March was busy for me because I was preparing to hand over my work responsibilities, but since April started, things have begun to calm down a little. As for the Porno Graffitti concert, work was so busy that I even forgot to apply for ticket resale, so I won’t be attending this time. Well, after looking at the setlists from the places where the concerts have already been held, it seems that the songs I like weren’t performed anyway, so I guess it’s fine that I’m not going. “Melissa” wasn’t on the setlist. I like “Agehachou” and “Apollo.” When I sing at karaoke, though, I usually sing “Melissa.”
In Japan, foreign movies are often dubbed as well, but sometimes actors—not professional voice actors—are cast for the dubbing, so occasionally the performance isn’t very good. In some TV broadcast versions, even announcers have done the dubbing. Sometimes voice actors do it, but there are cases where the theatrical version, the TV broadcast version, and the DVD version all have different voice casts. If the TV station broadcasting it is different, the voice actors may change as well. Movies like Home Alone or Back to the Future are examples of that.
AI-generated voices have been a hot topic lately, though mostly in a negative way because people’s voices were used without permission. I also heard that Yuki Kaji became independent and started a company that allows people to use voices through AI. I think it’s a good thing to actually try things like that, because it also helps reveal the potential problems.
When fans translate something, I think the people who get hurt the most are the original creators. Their work ends up being illegally translated and spread around without them even knowing. And sometimes translators don’t fully understand the creator’s intended meaning, so the translation reflects the translator’s own interpretation, values, or even religious views. I once read comments from someone on Discord who claimed to have done fan translations, but it seemed like they only understood about 40% of Japanese culture.
If I were to compare piracy to something, it would be like going to a restaurant, eating the food without paying, and then telling the chef, “Your food was good” or “Your food was bad,” and then loudly advertising to others that they can come eat there for free. That’s basically just dining and dashing. Normally, if you don’t have money to eat at a restaurant, you simply don’t eat there. I think it’s the same with manga or anime—if you’re not willing to pay for them, then you shouldn’t watch or read them. You should just give up.
Authors and animation studios aren’t creating their works for free. They have lives too, and they need money to live. It’s only natural that people who do good work should be properly paid. People who illegally enjoy anime or manga without paying don’t respect other people’s work and don’t understand what work really is. If I worked hard and did a really good job, I wouldn’t want someone to say, “I won’t pay you, but I’ll just enjoy the results of your work.” Anime and manga are not volunteer services for poor people to enjoy for free.
Also, there are people who watch things illegally and then complain directly to the creators, saying things like “I didn’t like the ending” or “You killed my favorite character,” even though they didn’t pay for it. Recently, there are also so-called fans who change a character’s skin color or use characters to push political messages without permission. Because of that, malicious “fans” have increased. Some have even gone as far as threatening creators. There are also creators who feel stressed because people overseas use their works without permission. Some manga artists have even said in interviews that they dislike comments from people who read their works through piracy sites, and that kind of situation can negatively affect their creative work. I also think it says a lot that you almost never hear manga artists say, “I don’t mind piracy—I just want as many people as possible to read my manga.”
To me, being a fan means enjoying a work without violating copyright and without doing things that the official creators or publishers dislike. In Japan, many people create fan works (doujinshi), but when official guidelines exist, people follow them. If the official creators or copyright holders warn someone about their work, they usually respond immediately by destroying the work and posting an apology on social media. People create those works with that level of awareness and responsibility. If someone in the same fan community does something that breaks the rules, other fans often warn them, saying that the behavior causes trouble for the official creators. No matter how good a fan work might be, people generally won’t approve of illegal activities that harm the original creators.
I heard that the translation of “Kamehameha” from Dragon Ball is different depending on the country. Recently it even became news that in France they don’t call it “Kamehameha.”
As for the Suzume poster, I think I still have the movie flyers somewhere instead of throwing them away. I might even have two different versions. I tend to put flyers together and store them in my bookshelf, so now that I think about it, I probably need to organize them someday.
The Spirited Away poster would look much nicer if it were new. I taped it to my wall with cellophane tape, so it has tape marks, some sagging, and even a few tears at the edges. As for The End of Evangelion, the poster I have is the one that was actually displayed in theaters at the time. The poster with Rei’s face floating in the red sea wasn’t the one used in theaters during the original release, so it isn’t particularly famous in Japan. It also wasn’t the poster sold in theaters back then. I did buy the version that was sold in theaters, though. When movies are released overseas, the posters sometimes have different designs, so maybe the Rei-face poster is more famous abroad.
For articulated figures, I only have the Rei figure that came as a bonus with a manga and maybe some Gunpla. I don’t really feel the urge to collect many figures. I think I only had about three Nendoroid-style figures. I really loved the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime, so I even bought magazines about it. I especially liked the drama CDs based on the novels that were never animated. The manga volumes released after the original anime aired are probably first editions.
These days, it’s not just first editions that are valuable—copies that still have the paper obi band around the book are often worth more. Do manga overseas come with those obi bands? I sometimes threw them away, and now I regret it for many of the manga I own.
The Evangelion manga took an incredibly long time to serialize, so it felt like it took forever to finish. I think many people who bought magazines just to read the Evangelion chapters probably stopped after about a year.
I went to see The First Slam Dunk on the very first day it was released. I was surprised that almost all the merchandise was already gone.
