Otsuki Interview - November 2006

[Hiten777]

Ahhh, so you're saying Anno wants to give other animators a lower benchmark?

Well, unless he can rekindle a fire that can top the drama and mind-rape that was NGE, he's going to have to do what he can to start off a new bar for his future anime. And I'm pretty sure we all don't really wish for Anno to have another downhill in life just so we can get another scale like NGE. I'm happy he's happy and going back trying to build up on something he made during a different time in his life.

As far as other anime, they set the bar themselves when they chose money and profits over making really complex or great anime lol. Granted I don't mind all the "moe" and stuff but I do wish to see more anime that had great stories and focused on plot.

[Noriko is my wife]

It's amusing to see that, even in Japan, there are folks who blame moe for the downfall of anime.

I see a difference between them though. One is saying that he can't make anime aimed at younger teens any longer because the don't have the disposable income of older fans which will hinder growth in the long term.


The other just hates cute girls. These people also exist in Japan but I don't think moe is what Otsuki is complaining about. If older fans all preferred say... retro-styled adrenaline filled sci-fi racing anime (seven years hand drawn even) and younger fans didn't Otsuki's problem would still exist whereas the latter group wouldn't have any problems at all.

People were saying that the rise of kawaii titles was ruining anime at around the same time that NGE was airing (there are posts on rec.arts.anime from 1996 that make exactly this complaint), so Otsuki is giving NGE (or modern moe titles) more credit than it deserves for any perceived decay in the medium.

When a producer, someone whose job it is to make sure everyone see returns on their investments and probably more than anyone is judged on the commercial success of the project saying he's sorry for creating a hit too big and changing the industry he's really just coming up with creative ways to glorify himself.

[BornIn1142]

I see a difference between them though. One is saying that he can't make anime aimed at younger teens any longer because the don't have the disposable income of older fans which will hinder growth in the long term.

The other just hates cute girls.

Are you serious? You don't think that's just a little bit reductive in regards to the issues people have with moe anime?

[Noriko is my wife]

Are you serious? You don't think that's just a little bit reductive in regards to the issues people have with moe anime?

No matter how nuanced these anti-moe attitudes may be they're the consumers desire to see the industry catering to his specific taste. I assume that's what all of us really want. Otsuki on the other hand isn't speaking as a consumer.

[BornIn1142]

No matter how nuanced these anti-moe attitudes may be they're the consumers desire to see the industry catering to his specific taste. I assume that's what all of us really want. Otsuki on the other hand isn't speaking as a consumer.

Well, me... I'm an idealist.

I'd prefer it if the anime industry could work as a group of artists creating art, not as a group of businessmen trying to peddle a product. What I want is for animators and writers to create original stories that they feel passionate about so I could take in different varieties of fiction and discover new things. What I don't want is for them to stitch together cliches to appeal to the lowest common denominator or "cater to my taste" so I'm never challenged and never have to leave my comfortable little rut. That's just me though.

[Ornette]

What I don't want is for them to stitch together cliches to appeal to the lowest common denominator or "cater to my taste" so I'm never challenged and never have to leave my comfortable little rut. That's just me though.

But it's not the lowest common denominator that's being appealed to, it's a tiny minority of anime watchers that happen to spend the most money on it.

[StratoSakuya...AF]

Hmm, don't know what to think of this. Hope was what EOE was all about anyway.

It's not like I want EOTV or EOE again but I don't want, ugh... I just don't want something that caters to people, haha. If that makes sense[?]. I'll stand by my sentiments in the 'Do you want an Alternate Ending' thread for sure:
http://forum.evageeks.org/post/550660/Evangelion-40-do-you-really-want-an-alternate-ending/#550660

Cringing hard at the thought of an "ongoing" Eva after NTE is done and dusted. Countdown to nerd rage imminent. INB4 Strato; "I told you so!"




Backed.

Also, thank you again Numbers-kun for the translation! You rule!

I'm not going to say that. I knew it was the only way they could be going. Most remakes are either to bring new fans in or get a franchise moving more. The 2 ending made it obvious Eva was going beyond Instrumentality this time.

So they are sticking to the ending where Kaworu vaporizes NA? Oh, I'm so getting that to the OBD as soon as I can.

Well, at least now I can finally say: Yay! for Kaworu! MOON MAN SAYS NO!

[Warren Peace]

Well, me... I'm an idealist.

I'd prefer it if the anime industry could work as a group of artists creating art, not as a group of businessmen trying to peddle a product.

Until there's a large group of animators who are willing to work for months and years without getting paid + distributors/advertisers who are willing to burn their own money, I'm afraid that paying for the creation of this most expensive artform will always be a concern. If you're going to make this stuff, you've also gotta be in the business of "peddling" it. Sorry if that offends you.

