Newtype, November 1995 issue
Speaker
Hideaki Anno
Kotono Mitsuishi, a Japanese voice actress, singer, and narrator
Kunihiko Ikuhara, a Japanese director, writer, artist, and music producer
Newtype
Previous article (1/2)
・・・
Shinji's 5-step conjugation and Misato's happiness
Newtype
Ms. Mitsuishi, is there any story you've played that you'd like to tell?
Kotono Mitsuishi
For me, it was the scene where Kaji-san and Misato got together. I'm a girl, so I like romantic scenes.
Newtype
What about you, Ikuhara?
Kunihiko Ikuhara
I'm curious about Rei's line.
Hideaki Anno
Rei has a good reputation. Why is that?
Kunihiko Ikuhara
Because it's good description. Rei says the same line to Shinji over and over again. I thought that was interesting.
Kotono Mitsuishi
It makes you think about what the lines are going to be. It's even more interesting because there are parts of it that make sense.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
I think she doesn't know how to use words, and doesn't know how to communicate with others. Rei is unconsciously using those words, but Shinji is overthinking it.
Kotono Mitsuishi
Shinji gets nervous and wonders what she meant by that line.
Hideaki Anno
To tell you the truth, I've already given away the whole story at the end of the first volume of the comic, but the story of Evangelion is about people who are clumsy in their communication. It's about a boy who is afraid of contact with others and keeps to himself, and a 29-year-old single woman who protects herself by escaping into superficial relationships. It's a story about how these people change.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
A 29-year-old single woman is Misato, right? Will Misato be happy in the end?
Hideaki Anno
I don't know. She might not. I don't know what happiness is.
Kotono Mitsuishi
What does happiness mean to Misato?
Hideaki Anno
I don't think she'll be happy if she gets together with Kaji.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
Is it wrong to get together with Kaji?
Kotono Mitsuishi
There is a theory that it is better not to be with the person you love the most.
Newtype
Does Misato love Kaji the most?
Kotono Mitsuishi
Well. I can't say for sure because I can't find anyone else who might be a potential love interest.
Hideaki Anno
"No, I don't know. Misato might fall in love with Shinji.
Kotono Mitsuishi
Hmm, we won't know for sure until about ten years from now.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
But isn't Misato always so worried about Shinji? When the enemy attacked, and Shinji and Rei were both blown up, she said, "Shinji-kun!" even when they were both blown up. Doesn't she care about Rei who blew up with him?
Kotono Mitsuishi
It's a heroine's fate to shout out the hero's name. Besides, there are many ways to use the same "Shinji-kun", such as the five-level conjugation.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
What's the fifth conjugation?
Kotono Mitsuishi
The script says "Shinji-kun," "Shinji-kun," and "Shinji-kun," but they're all different. Some say "Shinji-kun ♡" cheerfully, some shout "Shinji-kun", and some say "Shinji-kun" with a bit of a scowl.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
I see.
Ultimate Individualism and the Happiness of Boys
Kunihiko Ikuhara
I wonder what happiness is for a boy.
Hideaki Anno
I think it's getting the girl you like.
Kotono Mitsuishi
But after you get her, you'll go back to your work, won't you?
Kunihiko Ikuhara
How can you say such a thing?
Kotono Mitsuishi
Because I haven't seen too many that aren't.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
Is that something girls don't like?
Kotono Mitsuishi
As a girl, I don't like it.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
What do you do in such a case? In general, you know.
Kotono Mitsuishi
Girls will blame boys.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
I wonder what boys would do if they were blamed.
Kotono Mitsuishi
I think it's a case by case thing. Some people will break up with her because of it, and some people will think back on what he did wrong and follow through with hiswork.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
I wonder why boys are so eager to work. I've never done that before.
Hideaki Anno
Oh, you're just trying to be a good boy.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
No, I'm not. Seriously.
Hideaki Anno
I think it's because boys are only thinking about themselves. Even when they think about girls, I think they're actually doing it for themselves.
Newtype
What do you mean?
Hideaki Anno
There was once a manga in which the main character abandoned Koshien (a high school baseball tournament) for the girl he loved. I couldn't believe that kind of thing. It seems like hypocrisy to say "for the sake of the woman you love". It's like he's saying "for the girl" as an excuse when he's really just following his own desires and pleasures. I don't think men are like that, they are more self-centered.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
A man is not supposed to think about a girl...
Hideaki Anno
That's right. In other words, I'm only doing it because it makes me feel good to be thinking about girls. The word "man" is also created by the world of ideas. If you don't think of yourself as a man, there is no such thing as a man. I think it's a very vague thing. I think that's why people have been saying "if you're a man" or "if you were a man" over and over again for a long time. If we don't constantly remind ourselves of this, "men" will disappear. To put it another way, I think that everyone is only thinking about themselves. That's why I think it's okay for people to be individualistic.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
But it's difficult to maintain individualism.
Hideaki Anno
It's difficult. Especially in Japan.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
Ultimate happiness is related to ultimate individualism, isn't it? Isn't it determined by how much individualism you can maintain?
Hideaki Anno
Hmmm. Happiness can also mean a state of being free from stress and frustration.
Newtype
It depends on the definition of the word happiness.
Hideaki Anno
One of the definitions is that it would be nice if the present moment could last forever. I wish I was taking a bath with a girl.
Kotono Mitsuishi
Is it happiness?
Kunihiko Ikuhara
Yes, it's a happy moment.
Hideaki Anno
It's pretty nice to take a bath with a girl, isn't it?
Kunihiko Ikuhara
Yeah. (To editor) Oh, please cut what I just said (laughs).
Hideaki Anno
The conversation has taken a turn for the worse, hasn't it?
Newtype
Well, I guess it's time to call it a night.
Hideaki Anno
That's right. I've had a lot to drink and I'm really tired after the post-production. Well, Iku-chan, let's go out for a drink after this.
Kunihiko Ikuhara
What? Then we can drink until the last train (laughs).
Kunihiko Ikuhara, "The Awesomeness of No Vagueness".
Kunihiko Ikuhara
After the roundtable discussion, I had a thought. In this column, I'd like to talk about it. I'd like to talk about what Anno-san said about wanting an absolute evaluation.
Not only me, but many creative people say things like, "It's a good work even though there wasn't enough time in the schedule," or "For a TV animation, you did a great job." The truth is that whether or not there was enough time is not the same as evaluating the work. We all know that, but by saying things like " in spite of ......" or "for ......", we are making things relative and making the truth vague.
But Mr. Anno doesn't tolerate such vagueness. I was surprised by this. He eliminates all such excuses and strives for perfection within his own values.
He's trying to achieve perfection in his values, in story, in expression, in theme, in everything. I think that evaluations like "the mecha action isn't good enough, it's not satisfying, but the theme is great" are meaningless to Anno.
It's easy to say in words, but it's a tremendous task to actually do it.
Anno-san and I have different ways of working and different directions. But he's a really inspiring person.
<Original JP site: https://home.gamer.com.tw/creationDetail.php?sn=863308>