August 26th, 2010
In Memoriam: Satoshi Kon
On Tuesday, 24th August 2010, the Japanese animation director Satoshi Kon sadly lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Considered one of the most visionary and original minds in any visual media, his work has been hugely influential in many areas and his desire to continue pushing the boundaries of animation, not simply in terms of techniques and techologies but also the content of each tale, gained him immense popularity and critical acclaim.
Satoshi Kon was born on the 12th October 1963 in Hokkaido, one of Japan's northern islands. Following his graduation from high school he went on to study visual communication design as Musashino College of the Arts in Tokyo, and there he began his early career as a manga artist. Upon leaving, he continued to struggle as a manga artist until he began helping one of his idols, the legendary Katsuhiro Otomo, on the story World Apartment Horror.
Kon's first animation credit came drawing backgrounds on the Otomo's darkly comic morality tale Roujin Z, and scored a second credit as a writer for Magnetic Rose, one of the episodes in Otomo's Memories anthology. It was during this time that Kon cut his teeth with anime as a medium, and following Otomo's recommendation, he was chosen to direct the graphic psychological horror Perfect Blue.
Much of Kon's early work is heavily influenced by his association with Otomo, however Perfect Blue changed everything, and following the success of the movie he went on redefine the boundaries of what many consider the realm of children. His lyrical style is on display in his second movie Millenium Actress, which went on to win a number of awards, however the movie was a clear departure from Perfect Blue in almost every respect.
Kon again went in a totally new direction with his third feature, Tokyo Godfathers, and although the movie was clearly influenced by John Ford's western 3 Godfathers, there's an inherent playfulness to proceedings that is very much in the style of Frank Capra.
In 2004, Kon decided to take his fans and the medium in a totally new direction with his TV series Paranoia Agent, which has been likened to Twin Peaks and The X Files because of its reality twisting story and visuals. That said, the story is also a very clear social commentary, especially as it was released after a wave of much publicised youth crimes across Japan.
Satoshi Kon's most famous film, Paprika, received a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival for both its stunning visuals and its captivating story. The critically acclaimed movie delved into the world of dreams and dreaming, and influenced Chris Nolan's 2010 movie Inception.
The director's final feature, Yume-Miru Kikai, remains unfinished due to his untimely death. Ostensibly the tale is aimed at all ages and features an all robot cast. In an interview with Anime News Network, Kon said of the project:
"The title will be Yume-Miru Kikai. In English, it will be The Dream Machine. On the surface, it's going to be a fantasy-adventure targeted at younger audiences. However, it will also be a film that people who have seen our films up to this point will be able to enjoy. So it will be an adventure that even older audiences can appreciate. There will be no human characters in the film; only robots. It'll be like a "road movie" for robots."
Fans of the acclaimed director can only hope that the film will be completed by Madhouse, however as a fan of Satoshi Kon I can honestly say that no matter how good The Dream Machine is, it will never be as good as if he had finished it with his own hands. For me, like so many others, there will always be something missing, a presence if you will, that permeates all his other works.
It is with sadness that we bid a great man goodbye, and though we may never see his like again, we are left with a rich and vibrant legacy that will continue to influence and inspire new talents throughout the world. We are aided in our appreciation of his skill, his love for his chosen medium, and his humanity by his online notebook, a section of which has been kindly translated by Makiko Itoh in her online journal.
And from this old and slightly jaded anime fan, thank you, for giving the anime world some of its most stunning and captivating tales.
For all of those fans who may read this and wish to know more about Satoshi Kon and his work, I've provided some links below that may help.
Satoshi Kon's online notebook - Note that this site is in Japanese.
Makiko Itoh's translation of Satoshi Kon's final notebook entry - All fans of the director and his works should read this.
