Comments on: Evangelion: my baptism of fire http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/ Get decultured Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:57:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: otou-san http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-45599 otou-san Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:41:44 +0000 http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-45599 I think it's precisely Anno's blunt and heavy-handed approach that made it work, and made for so many experiences like yours. I picked up the tape on a whim at blockbuster, figured it was good enough to rent the second one, and by the final volume I was more hard core about anime than I'd ever been. I like that you bring up RahXephon. I agree it's a pointless to debate if Rah came first, whether people would still like NGE more. Thing is, I don't think it <em>could</em> have come first. People call NGE influential, but really, mecha series still live in a little Gundam ghetto and the only ones to truly break out (like the three you mention) are the ones to openly take elements of NGE. But let's get realistic: Anno has expressed bitterness and disappointment that his dream of creating a genre of transcendent robot anime didn't really happen, but if I made something as self-consciously weird as NGE and even <em>one</em> series at the level of RahXephon was openly influenced by me despite anime's slide toward pantless underage catgirls pretending to be airplanes, I'd piss my pants with joy. <abbr><em><abbr><em>otou-sans last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/shamefulotakusecret/~3/396549023/" rel="nofollow">New site announcement</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> I think it’s precisely Anno’s blunt and heavy-handed approach that made it work, and made for so many experiences like yours. I picked up the tape on a whim at blockbuster, figured it was good enough to rent the second one, and by the final volume I was more hard core about anime than I’d ever been.

I like that you bring up RahXephon. I agree it’s a pointless to debate if Rah came first, whether people would still like NGE more. Thing is, I don’t think it could have come first. People call NGE influential, but really, mecha series still live in a little Gundam ghetto and the only ones to truly break out (like the three you mention) are the ones to openly take elements of NGE.

But let’s get realistic: Anno has expressed bitterness and disappointment that his dream of creating a genre of transcendent robot anime didn’t really happen, but if I made something as self-consciously weird as NGE and even one series at the level of RahXephon was openly influenced by me despite anime’s slide toward pantless underage catgirls pretending to be airplanes, I’d piss my pants with joy.

otou-sans last blog post..New site announcement

]]> By: ConcreteBadger http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35845 ConcreteBadger Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:48:29 +0000 http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35845 @Mike: it sounds to me like the series has affected you in the same way it did me (in that I often find myself agreeing with the posts and comments you make!). I'd definitely agree that Rah is more polished though - it seemed to have a clearer idea of where it wanted to go. @IKnight: nostalgia's the key here I guess. No matter how many details in the show don't sit right, I can't bring myself to hate it because it's the point where my fandom began - I simply didn't have anything to compare it with at the time, and those rose-tinted feelings kinda stuck. @Orion: thanks. You're dead on with the influence thing; as Mike said, it's a very 'raw' production so while there's no denying it was a first in many aspects, shows that came later used the ideas more effectively. With any luck the Rebuild movies will keep the things it did right and correct some of what it did wrong. Here's hoping anyway! @Mike: it sounds to me like the series has affected you in the same way it did me (in that I often find myself agreeing with the posts and comments you make!). I’d definitely agree that Rah is more polished though - it seemed to have a clearer idea of where it wanted to go.

@IKnight: nostalgia’s the key here I guess. No matter how many details in the show don’t sit right, I can’t bring myself to hate it because it’s the point where my fandom began - I simply didn’t have anything to compare it with at the time, and those rose-tinted feelings kinda stuck.

@Orion: thanks. You’re dead on with the influence thing; as Mike said, it’s a very ‘raw’ production so while there’s no denying it was a first in many aspects, shows that came later used the ideas more effectively. With any luck the Rebuild movies will keep the things it did right and correct some of what it did wrong. Here’s hoping anyway!

]]> By: 0rion http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35790 0rion Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:13:20 +0000 http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35790 Man, where to start...to many things to respond to. Eva was also my first anime, although I have far less appreciation for it than you seen to. Nevertheless, good job summarizing the various coups and failures of the series. Certainly no one can deny that it was a highly influential series in many ways. Man, where to start…to many things to respond to.

Eva was also my first anime, although I have far less appreciation for it than you seen to. Nevertheless, good job summarizing the various coups and failures of the series. Certainly no one can deny that it was a highly influential series in many ways.

]]> By: IKnight http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35626 IKnight Mon, 31 Dec 2007 12:59:20 +0000 http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35626 <em>Eva</em> was part of my own introduction to anime, and I still find it hard to assess objectively. Nostalgia's a powerful thing. 'Epic win and epic fail' pretty much sums it up. Eva was part of my own introduction to anime, and I still find it hard to assess objectively. Nostalgia’s a powerful thing. ‘Epic win and epic fail’ pretty much sums it up.

]]> By: Anime Diet » Michael’s 2007 Diet Awards, Part 1: The Winners http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35600 Anime Diet » Michael’s 2007 Diet Awards, Part 1: The Winners Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:53:50 +0000 http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35600 [...] wins this year with daring, inventive directing. As both Martin and I have discovered, they (most likely the double team of Shin Oonuma and Akayuki Shinbo) are carrying the artsy and [...] [...] wins this year with daring, inventive directing. As both Martin and I have discovered, they (most likely the double team of Shin Oonuma and Akayuki Shinbo) are carrying the artsy and [...]

]]> By: Mike http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35594 Mike Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:44:17 +0000 http://www.concretebadger.net/blog/2007/12/30/evangelion-my-baptism-of-fire/#comment-35594 You and me both, man, you and me both. I'd like to think that like you, I can recognize the parts of Eva that do in fact "suck," though I can usually come up with a reason why I still love it anyway. RahXephon, for instance, is much more polished and arguably balanced and coherent where Eva is raw and confusing. But when that's your first anime it's very hard to not look at other shows through its lens, knowing what anime is capable of. It's given me a prediliction toward artsiness and serious drama ever since. You and me both, man, you and me both. I’d like to think that like you, I can recognize the parts of Eva that do in fact “suck,” though I can usually come up with a reason why I still love it anyway. RahXephon, for instance, is much more polished and arguably balanced and coherent where Eva is raw and confusing. But when that’s your first anime it’s very hard to not look at other shows through its lens, knowing what anime is capable of. It’s given me a prediliction toward artsiness and serious drama ever since.

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