The series has been described as adeconstruction of the mecha genre; it delves into the experiences, emotions, and mental health of the Evangelion pilots and Nerv members as they are called upon to understand the ultimate cause of events and the motives behind human action. The series featuresarchetypalimagery derived fromShinto cosmology andmysticalJudeo-Christian religions and traditions, includingMidrashic tales andKabbalah.[4] Thepsychoanalytic accounts of human behavior put forward bySigmund Freud andCarl Jung are also prominently featured.[5][6]
Neon Genesis Evangelion received acclaim from critics and audiences and is regarded as one of the greatest animated series of all time. However, its final two episodes drew controversy, as many viewers found the ending confusing and abstract. In 1997, Gainax released an alternate ending in the feature filmThe End of Evangelion, written and co-directed by Anno. A series of four films,Rebuild of Evangelion, retelling the events of the series with different plot elements and a new ending, were released between 2007 and 2021.Evangelion has had a profound influence on the anime industry and influenced numerous future works. Film,manga, home video releases, and other products in thefranchise have achieved record sales in Japanese markets and strong sales in overseas markets, with related goods earning over¥150 billion by 2007 andEvangelionpachinko machines generating¥700 billion by 2015.
In 2015, 15 years after a global cataclysm known as the Second Impact, teenagerShinji Ikari is summoned to the futuristic city of Tokyo-3 by hisestranged fatherGendo Ikari, who is the director of the special paramilitary organization Nerv. Shinji witnesses United Nations forces battling a giant creature namedSachiel, one of a race of monstrous beings known asAngels whose awakening was foretold in theDead Sea Scrolls. Because of the Angels' near-impenetrable force fields known as Absolute Terror Fields, or simply AT Fields, Nerv'sEvangelion bio-mechanicalmechas, which are synchronized to their pilots' nervous systems and possess their own force fields, are the only weapons capable of combating and destroying the Angels. Nerv officerMisato Katsuragi escorts Shinji into the Nerv complex beneath Tokyo-3, where Gendo pressures him into piloting EvangelionUnit-01 to fight the Angel. Without training, Shinji is unable to destroy it and Unit-01 suffers cranial damage. Because of the nervous system synchronization, Shinji is overwhelmed by the pain and loses consciousness, causing the Evangelion to go berserk and savagely kill the Angel on its own.
Following hospitalization, Shinji moves in with Misato and settles into life in Tokyo-3. In his second battle, Shinji defeats the AngelShamshel but runs away afterward, distraught. Misato confronts Shinji, and he decides to remain a pilot. Shinji and Nerv's crew must defeat the remaining fourteen Angels to prevent the Third Impact, a global cataclysm that would destroy the world. EvangelionUnit-00 is repaired shortly afterward, and Shinji tries to befriend its pilotRei Ayanami, a mysterious and socially isolated teenage girl. With Rei's help, Shinji defeats the AngelRamiel. They are joined by EvangelionUnit-02's pilot, the multitalented, fiery-tempered teenagerAsuka Langley Soryu, who is German-Japanese-American. The three of them manage to defeat several Angels, and as Shinji adjusts to his new role as a pilot, he gradually becomes more confident and self-assured. Asuka moves in with Shinji, and they develop a complicated relationship with each other, which includes confused romantic attraction and a kiss at Asuka's provocation.
After being absorbed by the AngelLeliel, Shinji breaks free thanks to Eva-01 acting on its own. He is later forced to fight EvangelionUnit-03, who has become infected, and its pilot, his friend and classmateToji Suzuhara, becomes incapacitated and permanently disabled. Asuka loses her self-confidence following a defeat and spirals into depression, which is worsened by her next fight against the AngelArael who psychologically attacks her mind. It forces her to relive her worst fears andchildhood trauma, resulting in amental breakdown. In the next battle, Rei sacrifices herself to self-destruct Unit-00 and save Shinji. Misato and Shinji visit the hospital, where they find Rei alive, but claiming she is "the third Rei". Misato forces the scientistRitsuko Akagi to reveal the dark secrets of Nerv, the Evangelion boneyard, and the Dummy Plug system, which operates using clones of Rei, who was created using the DNA of Shinji's mother,Yui Ikari. This succession of events leaves Shinji emotionally scarred and alienated from the rest of the characters.Kaworu Nagisa replaces the catatonic Asuka as Unit-02's pilot and befriends Shinji, gaining his trust. He is revealed to be the final foretold Angel,Tabris, and fights Shinji, realizing that he must die to allow humanity to survive. He asks Shinji to kill him, who hesitates but eventually kills Kaworu; an event that causes him to be overridden with guilt.
After the final Angel is defeated, Gendo triggers the "Human Instrumentality Project", a forced evolution of humanity in which the souls of mankind are merged for benevolent purposes. He believes that if unified, humanity could overcome the loneliness and alienation that has eternally plagued them. Shinji's soul grapples with the reason for his existence and experiences anepiphany that he needs others to thrive and to accept himself by seeing a potential Shinji in another reality. This enables him to destroy the wall of negative emotions that torment him and unite with the others, who congratulate him.
