"Richard Liang" <rhliang@interchange.ubc.ca> wrote:
> Disaster wrote:
> > I disagree, I don't think that Shinji growing up has very much to do
with
> > the story at all. It's more of a realization that Shinji comes to at
the
> > very end. Not a progression that growing would otherwise suggest.
>
> I think though that this realization comes with his maturation after a
> series of ups and downs.  Shinji grapples with his problems through the
> course of the series, and examines a lot of his own reasons for being,
> etc.  I'd call that a stage in growing up.

I think maybe we are talking about a fine line here. The only forward
momentum that Shinji ever shows where his growing up is concerned is right
at the end of EoE.

> > You may
> > remember that Anno used the TV series to eliminate all hope before he
> > could begin the story, which of course was EoE. So there was a
digression
> > through the series or at least at the end after the happy state of
affiars
> > was established.
>
> What do you mean by eliminating all hope?  Do you mean he built up a
> world in which things were looking up (up to about episode 16), and then
> proceeded to tear it apart?  I could see that.  Shinji is at the centre
> of this... after seemingly finding a reason to live (to gain approval
> and help others) he then learns that, in fact, no, that's not a good
> enough reason to live.

Anno is quoted as something similar to this. It was his goal to destory
all traces of hop and or happyness by the end of the series so that he
could begin the story. Kinda of like having to destory the spirits of his
audience so they can appreciate the condition that he found this message
in. Then give you the message.
--
Kind regards
Disaster
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