Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance

The second film in Hideaki Anno's Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2009) continues the saga of a post-apocalyptic Earth besieged by Angels. Directed by Masayuki with Anno as chief director, this installment expands the cast and deepens the psychological turmoil of its young pilots. The fortress city of Tokyo-3 remains humanity's last refuge, defended by NERV's biomechanical Evangelion units. Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, and newcomer Asuka Shikinami Langley are joined by the enigmatic Mari Makinami Illustrious, a pilot whose cheerful demeanor masks uncertain loyalties.

Produced by khara and Dynamo Pictures on a reported budget of $10 million, the film grossed over $44 million worldwide, a strong showing for an anime feature of its kind. It was released theatrically in Japan on June 26, 2009, and later re-released as Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance with additional scenes and refined animation. The score, composed by Shiro Sagisu, blends orchestral and choral elements, while Hikaru Utada's theme song 'Beautiful World' bookends the film. With its mix of mecha action, psychological drama, and philosophical undertones, the film earned a 7.8/10 on IMDb from over a thousand votes, and a 76% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. [edit]

The film opens in the Arctic, where Mari Makinami Illustrious, piloting Provisional Unit-05, battles the Third Angel in a desperate, explosive skirmish. Her cheerful recklessness hints at a pilot who thrives on danger, but her mission is a cover for something deeper, an evaluation of NERV's rivals, perhaps, or a test of her own limits. Back in Tokyo-3, Shinji Ikari continues to pilot Unit-01, though he remains haunted by his father Gendo's cold indifference. Rei Ayanami, the enigmatic pilot of Unit-00, observes him with quiet detachment, her origins a mystery even to herself.

Into this fragile routine arrives Asuka Shikinami Langley, a transfer student who pilots Unit-02 with fierce pride. Her arrival disrupts the status quo: she is competent, combative, and desperate to prove her worth, clashing with Shinji's hesitance and Rei's silence. When the Seventh Angel attacks, a massive creature that splits into two bodies, Asuka and Shinji are forced to coordinate. Their victory is messy, achieved through raw force and grudging teamwork, but it establishes a fragile dynamic between them.

As the Angels grow more powerful, the psychological strain on the pilots intensifies. Shinji questions his value beyond piloting, while Asuka's brittle confidence masks a terror of obsolescence. Misato Katsuragi, their guardian and NERV's operations director, tries to hold the team together, even as Ritsuko Akagi, the chief scientist, keeps secrets about the Evangelions' true nature. Ryoji Kaji, a rogue agent with a past entangled with Misato, pursues his own investigation, hinting at conspiracies that reach beyond the Angel threat.

The narrative builds toward a confrontation with the Tenth Angel, an entity of unprecedented power that descends on Tokyo-3 with a single purpose: to reach the Terminal Dogma, the deepest level of NERV headquarters. The battle pushes every pilot to their limit, forcing them to confront their deepest fears. The film accelerates toward a climax that will alter the course of the series, setting the stage for the revelations and upheavals of the subsequent films.[edit]