Introducing Others to Evangelion

[Eva Yojimbo]

Ooh, I am looking forward to more entires in the "Killer Bee's mom watches NGE" saga...

she said that, despite all the hype I was giving it, it didn't seem that different from other anime like Fullmetal Alchemist.

Well, NGE intentionally starts out by reinforcing every anime/mecha cliche in the book, so I'd say it's doing its job. Plus, if someone is relatively new to anime it can be difficult to make out the details in what separates one from another; though really that holds true for any medium and/or genre.

[Killer Bee]

Ooh, I am looking forward to more entires in the "Killer Bee's mom watches NGE" saga...

Oh, good, so there wasn't a similar topic after all?

NGE intentionally starts out by reinforcing every anime/mecha cliche in the book, so I'd say it's doing its job.

Yeah, that's what I told her. I'm still debating with myself on whether to expose her to EoE at the end, or let her stop with EoTV.

[Merridian]

Oh, good, so there wasn't a similar topic after all?

There's this one: "Introducing to Parents"

Yeah, that's what I told her. I'm still debating with myself on whether to expose her to EoE at the end, or let her stop with EoTV.

when my folks watched NGE, I also included EoE. My dad said that was the most psychotic, fruitless, unpleasant thing he'd ever seen and basically left it at that. My mother said nothing. And FWIW, both of them were already acquainted with anime independently of my own interest before I showed them NGE.

I'd say go for EoE. You might as well, since it's only a bit more insane than the DC eps are.

[AngelNo13Bardiel]

Hah, like this idea. Been contemplating doing the same with my friend's grandparents. Dunno how familiar they are with anime (probably barely), but they're fairly smart people (granddad in particular likes cerebral things)...and I remember my friend's reaction to the EVA series/movie marathon we sat through about five years ago.

[child of Lilith]

I hope that your mom ends up enjoying eva, Killer Bee.

[DevRei17]

I am looking foward to hearing how your mom reacts to the rest of the series Killer Bee.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

The only exposure my mother has had to Japanese pop culture is Godzilla (which she actually introduced ME to), Yotsuba manga, and the theme song to Paprika, and the end credits song for Rebuild 1.11 (the latter three I introduced HER to). She hasn't even seen the movies in question yet.

She did however see the first half of NGE Episode 23' some time last year. I forget how she ended up sitting right next to me, but she was interested at first, saw the giant white Rei thingy, saw Rei go kamikaze, then quite watching after Rei reappears and tells Shinji "I think I'm the Third." Maybe if I start her back at the beginning, she'd like it better.

[Killer Bee]

There's this one: "Introducing to Parents"

Ah, good. My Internet spazzed out and I couldn't find it.

I'd say go for EoE. You might as well, since it's only a bit more insane than the DC eps are.

That's what I was thinking... but then again, Shinji doesn't wank over anyone in the DC episodes.

[Merridian]

^Yeah, true. But TBH it's more awkward with the enormous cross-thing spearing its way into a gigantic forehead-vagina-third-eye... thing...

In the DC cuts you have some pretty screwed up stuff anyway, from clone girl dismemberment, tentacle reip, mind rape, Bathing With Kaworu, and the mental breakdowns of half the cast; EoE just makes it more visually intense and explicit. It all depends on how you can gauge your mom's reaction to the show as it progresses, though.

[BeoX2]

I have tried this with my father, as he suffers from depression and is very philosophical, and yes, he couldn't quite get past the whole "cartoon" aspect, and he eventually stopped watching it.

I think EoE is more of a problem to show to any elders or parents. I mean, mayo? Awkward.

[EvangelionFan]

I figure that eventually my parents will catch onto how much of an Evangelion fangeek I am and ask to watch an episode or two. My father has watched the GITS films + the SAC OVAs with me and Cowboy Bebop dub as well, my mother went to bed halfway through the first GITS and despite saying she liked Cowboy Bebop she only watched four episodes while reading at the same time. On the plus side both of them know 4Kids Pokemon from my childhood, though that isn't saying much.

Since they're used to a mix of British and Americian television programmes I'd want to settle them into to other anime before exposing them to anything Eva. I got Princess Mononoke on DVD recently, so I figure anything by Miyazaki might be a good place to start.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

That's what I was thinking... but then again, Shinji doesn't wank over anyone in the DC episodes.

If that's a big concern for you, then just show her the OA episodes, since they lead into the EoTV ending quite nicely without having to refer to much to an upcoming EoE.

[Eva Yojimbo]

I'm still debating with myself on whether to expose her to EoE at the end, or let her stop with EoTV.

I would say go for it. NGE is a much lesser work without EoE.

[Killer Bee]

If that's a big concern for you, then just show her the OA episodes, since they lead into the EoTV ending quite nicely without having to refer to much to an upcoming EoE.

It's not a huge concern, and I'd rather she watch the DC episodes regardless of whether she sees EoE; they're just so much better than the originals.

