Why did the Rebuild of Evangelion Art style look so different? — Artistic Evolution of Evangelion
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION
First let’s set some ground rules to briefly understand the behind the scenes in art direction and character design production in anime, I will not be discussing the techniques in animation only when necessary. For example such as in a scene an animator may go off model to animate in their own style if the director approved it.
The point is not to say which style is objectively better, after all, objectively good does not exist. I own personal opinion appear here and there on which I prefer but mainly I will just be covering the artistic evolution of Evangelion as a whole.
Okay guys, let’s talk about the unique and captivating animation and art in Neon Genesis Evangelion.
First off, we have to give credit to Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, the man behind the character designs. His style is so well-done that it could be interpreted by different animators while still maintaining the essence of the design sheets. But, as with any production, there were a few episodes and scenes where the character art didn’t look as good. But, in my opinion, if Sadamoto was the chief character designer, the series would’ve been incredibly polished throughout its entire run. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case as Sadamoto had to go back to work on the NGE manga, leaving only limited time for corrections.
But, let’s not forget about the amazing animators who brought Sadamoto’s designs to life. These animators are called Animation Directors. Their job is to understand the philosophy and essence of the design sheets given to them by the character designer, and it’s up to them how much they want to stay on model with the design sheets. Typically, in most other anime productions, the character designer is also the animation director, and the series or movie will predominantly be in his style. But in the case of Evangelion, there was only one character designer, Sadamoto, who occasionally acted as an assistant animation director. So, you can see how Evangelion had various interpretations of Sadamoto’s style throughout the series.
And then there’s the Chief Animation Director, who oversees the entire production on the animation side of things. They follow the design sheets to a T and are typically strict on corrections. By strict, I mean if an animator drew a scene that may or may not be on model, if the Chief AD doesn’t like it, he will correct it, and you won’t see the original drawing from the animator in the final cut. There’s usually only one Chief Animation Director.
But, animation and art isn’t just about how well it was drawn, it’s also about how it makes us feel. And in my opinion, 90s anime had a certain charm to it because it was hand-drawn and cel-painted. It’s like you’re watching a series of paintings on screen that were all drawn by hand, with paper and pen, and brushes. On the other hand, digitally-made animation looks clean, but sometimes too clean, and it doesn’t give the feeling that it was made by a person. I think the authentic touch of cel-animated shows gave us that feeling that we could make this ourselves if we tried.
And that brings us to the end of Evangelion. These episodes are like NGE’s style but matured and just feels raw and beautiful. There’s no other way to describe it. It’s the peak of Eva design. It has a gritty, nihilistic touch to it in the way the characters are drawn, resembling how far the story has become with Shinji and everyone losing hope in humanity.
So, there you have it, guys. The behind-the-scenes of the animation and art in Neon Genesis Evangelion, and how it all came together to create something truly unique and captivating. So, the next time you watch Evangelion, appreciate the work and effort put into the animation and art and how it adds to the overall experience. Thanks for watching!”
Character Design: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Chief Animator: Shunji Suzuki
Animation Director: (Number of Episodes they worked on)
Shunji Suzuki: (5)
Takeshi Honda: (4)
Satoshi Shigeta (4)
Kazuya Tsurumaki (2)
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (1)
EVANGELION 1.0–2.0
When it comes to the art style, I believe the rebuilds are the best Evangelion has ever looked. They take the same designs from the original TV series and elevate them to new heights with improved direction in illustration. Everything is on model, and the designs have been refined and improved upon, truly showcasing the talent of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, the character designer, at his peak. The art style is a perfect blend of the old and the new, using the iconic designs from the original series while also updating them for the new iteration of the rebuilds.
Speaking of the rebuilds, it’s important to note that this is the last time Sadamoto was directly involved in an Evangelion animation. But, his influence is still very much present in the character designs of “Evangelion 2.0” where we see the main characters, Shinji, Rei, and Asuka, with even more attention paid to the details of their facial expressions, allowing for even greater emotional depth and nuance in their performances.
Evangelion 1.0 Staff
Character Design:
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Chief Animation DIrector:
Shunji Suzuki
Animation Supervisor:
Animation Director:
Evangelion: 2.0 Staff
Original Character Design:
Animation Director:
Sadamoto credited as Assistant Animation director
EVANGELION: 3.0
Then comes along “Evangelion 3.0” which in my opinion, took a bold approach in the art style. It’s a departure from what we’ve seen before, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sadamoto was busy with other projects, but the new team behind the art and animation did an incredible job, the sudden change of artstyle suits the narrative extremely well with a new person in charge of the designs.
In Evangelion 3.0+1.0
Not much to say other then Takeshi Honda dipped to work at ghibli with Miyazaki after the completion of 3.0. , I mean who wouldn’t? For the final Evangelion movie, Evangelion 3.0+1.0, a new guy who has not worked on Evangelion before toke the role of character design and chief animation director. Bro took both big roles. His name is Atsushi Nishigori. He essentially just went by the 3.0 Sheets and drew it in his own style.
One thing to note is that as the series and franchise progressed, the art style became more and more strict on staying on model. This can be viewed as both a good and bad thing depending on your perspective. When comparing a TV series to movies like the rebuilds, animated films generally have a more consistent art style and are more refined. So, depending on who is the animation director or chief animation director, it will carry their style.
All in all, the art style of Evangelion has evolved and changed throughout the series and the rebuilds, but it’s always been a visual feast for the eyes, capturing the essence of the story and characters in a unique and captivating way.
Art is the reflection of the era and context it was in which it was created.