2021 / 81m - Japan
Documentary
3.0*/5.0*
Hideaki Anno and Hitoshi Matsumoto Fireside Chat poster

Watches

February 22, 2022

3.0*/5.0*

A simple but fun documentary. The concept is familiar enough. Put two renowned people who have never met each other in a chair, give them some starter questions, and just observe where the conversation goes. The fireside was notably absent here, other than that this chat delivered exactly what it promised.

Anno is the creator of Evangelion, Matsumoto one of Japan's most renowned comedians. Both are responsible for some of my absolute favorite films (top 20 material), and with so very little opportunities to see these creators outside their work (certainly in the West), this proved an ideal chance to watch these men in a more open setting.

It's intriguing to see how much in awe Matsumoto was, it's fun to see Anno wince at compliments, and the talk does offer some neat insights in how they approach their work. It's only interesting if you care about their work, and the conversation does get pretty nerdy (with lots of otaku talk about Kamen Rider and Ultra man). I wouldn't mind seeing more of this with other renowned (Asian) directors.