Famously grumpy visionary Hayao Miyazaki presents himself as a particularly tough nut to crack. He has the kind of energy that a wildly successful, yet deeply disappointed father tends to have, even in his interviews. Finding things he has a lot of praise for can feel few and far between, especially when it comes to talking about anime or other properties. Miyazaki has a very critical eye, often showing a lack of desire to interact with them. So, it would take a very special franchise to make Miyazaki break his patterns of what can generously be called quiet distaste.
One specific series has managed to capture Miyazaki's attention and affection quite well. It's a classic, but not the most entry-level of anime out there. In fact, it's probably a little advanced for newer anime fans, but it is a staple for long-time lovers of the medium. Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most lauded anime of the '90s, and it is one of the few anime with Miyazaki's stamp of approval. That alone makes it well worth another look for those seeing the barrier of entry as high.
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Miyazaki Demanded That Hideaki Anno Finish Neon Genesis Evangelion
It's Incredibly Relatable to Want an Anime You Love to Be Completed
Miyazaki and Hideaki Anno, the creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion, have had quite the friendship over the years. In the documentary Hideaki Anno: The Final Challenge of Evangelion, Miyazaki talks about working with Anno. Anno even auditioned for and performed in Miyazaki's The Wind Rises, and would be dubbed over by Joseph Gordon-Lovett in the English release of the film. The documentary shows his audition as well as gives the audience a little tease about the relationship between the two legendary creators. Miyazaki recalls a conversation where he even demanded that Anno finish Evangelion as Rebuild of Evangelion had yet to be finished at the time.
While fans can't really tell when this conversation took place and the documentary doesn't give context, it does speak to Miyazaki's respect for the series. Evangelion is one of the few anime with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is huge as an accomplishment, but it feels like it pales in comparison to Miyazaki's praise. Miyazaki has been incredibly critical of the anime industry, so much so that his visage inspired the misattributed "anime was a mistake" quote and meme. It feels like a much bigger deal for someone like him to demand something be finished, and it feels as though Anno unlocked something special with his series, even proclaiming it to be a little pretentious by his own standards.
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However, it does make sense why Miyazaki would drift toward the franchise, even despite his and Anno's friendship. Miyazaki has always been a master of the coming-of-age narrative, with many of his movies and stories focused on that theme. Anno's masterwork focuses heavily on the teen angst of Shinji, Asuka and Rei, with each of their paths diverging as the universe around them closes in and steals away anny innocence they could have had. It's not really a shock that Miyazaki would be enthralled with Neon Genesis Evangelion, especially considering some of the authors and creators he sites as influences. Authors like Lewis Carroll of Alice in Wonderland and Roald Dahl of James and the Giant Peach are a few Miyazaki claims inspiration from and, with that knowledge, it makes sense why Anno's work would resonate with Miyazaki.
Miyazaki's creative process is stated to be more free-flowing and much of the content of his movies is "vibes-based". Anno, Carroll, and Dahl have similar energy behind their creations. Much of the symbolism in their works flows very naturally and doesn't feel shoehorned in, which is actually a lot harder than it looks. Miyazaki does much the same with his own work as a creator, the imagery and symbolism taking on a life of its own as the narrative forms with it. Neon Genesis Evangelion has this capacity to turn every frame into something that is meant to be dissected over and over again with different understandings being the expectation. While the differences between Anno and Miyazaki seem stark, there's a lot tying them together in their narrative traditions. It also helps that their friendship existed even before The Wind Rises.
Hayao Miyazaki & Hideaki Anno Hayao Have a Deep Bond
Miyazaki & Anno Went to the Sahara Together
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Anno is one of the few animators who has the freedom to openly critique Miyazaki's work, admitting he isn't a fan of movies like Porco Rosso and saying that Miyazaki is sometimes just "showing off". He's even stated that Miyazaki has an image he likes to project and that it may not be the entire story about the famous director. This can feel almost blasphemous to think of for many fans, but it shows the depth of their relationship. They feel comfortable saying basically anything to each other, and that's important to keep note of as they both have a deep fondness for each other. Anno, like many animators in the industry, got his start working under Miyazaki and got to work on a project very close to his heart, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind was not just adapted by Miyazaki -- he was also the writer and artist for the original manga. Anno was one of the animators on the project and was taken under Miyazaki's wing, even if Miyazaki claimed not to like Anno at first. Apparently, Anno had a weird fashion sense and didn't bathe as much as Miyazaki would have liked. But Miyazaki kept working with him as Anno ended up voicing the main character in The Wind Rises and Studio Ghibli helped to animate parts of Neon Genesis Evangelion, particularly Episode 11. It's also pretty clear that Miyazaki has a lot of esteem for his former student. He was the one who gave him his first big break, after all. Since Evangelion is, at its core, a piece of Anno himself, it's actually really sweet to think of the very personal projects the two of them have worked on together.
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Anno and Miyazaki both bring a strong sense of personality to their works, which is something that can clearly strengthen the bond between creatives. The two went on a trip to the Sahara desert in an antique plane in the '90s, following the route of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, who wrote Le Petit Prince. Miyazaki spoke at Anno's wedding and Anno created a short film specifically for the Ghibli Museum. Miyazaki taught Anno how to handle the entire production process, not just how to storyboard, and Miyazaki seems to deeply value him as a friend. Anno was even said to have received a call from Miyazaki at the height of his depression and that was enough to help him to keep going in such a dark time.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is just as beloved as a majority of the Studio Ghibli movies themselves are, as it, much like many of the films, is a project of passion and love. Miyazaki was the perfect person for someone like Anno to learn from, the kind of person who can be seen as off-putting but wholly embracing the joy of creation. The two creators are a shining example of what happens when truly talented individuals are given the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and learn from each other. Anno has become a legend as well as time has gone on, following Miyazaki's footsteps up the mountain of greatness where they can stand as giants together.
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Neon Genesis Evangelion
TV-MA
Animation
Action
Drama
Sci-Fi
10.0/10
Release Date 1995 - 1996
Cast
See All
Megumi Ogata
Shinji Ikari
Megumi Hayashibara
Rei Ayanami
A teenage boy finds himself recruited as a member of an elite team of pilots by his father.
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