By The Eva Monkey
on Saturday, July 30th, 2005
When it was announced earlier this month that Cartoon Network had picked up Evangelion for its Adult Swim format, most Evangelion fans could care less. And why should they care? After all, they’re seen it already. And there were also quite a few Eva fans whose reaction to the news fell between agitation and outrage. This is understandable, as many people like to cling to uniqueness, prided for liking something that is not popular in the mainstream. A considerable number of fans would prefer not to see Evangelion go the way of such shows as Trigun, Inuyasha, FLCL, and Wolf’s Rain. Not to say that these are bad shows, but these sorts of shows are at times edited and often spawn a new branch of fans that some would find less than welcome to the fanbase.
I am hesitant to label this as a “bad” thing. After all, I am one who got into anime from what I saw on television, and for my first few years preferred the English dub to the original Japanese. I’m not from the Cartoon Network generation, but lets just say I remember Sci-Fi’s weekly anime feature. I also remember when the thought of anime in the mainstream was a purely unthinkable thing, and us anime fans horded VHS tapes away in closets and watched absolutely anything we could get our hands on, and practically died in ecstasy when we discovered that such a thing as anime conventions existed in our own respective backyards.
I wasn’t expecting Evangelion to be aired on Cartoon Network when I heard the news, and I was at first dreading a wave of new people having absolutely no idea what they were talking about, and screaming at the top of their lungs about Evangelion’s ending, and taking to the internet, crying out “Evangelion’s ending sucks!” as loud as they possibly can. There will be people using capitalized bolded red font, there will be people who can’t use the search button, and yes, there will be more people who simply want to fuck Rei. It can’t be helped. I started this site for the expressed purpose of promoting Evangelion, as well as preserving as much information about it as possible. And when it comes to spreading the word about Evangelion, you really can’t be choosy about who you’re dealing with.
A lot has changed in the anime industry since I was first introduced to it, and my interest and understanding of the phenomenon has matured considerably in that time. And likewise, a lot has changed in the Evangelion fan community. And I think that we should all be reminded that we’re all newbies at one point. So when the time comes, just sit back and be satisfied in the knowledge that you’ve developed a keen understanding and appreciation of Evangelion, and that in time, so will the next crop of fans, with whom demand for more installments in the universe and fandom will ultimately be possible.
Posted in: Uncategorized.
By The Eva Monkey
on Thursday, July 28th, 2005
I don’t quite understand creating a boxset for any fewer than three DVDs, but nevertheless, you may now purchase the Evangelion movies in a snazzy little set. For those that have already kindly supported Manga Entertainment, you need not run to the store and buy this two disc set, for this is merely the previous releases repackaged with a smidgeon more. You get the same two theatrical programs along with a line art postcard and a mousepad. Certainly nothing to write home about, and certainly not anything those with the orginal DVDs are going to feel the need to purchase to get their hands on. For newer fans however, this is a good thing, as they get both films together in one package. I would have liked to see Manga improve their DVD master, but it would appear that they have not. You can read all the details on the release over at Manga’s page for the set. If you would like a closer look at the line art on the post card, I would suggest taking a look here, rather than on the Manga site, as I have optimized the imagery for your viewing pleasure.
For a slightly different alternative, namely for those who already have the DVDs, I would like to suggest Paul Champagne’s custom DVD Collector’s Cases. The box on the left was an official release through ADV Films, and is no longer available. The box on the right is a custom box for the original Death & Rebirth and End of Evangelion DVDs. These boxes are laser engraved and made of brushed aluminum. They’re quite nice, and rather durable, which is more than can be said of most standard DVD boxes. If you’re one who collects DVDs, you might want to take a look, and be sure to check this other site for more possible designs.
Posted in: Death and Rebirth, Merchandise, The End of Evangelion. Tagged: Manga Entertainment.
By The Eva Monkey
on Monday, July 18th, 2005
Late last year, Guardians of Order was working on two Evangelion books for it’s BESM series in conjunction with ADV. However, recently the decision was made to cancel these books. President of Guardians of Order Mark C. MacKinnon says that the decision to cancel was entirely ADV’s, and that Guardians of Order would still like to produce the books.
You can read more about the cancellation in the June issue of Guardians of Order’s PDF newsletter “Enlightened Self Interest” on their official website.