Cycling season—or bicycle racing in general—is pretty minor where I live. My former boss used to participate in cycling races, though. That’s how I learned about races like the Tour de France. I haven’t ridden a bicycle myself for years. Since penalties for bicycle violations became stricter in April, I feel even less motivated to ride one.
As for traveling, my work responsibilities just changed in April, so it will probably be difficult for a while. I love traveling abroad, though. Actually, the Sagrada Família came up in conversation at work just last week. I enjoyed the food in Spain, and since I didn’t have enough time to see all of Gaudí’s architecture when I traveled there alone, I’d like to visit again someday and see the buildings I missed. I don’t have allergies, but I do have some picky tastes. When I’m driving, I sometimes take a wrong turn, and until I get back to a familiar road, I feel very anxious.
An Octopus Day festival sounds like heaven for people who love octopus! It’s amazing that so many people gather and even dance—octopus must be very loved there. When I travel, I often wear a straw hat as well, so I’m sure there are photos of me wearing one somewhere. When I used to cosplay, I took photos of myself, but since I stopped, I hardly take pictures of myself anymore. And thank you for looking at the photos I took and sharing your thoughts about them.
Thanks for checking out the RADIO EVA lucky bag too. Since I’m short, a lot of clothes don’t fit me well, so whenever I buy something from the online store, I always feel nervous about whether the size will fit.
At the Nintendo Museum, the giant controller can’t be played by just one person, so I only took photos of it—I didn’t actually get to play it.
I remember there was a movie for the first part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Even now, I’m not very comfortable with the art style, so I haven’t watched the anime or read the manga, but since the movie will probably never be seen again, I sometimes think I should have gone to see it even if I wasn’t very interested.
I was shocked when MAPPA canceled the Yuri!!! on ICE movie last year. I was actually looking forward to it.
It feels like Your Name gets revival screenings from time to time. By the way, when I went to see a revival screening of Akira during the COVID pandemic, there were only about three people in the theater. But I think it was still a great experience.
I’ve already seen all the Evangelion movies in theaters, so I don’t really have any regrets. When I watch them in theaters, the screaming scenes and the gunshot scenes always leave a strong impression on me.
As for food, I’m actually quite picky, so I wouldn’t say I’m very passionate about food or gourmet experiences. I’m the type of person who sometimes eats McDonald’s when traveling, so I don’t consider myself much of a foodie.
I hope you also have a good month. The cherry blossoms were beautiful, so I’m attaching a video of me walking around them. 🌸
I watched the third day in real time, but the concert was indeed a bit short. After learning on the second day that the concerts would not have archive streams, I made sure to wake up and watch the live broadcast. I had also bought a live stream ticket for the kabuki performance on the third day, so I watched that too. Personally, I liked the first day’s concert more. But the acting and camera work near the end of the kabuki performance were really my taste. If I had seen it live in person, I think my evaluation would have been even higher.
The announcement of the new Evangelion anime written by Yoko Taro was surprising, but I’m really excited about it. It actually made me want to play the game he created.
And about the Asuka short:
It was better than I expected. But the circumstances that led to it being released on YouTube were really unfortunate. Since the official response was very fast, it didn’t feel like they were just saying “Oh well, whatever.” It felt more like they did everything they could to protect the copyright.
I saw comments from people who had paid to attend the event on Twitter, and I didn’t see anyone saying they felt cheated. What they said was that it was unfortunate that it ended up being released on YouTube in that way. In reality, the event had plenty of things to see besides the short film. Fans were also allowed to sell goods with official permission during the event, and there were attraction-like experiences as well. Interestingly, even among the fan merchandise sellers there were people who violated the rules, so the rule-breakers weren’t limited to the people who secretly recorded the video.
The event rules were displayed on the screen in English and Chinese, so secretly recording and uploading the video cannot really be praised as a fan’s behavior. Some people overseas said that since it was an event-exclusive short, recording and uploading it was unavoidable. But the official side had never said that they wouldn’t release a DVD compiling the festival events. People who defend the recording don’t seem to understand that the DVD could have been sold with the short anime as a highlight, and the profit might have helped fund future Evangelion works.
Compared to a studio like Ghibli, Director Anno is actually someone who might respond if fans properly voice their requests. People could have politely asked on Twitter for an official release, but many didn’t even try. Instead, some overseas fans criticized the official announcement that it would only be shown at the event. I sometimes feel that they didn’t consider the possibility that if foreigners can’t follow the rules, organizers might reduce opportunities for them to participate in such events in the future. In a way, they ended up proving to Japanese anime event organizers that foreigners can’t follow the rules.
If I had attended in person, I would definitely have been waving a penlight during the concert. Next time, instead of watching through a screen, I’d really like to attend in person.
The archive stream originally didn’t include the concerts or live performances, so that wasn’t surprising. I was actually more surprised that the kabuki performance had an archive version. Copyright might look annoying from an overseas perspective, but it ensures that the creators receive income, and that’s one of the necessary conditions for good works to be produced. Without copyright, the market would be flooded with poor-quality copies, and anime and manga might not even exist anymore.
Going to the cinema when anime films are released, or buying merchandise and manga, is definitely better than doing nothing. I was actually happy to see that some of my online friends—including you—paid for the streaming tickets and watched the event properly.
Oh, you’ve never been to Barcelona? That’s surprising. But I guess it’s the same everywhere. Even in my own country there are regions I’ve never visited. I also live in the countryside, so transportation costs are expensive for me too.