In the development ofEvangelion,Hideaki Anno attempted to create characters that reflected parts of his own personality.[7] The characters ofEvangelion struggle with interpersonal relationships, personal problems,[8] and traumatic events in their past.[9][10] The human qualities of the characters have enabled some viewers of the show to identify with the characters on a personal level, while others interpret them as historical, religious, or philosophical symbols.[11]
Shinji Ikari is the series protagonist and the designated pilot of Evangelion Unit-01. After witnessing his mother Yui Ikari's death as a child, Shinji is abandoned by his father, Gendo Ikari. He is emotionally hypersensitive and sometimes does as expected out of fear of rejection, but he has often rebelled and refused to pilot the Eva because of the excruciating harm that has been done to him or to his friends. Throughout the series, he says to himself "I mustn't run away" as a means of encouraging himself to face the imminent threat, and this sometimes actually gives him bravery in battle; however, he has a lingering habit of withdrawing in response to traumatic events. Anno has described Shinji as a boy who "shrinks from human contact" and has "convinced himself that he is a completely unnecessary person".[12]
The cast ofNeon Genesis Evangelion as depicted on the Japanese "Genesis" (volume) 14LaserDisc andVHS cover
The withdrawn and mysterious pilot of Evangelion Unit-00,Rei Ayanami, is a clone made from the salvaged remains of Yui and is plagued by a sense of negative self-worth stemming from the realization that she is an expendable asset.[13] She at first despises Shinji for his lack of trust in his fatherGendo, with whom Rei is very close. However, after Shinji and Rei successfully defeat the Angel Ramiel, she takes a friendly liking to him. Towards the end of the series, it is revealed that she is one of many clones, whose use is to replace the currently existing Rei if she is killed.
Asuka Langley Soryu is a child prodigy who pilots Evangelion Unit-02 and possesses a fiery temper and an overabundance of pride and self-confidence, which often gets her in trouble and difficulty, especially during battles. As a little girl, Asuka discovered the body of her mother shortly after she committed suicide, leading the child to repress her emotions and vow never to cry. Asuka and Shinji develop intense but ambiguous feelings toward each other and have difficulty reaching out to others. Their relationship was initially modeled on the one between Jean, Nadia's love interest and eventual husband in the earlier anime seriesNadia.[14] Similarly to Shinji, Asuka and Rei are presented with their own flaws and difficulty relating to other people.[15]
Misato Katsuragi is the caretaker and commanding officer for Shinji and Asuka.[16] Her professional demeanor at Nerv contrasts dramatically with her carefree and irresponsible behavior at home. Character designerYoshiyuki Sadamoto conceived her as an older "girl next door" and promiscuous loser who failed to take life seriously.[14] Hideaki Anno described Shinji and Misato as "afraid of being hurt" and "unsuitable—lacking the positive attitude—for what people call heroes of an adventure."[12]
The teenage Evangelion pilots are ordered into battle by the steely Gendo Ikari, Shinji's father and the commander of Nerv. He abandoned Shinji and recalled him only to serve as an Evangelion pilot. Gendo salvaged the remains of his dead wife's body to create Rei, whom he viewed as a mere tool at his disposal to defeat the Angels and enact Instrumentality. Similar to Shinji, he is somewhat asocial and is afraid of being insulted by others and often runs away from such, often committing immoralities in the process. This fear is also what drove him to abandon Shinji. He is depicted as relentless in his drive to win, a man who "takes drastic and extreme measures, by fair means or foul, or by hook or by crook, in order to accomplish his own purpose."[17] According to character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, the characters of Gendo and Fuyutsuki are based on Ed Straker and Alec Freeman of the television seriesUFO.[14] Sadamoto designed the visual appearance of the characters so that their personalities "could be understood more or less at a glance".[18] The distinctive aesthetic appeal of the female lead characters' designs contributed to the high sales ofNeon Genesis Evangelion merchandise. The design of Rei, in particular, became so popular that the media referred to the character as "Premium Girl" due to the high sales of books with Rei on the cover.[19]
Director Hideaki Anno fell into a depression following the completion of work onNadia: The Secret of Blue Water[20] and the 1992 failure of theRoyal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise sequel project,Uru in Blue.[21] According to Gainax co-founder and directorYasuhiro Takeda, after the failure ofUru in Blue, Anno agreed to a collaboration betweenKing Records and Gainax as he drank with King representative Toshimichi Ōtsuki;[22] King Records guaranteed Anno a time slot for "something, anything".[23] Anno began the development of the new series in 1993 around the notion of not running away, the underlying theme ofUru in Blue, focusing on a protagonist accustomed to avoiding personal responsibility who finds himself trying to save the heroine of the story.[24] Early into the production, he stated his intent was to haveEvangelion increase the number of anime fans, namedotaku in Japanese, and attract interest in the anime medium,[25] along with bringing a breath of fresh air to the mecha genre. In the early design phase of theEvangelion project, several formats were considered, including a film, a television series, and anoriginal video animation (OVA) series. The producers finally opted for the television series, as it was the most widely accessible medium in Japan at that time.[14] Anno also originally proposed the titleAlcion for the new series, but this was rejected due to its lack of hard consonant sounds.[14] He conceived the series as a metaphor of his four-year depression, as he tried to put his whole self and imprint his own feelings into the work.[12][26]
