Newtype USA December 2006 Eva transcript

[Ayana-Me]

So this IS going to be an AU rewrite of the Series adn not a collection of side stories like I thought.

This is going to turn into a great big steaming pile boys and girls.

Whether you think it will be a big, steaming pile doesn't change the fact that Rebuild is the way that this story was intended to be presented. The bigger budget, larger staff and gained wisdom makes it the least creatively restrictive Eva media.

As for side stories, I'm quite hopeful. I'm sure there will be plenty of scenes that fill in the story as a whole. Perhaps they'll show how Hikari became class rep or have a "everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask" section on Aoba

[Reichu]

Whether you think it will be a big, steaming pile doesn't change the fact that Rebuild is the way that this story was intended to be presented.

As a series of 3 1/2 movies? I remember something about Anno and company proposing "Neon Genesis Evangelion (tentative title)" as a 26-episode anime back in Ye Olde 90's.

You can only take the "THIS IS NGE AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED!!!" stuff so far. Operation Yashima getting a total makeover to compensate for its previously limited status is straightforward renovation. But the claim that Webuild is somehow supposed to represent their 'original intentions' for the show seems ridiculously ignorant to me.

[Ornette]

Actually, wasn't there a Sadamoto interview that mentioned Anno wanted to do an OVA (very, very early on, possibly before production even started)?

[Ayana-Me]

You can only take the "THIS IS NGE AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED!!!" stuff so far. Operation Yashima getting a total makeover to compensate for its previously limited status is straightforward renovation. But the claim that Webuild is somehow supposed to represent their 'original intentions' for the show seems ridiculously ignorant to me.

Format aside, I was merely suggesting that the sentiments expressed in this particular installment of the Eva story will be closer to what Anno had initially wanted. Producing a television show is inherently restrictive in that the program must fit into a rigid time slot and must be kept clean of "objectionable" content. In Rebuild's case, censorship won't be a hindrance.

In order to keep viewers coming back, Eva fell into that "monster of the week" genre of anime. Granted, it is without question the best work in that genre. While I have little doubt that Rebuild will have some spectacular angel battles, I don't think it will fall into that kind of repetitious arrangement.

[Reichu]

Format aside, I was merely suggesting that the sentiments expressed in this particular installment of the Eva story will be closer to what Anno had initially wanted.

I'm not sure how possible that is, considering 10+ years have gone by and he's no longer the same person.

Actually, wasn't there a Sadamoto interview that mentioned Anno wanted to do an OVA (very, very early on, possibly before production even started)?

LOL, maybe I should actually read that thing.

[Kaysow]

Whether you think it will be a big, steaming pile doesn't change the fact that Rebuild is the way that this story was intended to be presented.

That kinda marketing is complete bullshit. Evangelion, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Star Wars, it was all that it was. It was never INTENDED that it would be released 10-20 years later with better graphics. That kind of sentiment ticks me off. We'll always be held back at our current technology, so take your own work for what it is you greedy sons of bitches. I won't stop you from picking your old projects back up, but fucking tell it like it is already; you're cashing in.

[Ornette]

Whether you think it will be a big, steaming pile doesn't change the fact that Rebuild is the way that this story was intended to be presented.

As a series of 3 1/2 movies? I remember something about Anno and company proposing "Neon Genesis Evangelion (tentative title)" as a 26-episode anime back in Ye Olde 90's.

I didn't mean to interject something that was a non-sequitor into this discussion, but I'm also curious about Anno's original intention for his story spanning a medium of 200 minutes(?) worth of content? IMHO based off of interviews with Anno shortly after EoTV, he was pretty satisfied with the result of the TV series. But, my source is the internet, and its known to be wrong.

[Ayana-Me]

Whether you think it will be a big, steaming pile doesn't change the fact that Rebuild is the way that this story was intended to be presented.

That kinda marketing is complete bullshit. Evangelion, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Star Wars, it was all that it was. It was never INTENDED that it would be released 10-20 years later with better graphics. That kind of sentiment ticks me off. We'll always be held back at our current technology, so take your own work for what it is you greedy sons of bitches. I won't stop you from picking your old projects back up, but fucking tell it like it is already; you're cashing in.

Apparently I must reiterate my initial point, which is that this time around there will be elements included that were not possible to accamodate when they first made the series. Thus, making it a truer version of the creators' vision. But don't take my word for it, this point was enunciated quite well by Toshimichi Otsuki in the recent Newtype USA Article

Anno already had many of the basic ideas and images in mind 12 years ago. We're just realizing his vision more thoroughly. At least that's our plan for the first installment.

