[EVA] Anno's Shaved Head

[Brendan Jamieson]

A while back I asked for confirmation of the rumor that Hideaki Anno
shaved his head in apology to Japanese fans who were upset with the
ending of the Evangelion TV series. No one really knew the source of
it...

Anyhow, the source is an interview with the original "Otaking", Toshio
Okada (one of the Gainax founders).

AUDIENCE: At the [Anime] Expo, many of the fans asked Mr. Anno about
episodes #25 and #26. He said, "I don't have a problem about the way it
ended. If there's a problem, it's with you guys." Then he grabbed the
mic and said, in English, "Too bad."

OKADA: Eh? [LAUGHS] He thinks so. OK: I want to say to every animation
fan: don't touch him this year [LAUGHS]. Because many anime and *seiyuu*
magazines are asking Mr. Anno that question, and every time his answer
changes. It's "confused, confuse-er, confuse-est." He's not happy right
now. Maybe you know that back in January, or February, he shaved his
head. It's a Japanese gesture of contrition. People said, "Oh, he's
feeling a lot of responsibility towards the producer, or T.V. Tokyo, or
the sponsor." Not so. He felt a very strong responsibility about *his*
stuff. "Sorry, I can't do it!" So he shaved his head. This summer, he
hates anime fans. I think he'll feel happier by autumn.


So by Okada's definition, Anno did shave his head as a gesture of
"contrition" - or, an apology. Further proving Anno himself was not
exactly thrilled with how Eva ended to the point that he admitted the
end was not what it should have been.

Just thought it was interesting...

-brendan