There's a very promising book being published next May called "The Notenki Memoirs: Studio Gainax And The Men Who Created Evangelion". It looks to include quite a bit of inside info on the company and the Eva phenomenon, and a lot of what went on behind the scenes that has never been allowed into the public eye. I'm going to try and get a look at this book and see if its any good.

Here's some info from Amazon.com.

Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: ADV Manga (May 24, 2005)

Details:

A tell-all account of Studio Gainax, the creators of the classic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. Yasuhiro Takeda, a member of the Gainax company since its inception, talks about everything from the untold stories of Eva to the Gainax tax evasion scandal that plagued its production. Including a series of stunning revelations, this history of Gainax is a must-read for any serious anime fan.

The Eva Monkey wrote:There's a very promising book being published next May called "The Notenki Memoirs: Studio Gainax And The Men Who Created Evangelion". It looks to include quite a bit of inside info on the company and the Eva phenomenon, and a lot of what went on behind the scenes that has never been allowed into the public eye. I'm going to try and get a look at this book and see if its any good.

Here's some info from Amazon.com.

Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: ADV Manga (May 24, 2005)

Details:

A tell-all account of Studio Gainax, the creators of the classic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. Yasuhiro Takeda, a member of the Gainax company since its inception, talks about everything from the untold stories of Eva to the Gainax tax evasion scandal that plagued its production. Including a series of stunning revelations, this history of Gainax is a must-read for any serious anime fan.

Sounds interesting , would some pics be possbile when you get the book?

"IF" is the key word. I'll have an exhaustive critique of the book IF I can secure a copy.

indeed sounds interesting..i hope we won't be dissapointed by the result..

I'm all for it if I get the chance to lay my hands on it. :)

No-tenki Communication: the Men who Made Evangelion, by Yasuhiro Takeda. It was originally published in Japan in March 2002. 1,470 Yen (which means we're actually getting something *cheaper* than it was in Japan! go ADV)



here's the book at Amazon Japan:

http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/4847014073/qid%3D1103813306/250-7232403-8377838

there's a Japanese profile on Takeda here:

http://moura.jp/frames/gainax/takeda/takeda_profile.html

The book's title is a reference to the Daicon film Kaiketsu no Tenki, which Takeda starred in. Info on Kaiketsu no Tenki with tons of images of Takeda looking silly here:

http://www.gainax.co.jp/soft/daicon/notenki.html

Takeda has infrequently maintained an online photo diary at the Gainax site:

http://www.gainax.co.jp/takeda/index.html

Takeda has posted a list of 11 factual mistakes from the book, with corrections (mostly minor things like when people were born)

http://www.gainax.co.jp/takeda/corrig.html

"Even though (Evangelion) is being made on the second floor, I know absolutely nothing about the plot. Maybe that's just as well. But having seen the already finished episodes, all I can to say to those who haven't seen any of it is, I don't understand it. Having said that, it does seem that (writer/director) Anno is unusually relaxed about the series."
-- Takeda Yasuhiro, Gainax (1995)
[source:[url]http://www.stanford.edu/~fenn/eva/eva1.html[/url]]

:) fantastic quote.

Ah, now that is interesting. I wasn't aware that this is a translation of a Japanese book. That is quite promising. It stated "Yasuhiro Takeda tells all", but it wasn't clear that he was the author, or that it had been published previously.

Knowing that this is coming from the inside makes me want to read it even more. Lets just hope that ADV did a good job translating it. Translating anime well is one thing, translating books well is another thing entirely.

Top Ten Stunning Revelations in The Notenki Memoirs

10. ROYAL SPACE FORCE actually made $270 million at the box office; a fact successfully concealed from Japanese tax authorities

9. Asuka’s real name is SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer Alois Bruckner, rumored to have received plastic surgery in Paraguay in 1951

8. Toshio Okada just “big-boned”

7. Anno wanted EVANGELION to be light-hearted musical comedy, but marketing department data showed Japan trending angst

6. Back when we made anime about otaku life we did it with a little, you know, irony

5. Nadia dating De Niro

4. We will release a new version of EVA six months from now with something slightly different about it which you will nevertheless once again pay gladly for (I’m sorry; number 4 is actually from the list “Top Ten NON-stunning Revelations in The Notenki Memoirs”)

3. Yamaga voted down “Breakin’ The Law” as DAICON IV theme

2. It’s OK for you to be here

1. Everything since FLCL has been crap

this is seriously *amazing* news for fans of Eva and Gainax in general. Our entire knowledge of the show and company is based on a handful of translated scraps that end up on the internet or magazines, and I can't wait to have 200 pages of material straight from the horse's mouth.