There ya go, straight from the horse's mouth. If you don't want to believe him, that's your perogative. But if we are to take him at his word, then yes, this would be the way it was intended. Rebuild is to the series as EoE is to EoTV, a new version of an initial idea without all the budgetary and technological restrictions. Had I known that such a basic premise would provoke such a reactionary response, I might have been a bit more tactful.

[BrikHaus]

Anno already had many of the basic ideas and images in mind 12 years ago. We're just realizing his vision more thoroughly. At least that's our plan for the first installment.

There ya go, straight from the horse's mouth. If you don't want to believe him, that's your perogative. But if we are to take him at his word, then yes, this would be the way it was intended. Rebuild is to the series as EoE is to EoTV, a new version of an initial idea without all the budgetary and technological restrictions. Had I known that such a basic premise would provoke such a reactionary response, I might have been a bit more tactful.

I think I have to agree with Kaysow on this one. This is the same crap that George Lucas fed us before he re-released the original Star Wars trilogy. I just can't shake the feeling that the only reason this new series of movies exists is because they want money and can't come up with any good, new ideas.

[Ayana-Me]

I think I have to agree with Kaysow on this one. This is the same crap that George Lucas fed us before he re-released the original Star Wars trilogy. I just can't shake the feeling that the only reason this new series of movies exists is because they want money and can't come up with any good, new ideas.

The majority of the changes made to the Star Wars special editions had absolutely nothing to do with the plot development. Don't get me wrong, I love knowing that it was Greedo who shot first and those new dewback stormtroopers looked pretty sharp. But most of the additions were really minor, like different intercom dialogues and some "augmented" TIE-fighter laser cannons. Seeing Luke Skywalker hug Wedge Antilles at the end of Return of the Jedi was nice though (I always knew those two would end up together :roll:)

I think that in the previous thread comparing Lucas to Anno, the concensus was that there really is no analogy to be made. George Lucas, as demonstrated by episodes 1-3, is primarily concerned with the technical aspects of Star Wars. In Rebuild, we're talking about major plot modifications (Rei and Kaworu being the main focus of Prologue). And again, it may very well be that money is the chief motivation in this production, but don't draw false analogies between two works whose approaches are fundamentally distinct.

Also, the idea that the formulation of the plot and direction of Rebuild has somehow been an easy endeavour flies in the face of what the producers have described thus far. I believe it was Otsuki who said that hammering out a story and coming to a concensus on it has been extremely difficult, he described it as being "unstable". It sounds like they are in fact having to come up with the "good, new ideas" you are talking about.

[BrikHaus]

Don't get me wrong, I love knowing that it was Greedo who shot first

My sarcasm detector isn't working very well at the moment. Please tell me that you are joking.

In Rebuild, we're talking about major plot modifications (Rei and Kaworu being the main focus of Prologue).

I'm pretty sure this is just conjecture. I don't think any source has definitively stated that Rei and Kaworu are the main focus on the movie. Only that they will somehow be important. Anything else is just the fanboys running hog wild with the scant details we currently have.

Also, the idea that the formulation of the plot and direction of Rebuild has somehow been an easy endeavour flies in the face of what the producers have described thus far. [...] It sounds like they are in fact having to come up with the "good, new ideas" you are talking about.

I don't think anyone said that this was an easy endeavor. Certainly, a lot of time, money, and effort goes into every movie. And to me, a good, new idea would be something totally original. If Anno had some actual new ideas he'd be creating something completely new, not just drawing from well of Eva once again.

[Ayana-Me]

I'm pretty sure this is just conjecture. I don't think any source has definitively stated that Rei and Kaworu are the main focus on the movie. Only that they will somehow be important. Anything else is just the fanboys running hog wild with the scant details we currently have.

Point taken. In this instance, I did kinda conflate speculation and fact. Although, I think that Kaworu's mere presence in the first volume of this series, as opposed to him making a brief appearance at the end, does suggest that there will be some essential continuity differences. Until then, A GUY CAN DREAM CAN'T HE?!!!!?!?

[Trigger's Elysium]

Who cares if Rebuild is cash-in bullshit? Just enjoy it!

[Ayana-Me]

Who cares if Rebuild is cash-in bullshit? Just enjoy it!

I couldn't agree more. To me, it's like a Cancun wet t-shirt contest. Everyone ends up a winner: we get something to live for and they get their money. All's right in the world.

