So Where's Russia, Anyway?

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So Where's Russia, Anyway?

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Postby Bagheera » Fri May 13, 2011 9:38 am

The White Paper question in the Everything Else forum reminded me of a question I've had for awhile: where the heck is Russia during all of NGE? Its absence seems really odd; we have China in there, and the U.S., and Germany, but no Russia. Why not? It should be an economic powerhouse in the wake of 2I, since the climate changes would make it the breadbasket of the world. Add to that the fact I would have to think they'd have a serious political presence in the UN and NERV...well, where are they?

Am I missing something obvious? Has this ever been addressed? Is the question old news?
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Postby Reichu » Fri May 13, 2011 9:49 am

The Committee member that looks like the Penguin is from Russia. I'm guessing Russia is one of the seven locations where MP construction took place, as well -- but that's just a guess.
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Re: So Where's Russia, Anyway?

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Postby Xard » Fri May 13, 2011 9:52 am

View Original PostBagheera wrote:Why not? It should be an economic powerhouse in the wake of 2I, since the climate changes would make it the breadbasket of the world. Add to that the fact I would have to think they'd have a serious political presence in the UN and NERV...well, where are they?


it's not like Anno seriously thought about stuff like this

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Postby Kendrix » Fri May 13, 2011 10:11 am

Rebuild has Russians working in Bethany Base/chatting in the background...
And for NGE, well, there's the long-nosed Seele dude... or is that the french one? I'm sure that the dark skinned guy in green is the american one, but the rest...?

EDIT: BOTH of them have rather long Noses. The french one is the skinny one with glasses, the other guy wirth them sideburns is the russian dude.
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Postby Bagheera » Fri May 13, 2011 11:28 am

View Original PostReichu wrote:The Committee member that looks like the Penguin is from Russia. I'm guessing Russia is one of the seven locations where MP construction took place, as well -- but that's just a guess.


I knew about the committee member, but hadn't considered the MP Evas; that would make sense. Using the same reasoning I guess we could assume France and England might also be construction sites, yes?

It's odd that we don't hear about NERV facilities in any of these places, though; it's not like China has any big role to play in the story and yet we know about some sort of facilities in the area (though now that I think about it I can't remember where we heard about that).

I wonder why NERV HQ has such strong ties with NERV's branches in Germany? Is this just because of Japan's recurring fascination with Germany, or is there something more to it? Though given Japan's frosty relationships with China and Russia I suppose it makes sense.
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Postby Xard » Fri May 13, 2011 11:34 am

Anno seem to have something of a personal interest in Germany too. And given the extent of german terms etc. in the show having Germany's NERV play large role instead of, say, France fits the general "scheme" and mood of series better


Really, mostly it's all either USA or Germany as far as barbarian countries are considered

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Postby Tarnsman » Fri May 13, 2011 11:42 am

It's like that for all anime. Russia does get some recognition but not as much as other foreigners. Due to Japan's love of Germany, their love/hate relationship with America, and their constant sibling bickering with China and Korea those countries tend to be the most foreigners in anime.
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Postby Reichu » Fri May 13, 2011 12:29 pm

View Original PostBagheera wrote:it's not like China has any big role to play in the story and yet we know about some sort of facilities in the area (though now that I think about it I can't remember where we heard about that).

http://wiki.evageeks.org/File:Eoe_magi_display.jpg

Plus, Mysterious Chinese Guy in episode 07 says that his country will be responsible for Eva-08 (I think...), which implies that Nerv facilities (will) exist.

@Tarnsman: Anime seems to have a soft spot for France, as well. (I can think of more references to France off the top of my head than to Korea. Then, I could say the same for the U.K...)
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Postby NemZ » Fri May 13, 2011 12:39 pm

View Original PostReichu wrote:http://wiki.evageeks.org/File:Eoe_magi_display.jpg


I've never noticed before just how utterly ridiculous this screen is, as if magi hacking attempts were arranged into units on a field. Since when does a firewall have a 'flank'?
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Postby Kendrix » Fri May 13, 2011 1:17 pm

The displays are all riduculously arranged - It's a sign of crazy preparedness, I think... or its actually one big touchscreen which the Magi make look like whatever ridiculous stuff is required.

Well, Mari's British (The never said which part of Britain she's from, tough ununsed scenes suggest say she's English and either she or her father own some distinguished mansion.) and Frace... There's the french Seele guy, and besides, Anno already had French (And Afrikans and one Spanish character who didn't look spanish at all - they probably think all Europeans look alike. XD) in Nadia, he probably thought it was time for the rest of Europe XD

As for Russia, well duh, they can't write us a novel about every single country in the world...
Their neighbors/economic Rivals (China), and the places where they sell lots of their producs (USA, middle Europe) are probably more interesting for them Japanese ppl/ or they may at least know more about them/ have more associations than they have with Russia. They don't have that much history with em Russians... Or have they?
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Postby Tarnsman » Fri May 13, 2011 1:45 pm

View Original PostReichu wrote:@Tarnsman: Anime seems to have a soft spot for France, as well. (I can think of more references to France off the top of my head than to Korea. Then, I could say the same for the U.K...)


