CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

This week, a studio that kicks reason to the curb.



Ah yes, Gainax, one of the industry's most famous studios. Founded in the early 80s as Daicon Films, they started off doing some independent animations before changing their name to its current incarnation a few years later. Their earliest works include the OVAs, Wings of Honnêamise and Gunbuster, and the TV series Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water. But, it is in 1995 that they influenced an entire generation of animation.



Yeah, Neon Genesis Evangelion is kind of a big deal. It's pretty easy to see its influences today (and not just in anime), fifteen years out, and it's even easier to see its popularity, what with two of four remake films currently released. But yeah, lots of psychological themes, subversion of tropes, and just not very easily digestible stuff. Probably the most influential anime in the 90s.



So you've made a groundbreaking mecha show that explores issues in human psychology. What to do next? How about a shoujo romance? Because that's exactly what Hideaki Anno did. Kare Kano is a fantastic shoujo manga (it's my favourite) that's about the individual one presents to others versus the person that they actually are. The results of the anime adaptation are mixed, with a lot of people enjoying most of it until the final few episodes. It's this show that spawned the Gainax End phenomenon.



FLCL is a fairly interesting show because it continues in the Gainax tradition of animating weird things, this time about growing up. It's not really my thing, but I've gotta admit that the production on this thing is pretty fantastic. It looks way better than anything I'd expect from 2000. Also, points for the soundtrack, which consists entirely of music by the pillows, who are fantastic.



It's the year 2007. By this point in time, Gainax can't seem to dodge their reputation for ruining endings. While they haven't reached Gonzo levels of awful, their reputation had definitely dropped. So in the same year that Gainax shows off yet another Evangelion thing (Rebuild of Evangelion 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE), they have this goofy robot show about drills running in a Sunday morning timeslot, traditionally the kids/toy fodder timeslot.

Reading through the Spring 2007 season previews was pretty neat, because expectations for Gurren Lagann were not very high. But the little Ganmen that could turned out to be the most universe-warping show that Gainax had produced since Evangelion. This homage to mecha through the ages marked a turning point for Gainax's reputation and is one of the best shows of the decade.

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So clearly, Gainax have still got it in them. They've still got two more Evangelion movies to produce, but their team behind Gurren Lagann should be watched pretty closely. And that's why there's a lot of buzz behind Panty and Stocking, despite the name and concept. It'll be interesting to see what Gainax will have in store for the next decade.

NEXT TIME

ISAAAAAAAAACU~ MIRIAAAAAAAAA~

Let's try this for a table of contents.

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Yeah Gainax is kind of weird with their stuff. It's hard to give them a 'theme' but they made Evangelion, so all is forgiven.

Ah. Gainax- *in*famous for the Gainax Bounce (if you don't know, don't ask!) and for quite a few shows that have blown (and blown away) anime fans across the world.

While I have yet to see their most famous of these, I'm a huge TTGL fan- and loathe FLCL. Shikabane Hime is on my list of 'watchables', though, and I'm dying to see Wings of Honneamise!

So.... a decently mixed bag, but overall the few shows I have seen by them have been pretty good.

We're allowed to talk about the giant robot phenomena?

I've only seen FLCL and Neon Genesis Evangelion. The former was weird and colour but highly imaginative. I enjoy strange but this took the cake. I give them points for trying something different but I don't know whether that's a good thing. The latter was highly influential. I prefer the manga. It's more coherent and intelligent, the downside is that the action isn't as clearly drawn and the raw emotion of the series (both it's strength and weakness) is somewhat subdued. I enjoyed the anime but the first 10-15 or so episodes are rather immature, dull and fanservicey. From then on it really improves. I even enjoyed the ending but I've got to say neither ending is particularly hopeful. The series seems to be highly nihilistic, if thought-provoking. Shinji has got to be the most annoying character in fiction, simply because he's so unlikeable. Sure the young man has had a rough life but you should make some effort to make your highly flawed character be even slightly sympathetic/likeable. I just wanted him gone. So, I have a love/hate relationship with this series. At times it's very good, other times it reminds us of everything crap about anime.

As far as I know, I've only seen FLCL, Eva, and TTGL. FLCL was pretty effing awesome to me, especially because when I watched it I was kind of depressed, and the series was fun and awesome.

Eva was a good anime, and while I know they're objectively bad, I actually enjoyed the final two episodes, and have refused to watch End for that purpose. I still need to see Rebuild, however.

TTGL is pretty much awesome incarnate. Also...

random forum wrote:"'Gainaxxy'? I never know what people mean when they say that. It started out to mean big, bouncy breasts, then became existentialist angst, then became hyper-kinetic psycho-sexual slapstick. What's it mean now?"
"All of that, at once."

Edit:Oh hey I missed that the next one will be my favorite. That's pretty cool, thank you blkmage.

I really don't get all the Shinji hate. He's one of the only characters in the thing that I can stand. I mean if Ikari Gendou was my dad, I'd be miserable too. Also he is way better in the manga (along with just about everything else).

I liked Shinji too, for the record.

Actually, I liked Evangelion and its movies. I also liked Gurren Lagann. My main problem with Gainax is that they rely too much on mind screws (the endings) and fan service (the aforementioned Gainax bounce, for instance). Put them together, and you can see why I also loathe FLCL. (excepts loads of hatedom directed at me) If Gainax would allow more of its anime to be legally streamed or on TV, I could see more of it to gain an opinion.
ooh. Brain Base is next.