Understanding vs Mindblows

[Ryo]

I've was reading some reviews at animeacademy.com when it suddenly struck me how low scores NGE got in comparision to other anime, including the (among eva fans) ever-popular RahXephon... :roll:

I usually don't care about what other people think about the series I like, but I read the reviews anyway. I was a little suprised when the reviewers complained about Eva being too hard to understand - one of them even complaind about the 'tech-talk'.

I started wondering. Maybe they were right. Undoubtly, Neon Genesis Evangelion is hard to understand, and the first time I watched EoE... Well, it kinda gave me a new meaning to the word 'mindblow'. :?
But does this really make NGE a worse series? I find it kinda enjoying to not being able to understand everything - it gave me that kind of "I don't understand... but it's so exciting!" feeling I never got when I watched Naruto (wich I stopped watching/reading a short time after I turnd my attention to NGE, by the way).

So guys/girls/honorable dirty old men - What's your take? Is the "I don't understand..." feeling annoying? Is it a part of what makes the series so special? Or don't you care about it at all?

[Dave]

I never had that feeling, so I can't say.

[DatDude]

Eva's not for eveyone I don't blame them for not wanting to take the time to look deeper at it. Diffrent strokes for diffrent folks.

[Reichu]

Some anime make no sense after I finish watching them, but they don't engage me enough to make me even care. They're forgotten like yesterday's earwax. That is why NGE is, for me, very special.

[Mr. Tines]

I started wondering. Maybe they were right. Undoubtly, Neon Genesis Evangelion is hard to understand, and the first time I watched EoE... Well, it kinda gave me a new meaning to the word 'mindblow'. :?

The usual English term is somewhat stronger, but I know what you mean

It is an uncompromising series - it doesn't hand you all the answers wrapped up with a conventional happy ending. While I didn't have a feeling that I'd missed the big picture (plenty of details may have been hazy), I also felt that it wasn't just a pre-digested "safe" series, but actually expected the viewers to think.

I just wish there were more series that operated on the same level - while there is a lot of "rubber" science in the series, it competes at the level of good hard SF; and it doesn't suffer the mawkish sentimentality in the human relations that mars a lot of American material.

[anatrok]

Well, as I'm watching the series I just let the hard to understand stuff fly right over my head, the first time I watch it I just try to get the jist. As it is, I've watched the first 23 episodes at least 3 time each, the earlier episodes even more.

[Sectre01]

I never found it confusing or hard to understand, except for some of the wird dreams/illusioins w/e.

[Timesplitter 01]

Neon Genesis Evangelion got a 81.5%

But

RaHXephon got a 89.5%

Mmmmm........ They are not review by the same people. So I say is a bit lop sided

[Dave]

I just wish there were more series that operated on the same level...

Judging from this statement you either A) Put Eva on a pedestal so far above other anime that you haven't noticed, or B) Have to yet to see most of the stuff out there. If it's B, than boy are you in for a surprise. There really is a crap load of anime out there that work on or above Eva's level. I may be a teeeeny bit biased ( ), but I can name at least 10 shows off the top of my head that possess "Eva" like quality. If this is the stuff you like, then ask and ye shall receive.

[Timesplitter 01]

I just wish there were more series that operated on the same level...

Judging from this statement you either A) Put Eva on a pedestal so far above other anime that you haven't noticed, or B) Have to yet to see most of the stuff out there. If it's B, than boy are you in for a surprise. There really is a crap load of anime out there that work on or above Eva's level. I may be a teeeeny bit biased ( ), but I can name at least 10 shows off the top of my head that possess "Eva" like quality. If this is the stuff you like, then ask and ye shall receive.

Please to do tell

[Mr. Tines]

I just wish there were more series that operated on the same level...

Judging from this statement you either A) Put Eva on a pedestal so far above other anime that you haven't noticed, or B) Have to yet to see most of the stuff out there. If it's B, than boy are you in for a surprise.

B rather than A; but I am a picky so-and-so.

