Just read that the original 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' TV ending was made for about $100,000 because they ran out of budget.

Found that wild fact in a deep-dive article on Anime News Network, and it really explains a lot about those final two episodes, doesn't it?

4 comments

4 Comments

kelly3853mo ago

Totally see that happening all the time with creative projects. Makes me think of all the indie games or local bands that have to scrap their big plans and just work with what they have left. Sometimes those weird, cheap solutions end up being the most memorable part, you know? Kinda makes you wonder what other iconic stuff was born from a total lack of cash.

sage3083mo ago

Ever tried just using whatever's already in your garage?

victorh813mo ago

Remember reading about how the original Star Wars movie had almost no budget for the stormtrooper armor. They made it out of some weird plastic that would crack if the actors moved too much, so they all had to walk stiff and slow. That weird walk became the whole vibe for the empire, all because they were broke. Makes you look at those scenes totally different.

ruby_henderson361mo ago

$100,000 for two whole episodes?? That's insane, I had no idea it was THAT low. No wonder the last episodes are just still frames and weird abstract stuff, they probably had to pay for voice acting and nothing else. I always thought the ending was kind of trippy and artsy on purpose, but now I realize it was just them making the best of a terrible situation. Honestly it makes those episodes even cooler to me now, knowing they pulled it off with basically pocket change.