Should my friends watch series together or separately?

[drinian]

There's very few people whom I trust to speak while watching something. Most people just annoy me.

And, honestly, I don't trust myself to shut up.

Movie theater rules apply. The nice thing about watching a half-hour TV show with a few people, though, is that there's frequent intermissions to help cut off the urge to say something.

[cyharding]

My experience says otherwise. One friend who had quite enjoyed the series despite being confused at points retroactively declared the entire thing a waste of time after I showed him EoE. Compared to his reaction my hatred for EoE!Shinji is TAME.

I would have to agree with Nemz here. I had a similar experience when I showed Eva to one of my older brothers. He found it somewhat interesting at the end of the TV episodes, but declared that the staff copped out at the end after seeing EoE.

[Azathoth]

There's very few people whom I trust to speak while watching something. Most people just annoy me.

And, honestly, I don't trust myself to shut up.

Pretty much this. It becomes particularly bad in watching EoE, if you don't get people going "LOL WUTS HAPPENING NOW" then you get people sitting there making it painfully obvious that they're too polite to ask what's happening now.

[MugwumpHasNoLiver]

Pretty much this. It becomes particularly bad in watching EoE, if you don't get people going "LOL WUTS HAPPENING NOW" then you get people sitting there making it painfully obvious that they're too polite to ask what's happening now.

Oh man. One time I was watching EoE and right as '26 starts, a friend of mine comes over unannounced because he needed to kill a half-hour. He brought this guy I was casually acquainted with, so I told them both to sit down and watch the movie with me. My friend thought it was 'intriguing', but the acquaintance was mortified. I heard he had nightmares later, and I could not stop laughing about it. Actually, now that I remembered this, I suddenly want to watch EoE with a big group of people.

[BornIn1142]

The only experience I have watching anime in a group is with my university's anime club - and I think it blunts the effect of sharp dramatic moments pretty much every time. Scenes that just aren't funny or even particularly ridiculous draw laughter in a crowd. I imagine Evangelion would be pretty open to... riffing, which would be disastrous on a first viewing. I could imagine watching it with someone else, if they were the right kind of person, but in general, no.

[Jessemon]

Awesome, thanks for all the responses!!

I've decided to have them watch it separately, mostly for reasons that people reinforced here, and also because one of the two friends in particular is very sensitive to how he thinks others around him are feeling (aka, he's one of those people who will show you some new show or movie he likes and then ask everyone in the room halfway through it if they are enjoying it or if he should turn it off, hehe).

Tbh though, I am actually looking forward to being asked a million questions about the series, since I really haven't had much of a chance to discuss it with anyone outside of online forums (not that I'm knocking you guys or anything ).

Thanks for the responses though!

[JUSTINBAILEY]

I watched the it in Japanese the first time alone. (including EoE and the rebuilds) But I enjoy watching it a second time with friends (English dub) I think if your going to watch it with multiple people and not everyone knows spoken Japanese then it's a much better experience just to watch it in English together. I guess if what you wanted is quiet solitude for everyone to think you should just watch the sub, but I find that sometimes when reading the subtitles you miss a little of what's on screen and in that sense a little of the experience. Personally I really enjoyed watching the Japanese version by myself and the dub with my friends; if I had to rank one experience higher? I'd probably say with my friends. Friends can be there to quietly explain things you don't get and they're there to discuss the movie with you after (also- popcorn and chips squeeee) So yeah, watch the dub with them on a huge TV and discuss stuff between episodes- it's awesome.

Edit: DAMNIT, too late. Well, maybe I should read to the end of a thread next time, but my reasons still stand. It helps with a lot of confusion to discuss things between episodes and its always fun being with your friends, well if you have awesome friends. Also- bonding experience, how many people can say they watched an entire anime series the first time through with a couple buddies, that stuffs solid. Finally all the other benefits. (see popcorn and chips la~)

Edit: Additionally, I think I'm more of a people person and it takes days to watch an entire series. You could turn that into three movie nights on the weekend with friends and to me that just sounds more appealing than sitting in front of my computer screen for three days. But I guess if they are more introverted or just want to take in as much information about the series as they can/study it- watching it alone could be better.

Edit again: Also, these friends are people who have shown genuine interest in the series, not just some friends that don't know the first thing EVA, I mean if they were really interested in the series they would have done at least a little research on it and they were pleased with what they found and now they want to watch it. This isn't going to be in a movie theater or in a room with a bunch of people from a 'anime club' this is going to be in a comfortable environment with a couple of close friends who have shown express interest in the particular series.

