[EVA] The EoE Situation

[Rachel K. Clark]

Apologies if this has been covered to death already... I could have done 
more research before posting this, but you guys seem like you could rattle 
off answers (or the next best thing) in about a fiftieth of the time. ^_^;

One issue that has always been extraordinarily obfuscated in my mind is, 
what exactly _IS_ the situation with END OF EVANGELION? This is an issue 
that comes up in the fora I frequent again and again, and, if there is a 
concise answer, I conveniently forgot what it was.

When I say "deal", I mean this: The common account is that EoTV (#25 and 
#26) were originally supposed to be, essentially, a "proto-EoE" -- based 
directly upon an ending scenario that eventually evolved into EoE. However, 
slight inconveniences like lack of money, lack of time, and censorship 
problems led to the metaphysical corner-cutter we know and ... whatever. I 
recall Anno saying somewhere or another (I'm really on top of my sources, 
here ;;p ) that he was perfectly satisfied with EoTV (and if you didn't 
understand it, that was your own problem).

So, exactly what happened to spur EoE* into production? I've heard a number 
of different things here, including:

(1) The Search For More Money.
(2) The fans whining about the inadequacy of the TV ending needed to be 
silenced, by whatever means.
(3) Anno-tachi "owed it to the staff" to revisit the final parts of NGE with 
more money, more time, and end it with a bang.

Additionally, there is a rather prevalent rumor that Anno was so disgruntled 
with otaku (and/or fans in general) by the time EoE rolled around that the 
film was, at least in part, intended to present them with a nice, big middle 
finger.

The people here know more about NGE's production history than most, so 
perhaps ya'll could shed some light on this giant mess. Thanks in advance.

-Reichu

* And the associated DEATH and 'Directors' Cuts' versions of #21' through 
#24', for that matter.