Comments on: Gainax: Recycling Evangelion and overdoing the fanservice http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/ Fat cats make anime better Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:02:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Martin http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1267 Martin Sat, 07 Jul 2007 22:01:44 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1267 I was looking forward to reading this article actually! I haven't seen *everything* Gainax have done (I'm not far off, though, perhaps worryingly) but my overall impressions are that 1. their first decade is where you'll find the classics and 2. they've been surfing the Eva merchandise wave for too damned long. I'm still waiting to see Wings of Honneamise but it has something of a legendary status; the original Gunbuster is pure brilliance from start to finish, although the sequel is good rather than great. Eva is impressive but flawed, Kare Kano was awesome apart from the truncated ending and as for FLCL...it's understandable that most viewers don't 'get' it but you can't help admire it all the same. Mahoromatic (my experience is limited to the first season) is average, nothing more but I've avoided He is my Master like the plague! I'll be covering Kono Mini in more detail myself but suffice to say I thought it had a great overall concept but the way it was handled was amateurish and sloppy, which is a shame when the character designs and production values are so high. I'll be checking out Nadia soon to see if my theory is correct! I was looking forward to reading this article actually!

I haven’t seen *everything* Gainax have done (I’m not far off, though, perhaps worryingly) but my overall impressions are that 1. their first decade is where you’ll find the classics and 2. they’ve been surfing the Eva merchandise wave for too damned long. I’m still waiting to see Wings of Honneamise but it has something of a legendary status; the original Gunbuster is pure brilliance from start to finish, although the sequel is good rather than great. Eva is impressive but flawed, Kare Kano was awesome apart from the truncated ending and as for FLCL…it’s understandable that most viewers don’t ‘get’ it but you can’t help admire it all the same. Mahoromatic (my experience is limited to the first season) is average, nothing more but I’ve avoided He is my Master like the plague! I’ll be covering Kono Mini in more detail myself but suffice to say I thought it had a great overall concept but the way it was handled was amateurish and sloppy, which is a shame when the character designs and production values are so high.

I’ll be checking out Nadia soon to see if my theory is correct!

]]> By: hiero_yo http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1254 hiero_yo Fri, 06 Jul 2007 04:41:35 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1254 What about Ebichu? What about Ebichu?

]]> By: DiGiKerot http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1252 DiGiKerot Thu, 05 Jul 2007 22:26:16 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1252 Gainax made their reputation almost entirely on their earlier work, most of which you don't mention here. Everything they produced up until FLCL was pretty amazing, particularly when you compared it to the other shows being produced at the same time. Just go back and watch their first work, Wings of Honneamise. It's an utterly amazing movie - the animation is beyond stunning, the music unique and the writing intelligent enough that you'll be in disbelief that the same guy was responsible for Abenobashi and Mahoromatic. Similarly, the original Gunbuster is just fantastic - it's just so clever in it's construction and writing. Nadia is brilliant during the episodes actually produced by Gainax. Gunbuster and Nadia both have terrific endings as well, by the way. Also, I agree with Super Rats - Yucie is great. That said, I kind of liked the misses as well. HiMM isn't so much maid wish-fulfilment as it is poking fun at it, admittedly in such a fashion that's so blatantly OTT that I couldn't help but laugh at it. The teacher DID ruin Mahoromatic, though. Gainax made their reputation almost entirely on their earlier work, most of which you don’t mention here. Everything they produced up until FLCL was pretty amazing, particularly when you compared it to the other shows being produced at the same time. Just go back and watch their first work, Wings of Honneamise. It’s an utterly amazing movie – the animation is beyond stunning, the music unique and the writing intelligent enough that you’ll be in disbelief that the same guy was responsible for Abenobashi and Mahoromatic. Similarly, the original Gunbuster is just fantastic – it’s just so clever in it’s construction and writing. Nadia is brilliant during the episodes actually produced by Gainax.

Gunbuster and Nadia both have terrific endings as well, by the way.

Also, I agree with Super Rats – Yucie is great.

That said, I kind of liked the misses as well. HiMM isn’t so much maid wish-fulfilment as it is poking fun at it, admittedly in such a fashion that’s so blatantly OTT that I couldn’t help but laugh at it. The teacher DID ruin Mahoromatic, though.