[Hyper Shinchan]

So they are sticking to the ending where Kaworu vaporizes NA? Oh, I'm so getting that to the OBD as soon as I can.

Do you also have a bizarre obsession with the vaporisation of that continent? Anyway I have some strong doubts about it, they've recovered some elements from the Proposal, like the unique Eva 05-06 and the Angel(s) from the Moon, but it doesn't mean that they're re-enacting the Proposal for real, except for those details the events seem to be quite different.

[Bagheera]

It's amusing to see that, even in Japan, there are folks who blame moe for the downfall of anime.

No, he blames Eva (and Eva's success) for the downfall of anime. Moe is the result, not the cause. I'm not sure how he expects the new movies to fix that, though; Eva wrecked the industry by being too damn successful, so how will uber-successful movies change that? It's like fighting fire with gasoline.

[riffraff11235]

Anyway I have some strong doubts about it, they've recovered some elements from the Proposal, like the unique Eva 05-06 and the Angel(s) from the Moon, but it doesn't mean that they're re-enacting the Proposal for real, except for those details the events seem to be quite different.

Not to mention the fact that there are going to be half as many Angels in Rebuild as there were in the Proposal. In Rebuild Gendo said something along the lines of "We still have eight Angels we must defeat." That was before the battle with Ramiel, the sixth Angel in Rebuild, so 5 + 8 = 13 Angels in total. Which means there are three left to spread out over the next two movies. I think the proposal mentioned 26 Angels, with the last 12 or so descending from the Moon all at once. Could this last part have been alluded to in Kaworu's descent from the Moon at the end of 2.0?

[Hyper Shinchan]

Could this last part have been alluded to in Kaworu's descent from the Moon at the end of 2.0?

The four void coffins could indicate that the other Angels descended from the Moon as well.

SPOILER: Show

but yeah, they descended one by one, the number of Angels is different, Kaworu's role is probably different, etc.

[riffraff11235]

The four void coffins could indicate that the other Angels descended from the Moon as well.

SPOILER: Show

but yeah, they descended one by one, the number of Angels is different, Kaworu's role is probably different, etc.

Yeah, you're right. Only four angels had been released by the end of 1.0, so that's another viable theory for the significance of the coffins. Does this mean that Kaworu might be the 5th Angel in this continuity, with all of the later ones being shifted over by one?

[Hyper Shinchan]

Does this mean that Kaworu might be the 5th Angel in this continuity, with all of the later ones being shifted over by one?

He should be the seventh Angel in theory but interestingly enough Clockiel got that number.

[riffraff11235]

He should be the seventh Angel in theory but interestingly enough Clockiel got that number.

Ah, right, forgot to count Adam and Lilith for some reason....

[JoeD80]

So they are sticking to the ending where Kaworu vaporizes NA? Oh, I'm so getting that to the OBD as soon as I can.

That's not the same episode in the proposal. The human-angel is episode 22; America is vaporized in episode 24 with Eva 06.

I think the proposal mentioned 26 Angels, with the last 12 or so descending from the Moon all at once.

Yep including the 12 moon Angels the proposal says there are 28 total.

[StratoSakuya...AF]

That's not the same episode in the proposal. The human-angel is episode 22; America is vaporized in episode 24 with Eva 06.


Yep including the 12 moon Angels the proposal says there are 28 total.

Mark.6 vaporizes NA. A lot of Nerdrage for all Bishoujo series addicts.

:Hestonlaugh

[BornIn1142]

Until there's a large group of animators who are willing to work for months and years without getting paid + distributors/advertisers who are willing to burn their own money, I'm afraid that paying for the creation of this most expensive artform will always be a concern. If you're going to make this stuff, you've also gotta be in the business of "peddling" it. Sorry if that offends you.

A work of fiction can make money from it's quality too, you know. Good anime have been known to make a profit sometimes.

[gwern]

So society has entered a new age (it has?), Anno has solved his problems (which made him so interesting...), the interest of people like us in Eva is "obsessive" and a "deviation" and a motive which must be destroyed, anime must be made for children to watch or it has no future, and he's pleased that Studio Khara is made of men who are acting like little boys.

I was worried from the start of Rebuild given the early Anno and Otsuki statements about 'getting rid of the mysteries', and the recent Anno Russian translation about forgetting about otaku and just making fanservicey entertainment, but after reading this, I'm starting to dread watching _3.0_.

[Mr. Tines]

just making fanservicey entertainment

You've seen 2.0, I take it, since by all I've heard, that's a fair description of that episode.

I'm starting to dread watching _3.0_.

With the Q and Beyond subforum growing nearly 4000 posts in the two weeks since the film made its debut, you can be sure that it is generating controversy; but I think I can safely say that it's not what you are expecting.