Further details and comments from ADV will follow my attendance at Otakon 2005.
Posted in: Merchandise, News. Tagged: ADV Films, Books, Guardians of Order.
By The Eva Monkey
on Sunday, July 17th, 2005
NEWTYPE USA LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE NEW SERIAL MANGA
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days begins in August 2005 issue
A bold retelling of the classic anime series!
HOUSTON, July 14, 2005—Anime fans wondering how life might be different for the cast of Neon Genesis Evangelion will finally get an answer starting this August when Newtype USA begins its serialization of the exhilarating new manga Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days!
Based on a popular PC and PlayStation 2 game released only in Japan, Angelic Days takes the angst-ridden Eva pilots and sets them in a lighter, brighter world, where choosing the right girlfriend is more important than saving Earth from unimaginable threats. With comedy, action and romance (plus a dollop of fan service), Angelic Days is sure to please hardcore Evangelion fans as well as casual readers simply looking for a lighthearted manga romp.
“Fans have been eager to see this manga released in English ever since it debuted in Japan,” says Newtype USA editor in chief Gary Steinman. “We are so pleased to be able to offer it first in the pages of our magazine. It’s so much fun to see familiar characters like Shinji, Asuka and Rei dealing with everyday problems instead of imminent destruction!”
After the serialization is finished, the complete story will be released as graphic novels from ADV Manga. The final release date hasn’t been set, but expect the first volume sometime in 2006.
Availability
Newtype USA Vol. 4, Issue 8 will be available August 1, 2005.
With the official press release concerning “Angelic Days”, I felt compelled to give my usual spiel. First and foremost, I would like to discuss the title. And I must say that I have no qualms with the title itself, but the simple fact that is has been renamed provokes a reaction in me that falls somewhere between irritation, aggravation, and disbelief. I have said it before, and I will say it again, I hate when companies reinvent things for marketability. That being said, the original title romanizes to “Shin Seiki Evangelion Koutetsu no Girlfriend 2nd”, which literally means “Girlfriend of Steel 2”. Additionally, the manga, like the two games before it, bears the English title “Neon Genesis Evangelion the Iron Maiden”, hence why this manga and game series is known by both “Girlfriend of Steel”, and “Iron Maiden”. “Angelic Days” is obviously of no relation to either of these titles, and was obviously invented, like the titles of other licensed titles like “Requiem for the Darkness” (literal title translates to “Hundred Stories”) and Samurai X (Originally “Rurouni Kenshin”).
The comic originally began circulation in Asuka Comics, and was authored by Fumino Hayashi. It was officially sanctioned by Gainax, but the studio has no creative hand in the comic. Though the story branches from the alternate reality of episode 26 of the TV series, this is entirely the work of manga artist Fumino Hayashi. It is quite different in tone from the original series, and it may or not interest those that were captivated by the stark emotional aspects of Anno’s original work. It began circulation in November of 2003, and consisted of 16 issues, which have been collected into four volumes which were published between February 2004 and February 2005.
As the press release states, the comic will only be available in its first run in the pages of NewType, meaning that if you intend to read it in English, you will have to either subscribe or wait until 2006 for the volumes to be released. If you didn’t read any of the comic while it was being scanlated by ADTRW, I would suggest downloading some of the scanlations while they’re around and seeing if it sparks your fancy. Many Eva fans are disinterested and at times violently against this comic, but there is the chance that you may enjoy it, just remember that it is not the Eva you know, which is not a bad thing, as it simply means that it will be a new experience, and new experiences are not necessarily bad.
Posted in: Angelic Days, Manga, News. Tagged: ADV Manga, Newtype.
By The Eva Monkey
on Tuesday, July 12th, 2005
You may have heard the announcement at Anime Expo recently. But Evangelion is once again slated to air on Cartoon Network. What exactly does this mean? Its hard to say at this point. It is unclear to what degree the show will be censored, however it has been slated to run on Adult Swim, which is generally aimed at an older audience. We will have to wait to see exactly how much is cut. Some may remember when ADV teamed up with Cartoon Network for “Giant Robot Week” back in early 2003. ADV was looking to promote The Anime Network, and Cartoon Network was happy to accomodate them. The end result was the first two episodes trimmed down considerably due to numerous edits, and a lot of cut footage. If you would like an idea of how much editing was done, check the edit lists at Anime News Network.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/columns/edit-list.php?id=122 – Episode 1 – Angel Attack
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/columns/edit-list.php?id=123 – Episode 2 – The Beast
For the time being, I’m going to reserve judgement as to whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. It is safe to assume that the show will air in dubbed format, most likely from the Platinum release. Even aired on Adult Swim, it is still likely to receive some editing.
