GIANT GOD WARRIOR APPEARS IN TOKYO
Hideaki Anno has become an international juggernaut of art who builds his narrative on well-known tropes and concepts but augments them through thoroughly unique approaches with an utterly unique vision. The filmmaker behind Neon Genesis Evangelion (plus its corresponding movies and ‘remix’ movies), SHIN GODZILLA, and the upcoming SHIN ULTRAMAN (amongst others). Anno is easily one of the most influential artists to come out of Japan, which makes sense as he was mentored by another person who has been even more influential to visual entertainment: Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki is a true cultural institution whose work has shaped the hearts, minds, and sensibilities of millions of people across the world. Anno worked with Miyazaki on the former’s adaptation of his own manga, NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. While Miyazaki and Anno have very different personalities and sensibilities, they complement each other well in creating a world full of both possibility and despair (though there are multiple interviews where Miyazaki ‘compliments’ his protege through some passive aggressive criticism).
Among his many roles on NAUSICAÄ, Anno’s biggest contribution is arguably animating the “God Warriors” sequence. A short scene that depicts the massive monsters that raze the world around them, turning the Earth into the postapocalyptic phantasmagorium as it appears in the “present day” of the movie.
It’s a chilling bit that relies on striking iconography to communicate the level of terror and brutality from the event.
Before tackling SHIN GODZILLA, Anno decided to revisit this sequence in a new way. Using some “found footage” vibes along with augmenting the original designs of the God Warriors, the result is the short film GIANT GOD WARRIOR APPEARS IN TOKYO; a more grounded slow burn that still leads to the same level of chaotic devastation. It’s also clear that, while it was a supplement on the Blu-ray for EVANGELION 3.0: YOU CAN (NOT) REDO, it is a bit of a dry run for the same tone and technical approach that the artist would employ in SHIN GODZILLA. A mix of the mind-bending impossible and the horrific realism of a world soon encased by flames and death.
GIANT GOD WARRIOR APPEARS IN TOKYO is a bold revisit to arguably one of the most important works in Anno’s vaunted filmography. This sequence in NAUSICAÄ became his calling card, leading to more work and the artist’s evolution.
It’s always dangerous to go back to what came before (especially when it’s already so great), but Hideaki Anno found a way to instill a different vibe without desecrating the memory of the original. Transplanting the fantasy world and its warnings of apocalypse closer to our own; using imagery from real life near-doomsdays elevates this infernal moment. GIANT GOD WARRIOR APPEARS IN TOKYO is an awesomely unique work by a fascinatingly singular artist.