EvaGate: (Another) Controversy Behind ADV's Licensing of NGE

[FelipeFritschF]

A friend just found this article collating info from usenet and mailing lists on a now forgotten ADV controversy during Eva localization back in the 90s. Yes, there was another one.

https://www.beyondelectricsheep.com/blo ... evangelion

Essentially, it seems ADV had implied they were going to collate or "improve" (ahem) on Eva into OVA form and this was apparent enough to reach Japanese fans and warrant explicit Gainax rebuttal, paired with a legal threat. Of course, this finds echo in ADV's repeated attempts to steer the franchise themselves, like their ill-fated attempt to strongarm Gainax into letting them produce a Live Action Eva Movie, lovingly known in these forums as LAEM.

However, despite confusing even Gainax, it turns out they were talking about the then unreleased Director's Cuts episodes.

[Szmitten]

Collating some of my Discord thoughts from the larger implications of the text in relation to my timeline document etc:
-It was taking "anime by storm" and was licensed before episode 20 even broadcast
-Gainax was already at this point commited to the OVA concept which aligns with my discovery/belief that the production of 25/26 (occuring at this point) was done with the knowledge they were going to remake them as OVAs.
-This incident really feels like an NDA breach. Gainax and Movic might have known internally they were going to remake the ending, and may have indicated as such to potential partners, but ADV stated it publicly 1.5 months before the original ending broadcast (potentially endangering interest) and 2.5 months before their own announcement.