There’s actually an anime starting this spring where the place I live is used as the model setting. But it’s portrayed as an extremely rural place—almost like a dystopia—which made me laugh. And honestly… I can’t deny that it really is rural.
This message has gotten very long, so I’ll write the rest later.
Thanks for reading!
Hello! I was also very busy in March, and unusually I had many days where I had to work overtime. I’m sorry that my reply to you was late as well. I’m really happy to hear so many of your impressions about the Evangelion 30th anniversary event!
By the way, I actually attended all three days of the event through the online stream. However, I misunderstood and thought that Yoko Takahashi’s concert would be available later in the archive stream, so unfortunately that was the only part I missed.
I watched Shiro Sagisu’s concert on the first day through the stream as well. I was watching it on TV, and something funny happened. Usually when I play anime in the living room, my mother says the story or content isn’t her taste and escapes to another room. But this time she didn’t leave. She said she could enjoy it as background music and just listened to the orchestra while reading a book. The orchestra was better than I expected, and I was honestly surprised. It was the first time I had ever seen Sagisu moving and conducting, so I was thinking, “Ah, so this is what he’s like.” Since I was the one who recommended this concert to you, I was really happy to hear that you enjoyed it.
As for Megumi Hayashibara, it was actually quite rare. At her own concerts she normally doesn’t sing those Evangelion songs with a full orchestra. As a singer, she isn’t really at the level of someone who regularly performs with an orchestra, but her main profession is being a voice actor. So I wasn’t expecting her to sing with the same technical level as a professional singer who specializes in concerts. Even if it sounded a little awkward at times or if it seemed difficult for her to sustain the voice through the whole song, it didn’t bother me at all.
I also listened to the talk segment. Apparently many of the more brutal scenes—like the scene in The End of Evangelion where Unit-02 is eaten by the Mass Production Evas, or the scene in the TV series where Ritsuko uses a remote control to destroy the Rei clones—were actually ideas from Tsurumaki.
Also, in Shin Evangelion, the scene where Ritsuko shoots Gendo in the head with no hesitation but then picks up his brain afterward was revealed to be Maeda’s idea. They even mentioned that the scene of picking up the brain was inspired by the actions of President Kennedy’s wife during the Kennedy assassination.
On the second day, I had to work. If that hadn’t been the case, I would have participated in the festival for all three days. Since I was the person responsible for an exam that day, there was no way I could go to the festival. I did watch the contents later through the archive stream rather than the live broadcast. I actually came home from work in time for Yoko Takahashi’s concert, but since I thought there would be an archive version later, I simply missed it.
I’ve seen Yoko Takahashi’s concert once before at a small local hall, sitting quite close—around the third row from the front—so I’ve experienced her performance from a very close distance before. Because of that, even though I missed it this time, I don’t regret it that much. Still, I would have liked to hear “Tension.” I heard it live once before and that was when I started to really like that song. When you hear it performed live, you just think, “Wow, that’s amazing” and “That’s so cool!”
I also once heard “Tamashii no Refrain” live at an anime event and cried my eyes out. Unfortunately I missed it this time. In general, songs like “Komm, süsser Tod (Come, Sweet Death)” and “THANATOS -IF I CAN’T BE YOURS-” are almost never performed with vocals even at official events.
I listened to the talk segment as well. Akio Otsuka is very easy to recognize, right? But since this was an anniversary event, of course he wouldn’t suddenly say “Bankai!” That would just be rude.
I was also able to watch the voice drama on the second day. I laughed when I realized it was about the “Gendo Ikari Murder Case.” There were way too many suspects who might want to kill Gendo Ikari, which made it hilarious. The ending of the story wasn’t as clean or satisfying as the short anime, though.
Hideaki Anno said at the beginning that he was attending the event as a representative of the staff. On the first day he looked like he hadn’t slept much because he had been working overnight. Also, he’s not the type of person who talks actively at these kinds of events, so honestly I think he actually talked more than usual.
About the Asuka short anime, it wasn’t finished the day before. It was actually being worked on until 6 a.m. on the day of the event, and it was screened around 7 p.m. that evening. So technically he stayed up all night finishing it that morning.
Also, Fumihiko Tachiki, the voice actor for Gendo Ikari, appeared as a guest model in the Radio Eva fashion show on the first day. He has also appeared at Gintama events, so I don’t think this kind of appearance was his first time.
When the voice actor for Asuka said that “Tamashii no Refrain” had special meaning, I think it was because the movie that had been released in spring at that time ended with that song. They also said that choosing “Tamashii no Refrain” as the theme song for that spring movie was also Tsurumaki’s idea.
Personally, I really enjoyed the interactions between the voice actors Ogata, Hayashibara, Miyamura, and Ishida during the talk. Back in the original broadcast era, there were even rumors that Hayashibara and Miyamura didn’t get along. So I never expected to see them standing on stage together, getting along and complimenting each other.
Ah, about the slightly awkward moment between Ogata and Director Anno—I don’t know how well this is known overseas, but you remember the final train station scene in Shin Evangelion, right? In that scene, the adult Shinji was not voiced by Ogata but by a different actor who is famous in live-action works. Because of that, the series ended without her performing the role of adult Shinji. Ogata once commented that it made her feel a little like she had been left behind. At this event, Anno actually apologized to her about that. So I think that might have been the topic that created that slightly awkward atmosphere.