Also, if this sells well, it would encourage ADV and other companies to translate similar material. FLCL novels -- do i dare to dream?

the only danger i can think of is that Japanese have a completely different notion of "tell-all" than we do, and don't treat interviews the same way we do: often they say little in response to questions or simply say polite crap like, "please continue to support the show." I suspect, however, that No-Tenki Memoirs will have enough to keep us interested.

Next Ten Stunning Revelations of Notenki Memoirs:

20. Gainax actually pronounced "gay-nax."

19. Anno now getting laid, happy with life. Reveals, "I don't know WHAT I was thinking!"

18. Toren Smith sued over use of his name in Gunbuster. Gainax only made Evangelion to pay for damages.

17. Takami Akai eventually got sick of making princesses. Now makes lawn gnomes.

16. Rei actually a Real Doll.

15. Gainax ran out of money halfway through company dinner. Assembled table scraps into confusing, metaphysical dessert.

14. Shinji getting sick of apocryphal girlfriends. Wants a canon one.

13. Anno Hideaki will finally give internet fans the ending they've demanded: End of Ebichu (Air' and My Purest Heart for You'''')

12. Sadamoto hates cars, never got driver's license.

11. Toshio Okada quit teaching at Tokyo University. Joined school's ecchi club.

Otaprince wrote:Next Ten Stunning Revelations of Notenki Memoirs:

20. Gainax actually pronounced "gay-nax."

19. Anno now getting laid, happy with life. Reveals, "I don't know WHAT I was thinking!"

18. Toren Smith sued over use of his name in Gunbuster. Gainax only made Evangelion to pay for damages.

17. Takami Akai eventually got sick of making princesses. Now makes lawn gnomes.

16. Rei actually a Real Doll.

15. Gainax ran out of money halfway through company dinner. Assembled table scraps into confusing, metaphysical dessert.

14. Shinji getting sick of apocryphal girlfriends. Wants a canon one.

13. Anno Hideaki will finally give internet fans the ending they've demanded: End of Ebichu (Air' and My Purest Heart for You'''')

12. Sadamoto hates cars, never got driver's license.

11. Toshio Okada quit teaching at Tokyo University. Joined school's ecchi club.

I like yours better ;-)

--C.

What am I going to do with you two?

19. Anno now getting laid, happy with life. Reveals, "I don't know WHAT I was thinking!"

This is the best one . And it may have a little ring of truth to it

i really hope i took 'ring' the wrong way or that he at least used lube.....damn my childish mind! but this all looks extremely promising. i've been looking forward to it for some months now...

to get this thread back on topic, the cover of Notenki Memoirs is published in the latest issue of Diamond Previews. I'll scan it tomorrow, unless someone else beats me to it.

It looks very cool, and is similar in design to the original (pre-platinum) Eva DVD covers: features a massive Eva and that distinctive stretched Times New Roman lettering.

can't wait! This will hopefully be the most important addition to Eva fandom in years!

Otaprince wrote:can't wait! This will hopefully be the most important addition to Eva fandom in years!

Platinum?

Dave wrote:Platinum?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Aww...

Has less jitter taught you that much more about the series? More to the point, have the bonus features enhanced your experience in anyway? (That is, have they not caused you to like Eva just a little less?)

Otaprince's comment stands.

Hexon.Arq wrote:

Dave wrote:Platinum?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Aww...

Has less jitter taught you that much more about the series? More to the point, have the bonus features enhanced your experience in anyway? (That is, have they not caused you to like Eva just a little less?)

Otaprince's comment stands.

Well, you know, I formed my impression of EVA from watching the original off-air, unsubtitled tapes from Japan, with the commercials and all (It's often more interesting to see what kind of commercials accompany the anime). So I don't need no fancy features, personally.

hmm, what kinds of commercials originally aired with Eva? btw- i can't believe that 10 million Japanese watched the Tv show's last episode! probably pissed off the whole country!

here's the cover, anyhow (scanned from newsprint):

[URL=http://img3.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc276&image=e3a_notenki_cover.jpg][/URL]
(click for larger)