[EVA] theme [EOE}

[Patrick Yip]

     PY @ TOKYO
     
     
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But it doesn't mean that Anno's philosophising and the way it was presented 
in both eps 25 - 26 and the movies would be accepted.  Indeed, some people 
can say that Anno is throwing stones in a glasshouse of his own creating.
     
## I like this phrase, "throwing stones in a glasshouse of his own creating" 
## Sounds like a vivid description of the situation...
     
>I contest that. Anno-san could actually just be talking about humans in 
>general, thta's they run away instead of facing reality. If he had wanted to 
>target otaku specifically, he would have designed a different main 
>character. You do have a good point, though.
     
## By the way, although I didn't want to spoil things in the movie further, 
## the clearest evidence of ANNO's targeting the fans is in the movie.
     
## OK, I don't know how many of you know about it, but there is a substantial 
## section of the movie which shows things on *real-life* instead of anime. 
## One part actually has the camera panning the audience sitting in the
## cinema, while the voice of Yui/Rei asking Shinji "What do you want?" 
## "Is it what you want?". Now the audience becomes Shinji, and Shinji is 
## the centre of EVA. The analogy cannot be clearer. 
     
I often feel, looking at the harshness and emotional bleakness of the Eva 
world, that he damages his own argument in this respect.  In such a world, 
the only way to retain some semblence of both yourself and your own sanity 
is to sink deeper into yourself.
     
## THat's true. I think that's why many think Shinji is understandable
## and sympathizable. The circumstances are really crashing down, although 
## the appearance still looks normal enough.
     
It is the same in the "real world".  What Anno fails to address with Eva in 
this context is why so many people are becoming "otakus".  He merely 
criticises them for their attitudes.  There is no exploration of the otaku 
phenomenon in itself.
     
## Hmm.. I really think that ANNO was acting a little bit insensitive and 
## blase when he criticised the otakus for criticising his works and for 
## not facing the real world. He has his own problems, right? And it took 
## him a long time to come over that. He should have known better. Also, 
## being so close to the otaku world, he could have come up with even more 
## in-depth analysis, or perhaps even solution, to the otaku mentality. 
## While saying this, I also think that ANNO did a decent job in catching 
## the attention and imagination of the otaku. Perhaps he thinks the best 
## way to convey his messages to the otaku is to speak in their language. 
## Providing oblique and difficult references and symbolism could be a 
## tool to draw their attention.
     
     
This escapism into fantasy has been discussed for centuries.  Just look at 
conditions such as Munchausen's Syndrome.  On top of that, there are many 
     
## What is Munchausen's Syndrome? 
     
psychological conditions that can create the personality traits of an 
otaku.  For Anno to smugly blast these people fails to get to the crux of 
some of the problems, including people who are not psychologically equipped 
to function as a member of society (high functioning Autistic and Asperger 
Savants fall into this category.  They are like the way they are because of 
     
## Actually I am thinking more about the people who find it hard to fit 
## into the society because of their character and personality. Those 
## who fail to function as a member of society because of medical 
## conditions are in fact easier to detect and recognise, and thus might 
## avoid the attacks and persecution from other members of the society. 
## But think of a character like Shinji. With a personality a little bit 
## less extrovert and classmates less sympathetic, he might end up being
## an object of "Iijime", the ultimate expression of exclusion from the
## community in Japan. Some classmates could beat you up, steal your 
## belongings, play cruel tricks on you, with no reason except they 
## "don't like" you. Other classmates avoid you. Teachers can't help 
## you. The school is the first station to test the conformity
## of individuals to a community. News of students committing suicide
## because of "Iijime" never ends.
     
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