I think I like your second drawing more. If I had more time, or if I had felt really satisfied with the one I drew first, I wanted to draw another version of Integra in a maid outfit. I know Sephiroth, but if I tried to draw him, I think the illustration would end up looking clearly different from Integra. And if I felt too lazy to draw him properly, I’d probably end up drawing the polygon-style Sephiroth instead.
Thank you for looking at my drawing too. The way I draw hair is actually pretty rough. I just draw lines randomly and sort of fake it. I think as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become better at covering things up like that. When I was younger, I used to draw with clearer lines and didn’t try to hide mistakes.
In March, work was really busy, so I didn’t feel like drawing at all. Actually, I made a mistake where some of my data was lost for a certain period because of a malfunction, and my job duties are also changing starting in April. Because of that, I barely had any time to watch anime or read manga. Things have finally started to settle down now.
For the next drawing theme, if you’re going to choose one, I’d just like to request something from a series or character with a lower difficulty level. 🎨
The Evangelion Festival is over now. Were you able to watch it safely through the online stream? I was actually really happy that you checked the livestream information properly and told me you were going to buy a ticket. To be honest, I didn’t really have the impression that overseas fans—especially those who call themselves fans—would actually pay to watch these kinds of events in a proper, official way.
I watched Day 1 and Day 3 through the online stream. The concert on the first day was especially good. My mother, who usually says “it’s too noisy” when I watch anime and leaves the room, didn’t leave this time—she stayed and just listened to the concert audio.
I missed Yoko Takahashi’s live performance on Day 2 because I assumed it would be available in the archive stream. Unfortunately, the ticket I bought didn’t include archive streaming for the live concert performances.
I was working on Day 2, so I plan to watch the non-concert parts of that day through the archive stream. Apparently, the archive will be available for about a week starting from the 26th. Anno also appeared at several events besides just the opening. It was interesting to see him answering questions together with Tsurumaki.
I believe the staff will properly provide an official way to watch the short anime at some point. Unfortunately, there were some attendees who didn’t understand the no-photo and no-video recording rule, and it seems that videos have already leaked. Personally, I think people who can’t follow official rules or even read the written guidelines shouldn’t attend these events.
Since I attended all three days via livestream, I didn’t appear on any of the event cameras. I’d be happy to hear your impressions of the event too, whenever you get the chance.
If locals at a travel destination advise that it’s dangerous to walk around at night, then I probably wouldn’t go out at night. I’ve been to Egypt before, too. It wasn’t as hot as I expected. Since it doesn’t have the kind of humidity that’s characteristic of Japanese summers, it actually felt surprisingly comfortable. On the other hand, places with strong air conditioning or fewer people sometimes felt cold. The pyramids were huge. Each stone block was taller than I am. I’ll attach a photo as well. I think having people in the picture makes it easier to understand the scale.
As for Berserk, we have the paper version up to around volume 30 in the hallway of my house. The RADIO EVA lucky bag had its sales details announced during a livestream broadcast in December, and it was available on a first-come, first-served basis. I remember that there were a lot of items in Unit-01 colors (purple tones). Instead of socks, it even included boot-type sneakers.
I wonder… figures can become more expensive, cheaper, stay the same in value, or even be re-evaluated over time. Just because it’s a Rei figure doesn’t mean it will automatically increase in value. I think my Rei figure is actually cheaper now than when it was first released. Since it was supervised by a professional sculptor, I think its facial expression is quite good, especially considering its age.
By the way, I don’t own a 3DS. If I were going to buy something like that, I’d rather buy a Switch 2. I was able to get a reservation for the Nintendo Museum in January, so I went there.
Marathon screenings are exhausting. Twelve hours is not something you can invite friends to unless they truly love the work. Also, many people watch at their own pace.
As for Hellsing, the author harshly criticized the first anime adaptation. Personally, I never thought it deserved that level of criticism. I also liked the previews in the TV broadcast version. If I had to choose between the TV version and the OVA, I would choose the OVA.
Regarding Evangelion animation cels, they are preserved well enough that exhibitions can be held in two places at the same time. So if you see particularly desirable scenes being sold, they are probably stolen. Personally, I like cel animation, so I like animation cels. I even wanted to participate last year in an event where you could experience making your own animation cel.
As for anime movies, I saw cases last year where productions were canceled entirely, so I feel like it’s still better when they eventually release them, even if it takes time. More often than not, instead of completely disappearing, the number of screenings per day becomes very limited, and they’re only shown at inconvenient times like early morning or late at night.
I haven’t played Inazuma Eleven, but I’ve seen people cosplaying characters from it during its peak popularity, so I know it was very popular.
For Evangelion screenings, I only went to see the two older films. As for the newer series, I watched the first film twice, the second film five times, the third film three times, and the fourth film five times in theaters in real time, so I didn’t really feel motivated to go again. I’ve also watched the TV broadcasts several times.
Well, Ufotable now has a larger budget, but their production schedule prioritizing Demon Slayer has caused a lot of anger among fans of their other works. I hope they will produce films and anime in the order they were officially announced, as much as possible.
I read Frieren, but I don’t draw it. I like the watercolor-like coloring in the manga, so I haven’t watched the anime. I was worried when I heard about the bomb threat, but I’m glad nothing actually happened.
As for my drawing, I’ll finish it within February. I found my sketchbook in my dresser. I tend to finish drawings without spending too much time on them. I used to draw often during school breaks, so that may be why. If I don’t set deadlines for myself, I’m the type who never finishes things, so I think I’ll be able to show it to you in March. You’ve already finished yours—that was fast. I’ll let you know when mine is done.
