Is anime stagnating? Evangelion's Hideaki Anno speaks out

Paul

Paul

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Anime News Network have posted a translated message from Evangelion's out-spoken maestro Hideaki Anno; in full, the released statement covers his passionate intentions for the new Evangelion movies as well as his controversial opinions on the currently "exhausted" industry and "trend of stagnation in anime". We've quoted several of Anno's more interesting thoughts below, but the whole statement can be read over at Anime News Network.
  • "Many different desires are motivating us to create the new "Evangelion" film... The desire to portray my sincere feelings on film... The desire to connect today's exhausted Japanese animation [industry] to the future... The desire to fight the continuing trend of stagnation in anime."

    "... Many times we wondered, "It's a title that's more than 10 years old. Why now?" "Eva is too old", we felt. However, over the past 12 years, there has been no anime newer than Eva... Specifically, among the stagnant mood of the present day, it is the portrayal of will - not technology - that is most important."

    "... As the creator of this project, [I assure you that] a very new-feeling Evangelion world has beeen constructed... We realize that we are creating something that will be better than the last series."
 
Though I'm probably Eva's biggest fan I have to disagree with old HA on this.

I get the feeling that the industry was always producing 90% garbage and 10% quality. I don't think much has really changed in that respect.
 
Though I'm probably Eva's biggest fan I have to disagree with old HA on this.

I get the feeling that the industry was always producing 90% garbage and 10% quality. I don't think much has really changed in that respect.
 
Remaking again? I guess I missed the boat on the last remake.
Oh wait, it didn't happen.

Director's cut /= remake.
Previous films /=remake.
 
kupoartist said:
Perhaps the anime industry is stagnating, but that's a hilarious and ironic reason for remaking Evangelion again.
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I'm sure some anime fans have always been saying that the industry was stagnating. It's just one of those cliches. Another cliche is that anime hit its peak in the 80's and went downhill from there which I especially find to be untrue.
 
I have to agree with Ark here. Like everything else 90% of Anime is crap. The only reason we are seeing it more now is because we a lot more of the 'crap' is being released over here. When the market was tiny we got only the cream of the crop... and the hentai :lol:

I do not believe that the industry is stagnating but I do agree that it needs to take a few more risks. I am getting tired of clichéd romance, giant robots and magical girls.

Oh and the ‘The market is stagnating so I will remake my series’ is BRILLIANT! Irony is not lost on you Anno.
 
That's just stupid. Bring in something fresh by rehashing something over a decade old? How about creating something new and fresh to bring in something new or is that a stupid idea?

They should let me write, direct and design a series. :D
 
Dani said:
Remaking again? I guess I missed the boat on the last remake.
Oh wait, it didn't happen.

Director's cut /= remake.
Previous films /=remake.
Click to expand...
How are the directors cut and film compilations not remakes? They take the same subject matter and do it over. It was made, and then they make it again. You know, Re, Make? But for the fact that i'm giving them rather too much credit for rehashing 95% of the same old and repackaging it, which rather serves my original point anyway.
 
I never really like it when older popular animes try to make a sequal of their show so many years later when their original was so much better. Its funny for me because I just only started watching Evangelion (1995 TV series) today.
 
butch-cassidy said:
I have to agree with Ark here. Like everything else 90% of Anime is crap. The only reason we are seeing it more now is because we a lot more of the 'crap' is being released over here. When the market was tiny we got only the cream of the crop... and the hentai :lol:

I do not believe that the industry is stagnating but I do agree that it needs to take a few more risks. I am getting tired of clichéd romance, giant robots and magical girls.

Oh and the ‘The market is stagnating so I will remake my series’ is BRILLIANT! Irony is not lost on you Anno.
Click to expand...

I think another big problem is the stupidity of fans. Stuff like Kanon would stop being made if there wasn't a market for it.

We need a war against cliche.
 
Ark said:
We need a war against cliché.
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Funny thing is Eva was a anti-cliché when it came out, but now it's the cliché. Yet more irony for the collection.
Thing is it is often difficult to tell what is a classic at the time, Eva itself was slamed when it first came out but look at it now.
 
Maybe he was playing for irony in the new Eva will most likely be the same old stuff where he is safe in the knowledge fans will lap it up regardless... (I know I will anyway!)
 
It's hard to say with certainty whether or not anime is truly stagnating. A lot of my 26 episode favorites come from the 96-98 era - Bebop, Berserk, Escaflowne and Macross Plus to name a few, but in the last few years we've still had our fair share of genuinely brilliant anime like FLCL, Gankutsuou, Monster and Mushishi, as well as the likes of Fullmetal Alchemist and Wolf's Rain too (which fall just below masterpiece status).

I do think the core demographic of anime fandom is now skewing towards a different audience. The 90% of rubbish used to be mostly incoherent violence, sex and post-Akira cyber punk, now it's bishoujo/bishonen-fan-pandering-porn-game-without-the-sex anime.
 
-Paul.
Great post.Maybe anime is stagnating,or more suitably certain genres.But for all those who are sick of a certain genre there are others only being introduced to it for the first time.
And you are absolutly right about the more recent anime masterpieces.
Paranoia Agent and GITS SAC for example are right up there with the best of all time.Paranoia Agent in particular for sheer innovation consistent intrigue and entertainment.With directors like kon and Kamiyama on the seen lets hope others follow suit and create equally enjoyable animes.(CANT WAIT FOR PAPRIKA)
 
Paul said:
It's hard to say with certainty whether or not anime is truly stagnating. A lot of my 26 episode favorites come from the 96-98 era - Bebop, Berserk, Escaflowne and Macross Plus to name a few, but in the last few years we've still had our fair share of genuinely brilliant anime like FLCL, Gankutsuou, Monster and Mushishi, as well as the likes of Fullmetal Alchemist and Wolf's Rain too (which fall just below masterpiece status).
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I agree the 90's had plenty of land mark series and films. I'd add Eva, GiTS and Lain to your list.

Paul said:
I do think the core demographic of anime fandom is now skewing towards a different audience. The 90% of rubbish used to be mostly incoherent violence, sex and post-Akira cyber punk, now it's bishoujo/bishonen-fan-pandering-porn-game-without-the-sex anime.
Click to expand...


You're right. The garbage has just transformed from flagellation to fluff. That's the difference.
 
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