[toe mash]

Good thing you did the right decision Jessemon, watching NGE with several people would destroy the experience.

ugh, reminds me watching both The Pianist and Schindler's List with at least 20 other 17-18 year olds around me. Shit was embarrassing

[Seen]

It depends on the kind of people, I guess. My little brother loves the show (but hates the ending, for obvious reasons, and hopes rebuild will be less depressing.) and I managed to get him to watch it with me. When he asks what is happening in certain parts, I'll pause it and try to explain it in the most non-biased way possible, leaving him to interpret things himself to make it more enjoyable for him. ((Example: He asked me why Rei was in Shinji's mind-train during certain parts, I told him that she's PROBABLY there symbolizing another part of Shinji's mind, who he is arguing with.))

[Eva Yojimbo]

Ultimately, everyone ends up trying to be ultra aware of each other reactions instead of just going with the flow of whatever they are watching.

This has always been my experience with group watching and combined with other annoying factors like dealing with people taking bathroom breaks and chit-chatting about what's going on or asking questions is why I don't watch ANYTHING for the first time with others. Rewatches I love to watch with friends and family, though.

Orgasmic elation is reserved for movies like 2001:A Space Odyssey.

Fixed.

[rhfxz1s]

I've only watched Eva by myself. A part of me wants to watch it in a group to share the experience with some other people, but another part of me feels like it's not the best show to do that with. This is particularly true with EoE, where you have Shinji masturbating, giant naked Rei, and all kinds of other bizarre and (for some) disturbing imagery going on, not to mention the pretty crazy plot as a whole. I loved it but I can see why others would hate it and would probably feel awkward if they weren't enjoying it in the same way I was.

[Born of Lilith]

Evangelion is definitely not something I'd enjoy watching with my friends, the reason being that, when I'm in the right state of mind to experience it correctly, it is an intimately emotional and introspective experience, not compatible with a social setting at all. I especially wouldn't recommend having them watch it together if either (or both) of them are prone to snarking (or "MST3King") while watching TV/film. That'd utterly derail and ruin the viewing experience, to say the least.

[the_seventh_child]

Eva's better watched alone. Too much second hand embarrassment for other people to join anyway.

[BrikHaus]

Somehow I'm not surprised that a bunch of otaku are saying anime should be watched alone.

[Jessemon]

Somehow I'm not surprised that a bunch of otaku are saying anime should be watched alone.

With all offense intended, that is an idiotic statement.

The fact that NGE is an anime and whether or not anyone in this thread is an Otaku has NOTHING to do with anything.

[Fireand'chutes77]

Eva's better watched alone. Too much second hand embarrassment for other people to join anyway.

While there were several episodes it would've been cool to watch with a similarly enthusiastic friend, there were multiple times during the series that I was really hoping nobody would walk up behind me, because I would've needed at least fifteen minutes to explain that, no, I wasn't watching Japanese cartoon porn. :/

[Cody MacArthur Fett]

With all offense intended, that is an idiotic statement.

The fact that NGE is an anime and whether or not anyone in this thread is an Otaku has NOTHING to do with anything.

Actually, it does, and here's why: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimationAgeGhetto : Believe me, I wish you were right and that it didn't matter, but the fact of the matter is that it does. Incidentally, I watched Eva with my family to mixed results: my mom thought it was great, but my aunt and uncle hated it.

So in other words, like any group viewing, it depends on the people you watch it with.

[BrikHaus]

The fact that NGE is an anime and whether or not anyone in this thread is an Otaku has NOTHING to do with anything.

Is this what EvaGeeks has devolved to? Do I really have to start explaining my jokes/sarcasm now? I hope you're happy Reichu/Tines/Monkey/Ornette/miscellaneous-unimportant-moderator-or-admin. If I was in charge there would be a lot less of this and lot more WINNING.

[Eva Yojimbo]

With all offense intended, that is an idiotic statement.

Jessemon meet our resident sarcastic humorist Brikhaus, Brikhaus, meet your latest catch.

[Jessemon]

Jessemon meet our resident sarcastic humorist Brikhaus, Brikhaus, meet your latest catch.

Eh, mb. This usually happens to me a couple times after joining a forum. Also, I've been in a slightly bad mood the past few days, so my sarcasm detector is currently set on "fuck you asshole." Apologies : )