The original TV series was quite popular and well-liked in its day (although a lot of people got ticked off when it ended with a therapy session for the MC rather than actually resolving the plot). You do have to remember that it was a lot more original then than it seems now—it was neither a kiddy-targeted giant robo story with an upbeat Standard Issue Shounen Protagonist nor a military-setting mecha series with a gifted pilot as MC, but centered around some loser whose robot suit needed to stay plugged in to keep working for more than a few minutes.
(Also, in my opinion, Cruel Angel’s Thesis remains a damned good OP.)
NineSwords@ani.social 3 weeks ago
Well, as the resident grandpa here, let me tell you of the good old days: Evangelion was groundbreaking. It shaped the definition of what anime is and can be and its influence can be seen everywhere even today. I know you whippersnappers are easily entertained by flashy light effects and bright colors but there is no question that without NGE the anime industry wouldn’t be half as big and popular as it is today.
mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Nah, Anno is a hack of an author, and the studio even admitted that most of the Christian imagery included was just put in because it looked cool.
The series lucked out by appealing to the neckbeard stereotype at exactly the right time, and with enough vagueness to let the viewers go full HS english teacher mode and convince themselves that the story was extremely deep and complex when it was really paper thin.
As I’ve already said, unless you’re just looking for a show that tickles the “woah giant robot fight” itch, NGE is just plain bad
NineSwords@ani.social 3 weeks ago
You’re not arguing my point. Whether the writing is good or bad is just an opinion. It doesn’t matter. Some like it, some don’t. My point was that the influence NGE had on the entire industry (and some more industries around it as well) is undisputed and verifiably a fact.
ps.: That “woah giant robot fight” argument doesn’t work in a series that has very little giant robots.