One of the worst things about Pacific Rim is that it may be the closest we get to a live action Neon Genesis Evangelion and as it managed to kill itself with Uprising even that hasn't gone very well.
That's probably a blessing, the Rebuild of Evangelion films satisfied everyone enough we don't need live action to ruin it, still have the ending song on my playlists because it was perfect to end the series.
There is also the advantage animation has over live action where it can completely suspend reality as well as explore concepts that are otherwise difficult to do well.
Rebuild of Evangelion films satisfied everyone enough
If people were satisfied with those I really have to question how low their barometer for quality and taste was, or if they even liked the original to begin with.
All I got from them was Anno hated what made him famous, and you for liking it (which we already knew), and he just wanted to milk it dry before burying it.
Going from memory, the problem is the original series didn't have funds to properly do it, it's why you had some scenes drawn out over the same background with only the audio changing and then led to the ending.
The end of Evangelion was made after a large amount of hate mail sent to the studio and him personally for the ending of the series and was a bitter response to all of that hate.
The Rebuild series of films actually worked when you pay attention to the titles of the films themselves. The fact that the 4th film isn't called 4 (because it's an unlucky number) and instead incorporated 1 and 3's titles (you cannot redo but you're not alone) and the additional character that actually represents his wife is good since the entire series is an allegory for depression.
The reason that thrice upon a time got a great response was because it felt like a proper conclusion and for depressed people (majority of Evangelion fans) a good message, you can't undo past actions but you're not alone so talk to someone about it. The series has been about not being trapped in fantasy and embracing reality which is actually the most anti left message you can think of so he's at least not woke.
the problem is the original series didn't have funds to properly do it
That is the truth, and was the entire reason we were sold on the idea of Rebuild originally. It was supposed to be cleaning up the original from the rough diamond it was into a properly funded and shown piece. Few original fans signed up for his "everything you liked about the original was wrong, and here I am showing it the correct way" remake. That idea of "everyone who supported me and gave me a career and money is terrible" leads into your next point well:
The end of Evangelion was made after a large amount of hate mail sent to the studio and him personally for the ending of the series and was a bitter response to all of that hate
The ending to the TV series was a near nonsensical mess that had little to help make sense of it. In context with the movie it actually does make a lot of sense and works so well that it is nearly impossible the movie wasn't already part of the lore (and he just couldn't afford to make it). It basically is 40 minutes cut out of the center of the movie, with the necessary lead up to that missing so it seems completely random.
Jap fans being hateful shits is nothing new or unique to him, they do that to most any creator who does wild shit. It only seems horrible to us because its not as common here. Japs regularly bankrupt companies and end celebrities careers for minor slights like "has a boyfriend" or "released a game I didn't like."
The Rebuild series of films actually worked
They work fine on their own as generic mecha. Its not that they are outright bad on their own, only in relation to what they were supposed to be and the work they were adapting.
That was my point though as mentioned above. He sold it to everyone as "we finally got the budget so we are remastering it as it was always supposed to be and better!" Which is much of what the first movie is even. Then he decided to start changing things wildly, including some outright made to spit in the face of people who liked how it worked in the original. Including his Wife as a major original character slotted in to replace Asuka, someone the fans he hates love.
In simpler terms. Its a guy who hates the original work adapting it and trying to supplant it and shit on what it stood for. Just because its the original creator doesn't make it less offensive in that regard than The Last Jedi or Starship Troopers (and it doesn't have the ironic funny of that one).
That's probably a blessing, the Rebuild of Evangelion films satisfied everyone enough we don't need live action to ruin it, still have the ending song on my playlists because it was perfect to end the series.
There is also the advantage animation has over live action where it can completely suspend reality as well as explore concepts that are otherwise difficult to do well.
Pretty much, Time travel is one of those concepts that has flopped so many times in Hollywood and live action
Animated? Steins Gate, Re Zero, the entire tag of manga/manwha where you reawaken in the past.
It's a lot easier to do hard concepts and stories when it's animated because of the barrier to reality.
If people were satisfied with those I really have to question how low their barometer for quality and taste was, or if they even liked the original to begin with.
All I got from them was Anno hated what made him famous, and you for liking it (which we already knew), and he just wanted to milk it dry before burying it.
Going from memory, the problem is the original series didn't have funds to properly do it, it's why you had some scenes drawn out over the same background with only the audio changing and then led to the ending.
The end of Evangelion was made after a large amount of hate mail sent to the studio and him personally for the ending of the series and was a bitter response to all of that hate.
The Rebuild series of films actually worked when you pay attention to the titles of the films themselves. The fact that the 4th film isn't called 4 (because it's an unlucky number) and instead incorporated 1 and 3's titles (you cannot redo but you're not alone) and the additional character that actually represents his wife is good since the entire series is an allegory for depression.
The reason that thrice upon a time got a great response was because it felt like a proper conclusion and for depressed people (majority of Evangelion fans) a good message, you can't undo past actions but you're not alone so talk to someone about it. The series has been about not being trapped in fantasy and embracing reality which is actually the most anti left message you can think of so he's at least not woke.
That is the truth, and was the entire reason we were sold on the idea of Rebuild originally. It was supposed to be cleaning up the original from the rough diamond it was into a properly funded and shown piece. Few original fans signed up for his "everything you liked about the original was wrong, and here I am showing it the correct way" remake. That idea of "everyone who supported me and gave me a career and money is terrible" leads into your next point well:
The ending to the TV series was a near nonsensical mess that had little to help make sense of it. In context with the movie it actually does make a lot of sense and works so well that it is nearly impossible the movie wasn't already part of the lore (and he just couldn't afford to make it). It basically is 40 minutes cut out of the center of the movie, with the necessary lead up to that missing so it seems completely random.
Jap fans being hateful shits is nothing new or unique to him, they do that to most any creator who does wild shit. It only seems horrible to us because its not as common here. Japs regularly bankrupt companies and end celebrities careers for minor slights like "has a boyfriend" or "released a game I didn't like."
They work fine on their own as generic mecha. Its not that they are outright bad on their own, only in relation to what they were supposed to be and the work they were adapting.
That was my point though as mentioned above. He sold it to everyone as "we finally got the budget so we are remastering it as it was always supposed to be and better!" Which is much of what the first movie is even. Then he decided to start changing things wildly, including some outright made to spit in the face of people who liked how it worked in the original. Including his Wife as a major original character slotted in to replace Asuka, someone the fans he hates love.
In simpler terms. Its a guy who hates the original work adapting it and trying to supplant it and shit on what it stood for. Just because its the original creator doesn't make it less offensive in that regard than The Last Jedi or Starship Troopers (and it doesn't have the ironic funny of that one).