How do You Respond to People Saying Eva is Pretentious?

[EVAfacepalm]

This is just something I thought I'd ask after looking through comments on Eva-related stuff. What's your personal counter-argument (if any, ignoring them is valid too) to claims that the show is "pretentious", "emo", or, "overrated"?

[C.A.P.]

Shrug it off and listen to Muppets rap about jackhammers.

[SimplyMason0]

I tell them there is psychological drama in it. The characters are quite complex if you pay attention to it. Emo is just a jaded way to mock drama involving teenagers.

As for overrated. Its bound to happen to anything.

However I do agree with the usage of religion crosses. They do come off as silly. The fact that the directors say its there to look cool doesn't help it. It does ruin a bit of the soundtrack with Asuka getting mind raped and probably ode to joy. Ditto for the budget stuff(except for Kaworu's, I thought it was handled well). I think that for religious subtext, its not obvious stuff. I remember I saw a thread that found quite a few in the comatose scene even involving the scenes right after that with Bridge Bunnies.

One other stuff people seem to use to call it pretentious are some screenshots of an interview he did where school children was involved and he said some odd things ("I used that name cause it sounds complicated"). I think he was just joking around and/or didn't want to say the entire thing at the time.

Plenty of stuff in media that have different ways of normal story telling have this. MGS2 is another example that I see often with similar complaints.

[Dream]

Minute 0:42

[CX1329]

It depends. If they haven't watched it, then they're clearly not qualified to express an informed opinion. If they have, then I guess that's how they feel about the anime and it can't really be helped, seeing as those adjectives are all subjective and different people will have different preferences.

[Katana]

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[Chuckman]

I explain to them how Evangelion is actually an alchemical formula to destroy the universe.

Most don't understand. They're the lucky ones.

[LeoXiao]

I ask them why they think so. Since it's a work of art, it's very often the case that the person calling it pretentious simply doesn't enjoy the style. If so, that's too bad. All I can do in this case is say why I personally like the series and hope they understand that our views are both subjective.

Of course, the word "pretentious" is thrown around so much nowadays that anyone who uses it as a blanket term is rather likely to not be someone to give much actual consideration to anything.

[The Eva Monkey]

What's your personal counter-argument to claims that the show is "pretentious", "emo", or, "overrated"?

But it is pretentious, emo, and overrated. It's also really good despite all of that.

[NemZ]

But it is pretentious, emo, and overrated. It's also really good despite all of that.

Pretty much this, yep.

[robersora]

Just say: "Well, it's a pretentious show for pretentious people.", and walk away.

[Sgt. Griff]

I say that it is, and it's fantastic how a simple insight into the lives of the miserable could be so pretentious.

Then I laugh.

[Blue Monday]

SPOILER: Show

[CJD]

...I don't.

Let them think what they want, ain't doin' no harm to me or my own.

[Fireball]

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This is the only appropriate answer.

[Katana]

This is the only appropriate answer.

The shortest way.

[pwhodges]

To be pretentious requires an aspect of pretence - I would ask them where that was apparent.

[InstrumentalityOne]

Ask why he is projecting his own fear of being too pretentious on a chinese cartoon

[riffraff11235]

You tell'em, Vegeta.

[CJD]

Ask why he is projecting his own fear of being too pretentious on a chinese cartoon

Not everything is projection, IO