90/ 100
Finished Airing
TV PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Shinseiki Evangelion · 新世紀エヴァンゲリオン · 1995
Giant robots, teenage trauma, and the end of the world.
StatusFinished Airing
SeasonFall 1995
StudioGainax, Tatsunoko Production
SourceOriginal
Where to watch
Story
Synopsis
Shinji Ikeda is recruited by his estranged father to pilot a giant bio-mechanical robot called an Evangelion, tasked with defending humanity from mysterious beings known as Angels that threaten to end the world. What begins as a fairly standard mecha premise gradually unravels into a deeply psychological exploration of depression, isolation, and the difficulty of genuine human connection, as Shinji and his fellow pilots each carry their own unresolved trauma into battle. The show grows stranger and more introspective as its apocalyptic stakes rise. Few endings in anime have sparked as much lasting debate as this one.
⚠ Background — may contain spoilers
Created by Hideaki Anno at Studio Gainax, Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most influential and analyzed anime ever made, credited with permanently reshaping the mecha genre by fusing giant robot spectacle with intense psychological and philosophical depth. Its famously ambiguous, introspective ending sparked decades of fan discussion and debate, and its imagery and themes have echoed through countless later anime. It remains a foundational text for understanding modern anime's willingness to tackle mental health and existential dread inside genre entertainment. Its influence still shows up across countless later series and films.
Watch
Episodes
26- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
Cast
Characters
21
Crew
Staff
243Key Animation39
Layout3
Mechanical Design2
Music4
OP1
Original Creator1
Companies
Studios
Main Studio
Critics
HakiPoints
73
- Conquers 25% · 1 review
- Hero's Choice 25% · 1 review
- Average 50% · 2 reviews
- Skippable 0% · 0 reviews
80/ 100
THEM Anime Reviews
Raphael See
If you're looking for an entertaining series full of action, intrigue and "waitaminute!" moments, you'll probably love Neon Genesis Evangelion. Ten thousand drooling otakus can't be wrong, right? ':-)
Read full review60/ 100
THEM Anime Reviews
Jake L Godek
Neon Genesis Evangelion is rather hard to understand at first and most mecha fans will be a bit confused at first. The minor things excel while the major things fall behind a bit, which doesn't get repaired in due time. Sorry to all those who will get miffed by this review.
Read full review60/ 100
THEM Anime Reviews
Tim Jones
It had a LOT of potential to really be the best ever, but lost track along the way. Those who don't mind angst, or those who like mecha, in their anime can add a star, perhaps two. Don't like angst? Take off one or two stars.
Read full review
Franchise
Watch order
The original 1995 series, the ending everyone still argues about, and the Rebuild movies that reboot the whole thing from scratch.
-
1
Neon Genesis Evangelion
The show that started it all.
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2
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth
A recap film with a preview of the ending tacked on.
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3
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
The real ending. This is the one people are talking about.
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4
Petit Eva: Evangelion@School
A chibi comedy spinoff, not connected to the plot.
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5
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
The first Rebuild film, retelling the story from scratch.
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6
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Rebuild starts diverging hard from the original here.
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7
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
The most divisive entry in Rebuild, and a big timeskip.
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8
Beautiful World
A 2-minute music video tied to the Rebuild films.
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9
Sakura Nagashi
A 4-minute music video, same idea as Beautiful World.
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10
Evangelion: Hakata - Angel Attack Alternative
A 7-minute promotional short, non-canon.
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11
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time
The actual end of the Rebuild story, released in 2021.
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12
Neon Genesis Evangelion: New Series
A brand-new series in a separate continuity. Not yet released.
Leaderboards
Rankings
3
Character Ranking
23 votes
·
50 entries
Top 50 Anime Characters with the Most Tragic Backstories
Featured from this anime
Souryuu, Asuka Langley
#40
Ikari, Shinji
#41
View leaderboard & vote →
Character Ranking
0 votes
·
50 entries
50 Most Hated Anime Characters of All Time
Featured from this anime
Ikari, Shinji
#49
Souryuu, Asuka Langley
#50
View leaderboard & vote →
Character Ranking
0 votes
·
47 entries
47 Iconic Yandere Anime Characters You Don't Want to Mess With
Featured from this anime
Ikari, Shinji
#45
Souryuu, Asuka Langley
#46
View leaderboard & vote →
Community
User reviews
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