EVA: The Most Divisive Anime Ever?

[Shogo-Kun]

I've been here for a while and I've notcied something that is probably a no-brainer: Anything involving Evangelion is likely to cause a huge debate, regardless if it's the manga, the characters, the endings, Rebuild, whatever. It recently reminded me of something I read on TVTropes that "EVA is the most divisive anime ever". I know that this is true; hell, I have some pretty strong feelings regarding EVA. But what I want to know is why? What is it about EVA that produces such strong opinions and feelings?

DISCUSS!!

[BiQ]

It connects with many people on a very personal and emotional level when they see it. I know it did that on me.

Then many of those people become frothing-at-mouth fanbois (I know I did that for a while) which causes backlash on the part of audience which does not get a strong personal and emotional connection with it, thinking "WTF is the big deal with this idotic cartoon?". The backlash at fandom spilling over to hating the work is hardly new or exclusive to NGE.

Then there's the fact that even among the people who have been touched by NGE there's relatively strong negative current of feelings too, due to the... less endearing characteristics on the most prominent members of main cast, especially Shinji and Asuka, who are characters that are "supposed" to be likeable in a story like this. (I like them both, yes, but I do see their faults and I'm not blind to the flak they get.)

And then there's the fact that NGE doesn't make the viewer's job always easy. So much is up for debate and many people are too distracted by red herring like Evangelions and (for the most part) religious imagery. Adding the strong emotional attachment this work has with great part of its audience and the fact that "what's actually going on" is up for debate to the extent it is, we get heated discussions about it.

Because when we debate what's actually going on, we are by proxy debating our own emotional attachment to the work.

[The Eva Monkey]

Evangelion is a polarizing show, there is no grey area where it is concerned. I've been saying this for over ten years.

[Tarnsman]

Evangelion is a polarizing show, there is no grey area where it is concerned. I've been saying this for over ten years.

I've met several people who are very neutral towards Eva, and several more that would be very neutral towards Eva if it wasn't for "its annoying fandom". It's more the opposite ends of the spectrum are so pronounced that the grey area becomes completely inconsequential and no one notices it.

[CJD]

I've been here for a while and I've notcied something that is probably a no-brainer: Anything involving Evangelion is likely to cause a huge debate, regardless if it's the manga, the characters, the endings, Rebuild, whatever. It recently reminded me of something I read on TVTropes that "EVA is the most divisive anime ever". I know that this is true; hell, I have some pretty strong feelings regarding EVA. But what I want to know is why? What is it about EVA that produces such strong opinions and feelings?

DISCUSS!!

Quite frankly, it's because it's so good. The greatest works of all time aren't ones that are cut and dry, they're ones that are left to interpretation. The world isn't two sided, it's viewed differently through each person's eyes, and great works manage to capture that. My view of X is obviously different than John's, and John's is no doubt different than someone else's, whose's different from someone else's, etc etc etc.

Just like I may view Joe Smith from school as a total douchebag, but Joe Smith's best friend views him as the best guy around, and the guy who sits next to Joe Smith in class thinks he's ok but kind of rude. Again, great works capture that multifaceted perception of reality and manage to create a universe that rivals our own in detail.


Also, what BiQ said. Eva is, if I do say so myself, a "great anime". Being great, it manages to evoke very strong emotions in us that an average anime wouldn't. Emotions are dangerous things, and when they get thrown into the mix all hell breaks loose.

I've met several people who are very neutral towards Eva, and several more that would be very neutral towards Eva if it wasn't for "its annoying fandom". It's more the opposite ends of the spectrum are so pronounced that the grey area becomes completely inconsequential and no one notices it.

Agreed. My friend who actually got me to watch Eva for the first time, he can't fathom why I like it so much. He thinks it's good, but no more then anything else he likes, actually, probably one of the lesser ones he likes.

[NemZ]

[Mr. Tines]

What is it about EVA that produces such strong opinions and feelings?

Being more well known than Bakemonogatori.

But mainly what BiQ said.

[Shogo-Kun]

So it produces these feelings because it's ambiguous as all hell and a lot of people have such strong opinions because it toys with their emotional well-being. Is this correct?

[BiQ]

So it produces these feelings because it's ambiguous as all hell and a lot of people have such strong opinions because it toys with their emotional well-being. Is this correct?

Pretty much. Then there is, as with everything else, this.

[CJD]

So it produces these feelings because it's ambiguous as all hell and a lot of people have such strong opinions because it toys with their emotional well-being. Is this correct?

