EVANGELION.... (Neon Genesis)

Valentine · **on:** April 14, 2007, 01:24:32 PM

Ferret has said to me in another thread she'd be interested in posting more or less senseful comments to this series, here is a right place to do so

I'm warning everybody though, be prepared to quickly move away from me, as I am extremely sensitive to any kind of prejudice toward the series, let's say a strong personal quirk.

Thinking for oneself is very welcomed, on the other hand.

ferret · **Reply #1 on:** April 14, 2007, 01:42:42 PM

So you did it, that forces me to write something as I've said I would :lol: Nah, just kidding, I love NGE. I don't understand why so many fans wanted an alternative ending, I thought the one of the OVA fit really well.
I was lucky enough to see it on television like around 2000, in original tone with German subtitles.
To come again to the end, I think people didn't like it that much because it didn't really explain every detail, that is also, at least from what I've experienced so far, why many people don't like David Lynch's movies/tv shows.

...haha, I've just been looking Lynch up in wikipedia and read that he directed Longing.

Valentine · **Reply #2 on:** April 14, 2007, 01:54:22 PM

Personally, I think a lot of stuff in both those endings makes a lot of sense, when blended together in explanations.... I am yet to write an essay or something on some aspects of it, I just believe Mr.Anno has had good reasons for making both endings. I know there had been kind of a fan pressure on him, just wondering that the alternate ending did not disvalue the value of any thoughts presented through whole story.

(I am not saying you have said or implied that, just thinking aloud on what I've seen presented on some other fora)

Agreement to the "blurry ending" note, again personally, I think there should not be something "more clarified"- the reasoning about causes of happenings through whole story is clear enough, the psychological motivations of the characters are implied visibly enough so one may conclude their own things based on different indications, there is nothing really "unexplained" that could be explained more.

(A side note, that is why people write NGE Guides and stuff. I've heard/seen some of such things existing, but it never got to me. Czech republic does not have fan base of NGE strong enough to make someone translate and print the things in here. Maybe with some years, as the anime community grows in here, something could be done.)

*goes to Wiki too*

orac · **Reply #3 on:** April 15, 2007, 11:37:45 AM

Quote from: "Unfinished"

I watched it once..and I didn't really like it because I get bored of robot anime like gundam and neon.

It isn't robot anime, it is mech, like getter robo, mazinger Z and mazinkaiser. I have the evangelion collection, wondering if I should get the movies too.

Sander · **Reply #4 on:** April 15, 2007, 03:03:59 PM

Watched it... It was really nice until the last few episodes and then it got waaay too deep for me

orac · **Reply #5 on:** April 15, 2007, 06:32:06 PM

yeah, when shinji got assimilated into the eva, it got a bit strange

Valentine · **Reply #6 on:** April 15, 2007, 07:22:50 PM

One can say I am a computer genius- been posting a long reply and shut it down while trying to open new window. Oooh, my.

Well, these reviews are not something unheard of, actually, if I heard something from anime watchers about NGE more than often, it is they were not getting the last episodes. I think these were a little strange, but not stranger than most of whole series.... And definately making sense when being pondered about.

The problem with NGE is, it has so many different layers of meanings that it is impossible to get it after first watching session, it is hard to get even after watching two, three, four times.... (Yeah, been there. Did not have the time and courage to try it fifth time.)

One needs to know quite a lot about psychology, kabbalah, politics, economy.... to get at least in touch what NGE is about... and that, again, requires years of study.....

It is certainly not possible to watch it "just" as a mecha anime, then one does not get anything out of it, just disgustment.... (Compared experiences with people who watched it this way, they were just shaking heads. I consider myself very lucky to have this series recommended to me by someone who is quite experienced viewer with a lot of deeply psychological movies, so I was warned to not use that mode of thinking while watching or I won't get it......)

Just an idea, do any of you have, by chance, tried watching for example RahXephon.... it is similar to NGE in a lot of themes, but may be more pleasurable for those of you that don't like getting intense emotions thrown at you while watching something? Plus, thanks to being made later, RahXephon has better animation, would say..... The lead protagonist is certainly more action type than Shinji, and more people may sympathize with him for being so, Shinji is a little hard to get....

One other anime that comes to mind is Now and Then, Here and There, similarly "strange" feeling to it as NGE..... It does not get so introspective, though it is intense-emotions triggering, quite a lot of presentation on violence.... It does not get gore, there is not much blood or such, but it IS drastic and shocking.

(Or maybe it was just me, I was watching it for the first time while doing an intense let's say research on child soldiers around the world and Ugandan civil war in particular....)