REAL ending, was:Re: [EVA] Final Genesis (SPOILERS)

[George Chen]

> A lot of the first draft material didn't get into the series, including
> the ending, true.  I have read that Director Anno, when questioned at a
> conference about the TV ending being rushed due to lack of time/money,
> denied this vigorously.  OK, in the immortal words of Mandy Rice-Davies,
> "Well he would say that, wouldn't he".  But still, Michelangelo's first
> cartoons for the Sistine Chapel were not the same as the final product.
> He learned and grew during its making, as I am sure Director Anno did
> during the TV series.

And? Your point? :b
 
> Just because the original storyboard ending was not used in the TV series
> does not make the TV ending wrong, or even inferior.  I agree that
> subsequent use of that ending in EoE shows Director Anno was still keen
> on it, and that supports the idea that he was forced to drop it because
> of outside factors.

I agree with you. It doesn't make it wrong. But when you compare the TV
ending with EOE, it is in fact inferior. Since you haven't seen it yet, you
are missing out, and I urge you to watch it before say anything further
about the TV ending because the comparison of the two is unavoidable.
 
> Why EoE then ?  Fan pressure, money pressure (remember the tax evasion
> issue; Gainax seems to have needed funds for some time), the hope that he
> could do it better next time - and thus more fully communicate his
> original idea ?  Probably all of the above.

Why EOE? Because it make sense, don't you think? The ending that Mr. Anno
wanted (EOE) in no way we can see it unedited on broadcast TV. Also, as Mr.
Anno have said, he worked really hard and put all his raw emotions into the
film(s), and hope the audience will appreciate it...

...And there's no use to drag GAiNAX's tax problem into the discussion.

GAiNAX tax problem has to do with their software/CD-ROM/Game venture--has
nothing to do with EOE.
 
<snip>
 
> Why ? Maybe he *likes* the deliberate ambiguity of the TV ending.  I
> certainly do.

I am not going to argue with you on your personal preference.
 
> And what is completeness ?  Director Anno was a different person when he
> made EoE, perhaps a happier/sadder/better/worse person.  His ideas
> certainly evolved (as his further projects have demonstrated).

And for good. Trust me. EOE is a master piece.
 
>> Also, just curious Rob... have you seen EOE yet? I am sure it is a matter of
>> opinion on which one you *like* better (TV 25/26 vs. EOE), but don't you
>> think EOE did a better job in telling the story and expresses Mr. Anno ideas
>> as an ending?

> No, I have not seen it yet.  And before you all go A-HA! He can't discuss
> EoE because he hasn't seen it, let me remind you I am not trying to tell
> you anything about what went on in EoE.  I have carefully restricted my
> discussion to things I _have_ seen.  But further, my point is not that
> the TV ending is better than/different to/the same as the EoE ending.

You know what? You are *not* the first person on the ML claim how much they
like the TV ending and claim it is the be-all-end-all of Evangelion ending
while EOE is clear much *better* ending.

But when other ML members hinted, "so... what about EOE? What do you think
of that?..." People (like you) tends to get very defensive about it (since
you haven't seen EOE yet).

> I am here talking about my interpretation of the TV ending, and in
> support of that, trying to show how it *does* give us what Director Anno
> wanted.  Maybe not all of what he wanted, or even what he decided later
> would be better, but still a true reflection of his intentions at the
> time.  I am also, inter alia, trying to discover if there is anything
> intrinsically incompatible between the EoE and TV endings, which was
> where I entered this thread.  (See my reply to MugenHunter).

Well, you know what? You can spin it anyway you want, but I think it is
impossible to talk about the TV ending without talking about EOE.

Also, it is OK to like the TV ending and at the same time enjoy EOE. EOE
actually contain a lot of the self-exam type scenes (like TV 25/26) and deal
with Shinji's characterization. EOE is not just actions, and blood, and HCP
like how you must have read about it online.

What you love about the TV ending is also in EOE.

Have a good night.

-g.