Basically. The thing about the ambiguity is that, on top of everything else, it means there's no concrete answer. For the most part, it is very hard to be provably wrong, which means that even the most odd and irrational concepts have merit. In the end, lacking concrete evidence as we do, many discussion between two sides comes down to persuasion, winning someone over to your side through discourse rather than scientific methods to prove your point, and consequently to disprove the opponent's points.

Personally, I believe that given the right words anyone can be persuaded to do anything, but I doubt any of us have the vocal power of a demagogue, so good luck. Also, the relative fallacies that make up discourse, such as appeals to emotion, don't work very well via text, for better or worse, as the tone, a key part of persuasion, is missing.

[Reichu]

I've met several people who are very neutral towards Eva, and several more that would be very neutral towards Eva if it wasn't for "its annoying fandom". It's more the opposite ends of the spectrum are so pronounced that the grey area becomes completely inconsequential and no one notices it.

Yeah... I'm with you on this one. Oh, "reputation vs. reality", you tricky thing!

[SaVaGe]

So it produces these feelings because it's ambiguous as all hell and a lot of people have such strong opinions because it toys with their emotional well-being. Is this correct?

I'd say. Also, most animes (at least the ones well known in America) speak to people on such a superficial level with morals like, "End hate." or "Protect those you care about." I mean that's all great but the best movies/books are the ones that speak to you on a deeper level. So I don't see why the same wouldn't go for anime.

The "problem" is the open endedness of it all. Anno leaves a lot up to to the viewer. So of course there's going to be avid debate. What's there to argue about if the meaning of the story is force fed?

[C.A.P.]

The greatest works of all time aren't ones that are cut and dry, they're ones that are left to interpretation.

I can think of some great art when the message is clear as day, and the interpretation I read is whenever or not the ideas by the person who made it was good or not, or what inspired those artist that made it.

[Tarnsman]

I'd say. Also, most animes (at least the ones well known in America) speak to people on such a superficial level with morals like, "End hate." or "Protect those you care about." I mean that's all great but the best movies/books are the ones that speak to you on a deeper level. So I don't see why the same wouldn't go for anime.

It is the same for anime. You seem to be forgetting that the most popular movies/books in America (or anywhere really) are inane drivel most of the time. Anime is no different. Critically acclaimed works usually have substance to them, but that doesn't always translate into popularity. The most popular anime in American tend to follow the same criteria (There are some exceptions) They're usually visually appealing, don't rely too much on knowledge of Japanese culture or take place in a situation where the characters aren't Japanese, aired on TV, or has some other draw, like excessive tits.

[BornIn1142]

Do I detect a certain amount of pride in this sentiment?

"We have the anime no one can agree on! Go Eva!"

[THE Hal E. Burton 9000]

historically speaking, I think it is fair to say Eva is the most polarizing anime ever, certainly outside of Japan at least

EoE was such a WTF moment that even hardcore fanboys and girls were left dumbstruck, and the casual fan basically surmised "well if this Anno guy doesn't care enough to finish the series with a coherent ending, then why should I care?"

admittedly, the polarization has softened with time since EoE, but it is likely the top anime most people will debate about for years to come

there are a few that are close though, Haruhi Suzumiya for one, it's such of love-it-or-hate-it franchise for most

I would include Code Geass and Elfen Lied, along with the entire genres of Moe, Shonen (i.e. Naruto, Bleach, etc.), and *insert all tsundere characters here*

[BornIn1142]

admittedly, the polarization has softened with time since EoE

Has it? I would say a lot of new viewers over the last decade have had more negative reactions due to its reputation and the fact that it doesn't seem that revolutionary or ground-breaking in the modern anime landscape. In other words, hype backlash is much more of an issue nowadays than in 1998.

[The Eva Monkey]

I've met several people who are very neutral towards Eva, and several more that would be very neutral towards Eva if it wasn't for "its annoying fandom". It's more the opposite ends of the spectrum are so pronounced that the grey area becomes completely inconsequential and no one notices it.

You realize you're just further reinforcing my statement, right?

[Ornette]

Eva didn't even make it to the top 500 list on ANN's most diverging ratings: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/ratings-anime.php?top50=std_dev&n=500

Although 75% of them could be weeded out for not being popular enough to make a difference.

[Tarnsman]

You realize you're just further reinforcing my statement, right?

I don't think vocal minorities warrant saying there is no grey area.

Edit: @Ornette - You can also root some out on the merit of being porn.