Critics noted howEvangelion borrowed certain scenarios and the use of introspection as a narrative device from a previous Anno project, the OVA seriesGunbuster.[27] Anno also incorporated the narrative structure ofNadia and multiple frames of reference, leaving the story open to interpretation.[28] The production was complex and saw several changes to the scenario initially conceived by Gainax. Anno initially suggested that the series featured a girl as the main protagonist, but the idea was rejected by character designerYoshiyuki Sadamoto, who felt that a male lead would make it more believable for the mecha genre.[14] In the first scenario, thefirst episode presented the battle between an Angel and Rei, while the character of Shinji was only introduced after the Angel had been temporarily defeated.[29] Further changes to the plot were made following theAum Shinrikyo sect'ssarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in March. Cultural criticHiroki Azuma has said that the originalEvangelion story was "too close to reality" from Anno's point of view. Anno thought that the original scenario was not suitable for broadcasting, and he feared censorship. However, he also criticized Aum Shinrikyo, because "they lost any contact with reality". For this reason, Azuma stated thatEvangelion "is an intrinsic critique of Aum".[25]
The development of theNeon Genesis Evangelion series ran close to deadlines throughout its production run. The initial cuts of the first two episodes were screened at the second Gainax festival in July 1995, only three months before they were aired on television.[43] By the thirteenth episode, "Lilliputian Hitcher", the series began to deviate significantly from the original story, and the initial project was abandoned. The number of Angels was reduced to seventeen from the original twenty-eight. The writers also changed the story's ending, originally describing the failure of the Human Instrumentality Project after an Angel attack from the Moon.[29][44] Not only did the series suffer from scheduling issues, but according to Anno, despite Gainax being the lead studio for the series, the company itself had inadequate materials and staff for the full production of the series. Only three staff members from Gainax were working on the series at any given time, and most of the series' production was outsourced toTatsunoko Production.[45]
Starting with the sixteenth episode, "Splitting of the Breast", the show undergoes a drastic change, discarding the grand narrative concerning salvation for an intricate exploration of the lead characters' psyches.[46][47] This change coincided with Anno's development of an interest in psychology after a friend lent him a book on mental illness.[48] This focus culminated in the two final episodes filmed from a completely introspective perspective.[8] Necessity forced Anno to abandon the script of the twenty-fifth episode to work with a new one.[49] These episodes feature heavy use of abstract animation,[50] flashbacks,[51] simple line drawings, photographs, and still image scenes with voice-over dialogue.[52] Some critics speculated that these unconventional animation choices resulted from budget cuts,[53] butToshio Okada stated that it was not only a problem of schedule or budget, since Anno "couldn't decide the ending until the time came. That's his style".[54] These two episodes sparked controversy and criticism among fans and critics of the series alike.[55] In 1997, Hideaki Anno and Gainax thus released two animated feature films, providing another ending for the show, namedDeath & Rebirth andThe End of Evangelion, the latter being a more traditional, narrative-based ending.[56]
Thecross-shaped explosion caused by the destruction of thethird Angel in "The Beast" exemplifies the use of Christian imagery inEvangelion.
References tomystical traditions inJudaism andChristianity, includingMidrashic literature andKabbalah, are threaded liberally through the series.[57] Complicating viewers' attempts to form an unambiguous interpretation,[58] the series reworks Midrash stories,Zohar images and other Kabbalistic ideas developed from theBook of Genesis[59] to create a newEvangelion-specific mythology.[58] The plot also combines elements ofesotericism andmysticism of the Jewish Kabbalah,[60][61] including the Angels, which have common and individual features with the angels of the religious tradition,[62] such asSachiel,Sandalphon andRamiel.[63][64] Assistant directorKazuya Tsurumaki stated the religious visual references were intended to make the series more "interesting" and "exotic" for a Japanese audience,[65] denying the existence of a religious meaning for the use of Christian visual symbols in the show.[66] According to Anno, "as the symbols are mixed together, for the first time something like an interrelationship or a meaning emerges".[67]
