screen instead of doing that awful layering) -- they simply removed them altogether, which IMO is an absolute travesty.

[Shin-seiki]

Of course, the most significant of the #23' Reiquarium images ended up in the "Full OP" extended version of Cruel Angel Thesis on the Test-type DVD, in order to give completists a reason to buy it (it worked for me...)

[Reichu]

Then they forgot the photo of the eggs. :sniffle:

While the clean versions are very nice (albeit still blurry -_-; ), the FULL OP doesn't quite make up for the loss. It's something only the Internet geeks or the hardcore get ahold of; people who do their own thing and pick up Platinum won't be seeing any speared Adam, maternal nightmare, Yui in divesuit, etc. What was nice about having images accompanying Ritsuko's rant is that they provided a whole new layer of information and, even if it's not quite clear what all of the visuals are, it feels much more intuitive that just getting this slow, boring pan while Ritsuko goes off on her Adam/Eva/Rei-origins tangent.

I would have loved if Renewal replaced the layering with the approach taken in Misato's spiel to Shinji in #25': clean, crisp versions of those images appearing during the pan, however briefly.

[Dust2Dust AMEN]

do the thinpack dvd's come with the director cuts

[Mr. Tines]

Yes, they do. The main loss is things like sleeve notes.

[Dust2Dust AMEN]

oh thank you, im a cheap bastard and buyin the thinpacks