Wes Anderson names the anime that could start its own religion
Even at a time when cinematic styles are becoming more fluid, Wes Anderson has held his ground. Throughout his trailblazing career, the American auteur has relentlessly worked on a highly specific aesthetic framework that serves as the foundation of all his films. Be it animated works like Fantastic Mr. Fox or live-action features such as The Royal Tenenbaums, Anderson’s visual language is highly distinctive and has become synonymous with popular art cinema.
Asteroid City, Anderson’s latest project, is yet another extension of his established style, which he uses to play around with the genre codifications of sci-fi and comedy. Starring the likes of Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks, the film revolves around a fictional town in the middle of nowhere that experiences contact with an extraterrestrial entity. Doubling down on the “whimsical” label that he is frequently associated with, Asteroid City seamlessly slots into Anderson’s cinematic universe.
During the promotional tour for Asteroid City, the filmmaker decided to participate in Konbini’s recurring feature where notable figures stroll through their video store and select their favourite films. Ranging from Akira Kurosawa and Louis Malle to Elia Kazan and Agnès Varda, Anderson’s selections should be considered essential viewing for all cinephiles. In addition to the features, the Rushmore director also highlighted one of his favourite anime series.
Titled Neon Genesis Evangelion, Hideaki Anno’s 1995 show changed the industry forever, utilising the enormous potential of the medium to create magnificent art. Using a mixture of religious symbolism and technological futurism, Neon Genesis Evangelion launches a striking examination of the human condition as well as the future of our species. According to Anderson, it’s also the kind of anime that can start its own religion.
While talking about the complexity of the show, he said: “This is a strange series… sometimes, someone makes a fiction, and it’s so complicated that people will get so absorbed in it that they could turn it into a religion. Like Scientology, you know, I think it’s the work of a fiction writer. But he’s created something that people can get so interested in that they, sort of… they’re not interested in quite the reality anymore.”
“This is one of those kind of things, I could easily see someone becoming a Neon Genesis Evangelion fanatic and making it their religion,” Anderson added. He is definitely correct since someone on Reddit pointed out that an Indian preacher had started a church based on the philosophical elements and the imagery of the show. As the series continues to gain traction and attracts newer audiences, it won’t be surprising to spot the emergence of new cults inspired by Anno’s magnum opus.
Watch the interview below.