According to writerPatrick Drazen, numerous allusions to theKojiki and theNihongi play a prominent role inEvangelion, along with the Shinto vision of the primordial cosmos and the mythical lances of the Shinto deitiesIzanagi andIzanami. Elements of the Judeo-Christian tradition also feature prominently throughout the series, including references toAdam,Lilith,Eve, theLance of Longinus,[68] theDead Sea Scrolls,[69] the Kabbalistic concept ofAdam Kadmon, and theTree of Life. The merging of all human souls into one through the Human Instrumentality Project at the end of the series has been compared to the Kabbalistic concept oftikkun olam.[70] The Evangelions have been likened to thegolem ofJewish folklore,[42] and their visual design resembles the traditional depictions ofoni, Japanese demons or ogres.[71]
Neon Genesis Evangelion has been interpreted as a deeply personal expression of Hideaki Anno's own emotional struggles with depression.[42] During the production of the series, he became interested in mental illness and psychology.[48] According to him, Rei is aschizophrenic character[72] and a representation of Shinji'sunconscious,[67] while Shinji has anOedipus complex[73][74][75] and is characterized by alibido-destrudo conflict.[76] Similarly, Ritsuko has anElectra complex, in which she loves Gendo, a sort of substitute for her father figure.[77] Anno himself stated that he identifies with Shinji in both a conscious and unconscious manner,[78] while Rei is Anno's "deepest part" and Kaworu hisJungian shadow.[79] Shinji's entering into Unit-01 has been interpreted as a Freudian "return to the womb", and his struggle to be free of the Eva as his "rite of passage" into manhood.[80] The series also contains references to philosophical and psychoanalytic concepts, such as theoral stage,introjection, oral personality,ambivalence,[81] and thedeath drive,[82] including elements of the works of Sigmund Freud,[83][84]Arthur Schopenhauer,[85][86] andSøren Kierkegaard.[87]
In May 1996, Gainax announced anEvangelion film[88] in response to fan dissatisfaction with the series finale. On March 15, 1997, Gainax releasedNeon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth, consisting of 60 minutes of clips taken from the first 24 episodes of the series and the first 30 minutes of the new ending due to production issues.[89] The second film,The End of Evangelion, which premiered on July 19, 1997, provided the complete new ending as a retelling of the final two episodes of the television series. Rather than depicting the series' climax within the characters' minds, the film provides a more conventional, action-based resolution to the series' plot lines. The film won numerous awards[90][91] and grossed ¥1.45 billion within six months of its release.[92] Ex.org ranked the film in 1999 as the fifth best "All-Time Show", with the television series ranked second.[93] In 2009,CUT magazine ranked it the third greatest anime film of all time.[94] In July 1998, the films were re-released asRevival of Evangelion, which combinedDeath(true)² (the director's cut ofDeath) withThe End of Evangelion.
A new animated film series calledRebuild of Evangelion by Gainax was also made,[95] consisting of four films. The first film retells the first six episodes from the series, but from the second film onward, the story changes, introducing new characters, Evas and Angels. The first film,Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, was released in Japan on September 1, 2007, withEvangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance released on June 27, 2009, andEvangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo released on November 17, 2012. The final film, titledEvangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, was released on March 8, 2021, after two delays.[96] In 2015,Evangelion:Another Impact, a3D-rendered short film directed byShinji Aramaki that served as a collaboration between the Khara studio and the media company Dwango, was released and streamed as the twelfth anime short from theJapan Animator Expo on February 8. It depicts "the story of an Evangelion's activation, rampage and howling in another world".[97]
Ten months prior to the television broadcast ofEvangelion, character designerYoshiyuki Sadamoto illustrated amanga version of the story, initially a supplement meant to promote the anime series.[98] The first installment of the manga was published in the February issue ofShōnen Ace in December 1994, with subsequent installments produced on an irregular basis over an eighteen-year period. The final installment was published in June 2013.[99][100] Several publishers were initially concerned at the selection of Sadamoto to develop the manga adaptation, viewing him as "too passé to be bankable".[101] The first ten volumes sold over 15 million copies,[102] and the eleventh volume reached number one on the Tohan charts,[103] selling an additional two million copies.[104] The manga series won the 1996Comicker fan manga poll.[105] The story has been adapted into several other manga series in addition to the original Sadamoto project, includingCampus Apocalypse, a mystery story that omits the Evangelion units, andPetit Eva: Evangelion@School, a parody series which received its ownoriginal net animation serial show.
