Einstein of Comedy Robin Williams Was a Secret Anime Fan of Two 20th Century Masterpieces
The Einstein of Comedy revealed that his love for anime dates back to the time of laserdiscs.
SUMMARY
- Robin Williams is among the few celebrities who was also a huge fan of anime.
- Fans pointed out that Williams wanted to play the role of Chief Aramaki from Ghost in the Shell.
- The legendary actor also insisted a Neon Genesis Evangelion action figure to be depicted in a movie scene.
Robin Williams left a lasting impact on the acting world with his comedic skills. A former Oscar holder and multi-time Golden Globe winner, Williams is a respected figure in the entrainment industry due to his passion. Interestingly, the late actor was a fan of another form of entertainment, namely anime.
Williams used to have good taste in anime. The Mrs. Doubtfire actor revealed four of his favorites to his fans and instantly received praise for his choices. Moreover, he specifically requested the addition of a beloved anime figurine in one of the scenes in One Hour Photo which eventually contributed to the plot of the hit 2002 film.
Robin Williams Was A Fan Of Sci-Fi Animes Like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Ghost in the Shell
Before tragically passing away in 2014, Robin Williams revealed in a Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ session that Ghost in the Shell, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Akira, Blood: The Last Vampire, and Cowboy Beblop were amongst his favorite animes. He was particularly keen on playing the live-action version of an ‘old’ character in Ghost in the Shell, which fans believed was a reference to the character of Chief Aramaki.
The Einstein of Comedy revealed on Reddit that his love for anime dates back to the time of laserdiscs. Later, he used to buy animation DVDs from a bookstore in San Francisco called Green Apple. Williams also mentioned that he had a copy of Hiromu Arakawa’s Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood but never got the time to watch the series.
Moreover, IMDB confirms Robin Williams as a hardcore Neon Genesis fan to the extent of adding a figure model from the franchise in One Hour Photo. He played the role of Seymour, the owner of a photo lab, who gradually descended into madness. In one of the scenes, Seymour tries to gift the action figure of a Neon Genesis Evangelion character but Jake (Dylan Smith) refuses because of his strict parents.
In fact, the action figure could’ve been from Robin Williams’ personal collection. The late actor’s daughter stated how her father had an extensive collection of anime figures.
Zelda Williams Disclosed Robin Williams’ To Be A “Figure Hoarder” Back In 2018
Zelda Williams was named after the character of Princess Zelda from the Legend of Zelda anime franchise. This further proves that Robin Williams was an ‘otaku’ although secretive about his obsession.
The extended reference to Neon Genesis Evangelion in One Hour Photo is particularly interesting because the figure might have been from Williams’ personal collection. In a tweet dating back to May 2018, Zelda Williams posted pictures of her late father’s action figures and asked the fans to guess the name of the anime. The caption of the post according to Anime News Network:
“My dad was a figurine hoarder. There are multiple storage lockers full that we’ve got to go thru, mostly blind as they’re unboxed/handpainted & unlabeled. Pretty sure this is Knute though, so I guess that’s one identified. Might ask y’all for help in the future.”
Robin Williams continues to live in the hearts of fans. He played notable roles in films that have become classics such as Jumanji, Good Will Hunting, and Dead Poet’s Society.
