Copyright (c) Dr. FangLang 1997-1999
What Is Eva? (Former Part)
NEW!
1. Origin of Eva (Revised on 08/11/98)
Eva is a kind of abbreviation and alias. You know the formal name is "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (Japanese word: Shin Seiki Evangelion).
Many Japanese know the most popular OVA-type animation software in 1995 in Japan was "Ah! My Goddess." It is said that a group in GAINAX, a famous animation production in Japan, wanted to show the antithesis.
However, the boss of the group was Hideaki Anno, a famous animation director of GAINAX, who had stuck to the details of his own works. Two great producers in Japan watched them for realizing the plan. They are Ms Noriko Kobayashi from TV-Tokyo and Mr. Toshimichi Otsuki from King Records.
2. Start of TV-animation type Eva
The serial cartoon by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, a famous character designer of GAINAX, began on a minor monthly comic magazine "Shounen Ace" by Kadokawa Shoten, one of the largest publisher in Japan, ahead of broadcasting TV-animation type Eva in 1995.
The serial TV-animation type Eva started on 10/05/95. It had an average rating of 7.1 percents in Tokyo.
Formerly Gundam, a famous TV-animation in Japan, was very popular. After Gundam appeared, a lot of animations called Robot Anime had been produced in Japan. Eva was categorized into the Robot Anime in the beginning.
3. Reflection on TV-animation type Eva
Most of animations in Japan are produced for children. However adults enjoyed Eva.
But Eva was broadcast in Tokyo at 18:30 - 19:00 every Wednesday. The time zone is thought to be for children. Director Hideaki Anno frequently used violent, bleeding, and intertwining scenes. Some people criticized broadcasting these scenes.
The authorities did not prohibit TV-Tokyo from broadcasting Eva.
4. Otaku World in Japan
Otaku world was popular in Japan in 1995. The largest free market for Doujin-shi Comics in Japan called "Comike: Comic Market" was also very popular. Most of Doujin-shi writers are girls. They love to draw the gays' love stories called Ya-O-I. Mr. Kaworu Nagisa, the 17th Angel (Japanese word: Dai 17 Shito), loved the hero Shinji Ikari in Eva's 24th episode broadcast in Tokyo on 03/13/96. Thereafter the Doujin-shi writers drew the Ya-O-I story between Shinji and Kaworu. The Kaworu Ya-O-Is are still popular at present.
5. Last Two Stories
Those who were not interested in animation began to know the name of Eva with the last two stories of Eva. You know they broke away from the category of traditional Robot Anime. Many psychologist analyzed the two stories and concluded that they showed a self-enlightening seminar.
However every presentation method except actuality films was utilized there. Photographs, conté pictures with marker pens, and a scenario itself. They showed Shinji's mind. But the director forwent the continuation of the story.
The TV-animation type Eva consisted of 26 episodes. Broadcasting the TV series ended on 03/27/96.
6. Eva Goods Boom
TV animation programs are believed to exist for children in Japan. Music record companies, software producers, toy manufacturers, cartoon publishers, and food processing industries in Japan form a kind of conglomerate under popular software.
Because a character for example Ms Rei Ayanami in Eva was popular, the conglomerate produced Laser Disc, Video tape software, Sound Track Records, Digital Video Disc by King Records, Films for Cinema by Toei, Theme Songs by Youko Takahashi, Video Games by Sega Enterprises, every kind of toy - especially dolls called figure by Kaiyoudou, Bandai, Sega Enterprises, Nagoya Papermoon, etc.- , Stationery by Movic, guide books called Film Books by Kadokawa Shoten, character cards called Trading Cards by Bandai, telephone cards, and canned coffee by UCC.
Mitaka Municipal Office in the suburb of Tokyo produced and distributed cardboards with a picture of Rei Ayanami in 1996. The picture on the cardboard (Japanese word: Ayanami no Shitajiki) showed Rei Ayanami with a plain summer kimono (Japanese word: Yukata). Fans of Rei Ayanami still want it but cannot obtain it. It is said the quotation is $440.(Click here!)
7. Voice Actress Boom
After Sailor Moon appeared, voice actors and actresses had been popular in Japan. Especially Hekiru Shiina in Magic Knight Rayearth, Kotono Mitsuishi in Sailor Moon, Kikuko Inoue in Ah! My Goddess, Megumi Hayashibara in Ranma 1/2 and Slayers, Tomo Sakurai in Saint Tail - a Mysterious Thief and Aya Hisakawa in Sailor Moon became idol stars. Megumi Ogata was famous for the role of Sailor Uranus in Sailor Moon and Eagle in Magic Knight Rayearth.
In Eva, Megumi Ogata played the role of the hero 14-year-old boy Shinji Ikari and Megumi Hayashibara played the role of Rei Ayanami and Shinji's mother Yui Ikari. Kotono Mitsuishi played the role of Misato Katsuragi, an army officer. Another actress was apointed. Her name was Yuko Miyamura who was called Miyamuu. She played the role of Asuka Langley Souryu. She got popular immediately.
Megumi Hayashibara is popular because she plays the role of Lina Inverse in Slayers. She also played the role of the roar of Eva Unit 01.
8. Cinema-type Eva
The last two stories of TV-animation type Eva annoyed most of animation fans. Hundreds of homepages on Eva were established and proposed the conclusion.
Toei and GAINAX published the production of Cinema-type Eva in autumn of 1996. People in Tokyo rushed in to advance ticket sellers in November of 1996.
However the Cinema-type Eva titled "Death and Rebirth" did not finish the story.
Toei and GAINAX published the production of the second cinema "The End of Evangelion" in spring of 1997. The movie was released since 07/19/97.
Many Eva Fans suspected that this conclusion was the facility letting Director Anno avoid killing himself. However actuality films were utilized there. Famous character voices appeared there. Kaiyoudou and Nagoya Papermoon offered Rei figures at the actuality films.
- Short Story Review of Eva (1)
- People Who Work for NERV
- Short Story Review of Eva (2)
- Eva Units and Eva Pilots
- Short Story Review of Eva (3)
- Revival of Evangelion
To Be Continued...
"Neon Genesis Evangelion": Copyright (c) GAINAX/ Project EVA, TX, NAS, 1995-99
The 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' images in this webpage are used with permission of GAINAX Co., Ltd. Copying, distribution or usage in other webpages is prohibited.
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