I have recently been one to assert that people should see works in a form as close to the original as possible. When talking about anime, we’re talking uncut, uncensored, and with the original Japanese audio. What will air on Cartoon Network is liable to violate all three of my mandates, but, I must remain optomistic. I got into anime back in high school through movies aired on The Sci-Fi Network, and have since gone on to revisit many of the movies in their original formats. And, lets not forget that what I saw on TV got me hooked. So I’m certain that there will be a number of people who will get into Eva from Cartoon Network, and someday they may grow into mature fans of Evangelion. For the time being, we just have to encourage them to walk the right paths, and look into Evangelion in a purer form.
Posted in: Uncategorized.
By The Eva Monkey
on Monday, July 11th, 2005
The rumor mill just dropped a hell of a bomb: EVA PREQUEL (maybe) IN THE WORKS!
According to inside information from a friend who has direct dealings with Gainax, Gainax has drawn up plans for an Eva prequel covering the pre-SI, SI, Gehirn, and early NERV periods up to the start of the TV series. These are not firm plans, but more an early draft for a potential project. Now before any fanboys start gushing, let me emphasize again that this is just one of many project proposals and drafts that Gainax has drawn up, and even though it would be a guaranteed money maker (albeit on a much lesser scale than Eva itself), it may still never get made. At present it is just one of many ideas.
Source: Eva.onegeek mailing list
Posted in: Rumors.
By The Eva Monkey
on Monday, July 11th, 2005
Memoirs of madness
Yasuhiro Takeda reveals the secrets of a world-famous anime production studio in this tell-all account of the horrors and hopes that accompanied GAINAX’s rise to fame. From beginners’ luck to the edge of defeat, this journey through the life and mind of one witness sheds light on the production of Neon Genesis Evangelion and what it takes to make a runaway hit.
First of all, it should be mentioned that, contrary to the synopsis printed on the back of the book, this book is not about Evangelion. In fact, in the near 200 pages of the book’s text, only a few pages pertain directly to Evangelion. For the Evangelion fan, this is not a disappointment. In fact, this book is quite an enjoyable read, and provides a wonderful look into the life and times of Studio Gainax.
I have long been intrigued by the reputation that follows the Gainax name. In-depth information on the studio, in terms of its makeup and foundation, is generally scarce at best in the English language. In general, the majority of the information about Gainax circulates within the realm of Evangelion fandom. While it is arguably unfair that a single studio be defined and revered due to a single work, Evangelion is a unique exception. It should be noted that Gainax came close to extinction in the early 90s, and would not have survived if it were not for Evangelion. Not only did it solve the studio’s money woes, it also firmly entrenched the studio in the industry as a major player.
The Notenki Memoirs takes you up until the time of Evangelion, but speaks very little of Evangelion’s success and the subsequent transformation of the studio. It would be interesting if Hiroyuki Yamaga, who took over as president of the studio following Evangelion’s success, were to write his own memoirs, in order to flesh out the post-Evangelion era in Gainax’s history. Both eras are of equal interest and importance, sadly, Takeda does not delve into the later era. This book was initially published in 2002, and could have covered more events from 1996 onwards. Why Takeda did not cover much of the events past Evangelion is unknown to me at this time. The content of the book spans from the late seventies up until Evangelion’s success, and then quickly concludes. It includes various notes on names and things, so those not familiar with various items of Japanese or Sci-Fi culture can cross reference as they read. Some can be redundant, but in general, they are quite helpful. Sandwiched between the two halves of the book is a report from the 40th Annual Japan Sci-Fi Convention, where Takeda’s resigned from his position as Chairman of the Japan Sci-Fi Fan Group Association. Concluding the book is “Trial in Absentia!” an interview in which Hiroyuki Yamaga, Hideaki Anno, and Takami Akai speak candidly about Yasuhiro Takeda.