Additional classical works and original symphonic compositions were used to score later movies produced within theNeon Genesis Evangelion franchise. In total, the series' discography includes twenty-one full studio, live, compilation and soundtrack albums and six CD singles. The series' opening theme is "A Cruel Angel's Thesis", performed byYoko Takahashi. It ranked on twoTV Asahi polls, reaching the 55th spot for best anime theme songs of all time, and 18th for best anime theme songs of the 1990s.[108][109] Fifteen years after its release, the theme wonJASRAC's annual award for the royalties it continues to generate from its usage inpachinko,pachislo,karaoke and other venues.[110] The ending theme of the series is "Fly Me to the Moon", sung by Claire Littley and various other singers from the main vocal cast.[111]
The original home video releases in Japan included VHS andLaserDisc sets using a release structured around "Genesis 0:(volume number)", with each of the first twelve releases containing two episodes each. Each of the episodes received minor changes and episodes from the twenty-first to the twenty-fourth were extended with new scenes. "Genesis 0:13" and "Genesis 0:14" contained the original and the alternate versions of the last two episodes first presented inNeon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion. A fifteenth and final release for LaserDisc, entitled "Genesis 0:X", contained the broadcast versions of the episodes from the twenty-first to the twenty-fourth and was a special mail-in offer for fans who purchased all fourteen discs.[112][113]
The first Japanese DVD release was spread across seven volumes; all contained four episodes, with the seventh volume containing both the original and alternate versions of the last two episodes. This version was identical to the previous LaserDisc and VHS release. The movies were also released as a special set, just like before. In 2000 and 2001, three box sets were released to commemorate the fictional Second Impact, which occurred in the year 2000 in the series. TheSecond Impact Box contained the original episodes and both movies on nine DVDs — three per Box. The versions were the original broadcast and theatrical versions respectively and therefore differed from the previous DVD release. In addition, the video gameGirlfriend of Steel was included in the third box set.[114][115]
The Japanese-only, nine-volume "Renewal of Evangelion" DVDs were released on June 25, 2003,[116] with improved acoustic effects, remixed dialogue and a remastered soundtrack for 5.1 stereo sound. The first eight volumes covered the original twenty-six episodes, including two versions of episodes from the twenty-first to the twenty-fourth: the extended video version that was available in previous releases, and a reconstruction of the shorter broadcast version, which was made available for the first time since the Genesis 0:X LaserDisc and also was not censored like in the original broadcast. The ninth volume containedDeath(true)², while the tenth includedEnd of Evangelion (omittingRebirth).[117] TheRenewal Project release formed the basis for the Western "Platinum Edition". On December 1, 2014,Studio Khara announced aBlu-ray boxset containing a new HD-remastering of the television series, the video versions of the episodes from the twenty-first to the twenty-fourth, as well as the two movies, both asRevival of Evangelion, the director's cut, which was available in theRenewal DVDs, and as their original theatrical versionsDeath and Rebirth andThe End of Evangelion.[118][119]
Another DVD set, titledArchives of Evangelion, was announced. It contains the original unaltered broadcast version of the television series as well as the broadcast version ofDeath (True) & Rebirth that aired on January 2, 1998. Both sets were released on August 26, 2015, to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the TV series.[120] Following the bankruptcy and closure of Gainax between May and June 2024, Anno's current animation company,Studio Khara, officially gained the full copyright of theEvangelion franchise.[121][122]
The series was distributed in North America and Europe byADV Films. The thirteen English VHS tapes, released from August 20, 1996, to July 7, 1998, contained two episodes each and were released using the same "Genesis 0:(volume number)" naming convention as the first Japanese home video release. Two LaserDisc collections were released asCollection 1 Deluxe Edition[123] andCollection 2 Deluxe Edition,[124] containing episodes one to four and five to eight, respectively. The first DVD release by ADV Films was the eight-diskPerfect Collection in 2002, containing the original installments.[125] In 2004, ADV released two DVD compilations titledNeon Genesis Evangelion: Resurrection andNeon Genesis Evangelion: Genesis Reborn, encompassing the directors' cuts of episodes from the twenty-first to the twenty-fourth, and additionally including the original versions of episodes from the twenty-first to the twenty-sixth.[126][127]
ThePlatinum Edition release was announced by ADV in 2004,[128] consisting of seven DVDs[129] released between July 27, 2004, and April 19, 2005.[130] ThePlatinum Edition contained the original twenty-six episodes and the four "Director's cut" versions[131] of episodes from the twenty-first to the twenty-fourth. A six-disc version of the Platinum Edition, thePlatinum Complete Edition, was released on November 22, 2005, and omitted several extras included in other versions, including commentary and trailers.[132] A seven-discPlatinum Perfect Collection tin case version was released on November 27, 2007, and included the extras that were omitted from thePlatinum Complete Edition.[133][134] On November 18, 2008, a seven-discHoliday Edition DVD was released; this would be the final DVD release of the series from ADV Films.[135] In late November 2011, it was announced the series was going out of print.[136]
On November 26, 2018, streaming companyNetflix announced that it had acquired the worldwide streaming rights to the original anime series, as well asEvangelion: Death (True)² andThe End of Evangelion, for release in Q2 2019.[140] On March 22, 2019, Netflix announced a June 21, 2019, premiere date for the titles.[141][142] Following the dissolution of ADV Films in late 2009,[143] the Netflix release includes a re-translated script from Studio Khara's in-house translator Dan Kanemitsu[144][145] and a new English-language cast chosen by Khara.[146] The new dub received praise for the actors' performances, but the new script received some criticism forstraightwashing the relationship between the characters Shinji and Kaworu.[147][148] The Netflix release omits "Fly Me to the Moon" in regions outside of Japan due to licensing issues.[149][150]
On May 30, 2020, British anime distributorAnime Limited announced it had acquired home video distribution rights for the original series,Evangelion: Death (True)² andThe End of Evangelion in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with anUltimate Edition Blu-ray release scheduled for 2021, marking the international release of the original series on Blu-ray.[151] On October 3, 2020, North American anime distributorGKIDS announced it had licensed the original TV series,Death (True)² andThe End of Evangelion for home video, theatrical, and digital download release with an Ultimate Edition to be released in 2021, making this the first Blu-ray release of the franchise in North America.[152][153] On August 30, 2021, GKIDS announced a Collector's Edition and a Standard edition release in addition to the Ultimate Edition. The Collector's/Ultimate edition had the "Classic Dub and Subtitled Version", including the ADV andManga English dubs and subs, while the standard edition only included the Netflix English dub and sub. "Fly Me to the Moon" was not included in any of the GKIDS/All the Anime releases due to licensing issues. The Standard edition was released on November 9, 2021, while the Collector's/Ultimate edition was released on December 8, 2021.[154][155] On November 2, 2021, GKIDS released the TV series,Death (True)² andThe End of Evangelion on all major digital download services six days ahead of the Standard Blu-ray release.[156] This release, like the Standard BD, only contains the Netflix dub and sub.
