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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. TheMrs. Doubtfireactor 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 inOne Hour Photowhich eventually contributed to the plot of the hit 2002 film.
Robin Williams Was A Fan Of Sci-Fi Animes LikeNeon Genesis EvangelionandGhost in the Shell
Before tragically passing away in 2014, Robin Williams revealed in a Reddit ‘Ask Me Anything’ session thatGhost in the Shell, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Akira, Blood: The Last Vampire, and Cowboy Beblopwere amongst his favorite animes. He was particularly keen on playing the live-action version of an ‘old’ character inGhost in the Shell,which fans believed was a reference to the character of Chief Aramaki.
Also Read:Ghost in the Shell Director Hates Big Budget Anime, Brands it a “World of Eroticism and Violence”
The Einstein of Comedy revealed onRedditthat 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’sFullmetal Alchemist Brotherhoodbut never got the time to watch the series.
Moreover,IMDBconfirms Robin Williams as a hardcoreNeon Genesisfan to the extent of adding a figure model from the franchise inOne 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 aNeon Genesis Evangelioncharacter 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.
Also Read:“It was like divine inspiration”: There’s about 900 Boxes of Robin Williams Mrs. Doubtfire Footage Disney Still Won’t Release to the Public
Zelda Williams Disclosed Robin Williams’ To Be A “Figure Hoarder” Back In 2018
Zelda Williams was named after the character of Princess Zelda from theLegend of Zeldaanime franchise. This further proves that Robin Williams was an ‘otaku’ although secretive about his obsession.
The extended reference toNeon Genesis EvangelioninOne Hour Photois 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 toAnime 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 asJumanji, Good Will Hunting, andDead Poet’s Society.
Also Read:Underrated Robin Williams Movies That Unfortunately Bombed – But Shouldn’t Have
Spandan Chatterjee
Articles Published :165
Spandan Chatterjee is a Freelance Anime Writer at FandomWire.Spandan, who has been in the content industry for over two years, uses his passion for anime in his writing. He delivers the latest news, theories, and facts about various manga’s including Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, and Bleach.After completing his B.A. degree in English, Spandan is now pursuing a Masters degree in the same field.
