Ask John: Why is Evangelion 1.0 Under Performing in America?

Question:
Why is Eva 1.0 doing so horribly in American theaters? Is the perceived fandom for that series overblown? Did Gainax wait too long for the highest bidder and thus sabotage itself by allowing the film to be torrented? Has FUNimation burned so many bridges on its dubs that the fans prefer the ADV cast instead of the current voice actors? There are anime movies which are more niche, such as Metropolis, which have a higher box office. And even R-rated movies like Bebop and Paprika have made more money in American theaters. So what’s kept Eva 1.0 from at least doing as well as Jin Roh or X?

Answer:
To be honest, I haven’t been closely following the American roll-out of the Evangelion 1.0 motion picture. In fact, that may be exemplary of precisely why the film seems to be under performing in its American theatrical release. I don’t think there’s a singular cause for the film’s modest box office. Rather, there are a few contributing factors, chiefly among them being limited advertising and lowered audience interest.

The Evangelion 1.0 movie opened in a venue in my area this past weekend. It’s screening at a local independent cinema cafe – not at any of the local multiplexes. I didn’t even know that the film had hit my local market until the Friday that it opened locally, and I’m squarely within the film’s target audience. I think that’s a primary reason why the film has earned half or less than other recent anime films to get similar limited American touring theatrical release. Theatrical tours of anime films including Jin-Roh, Metropolis, Cowboy Bebop, and Paprika have been accompanied by heavy promotion and media coverage. The ongoing Evangelion road show has gotten rather little recent promotion from FUNimation and seemingly even less coverage by local and national media outlets. It’s difficult to attract viewers to a film when few people know about the movie or know that it’s screening locally. Furthermore, Box Office Mojo credits Jin-Roh’s widest theatrical release at only one theater. But every other film mentioned had a reported widest release of more than Evangelion 1.0’s six American theaters. (That’s presumably six theaters hosting the film during the same week.) With a smaller theatrical roll-out than Metropolis, Cowboy Bebop, or Paprika, joined with less public awareness, it’s not surprising that Evangelion is attracting fewer viewers. The depressed economy is doubtlessly also keeping more potential moviegoers at home these days.

Concurrent with the material obstacles opposing the film is the intangible audience reaction to the film. FUNimation’s delay in acquiring domestic rights to the movie has not been a significant detriment because the problem predates the movie itself. Even when FUNimation initially announced it acquisition of distribution rights to the Evangelion 1.0 feature, the Evangelion franchise was already ten years old and past the height of its American popularity. Domestic DVD distribution of the original TV series was waning, and the domestic distribution of the original two feature films had already quietly lapsed. The success of the first two Renewal of Evangelion movies in Japan demonstrates that the franchise still has legs in Japan. But while it’s not entirely passé in America, Evangelion is not the attraction that it once was. Furthermore, the Evangelion 1.0 movie is saddled with the common perception that it’s merely a worthless retread. Former Anime Insider magazine editor and present Anime News Network toy reviewer Rob Bricken’s perspective on Renewal of Evangelion is representative of countless American otaku. He says, “I have a far less positive view regarding the new Evangelion movies… I obviously haven’t seen them, and have no idea of their quality. But I can’t help but think of them as yet another way Gainax is trying to draw yet more cash out of the Evangelion well… I believe the original Evangelion series is brilliant, and I can’t imagine what remaking it adds to it.” I’m not criticizing Mr. Bricken’s honest opinion. Right or wrong, it’s a common negative predisposition that hangs over the American release of Evangelion 1.0 and doubtlessly affects its domestic audience appeal.

Evangelion is a groundbreaking franchise, and the Evangelion 2.0 movie clearly demonstrates that creator Hideaki Anno is trying to take the concept in new directions. Evangelion 1.0 is largely a retread of concepts and moments from the TV series, but it’s necessary to lay the groundwork for the changes introduced in the second film. Regardless of its creative integrity or intent, the Evangelion franchise has had a long and very successful presence in America. Especially given the limited advertising surrounding the 1.0 movie in American theaters and the tepid response of American audiences, I think the film should be credited for performing as well as it has, so far, rather than compared unfavorably to other anime films that benefited from wider release, distribution in a stronger economic climate, and had the benefit of novel originality.