Neon Genesis Evangelion received widespread acclaim both domestically and internationally during its initial broadcast and in the decades since.[157][158][159] Onreview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 100% based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Neon Genesis Evangelion, both a cultural touchstone for Japan and an uncompromising auteurist vision by creator Hideaki Anno, doubles as an enthralling apex for the mecha anime genre and as a harrowing exploration of depression – making for a wholly singular epic about angels and inner demons."[160]Paste andIGN named it as one of the best anime series of all time.[161][162]
The "richness" of the characters and "complex and layered" narrative has received praise by critics.[163][164][165] In 1998, Max Autohead ofHyper rated it 10 out of 10, praising the "brilliant and fantastic storyline, with amazing characters who pull you not only into their world, but into their psyche as well".[166] The same year, Shidoshi ofGameFan gave it an A rating, calling it an "awesome" series.[167] Mike Hale ofThe New York Times described it in 2009 as "a superior anime, a giant-robot tale of unusual depth, feeling and detail."[168]
Following the conclusion of the series' original television broadcast, the public and critical reception toNeon Genesis Evangelion was polarized,[169] particularly with regard to the final two episodes. The experimental style of the finale confused[170] or alienated many fans[50][53] and spawned debate and controversy;[157][171] the criticism was largely directed toward the lack of storyline resolution in the final two episodes.[157] As such, opinion on the finale was deeply mixed,[157] with the audience broadly divided between those who considered the episodes successfully introspective and those who felt their meaning was "more apparent than real".[172] The English voice actors admitted that they also had trouble understanding the series' conclusion.[170] TheMainichi Times wrote that after the broadcast of the penultimate episode, "nearly all viewers felt betrayed ... When commentatorEiji Ōtsuka sent a letter to theYomiuri Shimbun, complaining about the end of theEvangelion series, the debate went nationwide."[173] Despite the criticism, Anno stood by his artistic choices for the series' conclusion.[157] Critic Zac Bertschy remarked in 2003 that "Most of the backlash againstEvangelion existed because people don't like to think".[174] The initial controversy surrounding the end ofEvangelion has had no lasting negative influence on the popularity of the series.[157][175]
Evangelion has developed into a social phenomenon beyond its primary fan base, generating national discussion in Japan. The series has also been the subject of numerous media reports, debates, and research studies worldwide.[176][46] The show has received review by critics, academics and sociologists alike, including bySusan J. Napier, William Rout, Mick Broderick,Mari Kotani,[177]Shinji Miyadai,[178] Hiroki Azuma,[47] Yuriko Furuhata, and Marc Steinberg.[179] The series has been described as both a critique and deconstruction of the mecha genre.[4][180] Japanese critic Manabu Tsuribe considered thatEvangelion was "extremely interior and is lacking in sociality, so that it seems to reflect pathology of the times."[181]Anime News Network's Theron Martin described the character design as "distinctive, designed to be sexy rather than cutesy", and the mecha designs as "among the most distinctive ever produced for an anime series, with sleek, lithe appearances that look monstrous, fearsome, and nimble rather than boxy and knight-like".[182] Mike Crandol stated, "It no longer seems contrite to say thatEvangelion is surely one of the all-time great works of animation".[169] In February 2004,Cinefantastique listed the anime as one of the "10 Essential Animations".[183]
Neon Genesis Evangelion has scored highly in popularity polls. In 1996, the series won first place in the "Best Loved Series" category of the Anime Grand Prix, a reader-polled award series published inAnimage magazine.[184] The show was again awarded this prize in 1997 by a large margin.[185] TheEnd of Evangelion won first place in 1998,[186] makingNeon Genesis Evangelion the first anime franchise to win three consecutive first place awards.[187] The websiteIGN rankedEvangelion as the tenth best animated series in its "Top 100 Animated TV Series" list.[188] The series also placed third inAnimage's "anime that should be remembered in the 21st Century" list.[189] In 1998, EX.org's readers votedNeon Genesis Evangelion the best US anime release[187] and in 1999, the second-best show of all time.[190] In 2007, a large-scale survey poll byTV Asahi votedEvangelion as the second most appreciated anime in Japan.[191] The series was also ranked as the most popular of all time in a 2006 survey of 80,000 attendees at theJapan Media Arts Festival.[192]
