Hideaki Anno on Internet Critics

'NEON GENESIS EVANGELION' Creator Hideaki Anno’s thoughts on the Internet in 1996 Following the ending of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Anno discussed the criticism surrounding the series online. “Among the people who use the Internet, many are obtuse. Because they are locked in their rooms, they hang on to that vision which is spreading across the world.” He compared anonymous online criticism to “toilet graffiti”, pointing out how easy it was for people to say things online without having to put their name behind them. “It’s so convenient that careless people use it without remorse, without stopping for consideration.” Anno acknowledged that not all Internet users were like this, but ended with some advice: “Come back to real life and get to know the world.”

A screenshot-style post quotes Hideaki Anno discussing the hostile, anonymous criticism surrounding Neon Genesis Evangelion in 1996. The punchline pairs his advice to return to real life with an image of Anno beside the Evangelion Unit-01, making the reaction feel knowingly dramatic and ironic for anime fans. It is used to mock overly intense internet arguments and people who need to touch grass.

• @gentoomemes / 21962 2026-09-11