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Our Happiness: The Happiness Depicted by ...

Our Happiness: The Happiness Depicted by "Evangelion" #2

Mar 31, 2021

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)

Our Happiness: The Happiness Depicted by "Evangelion" #1(Absolute evaluation standards and absolute happiness)

・・・

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>

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