[carla]

i just have to say it's so refreshing to hear that some parents do like (or even bother watching) EVA... i would never even try to show it to my mother. when i was younger and first watching the show she would pass by and give me one of those mildly horrified "where did i go wrong with this girl?" looks-- not to mention i think she was scarred for life just from hearing Shinji's terrorific bellowing. not my fault she always happened to come by my room when the boy was screaming his head off.

it's a tricky thing, introducing parents to anime, let alone EVA. it depends a lot on their personality and their tastes, to begin with. my mother is really wimpy when it comes to the stuff she watches. once my brother and i took her along to watch star wars episode III in the theatres, and she spent about 90% of the time hiding behind her jacket. so yeah, i can't show her anything that has gore or violence in it, even if it's very light. so EVA is immediately off the table. the only movies she sees of her own volition are usually romantic comedies and such-- and harry potter, but she only does that to humor me, really.

taking that into account, a while ago i was thinking about this and i thought if i had to introduce her to anime, i would choose something sappy and shoujo. but then there's the other side to it: she's fifty... something (can't remember), and she thinks animation of any sort is for kids. to be fair, she's not the only one; most people in this country think that way-- even many people in their early 20's think they're already too old for anime. and mom has something agaist anime-style art in particular: she keeps repeating she doesn't like how they "overdo the reactions, like when they open their mouths and eyes so wide and flail so much" just to be funny. she doesn't find it funny, just off-putting. she thinks it's surreal. of course, she doesn't really know what surrealism is, but i gather she wants the animation to look more realistic. so even if i showed her something sappy and shoujo, if it has those sort of "overdone" elements, she's not going to take it seriously.

so it seems that my mother and i will still pursue separate interests. could be worse. both my brother and i like anime & animation in general, so she's learned by now to just let us be. heh.

still, it would be nice if all parents could watch anime with us and get it. i think it's very interesting your mom is giving EVA a try, kirabii.

[Killer Bee]

and mom has something agaist anime-style art in particular: she keeps repeating she doesn't like how they "overdo the reactions, like when they open their mouths and eyes so wide and flail so much" just to be funny. she doesn't find it funny, just off-putting. she thinks it's surreal. of course, she doesn't really know what surrealism is, but i gather she wants the animation to look more realistic.

Yeah, my mom's kind of the same way. She doesn't dislike that kind of style per se, she just doesn't get it. When an anime character does something like that, she calls it their "chibi-face."

still, it would be nice if all parents could watch anime with us and get it. i think it's very interesting your mom is giving EVA a try, kirabii.

I guess it's the same reason parents don't "get" stuff like video games. They didn't grow up with that kind of stuff when they were kids, and now they think they're too old to be able understand it so they don't even try. Of course, there's always exceptions to the rule; we have quite a few older Eva fans on EGF. But someday we'll be the parents, and we won't have this problem anymore(at least, in terms of anime).

[xark]

My mom seriously loves Evangelion. We watched the series and then EoE. She keeps complaining that I haven't bought an adapter to hook my computer up to the t.v. yet because she really wants to see Rebuild She likes anime in general, I guess; whenever I get a new dvd for a series I really love, she'll sit down and watch it with me. I think she's probably like me in that she just likes whatever is good, no matter what medium it's in.

Before watching EoE, though, I warned her about the masturbation scene because I didn't want it to be too awkward. After it was finished she turns to me and says "If you hadn't warned me, I don't think I would have realized what was going on!"
... wat

[InstrumentalityOne]

My dad found some Eva doujinshi lying about and now he thinks that it´s all just porn.

It didn´t help when I said that Eva was so good, I re-watched it about 5 times or so.

[Killer Bee]

Before watching EoE, though, I warned her about the masturbation scene because I didn't want it to be too awkward. After it was finished she turns to me and says "If you hadn't warned me, I don't think I would have realized what was going on!"
... wat

Honestly, the first time I saw it, I had no idea what was going on either.

I don't know if I was distracted at the time or if my laptop's screen was just that crappy, but the first time I saw it I couldn't even make out the mayo; I thought Shinji was just looking at his hand for some unfathomable reason. It wasn't until a couple years later, when I stumbled upon a screenshot on EGF, that I realized what had happened.

My dad found some Eva doujinshi lying about and now he thinks that it´s all just porn.

It didn´t help when I said that Eva was so good, I re-watched it about 5 times or so

My mom thinks the Raising Project manga is porn.

[KLVTZ]

This might surprise you guys
First of all, i began watching NGE around 14; including death/rebirth and EoE. My parents never really reject to me watching things that contain more of an adult theme. I mean the first Anime i got obsessed(at 11-13 years old) with was Rurouni Kenhsin Those battle scenes with all that blood made me worried that my mom or dad would reject but they like the whole series, they didn't watch the whole thing with me, but parts they would sit in and they really enjoyed the epicness it was. Plus i use to watch the series with a friend and her brother and sisters were HUGE Anime fans, there parents where friends with mine; they were cool with Anime, they became cool with Anime.
I never actually exposed my parents to NGE Universe BUT i am confident that when i do(which is shortly) I will have great progress.
My Dad- i will have no problems getting him to watch Anime with, he like Rurouni Kenshin and believe it or not read 2 vol. of the manga(OMG)! And he loved the style and direction of Fullmetal Alchemist! What's even better is we watch [Adult Swim] almost every night and even setting our DVR to record shows we missed (Family guy, Robot chicken, ATHF, Metalocylypse, SuperJail, you name it). Next time i get the chance where doing a marathon!
My mother on the other hand is more conservative, i think i can get her to watch it and we can really relate on the psychological development of the show, and as far as fan service she'll get a kick out of it.
I'm a little shy as any teenager(I'm 17) in sharing something i like, but i swallow my shyness, my embarrassment, and any other thing that might come up and be confident- "I like NGE and i want others to have the same experience i had."
What order you might ask? NGE>D/R>EoE>ROE.

BTW i have young parents compared to most of you guys; 36 and 34. XD