Yeesh.
Now that is what I call overhype.
I thought it was really great, but probably not the absolute best thing ever. Still I'm not moved to disagree with you at all, because i'm an Eva fan too... you just happen to like it a smidgen more than me and that's fine. But it's been 9-10 months since I watched it, and my memories are hazy, so... yeah.
Did find some of the fanservice rather creepy to be honest, Misato, Ritsuko? fine. Asuka is 14 though. Squick. (not suggesting NGE is a unique case)
To watch, NGE isn't the best thing ever. There are far more entertaining shows out there to WATCH. But to think about afterwards, NGE takes the cake.
It's not the best TV show ever, but as a work of fiction, it's right up there with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Importance of Being Earnest for me.
I'm so sorry that my avatar doesn't appear fully in the shot, but the cat was threatening the photographer.
I think the thing about the fanservice joke is that it was often lying when it was used. Episodes with more fanservice wouldn't get a mention in their preview, episodes with no fanservice would. I think a lot of this was a subtle take that at anime fans from Hideaki Anno, to be honest.
I'm so sorry that my avatar doesn't appear fully in the shot, but the cat was threatening the photographer.
I came to conclude a rule of thumb for this series: if you liked The Wall, you’ll like NGE, and if you liked Holden Caulfield, you’ll be sympathetic towards Shinji. Also, if you like boys, you’ll love Kaworu. I sure did...
The amount of hype on your review... You may as well build a shrine to NGE.
Have you forgotten the face of your father, troper?
Well, I never heard of The Wall before, so can't comment on that. However, the second half of your rule of thumb is provably wrong, because I was somewhat sympathetic to Shinji, yet absolutely, utterly hated Holden Caulfield and wished for his pathetic ass to get thrown in a Korean labor camp when about two thirds through that weak, pitiable book.
I liked Holden. I felt he was genuinely suffering from mental issues (you don’t just get thrown out of four schools like that) that were never properly addressed. But I digress.
Persistent Man: I actually have an NGE necklace I got for 40 NIS and some stamps I got from Japan as a present from a friend of a friend of the family, but that’s about it. Anno famously said once to a fan who’d spent all of his money on NGE merch that he was an idiot, so yeah, I don’t have any intention of, y’know, completely and utterly missing Anno’s point (and wasting good money while I’m at it)—I’m just happy with the necklace that fellow fans can recognise. But yeah, I do recommend the series passionately to a lot of people; my then-boyfriend watched the whole thing and he loved it, which made me very happy, natch.
Anyway, I want to watch Ergo Proxy and Paranoia Agent next; I have a feeling one of these could be my next favourite series, and maybe a David Lynch or Satoshi Kon film could displace The Wall as my next favourite film. (I’m kinda into good Mind Screw and in-depth character studies.)
I was really getting interested in what made this so good to you...and then you mentioned Holden Caulfield XD I hate that whiney brat. Still, glad you enjoy it.
My comment should mention that I've never seen the series myself
I didn’t think he was whiny. I thought he had genuine issues, stemming primarily from the loss of his brother, that were seriously exacerbated because of something wrong with him on a clinical level.
I think having AS was a huge contributor to my love for this series. Shinji’s angst and hedgehog dilemma resonates with you completely differently when you spend most of your life wondering if everyone secretly hates you, and understanding what makes people tick is a pipe dream. But speaking frankly, I think the series appealed to me on different levels: as a dumbass 13-year-older I thought Rei was hot and Asuka was cool, as a 15-year-older I thought Shinji and I were ‘brothers in angst’ and that Kaworu was so hawt, and as a 22-year-older it appealed to me on a host of other, much more profound levels as commentary on the human condition. But since I first watched it and to this day, I absolutely love the massive catharsis at the end of the original airing. The catharsis I feel after the ‘Congratulations!’ scene is strong enough to last me for days.
NGE speaks to me because it analyses extremely accurately the most primal fears involved with interpersonal interaction, our own personal image, and the fear of growing up and realising some Awful Truths about the world that everyone feels on some level, but some of us feel it much more than others. The Catcher in the Rye deals with these themes, too: Holden feels very acutely that there’s some sort of omnipresent hypocrisy involved in interpersonal communication, at least after a certain age, and is terrified of engaging in it. That’s why I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone: some of us just feel more strongly about these issues.
Tch. Calls TTGL Misogynistic drivel. Kisses this trainwreck of anime\'s ass. I\'ve never lost respect for a person\'s personal opinion before (I\'m usually better about it) but I don\'t think he\'ll be getting my respect back.
- they, please. Non-binary here.
Different strokes, I guess. Some like NGE, some say ‘tch’ unironically.
No No No. You lost the right to "difference of opinion" When you praised a show that almost made want to kill myself, called the anime that has done nothing but make my life better "Misogynisitic Drivel" and then say that Hideki isn't as good as an artist because he isn't in a perpetual state of misery,
Since Tv tropes can only allow for so much, I'd like yo to read this: http://myanimelist.net/profile/K-O-B/reviews
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Try refuting all those points. I dare you to try to defend this show after this.
The only good things to come of this show were FLCL, Gai Gao Gar, Puella Puella Madoka Magika and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
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BEST. SERIES. EVER.
It’s the best series I’ve ever come across. Including Breaking Bad. It’s life-changing.
Forget what you’ve heard about this series being ‘pretentious’. Anno knew exactly what he was doing through and through. It’s fantastically written and brilliantly directed and has flawless voice acting (Megumi Ogata screaming in horror as Shinji gave me goosebumps every time) and music ranging from very good to outstanding. Both endings are wonderful, whether they subscribe to complicated contemporary philosophical or psychological ideas or not: the former are interpreted liberally to build a universe (not like philosophy’s a respectable field anyway), and the latter are just rough guidelines for the characters’ personality, not reports on actual cases. Want psychology and philosophy? Find textbooks.
The series didn’t feel narmy at all: given that the world’s always about to be destroyed, the characters’ reactions seem subdued even, especially within the conventions of anime, and especially in that period of anime. Money was visibly short, but they used it extra-wisely through and through.
Even the two endings were brilliant. True, the OA ending didn’t really close the plot, while EoE did. The DC, as well as some bits in the OA ending (e.g. Ritsuko’s and Misato’s fate) indicate that EoE was planned ahead all along. I believe Anno was challenging his fans to ask themselves which would they prefer settled, the plot or Shinji, which isn’t obvious at all.
The only three things I can say against this series is the frequent ‘Fanservice’ promise at the end of some Next Episode bits. It felt like an insult to the viewer, but was fortunately stopped at a certain point when it became too dark for this tasteless joke, and that the fact that Anno’s protégé directed the first half of EoE made it feel somewhat out of place with its style (particularly the Facepalm-inducing close-up on Misato’s arse), although it was excellent. The third is that Asuka (not Shinji, who always rises to the occasion to fight like a beast) was so fucking annoying, but ep. 22 fixed that.
Still, it’s mindblowing and deserves multiple views to get fully; even if you don’t, it’s one hell of an experience. That said, it’s not for everyone, and might not match your taste.
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