Evangelion won theAnimation Kobe award in 1996,[193] and 1997.[194] The series was also awarded the eighteenthNihon SF Taisho Award and the Excellence Award at the first Japan Media Arts Festival in 1997,[195][196] whileThe End of Evangelion ranked sixth onWizard's Anime Magazine's list of the "Top 50 Anime released in North America".[197] In the August 1996 issue ofAnimage,Evangelion characters placed high in the rankings of best characters with Rei Ayanami ranked first, Asuka Langley Soryu third, Kaworu Nagisa, fourth and Shinji Ikari sixth. Rei won in the Female Character category in 1995 and 1996 and Shinji Ikari won the Male Character category in 1996 and 1997.[198] In 2010,Newtype magazine recognized Rei as the most popular character of the 1990s in the female category, and Shinji in the male category.[199] "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" won the Animage award in the Best Song category in 1996,[184] and TV Asahi recognized it as the eighteenth best anime song since 1990.[200]TV Asahi also recognized the "suicide of Ayanami Rei" as the ninth most touching anime scene ever.[201]
Evangelion has had a profound and lasting impact on the anime industry andJapanese popular culture.[171][202] The series, airing at a time when the anime industry and its televised series were in a slump period, is credited with revitalizing the industry and raising the standard for high-quality Japanese animation.[157]CNET reviewer Tim Hornyak credits the series with revitalizing and transforming the giant mecha genre.[203] In the 1980s and 1990s, Japanese animation saw decreased production[204] following theeconomic crash in Japan.[205] This was followed by a crisis of ideas in the years to come.[206] Against this backdrop,Evangelion imposed new standards for the animated series, ushering in the era of the "new Japanese animation serial",[207] characterized by innovations that allowed a technical and artistic revival of the industry. The production of anime serials began to reflect greater artistic control, the concentration of resources in fewer but higher quality episodes, typically ranging from thirteen to twenty-six, a directorial approach similar to live film, and greater freedom from the constraints of merchandising.[208]
Twocosplayers portraying Asuka Langley Soryu and Rei Ayanami. The franchise has been credited as a conduit for making cosplay a worldwide phenomenon.[209]
According toTV Tokyo's Keisuke Iwata, the global spread of Japanese animation expanded dramatically due to the popularity ofEvangelion.[210] In Japan,Evangelion prompted a review of the cultural value of anime,[211] and its success, according to Roland Kelts, made the medium more accessible to the international youth scene.[212] With the interest in the series, otaku culture became a mass social phenomenon.[213][214] The show's regular reruns increased the number of otaku,[215] while John Lynden links its popularity to a boom in interest in literature on the Dead Sea Scrolls, Kabbalah and Christianity.[216]
The design and personality traits of the character Rei Ayanami were emulated for many anime and manga characters of the late 1990s, such as Ruri Hoshino (Nadesico), Ruriko Tsukushima (Droplet),[243] Miharu (Gasaraki),[244] Anthy Himemiya (Revolutionary Girl Utena), and Lain Iwakura (Serial Experiments Lain).[245] The character of Asuka was parodied by Excel (Excel Saga),[246] and some of her traits were used to create the character of Mai inGunparade March.[247] According to Italian critic Guido Tavassi,Evangelion's mecha design, characterized by a greater resemblance to the human figure, and the abstract designs of the Angels, also had a significant impact on the designs of future anime productions.[248]Nobuhiro Watsuki designed several characters inRurouni Kenshin based on characters fromNeon Genesis Evangelion, namelyUonuma Usui,Honjō Kamatari andFuji.[249][250] Other artists have cited the series as an inspiration, including film directorMakoto Shinkai[251] and manga artistGege Akutami on theJujutsu Kaisen manga series.[252] In the aftermath ofEvangelion, Anno reused stylistic conceits from the series in the live-action filmLove & Pop and the anime romance seriesKare Kano.[253]Neon Genesis Evangelion also influenced music artists, such as the British bandFightstar and its debut album,Grand Unification,[253] and the Japanese bandRey, which derived its name from Rei Ayanami.[254]
In Japan,Evangelion is an enormous content and merchandise industry with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Images of its biomechanical Eva robots are on everything from coffee mugs to smartphones and even airplane wraps.