As for drawing skill, I don’t really feel the need to improve anymore, and I’m not dissatisfied with my current level, so I don’t think I’ll improve much in the future. I’m the type who draws what I see, so I probably can’t draw things that can’t be expressed visually.
My trip to Kyoto in January was satisfying because I was able to visit most of the places I wanted to see. The food was delicious. I hope your project goes well too.
By the way, my birthday happened during that trip to Kyoto. I received an unexpected present on the day, and my mother gave me an apron. So I had a really nice day.
Even though my New Year’s holiday was longer than usual, I feel like I wasn’t able to do most of the things I had planned. There was a limited-time campaign where digital manga were available for free, so I ended up being busy reading manga.
Last year, I wanted to attend live concerts of artists who performed theme songs for BLEACH, and I was actually able to go to several of them. This year, there aren’t any specific concerts I especially want to attend, but if I can get tickets, I’ll probably start the year by going to a Porno Graffitti concert. I also wanted to attend the Evangelion Festival, but I physically couldn’t go because of work. I’ll talk about that later.
In anime, she does train announcements, but in real life, I don’t think Megumi Hayashibara actually does train announcements. Sometimes, station staff whose voices resemble famous voice actors become a topic of discussion. The voice actor I most strongly associate with frequently playing background or minor characters is Koichi Yamadera. In Jujutsu Kaisen, Megumi Hayashibara played Kaori, the protagonist’s mother. During the advance screening, her voice was so clearly recognizable that it made me laugh while watching. As for AI voice replication, I don’t personally feel any real harm from it yet… although there are voice actors who have openly spoken out against it. A car navigation system with Rei’s voice would probably sound too emotionally detached, so I think I would definitely get lost.
Regarding Japanese Transformers, I don’t think it’s completely without a script, but there are probably parts where specific lines weren’t written in detail. Sometimes scriptwriters intentionally don’t include precise dialogue instructions.
So you once tried to fan-translate the PS2 version of Neon Genesis Evangelion 2. Honestly, I think it was the right decision to stop. The official company even posts warnings on their official Twitter about unauthorized uploads and translations. Also, since the domestic fanbase tends to be older, many fans strongly dislike fan translations and unauthorized reposting—some hate it intensely. At the Evangelion Festival, they even said they would identify the exact seat numbers of people who illegally recorded the event. At the venue, people who were secretly taking photos or recording were warned by other attendees or staff and instructed to delete the files. If someone truly loves the work, they would buy it themselves and translate it personally if necessary, rather than doing something embarrassing that would result in official warnings.
I don’t really watch Indian films. They become a topic of discussion once every few years, but they’re long, and since I’m not very interested in music, I don’t feel motivated to watch them. Even when watching musicals, I sometimes get sleepy, so I don’t think they suit me.
I didn’t expect to see Shiro Sagisu in person at the festival. I’ve always had the impression that Odoru Daisousasen is a police drama, so I’ve never thought of it as being like Detective Conan. I didn’t think your expression was vulgar at all.
I don’t have a poster for Suzume, but I do have a movie flyer. I probably also have a flyer for The Boy and the Heron somewhere if I look around my room. Actually, I traveled in January, and at my travel destination I happened to come across a bright red End of Evangelion poster in a shop. It was expensive for a poster, but I bought it. I felt like I would never encounter it again. It was the item I wanted most in my life, so I’m very happy to have obtained it. My material desires have been fulfilled. Someday, I’d like to display a Princess Mononoke poster next to it. By the way, the Spirited Away poster in the photo is one I bought at the theater when the movie was originally released. I thought it would be much more worn out, but when I unfolded it, it was surprisingly well preserved.
At the beginning of the year, I also ordered clothes from RADIO EVA, so even though it’s only February, I feel like I’ve already spent a lot of money on Evangelion. Thank you for showing me your shelf. I used to own a figure of Alphonse from Fullmetal Alchemist, so seeing it on your shelf made me feel nostalgic. I sold it on an online flea market, so I don’t have it anymore.
I had a great time in Spain! The food was delicious. I expect that the Sagrada Família will be completed within my lifetime. Did you know that there is a signature from the creator of Slam Dunk inside that building? When I visit churches, I’m not particularly religious or devoted to Western gods, but I make sure not to behave disrespectfully inside them.
Nasu: Summer in Andalusia is really good. It feels more like something made by Studio Ghibli than Madhouse. Bicycle racing isn’t very popular here, so that film was the first time I learned about the sport. I heard that the sea view from the Tower of Hercules is truly beautiful, which made me interested in visiting. There are also buildings here that sometimes have entry restrictions. If I ever go there, I’ll ask about your schedule. I’d also be happy if you could show me places where I can eat delicious food.
Your comment gave me the impression that there are people outside Japan who also genuinely love it, so I thought you probably love octopus. I judged that based on what you wrote. I have cosplayed as Conan before, but I am not Conan.
I plan to give you a proper reply to your comment, but there's an Evangelion anniversary event happening from the 21st to the 23rd. Will you be watching the online livestream?
I bought a rough-sketch art book for HELLSING last year. Well, the fact that there isn’t a single truly normal character is fine in its own way. Aizen may be a villain, but he also plays the role of an expositor, so he doesn’t really feel like a “perfect” villain. I really wish The Dawn would be published as a collected volume. Also, there isn’t a collector’s edition available over here.
