News & Updates

Studio Gainax rang in the new year this year by flipping the switch on its Evangelion 3.0 site, which included the international title for the film.  The next film is now known as Evangelion 3.0: YOU CAN (NOT) REDO.  In addition to that, the date for FINAL has been given as sometime in 2013.  It’s still unclear if they are still going with the original plan to release 3.0 and Final at the same time, which begs the question, will 3.0 be out in late 2012 as last stated, or in 2013?  And if they mean that both will be out in 2013, will they hold to that deadline, or will it get pushed again?  It’s really hard to say, when you take into account that their original plan was to have all four films out by the summer of 2008.  I’m hoping that 3.0 will be out next year.  It would be nice to have a new Evangelion film after several long years of waiting.

I made a few tweets and facebook updates already, but after some reflection, I thought I should take a bit of time to muse over the recent developments concerning RightStuf’s sale of the Evangelion thinpack.  Around black friday, RightStuf.com began a sale on a number of items, in particular, the Evangelion thinpack for $30.  That in and of itself was definitely worth spreading the word.  After all, I hail from the days when Evangelion was distributed on thirteen single language format VHS tapes for $25 (dubbed) or $30 (subtitled) a piece.  That progression in the past ten years says a lot about the affordability of video releases these days, as well as the desperation of some of these companies to continue selling a dying industry.

Where things get more interesting is that yesterday, RightStuf posted a news item indicating that they had received word that Neon Genesis Evangelion is going out of print.  Read the rest of this entry »

Just before running off to DC for Anime USA, I got a panel confirmation for Tigercon 2011 at Towson University.  I’ll be presenting my newly revamped studio Gainax panel that I presented at Anime USA.  If you happen to be in the area, you should take a look, it may only be a small, one day college anime con, but it’s free.  You can’t really argue with that.  Come talk to me, geek out with me about various nerdy anime stuff.

Studio Gainax and the men who created Evangelion
Saturday, December 3rd, 12:00pm-1:00pm, Panel 1

• Tigercon’s website
• Schedule information

I’m happy to return as a panelist to Anime USA this year.  Last year was my first time going to AUSA, it seems like my responsibilities as an officer at my university’s anime society always kept me from checking it out.  I did last year for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised with it.  I’m looking forward to hanging out with a bunch of cool people, including Charles Dunbar, Victoria Gadson, Lauren Orsini, and hopefully meet some new ones.  I will of course be true to my fandom, hosting a few panels along my interests, which you’re free to check out if you’ll be geeking it up in Crystal City this weekend:

Studio Gainax and the men who created Evangelion
Saturday, 10:00pm-11:30pm, Panels 3

The Life and Works of Hideaki Anno
Sunday, 11:30am-1:00pm, Panels 3

More up-to-date schedule information is available on Anime USA’s site.

I lapsed into a period of inactivity recently.  Been a bit busy with things other than Evangelion fandom, but that’s going to change for a bit.  I’ll be hosting a panel I’m putting together called Evangelion Deconstructed.  The panel itself is a survey of a variety of sources that went into creating Evangelion.  We’ll be looking at a variety of it’s facets, pointing out and talking about design motifs, pop culture references, scientific concepts, where characters names, likenesses, and personality traits came from, and of course, where the religious imagery came from.  It should be interesting, and highly factual.  This will be my first Comic Con, and I’m very pleased to be attending as a panelist, representing my fandom.  I hope to meet lots of cool people while I’m there.

• Panel information on Comic Con’s website

One of the greatest weaknesses of the Evangelion manga is its rate of production.  The mangaka, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, has been working on it since prior to the original television series airing in 1995.  Which means that yes, the series is still ongoing, and has not yet finished.  However we are getting quite close to the conclusion.  The story is currently somewhere around the midpoint of The End of Evangelion.  Naturally, production of a manga series over such a long period presents challenges to a foreign company when licensing and distributing it.    With the exception of the most recently published volumes, all volumes of the Evangelion manga are out of print, and several of them qualify as rare, particularly volume 9, which was printed in unusually low amounts.  Naturally, this presents a challenge to anyone who wishes to read the manga.  It’s not exactly “collectible”.  But I heard today that Viz has begun adding Sadamoto’s manga series to their online viewer, which is very encouraging.  Granted, some will always prefer the actual, tangible, printed release, but this will help alleviate some of the problem, and allow more people to read it.  Currently only the first two stages are online, with the first being free, and the second being $0.99, which I would consider an okay pricepoint.  New stages will be released weekly.  You can also get Viz’s app and read it on an iOS device.

• Read Evangelion Manga on VizManga.com
• Viz Manga App

I’ll be damned. For the first time in about five years, we actually have news about Live Action Evangelion.  You know, that thing that everyone was buzzing about for a good two years?  That thing where ADV, Gainax, and WETA were going to make the next huge film trilogy?  Yeah, that.  Apparently, ADV still exists as an entity, and it’s suing Gainax over the rights to Live Action Evangelion.  ADV states that they satisfied the conditions to extend their agreement, and that Gainax backed out on them, causing them to lose a deal with a production studio to make the project a reality.  Apparently they’re demanding Gainax renew the legal agreement, or pay damages.  Pretty crazy stuff, and here I was so sure it was finally officially dead.  Maybe this will be the final nail in the coffin.

• Crunchyroll’s Article
• ANN’s Article (derived from Crunchyroll’s Article)

This year’s winner of Best Comedy and Best in Show in Otakon 2011′s AMV Contest was an Evangelion AMV produced by PixelBlended Studios entitled Evangelion 0.22 – Shinji does (not) Mean Business.  It utilizes footage from Neon Genesis Evangelion set to the song Business Time by Flight of the Conchords.  Aside from sexual overtones, the music video is distinctive for the use of some pretty nice text animations.  The text animations provide a confidence and uniqueness to the video, and I recommend checking it out if you enjoy a good comedy or parody AMV every so often.

• Download AMV from AnimeMusicVideos.Org
• Watch AMV on YouTube

I think I’m finally recovered from this year’s Otakon.  And yes, it does take a good week to get back to normal, especially when you go back to work on Monday.  Lesson learned, don’t take off the Thursday before to get ready, take the Monday after instead to recover.

I had a good time this year, and I enjoyed hanging out with Drinian, NeverKnowsBest, Charles Dunbar, Viga, Xenogil, and yes, even Jefferson.  Thanks to the guys for joining me for drinks before the Evangelion, WTF? panel on Friday night.

I had a really great time hosting this year, and I hope everyone had just as much fun attending. I’m hoping to bring the panel back to Otakon as well as to other anime conventions in the area in the future.

I wanted to share some materials from the panel with people, for those who were not able to make it, or for those who might not have made it in, the 375 seat room did get filled pretty quickly.  It might not be the same as seeing it live, but here’s what I have for you to peruse, WARNING, some of it is NSFW:
Read the rest of this entry »

I found this set of photos on Flickr interesting.  Looks like an art student named Mark Ellis (aka Everfalling) at Academy of Art University made a Sachiel mask for his ceramics class.  I think it’s kind of cool, and I can relate, having done quite a few projects in my own arts studies that were influenced by, or incorporating material from Evangelion.  I enjoy seeing examples like this where people draw upon the familiar visuals and themes of a show like Evangelion.  I think it says a lot about its fandom and lasting value as a creative work.  I don’t know about the rest of you out there, but I think it would be cool to have something like this hanging on a wall in my apartment.

• Sachiel Mask set on Flickr »