Did Anno Have a Grand Design, Goal, or Purpose to NGE?

[MisatoCrush]

As I was diving deep into ancient threads I came across some quoted or paraphrased dialogue from one of the episodes.

I believe it was referring to the Instrumentality Program and saying it's goal was to help mankind evolve and improve itself.

Do you think Anno wanted his art, his creation to serve as a lesson to viewers and society in any way?
Several things come to mind, but mainly:

If you love someone, don't hold it in. Tell them! Life's too short and tragic.
Don't neglect your children.
Etc.

[Gorbatschow]

I can only see to purposes / messages in NGE:

1. Criticizing Nerds / Otakus
2. Thematizing sociological constructivism (HIP, Shinji's social issues, etc.)

It would surprise me, if there isn't already a thread about EVAs messages.

[The Eva Monkey]

Did Anno Have a Grand Design, Goal, or Purpose to NGE?

You should read this:

http://www.evamonkey.com/writings_anno01.php

In particular, this section:

They say, "To live is to change." I started this production with the wish that once the production complete, the world, and the heroes would change. That was my "true" desire. I tried to include everything of myself in Neon Genesis Evangelion-myself, a broken man who could do nothing for four years. A man who ran away for four years, one who was simply not dead. Then one thought. "You can't run away," came to me, and I restarted this production. It is a production where my only thought was to burn my feelings into film. I know my behavior was thoughtless, troublesome, and arrogant. But I tried. I don't know what the result will be. That is because within me, the story is not yet finished. I don't know what will happen to Shinji, Misato or Rei. I don't know where life will take them. Because I don't know where life is taking the staff of the production. I feel that I am being irresponsible. But... But it's only natural that we should synchronize ourselves with the world within the production. I've taken on a risk: "It's just an imitation." And for now I can only write this explanation. But perhaps our "original" lies somewhere within there.

[MisatoCrush]

Sweet thanks!
Yeah I saw some Anno interview threads but thought it'd be ok to address this directly with a new thread.
Cheers.

[Dataprime]

Perhaps this is why Shinji is a bit more different in the movies than compared to the
tv show to reflect Anno's change in personalty & how he sees himself now

[pwhodges]

That certainly has been suggested, and seems a reasonable presumption.

[Dream]

I think it's pretty much what Eva Monkey pointed to. Evangelion is his magnum opus and by far the work where he put the most of himself into. It's actually both overpowering and inspiring to see and feel all the passion and vital energy the staff at Gainax/Khara put in Eva and their other works.

[Gorbatschow]

I think it's pretty much what Eva Monkey pointed to. Evangelion is his magnum opus and by far the work where he put the most of himself into. It's actually both overpowering and inspiring to see and feel all the passion and vital energy the staff at Gainax/Khara put in Eva and their other works.

I personally don't know if all these little detail they put into EVA and the shire versatility used in every episode and the oeuvre are an argument in favor or against an overwhelming "plan". I just can't image that Anno was actually able to create a work that is so abundant in detail, references and different layers alone.

My guess would be, that he had basic concept (Plot and Characters) mostly thought out and all the details, "mysteries" and other elements that made Eva so great where added and thought out during the production.

[Dream]

Well yeah, obviously he didn't perfectly visualize NGE from the get-go and Gainax always was a very particular studio in that everyone could add or suggest ideas or directions of some sorts. Many people from Gainax had a very important hand in how Evangelion turned out but ultimately it's all Anno.

[Bagheera]

Perhaps this is why Shinji is a bit more different in the movies than compared to the
tv show to reflect Anno's change in personalty & how he sees himself now

I suspect it might not be as direct as all that, though; Anno seems to be in a pretty good place right now, so I would suggest that, instead of NTE!Shinji being an expression of Anno as he sees himself now (as NGE!Shinji was an expression of Anno as he saw himself then) he might instead be an expression of Anno's take on his past self: that is, instead of painting himself as a victim of his circumstances who failed to act to change them he now sees himself as the architect of his own misery. But that works both ways, of course: if he is responsible for creating his despair he also has the power to rise above it. I suspect that's what we'll see in Final, and that that will be the key element that differentiates it from EoE.