As for this year, at least for now there aren’t any live concerts that I’m dying to go to, so I haven’t applied for tickets or secured any yet.
Hakone feels like it has poor visibility all year round. Because it’s at a high elevation, when I was actually there, I didn’t feel like it had that “a kaiju might appear” atmosphere after all.
The total was 1.8 million yen. Even I think that’s cheap. If it were today, I think there’d probably be another zero added—so about 18 million yen.
You wrote that you heard the entire series’ animation cels were auctioned off some time ago, but that’s probably not true. If that had really been profitable, Gainax wouldn’t have officially gone out of business just last month. Even official Gainax produced reproduction cels, and right now, original cels from really iconic scenes are being displayed at Evangelion exhibitions, so I don’t think that many have leaked outside. Director Anno himself is someone who takes good care of his belongings—he’s not the type to throw away cels or materials. On top of that, individuals can make cels that closely resemble real ones, and those do circulate on the market, so if you can’t tell the difference between real and fake, I wouldn’t recommend buying animation cels. Also, since exhibitions displaying actual cels are currently being held, it’s unfortunately impossible for a single person to own an entire episode.
As for the OVA announced a few days ago, it’s for an anniversary event in February, so people who aren’t attending the event will probably have to wait several months before they can see it.
I don’t think people in the future will know Captain Tsubasa. Soccer anime and manga go through trends. Inazuma Eleven lost its popularity a long time ago too, so I don’t think it will surprisingly survive into the future either.
There are only about two Evangelion revival screenings left, but I’m still undecided about whether to go, so I might skip them.
Evangelion is a work that even Director Anno himself never expected to make again. I think it’s a series whose impression changes as you get older, and no matter how many times you watch it, you always discover something new. Also, I don’t think deadlines are the real enemy for people working in the anime industry. Director Anno didn’t actually keep deadlines, and Hayao Miyazaki makes things at his own pace too. Ufotable has several anime films already decided, yet they’re prioritizing Demon Slayer. I think strict deadlines are more of an issue for TV anime series.
And about the drawing challenge—Integra from HELLSING, huh? That was a bit unexpected. But it’s fine; let’s go with that theme. I’ll aim to finish it within January, but first I need to figure out where my sketchbook is in my room and find it.
I also saw your Frieren illustration. I’ve never drawn Frieren myself. Hearing about a bomb threat at your faculty is scary… and the reason behind it feels kind of heartbreaking too.
Christmas is already over and it’s a new year now, but I hope this new year will be a good one for you!
For my next overseas trip, I’d like to go to Morocco—but who knows when that will actually happen. I personally think traveling completely alone can be risky, so I’m planning to book a car with a driver and a guide through a travel site. I traveled to Egypt in a similar way.
As for impulse purchases, right now I’m actually buying a lot of digital manga. I’m also eagerly waiting for an Evangelion clothing lucky bag I impulse-bought last year—the kind where you don’t know what’s inside until it arrives. It’s from a brand called Radio EVA. I’d be really happy if it includes a coat.
If I were dropped into an environment surrounded by otaku goods, I think I’d spend a long time deciding what to buy and, surprisingly, wouldn’t go bankrupt. I don’t really get the urge to want everything. My Rei figure is still unopened, and since it was sculpted by a proper professional sculptor, it’s actually an older piece, but I think the face still looks quite nice. I think the arms and legs are articulated too.
As for Ichiban Kuji, sometimes the figure quality is really high, and other times it’s pretty low—the gap can be surprisingly extreme. I was a bit surprised to see it available over there as well.
For the 12-hour marathon screening, they did include break times, and they also sold food up to a certain point. A Harry Potter marathon sounds nice too—I really like the second one. There are also weekly re-screening formats instead of full marathons, but if the theater is far from where you live, it’s a hassle to go every week. As for the Jujutsu Kaisen early screening, the bonus you got was the first-round bonus here, but by the time I went, it was already the third round—so this is what I received.
Happy New Year. We don’t really have a Christmas holiday here, but I’m right in the middle of the New Year’s break.
In Japan, I don’t think people used lighters as substitute lights at concerts. If you miss the last train, you literally can’t get home, and it will affect your work the next day—so I think Sanbomasters themselves probably experienced that at some point. They understand how important the last train is. Some artists say things like “please stay until the very end,” but in reality, some people have other commitments and are forced to leave even though they don’t want to. That’s why Sanbomasters saying “If you have a last train, don’t feel bad about leaving—please prioritize your own schedule” really shows how kind and decent they are. They’re often cited as the opposite example of artists who expect fans to prioritize the artist over everything else. If you miss the last train, there is no next one! You have to go back to work so you can attend the next live show!
As for Evangelion, I feel like the Japanese version is already perfect as it is, so translating it would probably make it lose some of its charm.
By Rei’s voice actress, do you mean Megumi Hayashibara? Her voice is very distinctive, so I notice it immediately. In Evangelion, she also voiced things like announcements or random housewives in town, and I noticed those too. Other voice actors often do multiple minor roles as well, so I don’t really mind if they’re not individually credited. Noticing uncredited roles is part of the fun of watching.