An interview with Satoshi Kon following the release of Perfect Blue:
Midnight Eye interviews Satoshi Kon prior to the release of Millenium Actress (2001)
Home Theater Mag's interview with Satoshi Kon (2005)
Anime News Network's interview with Satoshi Kon (2008)
Bill Aguilar (Tokyopop) interviews Satoshi Kon
An interview with Satoshi Kon following the release of Perfect Blue (1998)
DVD Vision Japan/Dreamworks interviews Satoshi Kon (2002)
Midnight Eye interviews Satoshi Kon following the release of Paprika (2006)
The Daily's piece on Satoshi Kon's death
Satoshi Kon was born on the 12th October 1963 in Hokkaido, one of Japan's northern islands. Following his graduation from high school he went on to study visual communication design as Musashino College of the Arts in Tokyo, and there he began his early career as a manga artist. Upon leaving, he continued to struggle as a manga artist until he began helping one of his idols, the legendary Katsuhiro Otomo, on the story World Apartment Horror.
Kon's first animation credit came drawing backgrounds on the Otomo's darkly comic morality tale Roujin Z, and scored a second credit as a writer for Magnetic Rose, one of the episodes in Otomo's Memories anthology. It was during this time that Kon cut his teeth with anime as a medium, and following Otomo's recommendation, he was chosen to direct the graphic psychological horror Perfect Blue.
Much of Kon's early work is heavily influenced by his association with Otomo, however Perfect Blue changed everything, and following the success of the movie he went on redefine the boundaries of what many consider the realm of children. His lyrical style is on display in his second movie Millenium Actress, which went on to win a number of awards, however the movie was a clear departure from Perfect Blue in almost every respect.
Kon again went in a totally new direction with his third feature, Tokyo Godfathers, and although the movie was clearly influenced by John Ford's western 3 Godfathers, there's an inherent playfulness to proceedings that is very much in the style of Frank Capra.
In 2004, Kon decided to take his fans and the medium in a totally new direction with his TV series Paranoia Agent, which has been likened to Twin Peaks and The X Files because of its reality twisting story and visuals. That said, the story is also a very clear social commentary, especially as it was released after a wave of much publicised youth crimes across Japan.
Satoshi Kon's most famous film, Paprika, received a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival for both its stunning visuals and its captivating story. The critically acclaimed movie delved into the world of dreams and dreaming, and influenced Chris Nolan's 2010 movie Inception.
The director's final feature, Yume-Miru Kikai, remains unfinished due to his untimely death. Ostensibly the tale is aimed at all ages and features an all robot cast. In an interview with Anime News Network, Kon said of the project:
"The title will be Yume-Miru Kikai. In English, it will be The Dream Machine. On the surface, it's going to be a fantasy-adventure targeted at younger audiences. However, it will also be a film that people who have seen our films up to this point will be able to enjoy. So it will be an adventure that even older audiences can appreciate. There will be no human characters in the film; only robots. It'll be like a "road movie" for robots."
Fans of the acclaimed director can only hope that the film will be completed by Madhouse, however as a fan of Satoshi Kon I can honestly say that no matter how good The Dream Machine is, it will never be as good as if he had finished it with his own hands. For me, like so many others, there will always be something missing, a presence if you will, that permeates all his other works.
It is with sadness that we bid a great man goodbye, and though we may never see his like again, we are left with a rich and vibrant legacy that will continue to influence and inspire new talents throughout the world. We are aided in our appreciation of his skill, his love for his chosen medium, and his humanity by his online notebook, a section of which has been kindly translated by Makiko Itoh in her online journal.
And from this old and slightly jaded anime fan, thank you, for giving the anime world some of its most stunning and captivating tales.
For all of those fans who may read this and wish to know more about Satoshi Kon and his work, I've provided some links below that may help.
Satoshi Kon's online notebook - Note that this site is in Japanese.
Makiko Itoh's translation of Satoshi Kon's final notebook entry - All fans of the director and his works should read this.