[Gendo'sPapa]

Normally I'd agree, a revamp of an extremely successful series like this so long after the fact could be considered a cash-in.
BUT-
Eva has a long and intersting history about its creation. This isn't like STAR WARS which had all the money available thrown at it to make the prettiest pictures possible (though Lucas will always be worse than anything Anno can do with Eva, isn't he rereleasing the entire Star Wars saga in theaters again in 2009 but this time in 3-D with new 3-D SCENES!!!).

Eva wasn't a large budget production. And Anno clearly had an idea of where the series was going when he started (the intro shows hints of some of the elements to come in later in the series) but somewhere during the middle of production Anno got big into pyschology and when they learned about their harsh cutback in budget (because of the increasingly bleak nature the series was following, especially since the show was originally playing in a kid-friendly hour) the series had to go through some sudden rash changes.
Watch EVA and the second half almost seems like a different series. That was in part caused by the new influences that came along and changed Anno's original goals and the cut backs in budget which is why many scenes in the final episodes are really just still frames with a flashing light here or there (its when you find yourself watching a still image of two people with their back to you for over a minute do you really appreciate how well done the original EVA is).

Either way, if what they mean is "How we originally planned it" it could very well mean before the psychology and brain fucking snuck in and became an integral part of the show.
Star Wars never had a plan to begin with (Lucas won't admit he never had any Episodes planned after the first one- PS. The Episode bit was tagged on later- and also the director of EMPIRE (not Lucas) changed a key line of dialouge from "I KILLED your father" to "I AM your father!"... so much for "I had it all planned out from the beginning).
Eva seems to at least have had an outline. And somewhere along the line because of their drastic decrease in budget or just because Anno wanted to experiment it changed.


Anywho thats my opinion. I'm still excited about this. Cash-in or not I don't care.
A year ago everyone was giving Scorsese shit for "cashing in" and doing a remake of Infernal Affairs and now look- everyone's all orgasmic (me too) over "The Departed".

In the end, if REBUILD is fantastic and a succress, then all the proclaimers saying "CASH-IN WHORES" will do a total 180.
And if its bad (which considering the talent I doubt), all the naysayers will just say "I TOLD YOU SO".
Oh well, go Anno and Tsurumaki!!!

[BrikHaus]

In the end, if REBUILD is fantastic and a succress, then all the proclaimers saying "CASH-IN WHORES" will do a total 180.
And if its bad (which considering the talent I doubt), all the naysayers will just say "I TOLD YOU SO".
Oh well, go Anno and Tsurumaki!!!

With my recent posts, I've probably given the wrong impression of how I really feel about the upcoming movies. I am actually really, truly, honestly excited about more Evangelion. I am, however, taking on the role of skeptical fan because, well, nobody else seems to be ;) Believe me, I want these to be awesome, but sometimes history repeats itself, and revisiting a classic can have disastrous results. That said, let's hope all of our worrying will turn out to be for nothing.

[Kaysow]

@ Gendo's Papa

B-B-But...! Evangelion is Evangelion because of how it turned out! I love what became of the series by the end. THAT'S the reason people remember and revere it to this date! It was a long shot, not even really intended to be what it became, and it somehow worked out better than any stable project could have hoped to do.
THAT'S Evangelion. What they are now trying to do is to do it "right", when "wrong" is what made it all so special.

Fuck it, I'm stoked and will be downloading this just like any other red blooded geek. Just don't expect me to keep quiet when I have a bad feeling about something, or a beef with how they market it. In this case, it's a simple case of frustration that Anno and company don't seem to understand that a simplified and CORRECTED Evangelion very well could mean their ruin. Or maybe not, what the fuck do I know.

[Sailor Star Dust]

Last article scan. The one that started it all:

[URL=http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i267/sailorstardust/Rebuild%20stuff/Newtype%20USA%20Eva/?action=view&current=NTDec06-Cover.jpg][/URL]

Newtype USA December 2006 Volume 05, Number 12

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[URL=http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i267/sailorstardust/Rebuild%20stuff/Newtype%20USA%20Eva/?action=view&current=NTDec06-06.jpg][/URL] [URL=http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i267/sailorstardust/Rebuild%20stuff/Newtype%20USA%20Eva/?action=view&current=NTDec06-05.jpg][/URL]

Curse you, binding.

Omake:

[URL=http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i267/sailorstardust/Rebuild%20stuff/Newtype%20USA%20Eva/?action=view&current=NTJapanOct06-Cover.jpg][/URL]