[EVA] Live Action Eva Movie

[adam green kalafarski]

When I first heard the news I was dead set against the project but after
letting the idea roll around in my head for a bit I'm willing to give ADV
the benefit of the doubt. No matter how live action EVA turns out the
original EVA will be just as good as was before. A live action movie can't
be the same as EVA but if it comes out I'll be first in line.

A good movie could get a lot more people interested in EVA and anime in
general. I know that a lot of fans are worried that EVA wouldn't be as
special if it goes mainstream but I think it's rather selfish to act like
you own a show just because you were an early fan. Let's hope for a good
movie that will expand EVA fandom in untold directions.

Just because there's never been a successful anime to live action 
adaptation before doesn't mean that it can't be done. Risky projects are
often the ones that make the most memorable films. Would anyone have
predicted Lord of the Rings would have turned out so well when the project
was announced years ago?

The key decision that I hope ADV or the director they get for this project
should make is to plan for more than one movie. The best parts of EVA
require you to know and care about the characters so you can't just try to
cram in some quick intros and head straight into the 3rd impact. How about
this for a plan:

Movie 1: Covers Episodes 1-6. Shinji's arc is the center of the movie. He
is called to pilot EVA, runs away, then returns. Along the way we meet all
the principle characters (minus Auska and Kaji) and have 2-3 angle
battles. Saschiel should definately stay but I'm not sure about the other
two. You do want the last battle to involve both Rei and Shinji but Ramiel
isn't the most cinematic angel out there. Between battles, you have to let
Shinji spend some time getting to know  Misato so he has a reason to
come back. Make sure Shinji heads over to Rei's place although you'd
probably have to make Shinjo a bit less clumsy or Rei a bit more
modest. This movie would be fairly cheap to make compared to what it would
take to do some of the latter battles justice and I really think that if
they do a good job they'll get enough investment to make the next movies.

Movie 2: Covers Episodes 6-18. Introduce Auska with the fight against
Gaghiel (battelship hopscotch!) and then have one or two angel attacks
where the kids get to work as a team. At some point Misato should give her
account of the 2nd impact. There should also be some time spent with the
kids in school and Misato's evening with Kaji from episode 16. Finish with
Bardiel + Touji's injury -what a clifhanger!

Movie 3: Covers Episodes 19-24. Now that you've spent two movies
establishing your characters you can do justice to some of the best anime
episodes ever made. Appart from some editing to make the 6 episodes flow
together into a single movie all this material is way too good not to use.

Movie 4: End of Evangelion. Not much to change since it's already a
cohesive whole. You'll probably need to cut out Shinji's masturbation and
Rei's nudity though.

Now if they take the time to do the story justice and get a good script, a
good director and some good actors (I know that's a lot of ifs). There are
still a few things we'll probably have to live with (in no particular
order):

1 No Pen-Pen

A penguin is just too weird for the "at home with Misato" scenes that need
to be serious enough to make us believe Shinji and Misato are real people
that care about each other.

2 Actors in their late teens and early twenties playing the 14 year olds

For various reasons, Hollywood believes that teenagers are incapable of
playing a character their own age. Hopefully they'll get young looking and
short actors.

3 Muted religious refferences

I doubt enough people know about the Lance of Longinus or The Tree of Life
to cause problems. They could even probably get away with Adam, Lilith and
the countless cross and crucifiction imagry but calling the bad guys
"Angels" might be problematic. I'd guess that they'll be called
"Shinto" and the word will be explained at an apropriate time. Misto will
almost certainly get to keep her cross.

4 Elimnination of intergenerational sexual overtones

Even when the actors are legal there is zero tolerance for that sort of
thing. This may cause the most difficulties with Gendo + Rei's
relationship since things are deliberately quite vague there early on. I'd
guess they'd take pains to show his affection is paternal.

All in all I think I can live with changes like this. This prospect
of EVA being the first great live action anime movie has really got me
excited about EVA again. Here's hoping that ADV, Gainax and WETA can pull
it off.

-Adam