As for Pokémon, Ash “graduated,” and as a human character (Musashi), she also stepped away, but Pokémon still has games and other media, so I’ve never felt like we weren’t getting enough of it. Also, Megumi Hayashibara voices Bulbasaur too. Honestly, I wonder if you didn’t even notice that she appeared in the new Jujutsu Kaisen series. The movie was shown early—did you really catch her voice? Since she’s not part of a major voice-actor agency, I think she would personally refuse AI voice usage. I get the feeling she really dislikes that kind of thing. And even if someone tried to make it anyway, Studio Khara would probably take legal action and shut it down aggressively. If I ever found something like that, I’d report it to the official channels myself. If people want to hear her voice, she already hosts a weekly radio program, so fans can hear her there every week. Honestly, even before AI assistants, I think there was already a Rei-version car navigation system.
As for the Evangelion CD dramas, those are fully scripted—you’re just hearing performances based on a written script. If you’re talking about voice actors going completely unscripted, that would be the Japanese version of Transformers. Since “Detective Evangelion” was such a terrible game that I sold it almost immediately, I doubt it will ever be translated.
As for recommending directors from my country… outside of anime, I don’t really choose what to watch based on directors. Looking at the works you like, there isn’t anything in particular I’d strongly recommend.
Shiro Sagisu isn’t especially known in Japan as “the guy who did BLEACH.” He’s much more famous for Evangelion and for the live-action police drama Odoru Daisousasen. Interestingly, some Evangelion tracks are also used in Odoru Daisousasen.
Regarding posters, they’re normally sold at theaters during the screening period. There was a time when I believed that if you asked nicely after the screening ended, they might give you one—especially during the EoE screenings. I was mistaken. I do have a Spirited Away poster that I bought at a theater. I actually had it on my wall for a while, but it got pretty damaged, so now it’s stored in a closet.
I went to the Prado Museum in September—almost summer, really. I wanted to see Goya’s Black Paintings. I also wanted to visit the Alhambra because I loved the episode where it appeared in the anime Tomorrow’s Nadja. Some areas were under construction, but I’m really glad I went. The hotel receptionist spoke excellent Japanese and even arranged reservations at a place where I could watch flamenco. Spanish food was delicious! I don’t like seafood, so I didn’t eat paella, but I remember eating gazpacho and really liking it. I think I also ate tortilla at a buffet or something during the trip.
I only learned about Santiago de Compostela Cathedral because you mentioned it. The Tower of Hercules caught my interest a bit. I don’t know about Vigo’s Christmas illuminations. When people here think of Christmas abroad, I think many of them picture German Christmas markets. By the way, I don’t like octopus either—I even eat takoyaki with the octopus removed. You talk so passionately about octopus that I’m guessing you really like it, don’t you?
By the way, I’ve recovered from my cold. It took about two weeks to get better this time, so it really dragged on longer than usual.
Ah, you looked at the photos — thank you! There’s actually a scene in Evangelion where that same torii gate appears from a similar angle. The station and the misty scenery also appeared in episode 4 of the TV series. I’m not really the type who likes high places, so riding the cable car was a bit scary for me. As for the Evangelion shop, I felt like there weren’t that many items, but it was nice that they had some things where you could actually choose your favorite character instead of just getting random merchandise.
By the way, that mannequin of Rei was once auctioned off on a TV program years ago. The lot included: three frames of film from End of Evangelion (smiling Rei, Asuka after throwing the battleship, and a frightened Maya Ibuki), scripts for all 26 TV episodes and the movie, a life-sized Rei figure, an invitation to the End of Evangelion preview screening, the right to meet female voice actors at the event, and an autograph board with an original illustration drawn by Sadamoto. The whole set was sold for 1.8 million yen.
It’s been 30 years now, and since the revival screenings are attracting a lot of young audiences, I don’t think Evangelion will ever be forgotten. However, since Hakone now has so many foreign tourists, I feel like there will probably be fewer Eva-themed advertisements and events compared to before.
I’ve been really enjoying the re-releases. Apparently, some people even rented out an entire theater just to watch it alone — I’m kind of jealous! End of Evangelion was amazing to see again, especially the scene where Komm, süsser Tod (“The End of Evangelion” theme) plays. I watched the two older movies and got the sticker reward for finishing them. I still haven’t seen Chainsaw Man yet — I keep meaning to, but I always end up choosing Evangelion instead. Thankfully, Princess Mononoke is also getting a revival screening at a nearby theater soon!
Looking back, October really stands out because I caught a cold for the first time in a while. For Halloween, a TV channel aired The Nightmare Before Christmas, and it was my first time watching it. The cake I had while watching it was delicious. Oh, and that art contest you joined — I couldn’t help laughing because there were so few participants! Congrats on getting third place!
I don’t have any specific character I’d like you to draw. Compared to most overseas fans, I can actually draw reasonably well — I used to love drawing manga and character art. My skill level has been frozen at about age 12 or 13, though (LOL). But it might be fun if both of us drew the same character and compared them sometime, don’t you think?
Director Anno really loves utility poles and trains! I think he even used real photos and video footage of them in Evangelion. But since he never seems to meet deadlines for his films, I kind of doubt that he “loves his work” all that much (LOL).
I hope you’re doing well too! Wishing you a wonderful November!
I was starting to worry since I hadn’t heard from you in a while, so I’m really glad to see you’re doing well! The “Love Song” performance was memorable with all the smartphone and penlight lights. Back in the days before smartphones or penlights, I don’t think people here ever used lighters instead—it sounds way too dangerous! I guess maybe they used flashlights instead…? Just imagining it makes me laugh.