An interview with Satoshi Kon following the release of Perfect Blue:
Midnight Eye interviews Satoshi Kon prior to the release of Millenium Actress (2001)
Home Theater Mag's interview with Satoshi Kon (2005)
Anime News Network's interview with Satoshi Kon (2008)
Bill Aguilar (Tokyopop) interviews Satoshi Kon
An interview with Satoshi Kon following the release of Perfect Blue (1998)
DVD Vision Japan/Dreamworks interviews Satoshi Kon (2002)
Midnight Eye interviews Satoshi Kon following the release of Paprika (2006)
The Daily's piece on Satoshi Kon's death
Posted by Archaeon | Aug 26, 2010 8:32 PM | 7 comments
April 27th, 2010
Yuki didn't do it! - A different take on Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu
Anime Relations: Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (2009), Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu
So we now have the latest release from the Suzumiya Haruhi franchise, and in all honesty it's a pretty good affair, truth be told. The one thing that separates the movie from the two main TV series is the fact that the story is far more complete than one would expect.
But I'm not here to discuss that (especially as I've already reviewed the movie).
So what is this all about then, if not a review of the movie? Well, there's numerous threads, blogs, comments, posts, etc, etc about Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu, and they all seem to have one thing in common - they all work on the assumption that the events in the movie are caused by one person.
The problem is that they may be blaming the wrong person.
WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD! You should only click on the button if you've seen the movie or don't care about ruining the story.
Well, that's your lot for now. It all probably doesn't make much sense, and I may change sections to make them more understandable later. Hopefully I've got my point across though.
But I'm not here to discuss that (especially as I've already reviewed the movie).
So what is this all about then, if not a review of the movie? Well, there's numerous threads, blogs, comments, posts, etc, etc about Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu, and they all seem to have one thing in common - they all work on the assumption that the events in the movie are caused by one person.
The problem is that they may be blaming the wrong person.
WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD! You should only click on the button if you've seen the movie or don't care about ruining the story.
Well, that's your lot for now. It all probably doesn't make much sense, and I may change sections to make them more understandable later. Hopefully I've got my point across though.
Posted by Archaeon | Apr 27, 2010 1:55 PM | 13 comments
August 25th, 2009
Since you all asked so nicely, here's my REAL review of NGE :P
Anime Relations: Shinseiki Evangelion
Note - some of you may notice that this is different from my original review of NGE. The reason for that is simple. This review is supposed to be critical, the other one is supposed to make people angry :)
Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most debated animes in history. Some would argue that there are numerous hidden messages in the show, while others argue that it simply plays up to a certain puerile idealogy of the world. Whatever the case may be, NGE established itself as the hot topic in anime for well over a decade.
NGE first saw the light of day as a manga by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, and was published in Shonen Ace magazine from February 1994. It's purpose was to raise awareness and public interest in the anime version that was to be released in October of the following year.
The anime was directed by the famous Hideaki Anno, and is hailed by many fans as his masterpiece (although there are numerous people who disagree with this point of view).
Animation
The animation in NGE is actually very well done considering the time it was made (and the fact that Gainax was running out of cash). The colour palette used for the show was decidely bright in many ways, and at the time it contrasted well with the serious tone of the story.
The characters were well designed for the most part, but the real breakthrough in terms of design were the EVA units and the Angels. NGE pushed the boundaries of mecha design in anime to a new level, something which no other show of the time could achieve. It also wasn't afraid to show an enemy who had no visible relation to humans - something that was a rarity in those days (although Anno had used a similar technique in Top wo Nerae).
The animation in the show is generally very fluid, and although there are some notable flaws, they don't actually impede on the enjoyment of the show.
Sound
The sound in NGE is very good in general. The VAs in the japanese version are very good, and are able to deliver a greater depth of emotion than their american counterparts. The effects used are also quite good but never really stood out as much, partly because of the overwhelming visuals, and partly because they were generally stock effects. The music is generally good throughout the show, with a mixture of classical and other styles scattered here and there.
