Just to clarify, Evangelion is basically saying ‘don’t guilt-trip teens into being soldiers, don’t put them under the power of horny adults (however well-meaning), don’t bully them or treat them like lab mice, and definitely don’t cut them off from civilian society and the chance to form normal human friendships’. Seems some people saw all of that and only remembered the cool mechas.
Seems some people saw all of that and only remembered the cool mechas.
I mean, I kind of get it. That whole genre is/was wall-to-wall spectacle. I suppose it’s possible to dazzle your audience a little too much and lose the plot in all the mayhem.
But it’s not limited to Mecha Anime. Take The Expanse, for instance. The plight and rebellion of The Belters is pretty much a pastiche a marginalized and developing societies that slave away for the benefit of other wealthy nations, today. And that arc is central to the plot of every season of the show, complete with a bloody rebellion and grave ramifications for those on top. But if you ask, I bet folks mostly recall a show about “protomolecule stuff” and “really cool space battles.”
The original show is a deconstruction of giant-robot anime, basically examining how every single trope would be horrible in real life. But it’s so goddamn stylish and well-done that a lot of people missed that it’s also an escapist fantasy that says ‘escapist fantasy is bad, actually.’ The ending is infamously abrupt. It’s like if The Two Towers ended in a lecture and there was no third book. It makes thematic sense, but the message is severely undercut by being a story people are invested in, for its own qualities.
The movies for that show are a long-form middle finger to the audience. It’s honestly impressive.
The reboot show is all of that in like four feature-length episodes, also incorporating decades of fan culture super not getting the point. The plot textually says, you are an asshole for wanting this remake.
Misato from Neon Genesis Evangelion
I’ve heard of it but not seen it. Thank you.
Just to clarify, Evangelion is basically saying ‘don’t guilt-trip teens into being soldiers, don’t put them under the power of horny adults (however well-meaning), don’t bully them or treat them like lab mice, and definitely don’t cut them off from civilian society and the chance to form normal human friendships’. Seems some people saw all of that and only remembered the cool mechas.
That’s pretty cool.
ok but how does it make you feel about war
Like I feel about most (if not all things): different levels of severe confusion
Just shut up and get in the fucking robot, Shinji
Shut up and get in the middle east shinji!
I came to the comments trying to figure out how it was related to the Torment Nexus. You’ve clarified it for me. Thank you for your help.
Evangelion doesn’t actually say any of that though…
It says heaven is free Fanta for everyone or something
Maybe you too will let a cigarette burn awkwardly.
…Or crank it over a coma patient, whatever Shinji, you do you ya little bitch.
Exactly. Instead we now have:
Also
I mean, I kind of get it. That whole genre is/was wall-to-wall spectacle. I suppose it’s possible to dazzle your audience a little too much and lose the plot in all the mayhem.
But it’s not limited to Mecha Anime. Take The Expanse, for instance. The plight and rebellion of The Belters is pretty much a pastiche a marginalized and developing societies that slave away for the benefit of other wealthy nations, today. And that arc is central to the plot of every season of the show, complete with a bloody rebellion and grave ramifications for those on top. But if you ask, I bet folks mostly recall a show about “protomolecule stuff” and “really cool space battles.”
The original show is a deconstruction of giant-robot anime, basically examining how every single trope would be horrible in real life. But it’s so goddamn stylish and well-done that a lot of people missed that it’s also an escapist fantasy that says ‘escapist fantasy is bad, actually.’ The ending is infamously abrupt. It’s like if The Two Towers ended in a lecture and there was no third book. It makes thematic sense, but the message is severely undercut by being a story people are invested in, for its own qualities.
The movies for that show are a long-form middle finger to the audience. It’s honestly impressive.
The reboot show is all of that in like four feature-length episodes, also incorporating decades of fan culture super not getting the point. The plot textually says, you are an asshole for wanting this remake.
Hideaki Anno is kind of a dick.
I’d still recommend it all.