Jex
Member
Evangelion, FLCL and Gurren Lagann. Few shows are as well known within the anime community as these three, perhaps because certain fans seem determined to proselytize these works until the end of time. For good or for ill, these are some of the shows people are told to watch when they express interest in watching anime.
There are, however, other works from the same studio which are equally deserving of people's attention. Perhaps, in the case of their first movie, even more deserving. Hence, I have made this with the intention of selling these older works to people who perhaps have not heard of them.
Dacion IV (1983)
Daicon IV is a very short animated piece, that has more in common with a music video then anything else.
It was made to make a name for the people who worked on it, with the hope of securing commercial backers. It was successful in this regard, and the people who created it went on to form Studio Gainax.
To this day, it may contain more copyright infringements per second then any other work!
I only include it in this list not because it is a masterpiece of film making that will change your perception of the world, but because it's fun.
Youtube Link : Daicon IV
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise (1987)
Shiro Lhadtt is a drop-out, a wannabe pilot who wasn't good enough to get into the navy air corps. Instead, he joints the only organisation that will have him, a ragtag group of misfits called the Royal Space Force. Underfunded, under motivated and under extreme pressure, they race to get a man into space, but nobody believes it's possible... (The Anime Encyclopaedia, 2006, Helen McCarthy)
It doesn't sound particularly spellbinding in summary, yet it is the execution that is masterful. The non-formulaic characters, the complex but believable alternate world, the almost obsessive production values - every aspect of this film impressive.
The crazy work that the designers and animators put in can't be emphasised enough. I think on the DVD commentary they mention that they were crazy to try and put to much stuff in. It all pays off though, and the movie looks stunning.
Here's some pretty pictures to illustrate my point!
At it's heart, the movie is about the limitless ambition humanity, the new heights it will climb to, the new thinks it will event, it's desire to ascend into space, and beyond. This works for me, because I'm already in love with space and hard sci-fi stuff, but I have no doubt that this movie can resonate beyond that small audience.
There is something enduring and triumphant about this movie that extends outside the realm of a simple science-based movie. Rather then focusing exclusively on the race to space the movie also remembers that at the centre of good stories are interesting, believable people who face challenges of many different kinds.
"Gainax...is made up of true science-fiction fans. Space is their religion, they fervently believe that it's humankind's destiny to leave the cradle of Earth ans spread out among the stars."(The Anime Encyclopaedia, 2006, Helen McCarthy)
It may be the most critically acclaimed of Gainax's works, but it underperformed commercially. I guess that's what you get for trying to make an interesting, nuanced movie without enough and things blowing up. Fortunately Gainax were going on to produce something that was just that.
Gunbuster (1988)
On the opposite end of the spectrum is a work that (hopefully) needs no introduction is the late 80's sci-fi classic. Hideaki Anno's (Evangelion) directorial début features everything that would appeal to an audience - girls in unlikely costumes, giant robots and space battles and so forth.
Of all the shows on this list, this is the work that I expect most people will have already seen. Released first as an OVA, and then later as a movie this work may at times feel a bit strange to modern audiences (the opening episode is a spoof of a popular tennis show) the show still holds up reasonably well today.
While I would recommend this show to fans of sci-fi action, what I enjoy most about the show actually derives from one of the main features that drives the plot. As this is a spoiler, I won't elaborate. Suffice to say the show isn't just robots beating stuff up, it also has a (sentimental) heart as well.
"I realize all of these things are pretty silly, but by the end of Gunbuster, I am a broken man and I just dont care. I guess Im a big softie at heart: indeed, Gunbuster might only work on softies. " (Dave,Colony Drop)
Nadia : The Secret of Blue Water (1990-1)
Set in 1889 and extremely loosely based on Jules Verne's' 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water tells the story of Nadia, a girl who's trying to find out about her past, Jean, a boy who wants to build a flying machine, and the Blue Water, a mysterious gem of Nadia's with strange powers. Their world is home to two shadowy groups in conflict: Neo-Atlantis, who want to rule the world, and the crew of the submarine Nautilus, who have sworn to oppose Neo-Atlantis. (TV Tropes)
Perhaps this show is the hardest sell to a new audience. Problems that may arise after a few episodes are :
1 : It looks like a kids show.
2 : Nadia can be a bit...annoying?
3 : Jean isn't that interesting either.
4 : The Island Episodes (Episodes 23 - 34, made by a separate director and bearing literal resemblance to the quality of the rest of the show. An unparalleled disaster which no one should feel compelled to watch, for any reason. Indeed skipping them is for the best.)
5 : It looks like a kids show.
Most of these claims can be dismissed, and I still endorse this show as strongly as any other here.
When I started watching I found the opening few episodes to be un-engaging and I didn't really "get it". However, after a few episodes the main plot started to get rolling and I became engrossed.
While it was aimed at a younger audience, Gainax doesn't seem to understand what that means and so the show is still full of powerful, dark moments, some of which may be surprising for any audience.
Moreover, it's a masterfully constructed and very enjoyable adventure story, in the same spirit as Future Boy Conan or Castle in the Sky.
"The combination of Vernean adventure, Dickensian richness of characterisation, nods and winks to more contemporary classics, and steampunk technology was irresistible, propelling the series to success."(The Anime Encyclopaedia, 2006, Helen McCarthy)