One of the most memorable things about the music in NGE is the theme tune. Anno had originally wanted to use Borodin's Polovetsian Dances as the theme music for each episode, but was overruled by TV Tokyo, who felt that this would confuse and alienate the audience. Instead he settled on what has become one of the most played anime theme tunes in history - A Cruel Angel's Thesis, which was performed by Takahashi Yoko.
Characters
This is the area where NGE failed as an anime. Prior to making NGE, Hideaki Anno had suffered from depression for a while, and the characters in NGE were created in such a manner as to reflect his struggle against mental illness. Each of the characters is flawed in different ways, something that was unusual in anime at the time. Given Anno's talent as a director, this should have led to some interesting, and highly original, character development. Unfortunately the show failed in this area because of one key factor - Ikari Shinji.
For many people like myself, the main issue we have with the show isn't the story, or the animation, or the sound. It's the characters, and in particular, Ikari Shinji. In creating him, Anno and the rest of the production team lost focus on the other characters. Shinji is not your typical hero in that he isn't, courageous, or handsome, or intelligent. In fact, Shinji consider's himself to be worthless. The issue I have is that the show focuses far too much on Shinji, almost to the extent where the other characters were simply plot devices for his devlopment, and not enough on the characters around him.
That's not to say Shinji is a bad character. He's not. The problem is that one can only stomach so much unjustified self pity (which unfortunately most of it was in his case), before wanting to slap some sense into the person in question. It's been pointed out to me that Shinji wanted to kill himself because he thought he was worthless, and that he should be pitied because of the bad hand he was dealt. I'm sorry but that argument doesn't wash with me. If someone truly wants to kill themselves then they will, so Shinji didn't really want to die. In addition to that, I know quite a few people who have been dealt the worst hands possible, yet they do not whine and complain about it (and many of these people did consider themselves to be useless/worthless at one time or another - yet they suffered in silence for the most part). What Shinji wanted was for people to pity him and tell him he wasn't worthless, and while this is not necessarily a bad thing, it was over-used in NGE (to the point where I wanted to put him out of his misery - and not because I pitied him). The fact that Shinji's character has a tendency to ram his sense of worthlessness into the faces of the other characters is what put me off, as that type of behaviour is usually for attention rather than a cry for help, and because of the show's focus on Shinji, you can imagine how much I wanted to hit him afterwards. It wasn't that I didn't understand, it was just that they failed to depict him as an object of pity, and instead he came across as a whining, self pitying, attention seeking, and generally loathesome person.
As for the other characters, in particular Rei and Asuka, they did get a certain amount of development throughout the series. Unfortunately though, their characters, as well as the rest of the cast, were overshadowed by the mammoth amount of development given to Shinji.
Story
I actually quite enjoyed the concept behind NGE, as it made a nice change of pace. I did, however, have some issues with the convenient deus ex machina of Unit 01, as well as a number of other "coincidences" that were scattered throughout the series.
The story itself isn't all that original, and it has clearly borrowed elements from other sci-fi stories. What made the story seem to be original was the inclusion of psuedo-religious and psuedo-philosophical concepts, as well as the inclusion of "Fruedian" psychology. These formed core elements of the story, so what would have been a standard "save the earth" scenario became a dive into the psyche of the characters. The basic plot is borrowed directly from Space Battleship Yamamoto, and the idea of "young" people protecting the earth was used by Anno himself in Top wo Nerae.
Unfortunately the story breaks down in several places. Anno tried to make a show that merged all perspectives into one single view, and while he managed to achieve this in some measure, he failed because he focused too much on Shinji, to the extent that no other options were ever considered.
Here's what I mean. NERV is a quasi militaristic outfit, and as such, would generally have backup options available to them. The convenient deus ex machina I mentioned earlier effectively removes all chance for anyone else to come to the fore - except for Shinji that is. If the viewer is to believe that an organisation such as NERV was supposed to protect the earth, then they would at the very least, look for other options, especially considering Shinji's character flaws. This would effectively mean that they would have at least some combat veterans or trained soldiers who could handle the EVA units. The use of teenagers as the leads in the show was simply so that it would appeal to the teenage audience.
