Is anime stagnating? Evangelion’s Hideaki Anno speaks out

Anime News Network have posted a translated message from Evangelion’s out-spoken maestro Hideaki Anno; in full, the released statement covers his passionate intentions for the new Evangelion movies as well as his controversial opinions on the currently “exhausted” industry and “trend of stagnation in anime”. We’ve quoted several of Anno’s more interesting thoughts below, but the whole statement can be read over at Anime News Network.

• “Many different desires are motivating us to create the new “Evangelion” film… The desire to portray my sincere feelings on film… The desire to connect today’s exhausted Japanese animation [industry] to the future… The desire to fight the continuing trend of stagnation in anime.”

  “… Many times we wondered, “It’s a title that’s more than 10 years old. Why now?” “Eva is too old”, we felt. However, over the past 12 years, there has been no anime newer than Eva… Specifically, among the stagnant mood of the present day, it is the portrayal of will – not technology – that is most important.”

  “… As the creator of this project, [I assure you that] a very new-feeling Evangelion world has beeen constructed… We realize that we are creating something that will be better than the last series.”