Rating: 
Summary: Good, but a teaser
Review: I got a copy of this DVD out of Singapore about a year ago. So it is the sub-titled version. I hope that the US released one is dubbed because it is too hard to follow other wise. The first three fourths of the movie is just a recap of the entire series. I noticed two or three additional scenes slipped in there. Its the end "Rebirth" that is great, but it just ends. If you are really into Evangelion, you'll be more than into it, but you'll also feel cheated when it just ends on just a cliff-hanger, but then you only have to wait a month for the rest.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth it for the features
Review: I was fairly sceptical about this when I recieved it as a present as I had already seen the series several times.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. "Death", the rehash part of the DVD was put together quite well. Focusing on the character development rather than the numerous battles, it gives a rounded view on each character along with extra scenes that explain some parts of the original series.
For those who haven't seen the original, this is a great teaser - the setup and atmosphere are great and pretty informative for the first time viewer. For diehard fans, it has its own surprise scenes and is a good refresher if you're in a rush or haven't seen it for a while.
I'm not sure if tacking bits of End of Evangelion on the end was such a good idea. Although its almost an advertisement for EoE (I'm guessing that was the idea, its a filler and makes you want to see EoE and spend more :P) its good to see how it starts and begins to develop and is more comprehensive than the original episodes 25 and 26. Basically though its simply a marketing gimmick designed to make you want to see EoE. Its still worth watching of course, but there's nothing special there.
The features, particularly the Mokuji interactive onscreen encyclopedia are great for a first timer. The character index gives a brief decription and history of the main characters. The commentary is insightful and sometimes funny.
This DVD is worth getting if you're new to the series or a big fan. It gives a bit of extra info with some pretty good features and a teaser for EoE. More of a rent than a buy though.
Rating: 
Summary: well....
Review: I agree this was a rip off! I rented this movie and after 3 minutes or less I turned it off. Why shoulden't you see this? well, for a whole 60 minutes they show nothing but flashbacks of old episodes! They call this a movie? Though, I think unless your a die hard eva fan skip to rebirth cause thats where it truely begins. But still This is a complete rip off. I think you should just skip to the end of evangelion the "REAL" full lengh movie!
Rating:
Summary: For die-hard Evangelion obbsessies only.
Review: There is only one reason to watch this movie: there are maybe 2 minutes worth of cut scenes that you CANNOT watch anywhere eles scattered throughout the "Death" segment of the film that take place within the T.V. series. The rest of the movie is scattered scenes from the T.V. series, (the "Death" segment) and the first 26 minutes of "End Of Evangelion" (the "Rebirth" segment). The scenes that can only be found on "Death & Rebirth" are: Asuka talking to Kaji just before we meet them for the first time in the series, Shinji playing the string quartet at school and later being joined by the other three children who pilot the Evas (including Shinji's guy friend, whose name I have forgotten, as it's been quite some time since I watched the series, who pilots the fourth Eva only once when it is possessed by an angle and must be destroyed,) and they come in one at a time and play violins, and there is minimal dialoge spoken by Shinji and Asuka. Then there is Kaji's death scene. Actually we don't exactly see him die. He is shown standing outside by a huge fan, and then he looks at us and says,"You're late." We don't see who comes to meet him. Fade to black, and in the English version we hear him shot, and then Shinji tells Asuka Kaji is dead. In the Japanese version we hear him slapped, and then Shinji tells Asuka Kaji is gone. This to me would seem to suggest that Kaji met Misato one last time, and then she slaps him and he leaves for good, while in the English version he meets an undercover contact who kills him. In both versions we then see Asuka call Shinji a liar. These scenes are the only reason to buy the VHS version of this film, and that's only depending on how badly you want to see the few minutes of new footage you can't see anywhere eles, and only if you don't have a DVD player. Rent it if you can find it at any video store, unless they don't have the language version of your choice. On the DVD there is a commentary option where you can listen to the thoughts of Amanda Winn, English voice actor of Rei, and two other guys who worked on it. The commentary is insightful and funny, (they apologize for using levity and say it is only to relive the depression of working on such a heavy series,) and the part of the commentary that runs through the "Death" segment can only be heard on the
"Death & Rebirth" disk. However, the commentary that runs through the "Rebirth" segment is the same commentary that plays over the beginning of "End Of Evangelion". Also there is an option only on the "D&R" disk that lets you access infromation while you watch the film for anyone still confused about anything. If the scant new footage that can only be found here, "Death" commentary, and information menu aren't enough to spark your interest, watch the T.V. series, (the first 24 episodes, anyway,) then skip this and go directly to "End Of Evangelion".