Another area where the story breaks down is in it's use of religious symbology. Many fans believe that what is shown in NGE is taken directly from religious beliefs, in particular Kabbalism, Judaism and Christianity. While the names used in the show may be true to those religions though, in many cases the manner in which the reference is used is actually based on Anno's own definition, rather than the religious viewpoint (something for which Anno has been heavily criticised).
In truth, The religious symbology used in the show was only really used to give the series an edge over other "giant robot" anime (i.e. Macross, Gundam, etc), and all of the various interpretations since have been ascribed to it by the viewers rather than the creators (something which is very well documented).
One big plot hole that I noticed, and one that should have been obvious to most people as well, was Shinji's isolationist attitude, and Gendou's reaction to it. It's obvious to any who've watched the series that Gendou feels little sympathy towards Shinji, however due to that convenient plot device using Unit 01 I mentioned earlier, Gendou needs Shinji to pilot the EVA unit. So, what you effectively have is the leader of a militaristic organisation who feels little for others, and a teenager with supposed mental instabilities. This being the case, why wasn't Gendou forcibly dosing Shinji with meds to make him more compliant? If your purpose is to protect the earth and it's people from attack by extremely powerful beings, and you're basically a selfish person with your own agenda, then conscience or paternal instincts don't come into it, you simply do what's necessary, no matter what anyone else says.
It's interesting that the whole "psychology" angle is only really supposed to apply to Shinji, isn't it? Characters like Gendou have been "toned down" because their actions would have drawn too much attention to themselves, another convenient plot device.
Enjoyment
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a tough show to rate. According to Anno, if you're a normal, well rounded person then you won't learn anything from the show. While this may be true in some cases, the things that one can learn from the show are juvenile at best. Many of the older fans of NGE have a tendency to view the show through the rose tinted lenses of nostalgia, and while this is not a bad thing, it inhibits the ability to view the show objectively. Many of the younger fans, on the other hand, are fiercely loyal to the show, and have a tendency to react harshly to any criticism of the show. The unfortunate side effect of this is that the show has gained a certain notoriety that it could have done without, and many people who watch the show for the first time, do so with certain preconceived notions already embedded in their heads.
NGE is one of those shows that could have been great. Unfortunately the glaring flaws in the plot, coupled with the lack of develpment amongst the other characters in comparison to Shinji meant that I, at least, only found the show to be mediocre. NGE was a let down for me as I am a big fan of Top wo Nerae, the show that is effectively the older sibling to NGE (and is considered by quite a few people to be the superior show).
I'm not going to suggest anyone watches the show, as that is a decision you should make for yourself. Likewise the choice of whether you love it or hate it is something that only you can decide. The only thing I can say about the show is that, when watching it, be as objective as you can.
NGE is no Top wo Nerae by any measure, but it is a classic. Unfortunately, it really isn't Anno's best work, and the rebuild is making the same errors all over again.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most debated animes in history. Some would argue that there are numerous hidden messages in the show, while others argue that it simply plays up to a certain puerile idealogy of the world. Whatever the case may be, NGE established itself as the hot topic in anime for well over a decade.
NGE first saw the light of day as a manga by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, and was published in Shonen Ace magazine from February 1994. It's purpose was to raise awareness and public interest in the anime version that was to be released in October of the following year.
The anime was directed by the famous Hideaki Anno, and is hailed by many fans as his masterpiece (although there are numerous people who disagree with this point of view).
Animation
The animation in NGE is actually very well done considering the time it was made (and the fact that Gainax was running out of cash). The colour palette used for the show was decidely bright in many ways, and at the time it contrasted well with the serious tone of the story.