Serial Experiements Lain is the one other title I've found that works at the same intellectual take-no-prisoners level; trying to discern other such gems in amongst the seeming flood of rom-com, fantasy and fanservice that gets the bandwidth in word-of-mouth is a trying job.

[bp32]

Serial Experiements Lain is the one other title I've found that works at the same intellectual take-no-prisoners level; trying to discern other such gems in amongst the seeming flood of rom-com, fantasy and fanservice that gets the bandwidth in word-of-mouth is a trying job.

Lain may work at the same level, but it certainly isn't executed as well as Eva (well, I shouldn't say certainly--rather, IMO). I found Lain very interesting, but in the end I felt is was more empty than Eva--a big wind up without much of an ending. Besides, I thought some of the themes in Lain were similar to GITS and Eva, but that latter handled them better....

...what other shows are you thinking of?

[DatDude]

I've seen Lain and it just didn't work for me. It was well done but t slow moving for my tastes.

Im checking out Boogiepop Phantom cuz of the eva otaku page recomened it but im barly past ep 4.

Anyone got any other series that measureup?

[The Eva Monkey]

Reviewing things on a point system is always subjective. It really depends on the partiality of the reviewers. This is part of why I personally don't give a rating when I review something. I simply write what its about, why you would like or dislike it, my own personal opinions, and some commentary as to how people ought to view it to get the most out of it.

For instance, I loved Vanilla Sky, but reviewers simply thrashed the ever living crap out of it. Does this mean I'm in denial of the film's suck factor? No, it just means I was able to draw appreciation from it. Reviews are subjective in many senses, which is why more of them ought to look within the context of who might enjoy it, rather than saying that most people will like or dislike it.

To me, Eva is a lot like Vanilla Sky, you either like it or you don't. Some don't like to think, some don't see what the director was trying to say, and some couldn't care less. But for those that do, Eva is a "Perfect 10".

In short, for those that thought Eva was incomprehensible of stupid... "too bad".

[Phaze]

Dave, judging by previous comments, you are extremely biased. Never seen an anime you didn't like?

It's great how people assume Serial Experiments: Lain works on a very high level because of its incoherence. Rather, near everything is left open for the viewer to decide, so depending on what you think, it could be the most meaningful work of fiction in existence, or it could be a pretentious, 13-episode long ramble. That's just how the creative team behind it works. NieA_7 and Haibane Renmei, which came from the same people both surpass Serial Experiments: Lain by far, in my opinion. Both are series you need to see.

[Dave]

Dave, judging by previous comments, you are extremely biased. Never seen an anime you didn't like?

Guilty as charged. However, I can still tell him which shows I liked more than others, can't I?

NieA_7 and Haibane Renmei, which came from the same people both surpass Serial Experiments: Lain by far, in my opinion. Both are series you need to see.

Agreed. Wholeheartedly.

[Olin of Xephon]

Dave, you said you could name ten shows off the top of your head that at least match Eva's cerebral tendencies?
I'm actually with you on Lain, although it's wasn't that hard to understand.
Please, name the other nine.

(I want to see if I own them all or not )

[Dave]

Serial Experiments Lain
Haibane-Renmei
Berserk
RahXephon
.hack//sign
GITS: Stand Alone Complex
Monster
Elfen Lied
Air
Samurai X

Of course, this is all my opinion. But perhaps 'match' is too strong of a word. I prefer 'aspire to'. :roll:

[Phaze]

Elfen Lied? I doubt it.
Without the blood and gore, Elfen Lied would be your typical mindless fanservice-type anime. Instead, it's a mindless fanservice anime with violence.

I won't comment on the other listed titles, they, at least, are within the confines of reason.

[Dave]

Elfen Lied? I doubt it.
Without the blood and gore, Elfen Lied would be your typical mindless fanservice-type anime. Instead, it's a mindless fanservice anime with violence.

I guess by that logic, Gustav Klimt's works are nothing more than mindless fanservice as well.