Basically, encores here are just done with handclaps. You can sometimes faintly hear whistling or shouts of “encore,” but mostly it’s just clapping. Sambomaster is such a kind group—they always say, “If you have to catch your train home, don’t worry about us, please go ahead.” Sometimes they even set up priority zones for women and children, depending on the live show.
So the version of “Tsukiakari Funwari Ochite Kuru Yoru” broadcast in Spain was in Japanese! Overseas, theme songs are often either translated or replaced with local originals, right? The ending song lyrics you wrote were so funny—so full of dancing and festival energy! I watched Dragon Ball GT every week when it originally aired, so I only know it in Japanese. I still rewatch the final episode every few years because I really love it. Since you spoke so highly of the Galician version, I’ll look it up on YouTube when I get the chance.
I find myself listening to the Evangelion drama CDs from time to time. If you listen carefully, Rei’s voice actress actually also does background voices in the anime—like the NERV announcements or random townspeople. As for Asuka calling Kaworu “homo,” I think the actual line was “narcissist homo.” The transparent plug suit idea really did appear in the new movies. The transformation idea was realized as Beast Mode, and the combination idea showed up in another work, Shinkalion. The self-introducing enemies and the flying saucer-shaped enemy also became reality later on, if I remember correctly. And even the “commander replacement” idea was used—Kaworu becomes the commander near the end of the new film. They even did a live-action musical! Some people said it lacked aesthetic beauty, but I think Q made up for that plenty. I know about Detective Evangelion for PS2 too—I bought and played it, but it was so bad I gave up early and sold it.
As for the Japanese movie Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald, it’s directed by Koki Mitani. I’ve never really liked his works, so I haven’t watched it. If someone else had directed it, I probably would have.
The composer of Evangelion has also written music for TV dramas, so there’s a certain naming pattern in his song titles. Not just for Eva, but anime goods in general tend to pile up before I notice, so I give some away when I can. I hang up calendars, but puzzles and posters—I’ve stopped putting them up since I’m bad at displaying them neatly.
Yes, I’ve been to France! I think I practically lived in the Louvre for three days straight. Araki actually drew a manga set in the Louvre, and it was later adapted into a live-action film that was actually shot inside the museum. That’s probably why it was easy for his work to be displayed there. When I went, it was Mari Yamazaki’s exhibit.
And actually, I’ve traveled to Spain before! I went to Madrid, Granada, and Barcelona. The Alhambra Palace and Gaudí’s architecture were amazing—and the food was delicious! Sadly, I didn’t get to visit the north. Sorry about that! But if you have any recommendations for places in northern Spain, please let me know—maybe I can go next time. My next destination will probably be Morocco! I want to see the Sahara Desert. I’d also love to visit the Hermitage Museum in Russia, but with the current situation in Ukraine, I’ll have to wait until things settle down.
I bought volume 7 of the manga in the first-edition version. I remember not buying the figure because I didn’t like the sculpt of the face. Now that I think about it, I also have the first-edition version of volume 9. I’ve never opened it—it feels too precious! I used to have Rei’s photo book too, but I sold it. My Eva goods come and go… lots of impulse buys. Secondhand shops often have a biased selection, so it’s usually best to buy from them first and then visit official stores. The UCC milk coffee collaboration happened because Anno loves that brand. You can actually spot UCC cans in scenes like Misato’s hacking moment early in EOE or in vending machines (including in the new films). Other anime have done coffee collaborations too, but Eva was the first to do it on a big scale.
As for art books, I really want Kouta Hirano’s rough sketch collection! The book itself is cheap, but the shipping costs so much that I keep putting it off. I’ve never been to a comic convention—only Comiket in Japan. But a friend from MAL once showed me photos from a Comic-Con, so I kind of know what they’re like. I’d love to attend a big overseas anime event someday. As for Ichiban Kuji figures, most of the faces are a bit off, but sometimes there are good ones—if a sculptor from Kaiyodo or another well-known name supervises it, 1400 yen is a steal.
There actually was an all-night marathon event covering not just Eva but all of Anno’s works, including live-action. I didn’t go, but I once attended a Kara no Kyoukai marathon—it lasted about 12 hours including breaks. I ended up falling asleep halfway through. I asked people on MAL which parts to pay attention to, so I made sure to stay awake for 3, 5, and 7. Theater popcorn is delicious! And I guess it’s expensive where you live too. Here we have about five flavors; my favorite is butter soy sauce.
I have Hellsing too! I even went to the original art exhibition this year—I love that series. The audio guide was hilarious because it barely explained anything. I really want Hellsing: The Dawn to get a proper comic release already. Since the magazine it was serialized in hasn’t been collected into a volume, I can’t throw those away even though they take up space. A paperback version came out last year, but I forgot to buy it, so I still can’t part with the magazines. My father’s a collector too—of stamps, coins, and brandy—so I guess we’re pretty similar!
Thank you for the congratulations on my first outdoor concert! The heavy bass was incredible. Unlike other concerts, there were older people and people with disabilities right near the stage, and everyone could sit and rest if they got tired—it was such a relaxed way to enjoy live music. The people filming had official permission, so no one was being disruptive. Some uploaded videos on social media, but the organizers later warned people not to, so I guess they caused some trouble for the staff.
Oh, so your birthday wasn’t listed on your profile! I didn’t notice that. Honestly, getting that surprise message made me even happier than receiving a planned gift. Sometimes I do Christmas gift exchanges with overseas friends, and if someone told me they were sending me a bunch of Evangelion goods, I’d definitely be thrilled!