The characters were well designed for the most part, but the real breakthrough in terms of design were the EVA units and the Angels. NGE pushed the boundaries of mecha design in anime to a new level, something which no other show of the time could achieve. It also wasn't afraid to show an enemy who had no visible relation to humans - something that was a rarity in those days (although Anno had used a similar technique in Top wo Nerae).
The animation in the show is generally very fluid, and although there are some notable flaws, they don't actually impede on the enjoyment of the show.
Sound
The sound in NGE is very good in general. The VAs in the japanese version are very good, and are able to deliver a greater depth of emotion than their american counterparts. The effects used are also quite good but never really stood out as much, partly because of the overwhelming visuals, and partly because they were generally stock effects. The music is generally good throughout the show, with a mixture of classical and other styles scattered here and there.
One of the most memorable things about the music in NGE is the theme tune. Anno had originally wanted to use Borodin's Polovetsian Dances as the theme music for each episode, but was overruled by TV Tokyo, who felt that this would confuse and alienate the audience. Instead he settled on what has become one of the most played anime theme tunes in history - A Cruel Angel's Thesis, which was performed by Takahashi Yoko.
Characters
This is the area where NGE failed as an anime. Prior to making NGE, Hideaki Anno had suffered from depression for a while, and the characters in NGE were created in such a manner as to reflect his struggle against mental illness. Each of the characters is flawed in different ways, something that was unusual in anime at the time. Given Anno's talent as a director, this should have led to some interesting, and highly original, character development. Unfortunately the show failed in this area because of one key factor - Ikari Shinji.
For many people like myself, the main issue we have with the show isn't the story, or the animation, or the sound. It's the characters, and in particular, Ikari Shinji. In creating him, Anno and the rest of the production team lost focus on the other characters. Shinji is not your typical hero in that he isn't, courageous, or handsome, or intelligent. In fact, Shinji consider's himself to be worthless. The issue I have is that the show focuses far too much on Shinji, almost to the extent where the other characters were simply plot devices for his devlopment, and not enough on the characters around him.
That's not to say Shinji is a bad character. He's not. The problem is that one can only stomach so much unjustified self pity (which unfortunately most of it was in his case), before wanting to slap some sense into the person in question. It's been pointed out to me that Shinji wanted to kill himself because he thought he was worthless, and that he should be pitied because of the bad hand he was dealt. I'm sorry but that argument doesn't wash with me. If someone truly wants to kill themselves then they will, so Shinji didn't really want to die. In addition to that, I know quite a few people who have been dealt the worst hands possible, yet they do not whine and complain about it (and many of these people did consider themselves to be useless/worthless at one time or another - yet they suffered in silence for the most part). What Shinji wanted was for people to pity him and tell him he wasn't worthless, and while this is not necessarily a bad thing, it was over-used in NGE (to the point where I wanted to put him out of his misery - and not because I pitied him). The fact that Shinji's character has a tendency to ram his sense of worthlessness into the faces of the other characters is what put me off, as that type of behaviour is usually for attention rather than a cry for help, and because of the show's focus on Shinji, you can imagine how much I wanted to hit him afterwards. It wasn't that I didn't understand, it was just that they failed to depict him as an object of pity, and instead he came across as a whining, self pitying, attention seeking, and generally loathesome person.
As for the other characters, in particular Rei and Asuka, they did get a certain amount of development throughout the series. Unfortunately though, their characters, as well as the rest of the cast, were overshadowed by the mammoth amount of development given to Shinji.
Story
I actually quite enjoyed the concept behind NGE, as it made a nice change of pace. I did, however, have some issues with the convenient deus ex machina of Unit 01, as well as a number of other "coincidences" that were scattered throughout the series.
The story itself isn't all that original, and it has clearly borrowed elements from other sci-fi stories. What made the story seem to be original was the inclusion of psuedo-religious and psuedo-philosophical concepts, as well as the inclusion of "Fruedian" psychology. These formed core elements of the story, so what would have been a standard "save the earth" scenario became a dive into the psyche of the characters. The basic plot is borrowed directly from Space Battleship Yamamoto, and the idea of "young" people protecting the earth was used by Anno himself in Top wo Nerae.