The Notenki Memoirs builds to the point where you think you’re about the get to the really interesting stuff, such as Evangelion behind the scenes, or the reformation of the company after the success of Eva. Sadly it does not. However, it does in great detail discuss the vague early years of Gainax in a fascinating retrospective. It’s the sort of book that appeals more to fans of Otaku no Video rather than fans of Evangelion. This is not to say that Evangelion fans would not enjoy The Notenki Memoirs, Evangelion fans must simply realize that they are not reading a book about Evangelion. I would argue that any fan of anime would enjoy this book, especially those interested in convention culture, and various forms of fan produced works and products. As the story goes, a bunch of Sci-Fi geeks started holding Sci-Fi events, and wound up running one of the most influential animation studios in Japan. That is impressive in its own right. Realize that you’re reading about amateurs who simply had nothing else to do but cling to their interests, and refused to give up. From Sci-Fi events, to General Products, to Daicon Film, to Gainax, this book is a rare look into the lives of young men who refused to make it in the real world. Rather than climb the mountain, they made their own, stood atop it, and yelled “I” at the heart of the world.
Title: The Notenki Memoirs
By: Yasuhiro Takeda
Year: 2002
Available from: ADV Manga (Tentatively) July 27th, 2005
ISBN: 1-4139-0234-0
Posted in: Merchandise, Reviews. Tagged: ADV Manga, Books.
By The Eva Monkey
on Wednesday, July 6th, 2005
source: Anime on DVD
Edit by Aaron: The Anime on DVD article is a bit vague due to it’s wording, I would recommend the Anime News Network report:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention.php?id=240
Posted in: Angelic Days, Manga, News. Tagged: ADV Manga.
By The Eva Monkey
on Monday, June 20th, 2005
Over a year ago, I (with the support of my minions over at the AnimeNation Eva Forum) started an audacious ‘Fan-Geeks Commentary Project’ for this convoluted anime. Eager to employ tons of unused bandwidth (and get some additional site content, I imagine ;;>), Monkey stepped in to provide some badly-needed industrial-strength hosting. It was well and good, but it has taken a toll on the poor fellow — I’m a veritable Devourer of Storage Space, not to mention things escalated into a bandwidth nightmare (in large part due to all those lazy thieves who think remote linking is a good idea). Enough was enough! ‘Fly fly fly, little starling… It’s time to leave the nest and get your own domain name and hosting service!’
After much toil, I have relocated the project to www.evacommentary.org. (Monkey wasn’t a fan of the .org part, but I think using .com for a fan site makes no sense. So, nya~.) Even as I type, my minions are setting up a commentary-exclusive forum (that will also serve to archive threads from the ANF forum, where routine liquidation of threads has become the unfortunate practice), and hopefully, with Aaron’s help, the site as a whole will start to look a bit more pimpin’.
There is an incredible amount of work yet to be done… This party hasn’t even started yet.
Posted in: Fandom.
By The Eva Monkey
on Friday, June 17th, 2005
The scanlation group AT Translations has released the first stage of the new Ikari Shinji Ikusei Keikaku Manga. For those unfamiliar with the Ikusei Keikaku series, lets delve into it a bit shall we? Ikusei Keikaku means something along the lines of “Raising Project”, and is a series of games that are based around the concepts of Gainax’s old Princess Maker games. These games allow you to more or less “raise” the character as if you were some sort of parental figure. Don’t ask me for the particulars, I’ve never played it or seen it in action. But you can more or less make mold the character into the adult you would like them to be. Previously there have been Rei and Asuka raising games, and most recently, a Shinji raising game. For some peculiar reason, they decided to release a manga to tie into the new raising game.
The manga begins in a manner quite similar to the alternate universe of episode 26 of the TV series, as well as the Girlfriend of Steel 2 manga. In that aspect, this manga will seem quite “familiar” to you. As it stands, it’s only one stage right now. I was not to terribly drawn into this new comic from its first stage, but then again, it’s only the beginning, and sometimes good things start slow.
If you would like to take a look, you can download it via this torrent, or if you prefer to chew at my alotted bandwith, you can download it here.
Posted in: Ikari Shinji Ikusei Keikaku (manga), Manga.
