Evangelion 1.11 You Are (NOT) Alone Blu-ray Review

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

An Enduring Anime Phenomenon

Neon Genesis Evangelion stands as one of the most successful and influential anime and manga franchises in recent history, having grossed over $16 billion since its debut in 1995. The franchise, originally created by Gainax, boasts a vast universe that includes a groundbreaking television series, manga adaptations, several film variations, and a final series of films known as the “Rebuild of Evangelion.” These Rebuild films serve as a complete re-imagining of the entire original story, introducing new characters, pivotal scenes, and expanded settings and backgrounds.

From 1.0 to 1.11: A Film Rebuilt

Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone first launched this ambitious project in 2007, condensing and retelling the initial episodes of the series. Evangelion 1.11 is the subsequent home video release, which further reworks the film with significant additions. This version is the definitive one, featuring new scenes, enhanced animation, and a total of 266 visual and audio improvements, making it the most polished way to experience the beginning of the Rebuild saga.

A World on the Brink: The Post-Second Impact Era

The series is set in a hauntingly apocalyptic world where civilization has been devastated by a global catastrophe known as “The Second Impact.” The story centers on the fortified city of Tokyo-3, which serves as humanity’s last major fortress. Here, the beleaguered population endures constant attacks from monstrous, enigmatic beings known as Angels. To combat this existential threat, the secretive government agency NERV has developed a fleet of giant mecha called Evangelions. These imposing humanoid machines are piloted almost exclusively by teenagers, who are uniquely able to synchronize with them, and are tasked with the desperate defense of Tokyo-3.

The Reluctant Hero: Shinji Ikari’s Burden

The protagonist, Shinji Ikari, is a profoundly lonely and introverted boy who is forcibly recruited by his estranged father to pilot the powerful Eva Unit-01. Plagued by self-doubt and constantly questioning his own worth, Shinji struggles under the immense weight of the world’s expectations. Despite his deep-seated anxiety and desire to run away, he makes the difficult decision to stay and fight. His motivations are a complex mix of a duty to protect humanity, a desperate longing for his father’s respect, and a growing connection to the one person who might understand his isolation—Rei Ayanami.

The Mystery of Rei Ayanami

Rei is the enigmatic and soft-spoken pilot of Eva Unit-00. She is a figure of immense intrigue, appearing emotionally distant and detached from the world around her. Complicating matters is her seemingly close, yet ambiguous, relationship with Shinji’s father, Gendo Ikari, the commander of NERV, who shows her a level of attention he withholds from his own son. This dynamic adds a layer of painful complexity to Shinji’s life and mission.

A Visual and Narrative Masterpiece

Visually, Evangelion 1.11 is beautifully rendered and meticulously animated. The new “rebuilt” sequences are integrated so seamlessly with the classic animation that they become almost indistinguishable, enhancing the experience without disrupting the original’s aesthetic. This careful and respectful approach results in a superbly executed reworking of an anime classic, offering both a fresh experience for new viewers and a visually upgraded journey for longtime fans. It is a stunning visual spectacle that honors the legacy of the original while boldly moving the story forward.

The Video

Evangelion 1.11 arrives on Blu-ray in a 1.78:1 AVC 1080p encodement from GKIDS/Shout. It is solid transfer of the digital animation from Shout! with only the occasional issues concerning some slight aliasing in the CGI creeping in. Colors are vibrant, detail is sharp, the line art is clean.

The Audio

Evangelion 1.11 comes with the original Japanese-language track in Dolby TrueHD 6.1 and an English track in Dolby TrueHD 5.1. These both playback as 5.1 on my system’s configuration.  I used the Japanese track with the English subtitles engaged as my main reference and sampled bits of the English track intermittently.

The mix is superbly done, a true 360-degree soundfield. There is hardly a moment where sound isn’t coming from every main channel, yet the mix isn’t overwhelming. There are no ear-bleed moments, and the magnificently composed score also has room to breathe and express itself through all the sound effects. There are subtle atmospheric sound effects, and lavish amounts of ambience that draw everything together. Bass is deep and tight, but not extended, so there is no floorboard rattling going on here.

The Supplements

The bonus features included on this release are the same that were on the 2010 release from Funimation, but Shout! does include a few more trailers as well.

• Rebuild of Evangelion: 1.01 Shiro Sagisu Version (1080i/60; 00:15.43)
• Rebuild of Evangelion: 1.01 Joseph-Maurice Ravel Version (1080i; 0:15.44)
• Angel of Doom Promotional Music Video (1080i; 0:02.19)
• Theatrical Teaser 1
• Theatrical Teaser 2
• Beautiful World Trailer
• Beautiful World Trailer A
• Beautiful World Trailer B
• TV Spots

The Final Assessment

Evangelion 1.11 is a must-see piece of anime. A classic of the mecha genre, the rebuilding is a superb introduction for anyone new to this franchise and an excellent re-entry for longtime fans. This new Blu-ray from Shout! and GKIDS offers a marvelously rendered transfer and excellent audio mixes of both English and Japanese language tracks., but the bonus features are basically the same as the old Funimation release.

Evangelion 1.11 You Are (NOT) Alone is out on Blu-ray October 21, 2025 from Shout! Studios/GKIDS

• Rating Certificate: PG-13 (for action violence and some nudity)
• Studios & Distributors: Chaos Project | Dogakobo | Gainax | Khara Corporation | Studio Khara | Tatsunoko Production
• Directors: Hideaki Anno | Masayuki | Kazuya Tsurumaki
• Written By: Hideaki Anno
• Run Time: 101 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Video Format: AVC 1080p
• Primary Audio: Japanese Dolby TrueHD 6.1
• Secondary Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1
• Subtitles: English | English SDH
• Street Date: 21 October 2025