Granted: I guess I am a sucker (sorta) when it comes to Evangelion. Even
though I have the Perfect Collection (boxed set with all 7 DVD's) and
the 2 director cut DVD's (and ofcourse the 2 movies), despite all that I
still had to consider getting the Platinum collection when I saw that
the first volume was released.

Just for people wondering what it is: The Platinum serie is a re-release
of the Evangelion serie. The animation is "re-done" which offers a
sharper picture. The dubs are also re-done (or re-mastered) and there is
also a Japanese 5.1 sound track. According to most reviews the DVD does
not release new material, only re-done / re-made stuff.

After thinking it over I decided to grab the first release to check it
out. While I really disliked some of the voices in the movies (Fiyutski
for example) and the director cut's (Ibuki and Aoba) I just couldn't
help myself to wonder if this would be any better, especially since its
said to be the "ultimate release"..  Note that I'm primary listening to
the English dub.


I have to admit that when I got the package it really looks "ultimate".
Very slick indeed; the DVD shipped with the box to hold all 7 to be
released DVD's (same as the Perfect Collection, but the 'PC' box is
black, this one is silver/grey with some nice prints. The back shows
Shinji holding Rei in his arms (scene from episode 1)) with a nice
"insert" which is the size of 6 DVD boxes so that the first is firmly in
place (it lists the contents). The DVD itself is shipped in a silver
cover which has a drawing of Shinjii on it and at the back describes all
5 episodes. Next to that it also has some collecter goodies: a nice
booklet explaining the DVD and a transparent Nerv sticker (parking
permit). The box itself also looks pretty cool; the front makes it very
clear to be dealing with "the other" DVD set. The back lists the several
episodes on the disk, the Japanese kanjii and the original airing date
as well as a short episode description.


And with a nice cold beer I threw it into my DVD to check it out. Its
nice, sorta slick. The introduction is no surprise; advertisement for
anime network & newtype USA (enter the director cuts) and the menu looks
very slick. Simple, to the point, good looks, nice music coverage, and
not too much graphics. I can dig this. The extra's are nice but lacking
IMO (clean opening/ending and 2 audio commentary tracks. The original
offered some character bios which made it "easy" (sorta) to get to know
certain names). At this time the kid in me goes "whoah, COOL!" while my
"adult me" starts to wonder if this isn't simply an easy, yet enjoyable,
re-make.

But lets continue...

The series themselves (animation) look very nice to me. I have to admit
that I can see more colour and more detail but I cannot help wonder if
this really benefits the serie as some people claim. There is also
something as simply overdoing it. In my humble opinion some scenes are
ruined due to the extra detail, the soft / vague -ness on the original
releases sometimes added to the whole experience. Sometimes it pays off
to let the human mind fill in the details for itself... But I can't say
that I was dissapointed; on the contrary; this disc, despite what people
say, does hold new/extra contents. Sure, some scenes don't last for more
than 2 - 5 seconds but it still features things which are not in the
original. Some really add up to the whole experience; the battle with
the 3rd angel for example gives you more insight and leaves less to
guess (not that there was much to guess there, but alas).

As for the sound dub: yes, it wasn't as horrible (personal opinion) as
the movie or the director cuts. All the voices sounded awfully close (if
not the same) to the original. I cannot tell for sure at this time if
this is because they simply re-used the original dubs and added or
modified small extra details but I can tell that the "sound experience"
is quite good. Some scenes changed; the first meeting with Shinji &
Gendo for example; in the original this was accompanied with a
background music while this release puts the music to the background,
thus really giving out the (emotional) impact of this scene.

<side note>
I believe that using *no* background music can sometimes be much better
than using background music to spice it up. Take the movie "North by
North West", the plane scene. If you look at it you'll notice that it
doesn't have -any- background music, which really adds to the whole
experience (IMO).  This also (sorta) applies to the NGE scene.
</side note>

So... The sound is indeed decent, especially when compared to the
earlier "re-releases" (movie/DC's) but I have to admit that its far from
perfect. Ofcourse much is based on personal opinion but when looking
back at the scene where Unit 1 goes berserk the original totally
destroys the "Platinum experience". In the original you hear soft music,
see an image of Shinji's (troubled) face and hear VERY heavy breathing,
he's really taking a (mental) pounding..

The Platinum serie offers the same, but much lesser breathing. While
some other sounds are too hard for my liking; when the eva runs towards
the angel you hear his (not too heavy) footsteps which doesn't have the
impact as the original.

Some scenes are better to my liking; where Shinji sees the Eva's eye
re-generate he screams. The original just has a quick yell while the
Platinum serie makes it fade away, just like the way the whole scene
started; slow but steadily.

AND there is the fact that the previews are now a bit more like the
Japanese version when it comes to the background music.



So, concluding...  I am a believer and going to complete my collection.
Its pretty good/decent, I like the extra goodies and I guess I am a
sucker for this stuff. But I do not consider this release to be "better"
or "outperforming" when it comes to the original. On the contrary; the
platinum series is IMVHO totally nothing when you haven't seen/witnessed
the original.

Some people tell me that they are "upgrading" to the Platinum series but
I disagree; you don't "upgrade", you expand your experience. Its far
from any upgrade what so ever.

And people who consider this a rip-off (yet another rip^D^Demake); I
guess can't really argue with that. Some part of me also feels that way;
that I'm basicly being (or letting myself) suckered in by the flashy
packaging, the crisp menu and the (little?) more detailed and colourfull
animation.

Oh well; I do consider this fan material (geeky?) and in that aspect I
absolutely reccomment this to any collector.  In that aspect this is
money well spend.

But even that is in the eye of the beholder ;-)


Oh well...   Just my 2 pennies.

-- 
Groetjes, Peter

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