Unfortunately the story breaks down in several places. Anno tried to make a show that merged all perspectives into one single view, and while he managed to achieve this in some measure, he failed because he focused too much on Shinji, to the extent that no other options were ever considered.
Here's what I mean. NERV is a quasi militaristic outfit, and as such, would generally have backup options available to them. The convenient deus ex machina I mentioned earlier effectively removes all chance for anyone else to come to the fore - except for Shinji that is. If the viewer is to believe that an organisation such as NERV was supposed to protect the earth, then they would at the very least, look for other options, especially considering Shinji's character flaws. This would effectively mean that they would have at least some combat veterans or trained soldiers who could handle the EVA units. The use of teenagers as the leads in the show was simply so that it would appeal to the teenage audience.
Another area where the story breaks down is in it's use of religious symbology. Many fans believe that what is shown in NGE is taken directly from religious beliefs, in particular Kabbalism, Judaism and Christianity. While the names used in the show may be true to those religions though, in many cases the manner in which the reference is used is actually based on Anno's own definition, rather than the religious viewpoint (something for which Anno has been heavily criticised).
In truth, The religious symbology used in the show was only really used to give the series an edge over other "giant robot" anime (i.e. Macross, Gundam, etc), and all of the various interpretations since have been ascribed to it by the viewers rather than the creators (something which is very well documented).
One big plot hole that I noticed, and one that should have been obvious to most people as well, was Shinji's isolationist attitude, and Gendou's reaction to it. It's obvious to any who've watched the series that Gendou feels little sympathy towards Shinji, however due to that convenient plot device using Unit 01 I mentioned earlier, Gendou needs Shinji to pilot the EVA unit. So, what you effectively have is the leader of a militaristic organisation who feels little for others, and a teenager with supposed mental instabilities. This being the case, why wasn't Gendou forcibly dosing Shinji with meds to make him more compliant? If your purpose is to protect the earth and it's people from attack by extremely powerful beings, and you're basically a selfish person with your own agenda, then conscience or paternal instincts don't come into it, you simply do what's necessary, no matter what anyone else says.
It's interesting that the whole "psychology" angle is only really supposed to apply to Shinji, isn't it? Characters like Gendou have been "toned down" because their actions would have drawn too much attention to themselves, another convenient plot device.
Enjoyment
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a tough show to rate. According to Anno, if you're a normal, well rounded person then you won't learn anything from the show. While this may be true in some cases, the things that one can learn from the show are juvenile at best. Many of the older fans of NGE have a tendency to view the show through the rose tinted lenses of nostalgia, and while this is not a bad thing, it inhibits the ability to view the show objectively. Many of the younger fans, on the other hand, are fiercely loyal to the show, and have a tendency to react harshly to any criticism of the show. The unfortunate side effect of this is that the show has gained a certain notoriety that it could have done without, and many people who watch the show for the first time, do so with certain preconceived notions already embedded in their heads.
NGE is one of those shows that could have been great. Unfortunately the glaring flaws in the plot, coupled with the lack of develpment amongst the other characters in comparison to Shinji meant that I, at least, only found the show to be mediocre. NGE was a let down for me as I am a big fan of Top wo Nerae, the show that is effectively the older sibling to NGE (and is considered by quite a few people to be the superior show).
I'm not going to suggest anyone watches the show, as that is a decision you should make for yourself. Likewise the choice of whether you love it or hate it is something that only you can decide. The only thing I can say about the show is that, when watching it, be as objective as you can.
NGE is no Top wo Nerae by any measure, but it is a classic. Unfortunately, it really isn't Anno's best work, and the rebuild is making the same errors all over again.
Posted by Archaeon | Aug 25, 2009 3:34 PM | 15 comments