Drama Digest
Evangelion is an anime franchise coming to an end, so the NHK spent four years documenting the director Hideki Anno while he created the masterpiece anime step by step. It captures the creative process of building the last instalment of the main anime. When he was building up the anime, the cameras got permission to film his work studio for the first time. The documentary tries to capture the man behind his works and his real-life experiences. The show captures the real reason behind his is known as the man who sheds blood for his creations. The conflicts and struggles behind the success of this legendary animator got presented in this documentary.
The Feel-Good Part
The show follows a well-known director as he performs his daily activities onscreen. This show justifies his directional choices of Evangelion. Every detail of this industry is captured for the audience to have an eye-opening experience. The show perfectly captures Anno and his crew trying to make difficult decisions, and witnessing the dynamics is inspiring for the audience. The dysfunctions and creative opinions handled got showcased in this show. Anno is a work-immersive person who seems uninterested in anything other than work, but it gives the audience an authentic portrayal rather than playing a part. The sincerity of this creative process is well captured and felt deeply by the viewers. Anno genuinely wanted the filmmakers to mostly follow his team and their reactions rather than himself portraying the nature of this animator.
The Disappointing Factor
The show might not be well-documented due to its amateurish camera work and getting pushed around by Hideki Anno. It also lacks technical execution and feels dry.
In-Depth Analysis
Hideki Anno provides a run around his inner mechanisms and gives brief information regarding his creational process. The documentary captures his relationship with production members and other crew. It follows around the creative journey of this anime; he makes difficult choices and executes his vision. As he always has a work mindset and perfectionist attitude, he fears that his creation might not provide the intentional message he wants. As audiences slowly understand more about Anno as a human being candidly presenting himself, they also comprehend his personality through his unique method. This documentary also captures Anno as a mentor to his crew, who are at liberty while working, but he does not get the necessary inputs, which affects them in many ways. People around him also got interviewed to understand their views on him and his work. After documenting every aspect of the protagonist, it leads to decisive conclusions.
Star Power
The director for this show is Aki Kubota. The documentary captures the life of Hideki Anno, who becomes the lead star of this show. Miyazaki Hayao, Anno Moyoco, and Higuchi Shinji are the guests in this show.
Overall Opinion
It is a decent show to watch as it provides viewers with the entire process of the animation industry. The audience interested in trying a documentary about this particular industry or curious about the famous anime’s behind-the-scenes working process can give this documentary a proper chance.