I only mentioned Korea because Korea likes to rip off Japan's stuff and tell them their shows are racist. But you are correct if I had to rank the occurrence of nationalities other than Japanese in anime it would be.

1)America/Germany/China
2)The Rest of Europe + Mexico
3)Russia and the Middle East
4)Korea and the rest of Asia

@Kendrix - There was the Russo-Japanese War, a few minor battles towards the end of world war 2, and a couple territory disputes about northern islands.
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Postby LoCooLaidman » Fri May 13, 2011 1:54 pm

Hmm... now that i think about it... Noir is the only anime that i've seen use Russia as a back drop... and the Middle East too!

One would think that countries with some money and power would be able to produce/help fund the creation of Evas...

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Postby Bagheera » Fri May 13, 2011 3:36 pm

View Original PostReichu wrote:http://wiki.evageeks.org/File:Eoe_magi_display.jpg


Whoa, that's weird; makes it look like the only other NERV facilities are in Matsushiro, Beijing, Berlin, Hamburg, and Massachusetts. But if that's so, and if there were seven sites for MPE construction...where are the other sites? Maybe they're satellite sites with no MAGI or other top tier infrastructure to speak of? And who doubled up on the MPEs, I wonder? There were originally supposed to be twelve, right?

@Tarnsman: Anime seems to have a soft spot for France, as well. (I can think of more references to France off the top of my head than to Korea. Then, I could say the same for the U.K...)


Both France and the U.K. make it in here and there. I'm just surprised Russia's ignored as much as it is; it doesn't even seem to be on the radar most of the time. I wouldn't think it odd if not for the fact that it's basically a neighbor to Japan (and a powerful one at that).
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Postby Xard » Fri May 13, 2011 3:50 pm

Hell, there seems to be more references to Finland than Russia in anime, which needless to say is completely absurd. At least France, UK etc. are big countries

Finland is...uhh, Finland

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Postby Stryker » Fri May 13, 2011 4:05 pm

I think Russia is north of China....


Ultimately, Russia needs more appearances in Anime. It's just too badass not to be.
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Postby Kendrix » Fri May 13, 2011 4:12 pm

May be, but Eva is not really that much ABOUT that sort of thing, mention of foreighn countries are more... decoration.
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Postby Bagheera » Fri May 13, 2011 5:03 pm

@Xard: Finland??? Where?

@Stryker: Check your maps, son. Russia's big. They and Korea are Japan's closest neighbors.

But you're right about the rest.

@Kendrix: It's less a matter of being accurate than of failing to use a big handy plot device. Putting a NERV facility in Beijing makes a lot of sense; you can get a lot of mileage out of it. So why not do something with Russia? For instance, why use the Pacific Fleet in 08 instead of a Russian group out of Vladivostok? It would give a nod to real world logistics and geography and at the same time give us some clue as to Russia's involvement in what's going on. They're a big enough power that failing to deal with them at all is just weird.

It's just a missed opportunity. And it's not even a big, really; it's just a little odd.
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People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
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Postby Legendary » Fri May 13, 2011 5:08 pm

Fanwank tiem! *puts on Nebukawa glasses*

After the devastation of Second Impact and the change in axial tilt, it is true that Russia was primarily in a semi-tropical or temperate climate. In the first few years, it was hoped that it would be able to produce more food for the world. However, the change in currents and atmospheric conditions did not result in a breadbasket, but a desert.

Worse still, the arable parts of Russia were in collapse because of the fall of the Soviet regime. Rather than remaining one strong country, it fragmented. Russia proper extends throughout the desolate European deserts, centered on Moscow. New countries exist in Siberia, but are all developing nations.



There we go! Questions answered!


EDIT: More specifically, the reason Russia isn't prominent in Nerv is because it's not in the spotlight and as the things that hit it after Second Impact are never discussed we cannot ascertain why they aren't a critical part of the Nerv machine.

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Postby Mr. Tines » Fri May 13, 2011 5:24 pm

View Original PostStryker wrote:I think Russia is north of China....
True, but very close to home : but remember NGE was made shortly after the Soviet Union had imploded and it looked like it was downhill all the way.
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Postby Ironfoot » Fri May 13, 2011 6:43 pm

Exactly. Russia was not in the best of shape in 1995 and Gainax really cannot be blamed for giving little emphasis to Russia at that time. They don't exactly have much of a friendship together either, given the Kuril Islands dispute, the Russo-Japanese War and the Soviet-Japanese War of 1945 which was a big factor in the Japanese surrender.


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