The popularity ofNeon Genesis Evangelion extends to its merchandising, which exceeded $400 million within two years of its release.[71] The series has established itself greatly on the Japanese market, developing a varied range of products for consumers of various age groups, such as cell phones,[255] laptops,[256] soundtracks, DVDs,[257]action figures,telephone cards[258] and an official set ofJapanese coins.[259][260] However, its stylized mecha designs were initially criticized by certain toy companies as being too difficult to manufacture,[261] with some expressing concern that models of the Evangelions "would never sell."[262] Eventually,Sega agreed to license all toy and video game sales.[101] At the time of the release of the filmsDeath & Rebirth andThe End of Evangelion, estimated sales ofEvangelion merchandise topped $300 million,[258] of which 70% derived from sales of video and laser discs,[263] soundtrack and single CDs, computer software and the three-volume manga.[258][264]
The commercial exploitation of the series for thehome video market achieved record sales and remained strong over a decade later.[265] The fame of the show has grown through home video sales, which exceeded two or three times the sales of other contemporary anime series and films.[266] According to anime critic Guido Tavassi, the series contributed significantly to the spread of the DVD format in Japan and had a considerable impact on the Japanese economy, calculated in billions of yen.[266] In 2006,Matt Greenfield stated that the franchise had earned over$2 billion.[267] A 2007 estimate placed total sales of 6,000 related goods at over¥150 billion.[268][269] By 2015, more than two millionEvangelion pachinko andpachislot machines had been sold, generating¥700 billion in revenue.[270]
^Planning and original story. As of 2025, the show's directorHideaki Anno is credited in that position and all references to Gainax are removed in current Japanese rebroadcasts.
^Kosukegawa, Yoichi (May 8, 1997). "Cartoon 'Eva' captures sense of void among Japanese youth".Japan Economic Newswire.In the September 1996 issue of the Quick Japan information magazine, Hideaki Anno, the director of Evangelion, described Eva as a 'personal film,' each character reflecting part of his own personality.
^Evangelion: Death & Rebirth; End of Evangelion (DVD commentary track). Manga Entertainment.
^abcSadamoto, Yoshiyuki (December 1998) [1995]. "What were we trying to make here?".Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 1. Essay by Hideaki Anno; translated by Mari Morimoto, English adaptation by Fred Burke. San Francisco: VIZ Media LLC. pp. 170–171.ISBN978-1-56931-294-0.
^abWoznicki, Krystian (September 1991). "Towards a cartography of Japanese anime – Anno Hideaki's Evangelion Interview with Azuma Hiroki".Blimp Filmmagazine.Tokuma Shoten.
^Carl Gustav Horn (1997). "The mast or the face – Neon Genesis Evangelion". In Viz Media (ed.).Animerica. Vol. 5. p. 70.
^Oguro, Yūichirō."第47回 エヴァ雑記「第拾四話 ゼーレ、魂の座」".Style.fm (in Japanese). Anime Style.Archived from the original on September 1, 2016. RetrievedMarch 28, 2021.
^"Terminology".Death & Rebirth Program Book (Special Edition) (in Japanese).GAINAX. 1997.Archived from the original on May 10, 2020. RetrievedApril 25, 2020.
^Johnson, Travis (October 31, 2016)."20 Years Of Madman Entertainment". Film Ink. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. RetrievedJune 19, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^Carl Gustav Horn, ed. (January 4, 2011). "Misato's Fan Service Center".Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project. Vol. 7. Dark Horse Manga. p. 117.ISBN978-1-59582-595-7.Evangelion premiered January 2, 1999, on Australia's national SBS, a then-broadcast-only service roughly comparable to America's PBS.
^Hale, Mike (September 18, 2009)."Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone (2007)".The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 16, 2014. RetrievedAugust 13, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ab第18回アニメグランプリ ［1996年5月号］.Animage (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan.: Tokuma Shoten. May 1995. Archived fromthe original on October 14, 2013. RetrievedSeptember 8, 2013.
^第19回アニメグランプリ ［1997年6月号］.Animage (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Tokuma Shoten. June 1997. Archived fromthe original on October 14, 2013. RetrievedSeptember 8, 2013.
^Levi, Antonia; McHarry, Mark; Pagliassotti, Dru (2010).Boys' Love Manga: Essays on the Sexual Ambiguity and Cross-cultural Fandom of the Genre. McFarland. p. 260.ISBN978-0-7864-4195-2.
^Lunning, Frenchy (2010).Fanthropologies. University of Minnesota Press. pp. 215–216.ISBN978-0-8166-7387-2.
^Lyden, John (2009).The Routledge Companion to Religion and Film. Taylor & Francis. p. 208.ISBN978-0-415-44853-6.
^Takahashi, Rika."Xenogears".EX Magazine. Archived fromthe original on September 28, 2012. RetrievedSeptember 16, 2013.The game starts with a stunning full motion video sequence that feels rather reminiscent ofNeon Genesis Evangelion.
^Leigh, Alexander."Interview: Beautiful, Creative El Shaddai Is Daring To Be Weird".Gamasutra.Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. RetrievedSeptember 16, 2013.Not only doesEl Shaddai—the name of which features the secondary titleAscension of the Metatron—feature a variety of gameplay types and level styles, but it borrows from a number of aesthetic influences. These'll be familiar to fans of popular Japanese anime likeNeon Genesis Evangelion ...
^The coins can be viewed close-up at the Japan Mint site"Evangelion 2020 Proof Coin Set".Japan Mint Online Shop.Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. RetrievedAugust 27, 2020.
^"The Future of Fields".ONLINE ANNUAL REPORT 2015. Fields Corporation. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. RetrievedJune 16, 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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