Rating:
Summary: A waste
Review: THE THING IS THAT DEATH & REBIRTH AND THE ORIGINAL SERIES ENDING ARE BETTER THAN THAT STUPID HUNK OF JUNK
END OF EVANGELION. I LOVE D&R SO VERY MUCH. IT IS PROBABLY MY MOST FAVORITE ANIME MOVIE EVER!
Rating:
Summary: Buyers No No!!
Review: This is just recycled evangelion footage from all the previous episodes I never saw the vhs that came after this but it was cause I was disappointed I bought this movie brand new at the video store cause everyone made a big deal out of it just too see what I have already seen. Over rated I sold VHS copy for a $1.99 and I only watched it once and bought it new for 15.99 two years ago for shame. Only reason I gave this a two stars is that old footage was kinda nice to see again and was kinda crazy.
Rating:
Summary: The Real
Review: Evangelion is a series that did not need an ending yet, they could of done more with the story. They could have made more episodes and made this into a huge series like an inuyasha or rurounie kenshin, im saying as in a series that you come to love and can't wait for more of the story to unfold.A story that never ends and you grow with the characters but you know that when it ends it will be great and you'll be satisfied with it's end.Evangelion good but an ending with pieces of the puzzle missing, this series seems to be the work of great writers who got lazy and killed the characters then the rest of the series but still Evangelion is an Anime series every Anime lover must see or have but again it could have been better.
Rating: 
Summary: Neon Genesis Evangelion - D&R
Review: If you are only interested in watching how the series is meant to end, just get End of Evangelion.
Ok Death is a recaps the series. Rebirth sort of leaves us with a disgusted feeling for Shinji, but he's pretty screwed up psychologically. He's 14 and he's been the pilot of an enormous, powerful, killing machine, and he hates to kill, and more importantly, he hates himself. So this is kind of understandable, but still. The first few scenes are kind of...well...a little disturbing.
The original ending left on a positive light. But this was not how it was "meant" to end, I guess mostly because there were many unanswered questions; what happened to the other evas, what did they look like, what about Lilith, what about Adam, what happens to Seele? So I guess that's why the ending was redone. You do get to partially see the finished Evas, as they ominously loom over Unit 02 and Asuka, but of course, without End of Evangelion, you are left wondering "what the hell happens next?" You don't get to see Asuka fight unless you have End of Evangelion...so get it, otherwise it makes no sense.
This "movie" was really meant to replace episodes 25-26 of the original, so if you have the series and you've watched it, you'll understand why the initial ending felt as if it really didn't fit, because it didn't. So Rebirth really just opens it back up for the ending that was initially envisioned.
Rating:
Summary: Good buy for fans, others should seriously consider...
Review: Death and Rebirth is basicly the movie version of the whole NGE series, a sort of "quick re-run" which was intended to be an easy way for the fans to get into the whole story line again. One could wonder how fans would forget about a serie with the impact of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Or one could also wonder what good a re-run would do while you can quickly see for yourself that details are of high importance in the whole experience (just check web forums, usenet groups, etc.). That is; if you want to dive into the story instead of focussing on action scenes. So chances are high that fans would easier grab the VHS or DVD's with the original serie to relive the moment than grab this DVD.
In this aspect I really wouldn't recommend this DVD; the 're-run' isn't going into much details, just the most important ones are included. And the story on this DVD isn't going in a very synchronized order; you basicly start with scenes from episode 24 and end with them. Not very easy for any newcomer.
However; if you are a fan of the series then its also not easy to simply ignore this DVD. Despite of the fact that in the end things are basicly a "quick and dirty re-run" it *does* give you some very nice extra's. For example some scenes which are viewed from a totally different perspective. Maybe not very special, but an interesting experience nevertheless where animation is concerned. And then there is the issue that some scenes are new when looking back at the original series. These scenes even got used in the Director Cut DVD's, so also not something which is easily discarded.
Naturally there are also downsides to this DVD for fans. Because they have made a whole new movie the whole voice actor cast (I'm focussing on the English voice actors) wasn't available. So some characters have completely different voices. While they managed to keep most of them decently close to the original, some are simply awfull when compared with the original serie (for example Professor Fiyutski, the voice really doesn't match the character profile at all).
So summing up I think this DVD will be best experienced by fans. Its absolutely not a substitute for the entire series and the story line is nearly impossible to follow for anyone not closely familiar with the original serie.
However, even if you are a fan I'd seriously consider if you want this DVD since it mostly focusses on summarizing the serie. The End of Evangelion might be something you're really after.
Rating:
Summary: What Happened?
Review: Although Evangelion is an excellent anime, Death&Rebirth on the other hand, it well... not so good.It's nothing more than recycled material from the first few episodes. Other than that it is kind of confusing. I suggest purchasing the Boxed set it will satisfy your needs.
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