]]> By: Mike http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1250 Mike Thu, 05 Jul 2007 18:12:38 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1250 Alex, Gainax was not the main studio behind "Honey and Clover." JC Staff was. Gainax, however, did do some in-between work for that show, as did virtually every major anime studio: H&C's production strategy was to farm out in-between work to multiple places rather than relying on just one, to keep the animation quality consistent for the whole show. H&C and Kare Kano go very well together IMO, though. They're the best-of-class in the slice of life romance genre. Alex, Gainax was not the main studio behind “Honey and Clover.” JC Staff was. Gainax, however, did do some in-between work for that show, as did virtually every major anime studio: H&C’s production strategy was to farm out in-between work to multiple places rather than relying on just one, to keep the animation quality consistent for the whole show.

H&C and Kare Kano go very well together IMO, though. They’re the best-of-class in the slice of life romance genre.

]]> By: Alex http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1249 Alex Thu, 05 Jul 2007 17:50:21 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1249 Here's a couple good ones you missed Honey and Clover (FANTASTIC) Nadia I'm not a big fan of gainax, though I am a fan of those two, and especially his and her circumstances. Eva in my opinion is a collection of crap that somehow through dumb luck synergizes itself into something vaguely interesting. Here’s a couple good ones you missed

Honey and Clover (FANTASTIC)
Nadia

I’m not a big fan of gainax, though I am a fan of those two, and especially his and her circumstances. Eva in my opinion is a collection of crap that somehow through dumb luck synergizes itself into something vaguely interesting.

]]> By: super rats http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1248 super rats Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:05:49 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1248 Puchi Puri Yuushi (Petit Princess Yucie) is the bomb. It's cute, light, but also has heart. The other Gainax stuff I've seen that I'd class as hits are Kare Kano, NGE, and FLCL. Abenobashi I though was hilarious for four episodes and then became numbingly dull for the remainder. Puchi Puri Yuushi (Petit Princess Yucie) is the bomb. It’s cute, light, but also has heart. The other Gainax stuff I’ve seen that I’d class as hits are Kare Kano, NGE, and FLCL. Abenobashi I though was hilarious for four episodes and then became numbingly dull for the remainder.

]]> By: Karura http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1244 Karura Thu, 05 Jul 2007 11:17:49 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1244 Haruchin: I too was wary of Guren Lagann after previous Gainax experiences, but I'll no doubt get around to it sometime. Karry: Luckily I never touched He is my Master, although the synopsis sounds bad enough. Probably some maid wish fulfilment going on with the writers. Haruchin: I too was wary of Guren Lagann after previous Gainax experiences, but I’ll no doubt get around to it sometime.

Karry: Luckily I never touched He is my Master, although the synopsis sounds bad enough. Probably some maid wish fulfilment going on with the writers.

]]> By: qwertypoiuy http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1243 qwertypoiuy Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:57:07 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1243 Gurren Lagann is a master piece Gurren Lagann is a master piece

]]> By: Karry http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1242 Karry Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:35:01 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1242 I dont know how anyone can speak highly of Gainax after "He is my master". I dont know how anyone can speak highly of Gainax after “He is my master”.

]]> By: Haruchin http://azureflame.dasaku.net/2007/07/05/gainax/comment-page-1/#comment-1241 Haruchin Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:09:13 +0000 http://azureflame.ikimashou.net/2007/07/05/gainax/#comment-1241 No Gurren Lagann? I confess I've not been watching it (too much other anime crammed into my busy schedule combined with a Gainax distrust from watching previous series), but from what I've read on other blogs, it seems to have seriously picked up in quality from Gainax's previous offerings. Could this be the other 'hit' to put next to Kare Kano? In general I agree with your placings though, at least of the ones I've watched. Very much looking forward to your "Eva Deconstructed". ^_^ No Gurren Lagann? I confess I’ve not been watching it (too much other anime crammed into my busy schedule combined with a Gainax distrust from watching previous series), but from what I’ve read on other blogs, it seems to have seriously picked up in quality from Gainax’s previous offerings. Could this be the other ‘hit’ to put next to Kare Kano?

In general I agree with your placings though, at least of the ones I’ve watched. Very much looking forward to your “Eva Deconstructed”. ^_^

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