The Evangelion Franchise
Neon Genesis Evangelion redefined the giant-robot genre in 1995 and became one of anime's most influential (and most argued-about) works. The franchise exists in two forms: the original TV series with its film ending, and the later four-film Rebuild that retells and reinvents the story. They're separate experiences, so the main question is which to watch.
Where to start with Evangelion
It comes down to two paths. Pick one:
The Original (1995)
The 26-episode TV series that started it all: mecha action that slowly peels back into a raw psychological character study. The cultural landmark, and still the definitive version.
The canonical path is the TV series followed by The End of Evangelion, the 1997 film that delivers the proper theatrical ending. The recap-heavy Death & Rebirth is largely skippable.
Rebuild of Evangelion (2007)
The four-film reimagining, with modern animation and a cleaner on-ramp. It opens as a retelling of the original and diverges further with each installment.
Watch in order: Evangelion 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and the finale 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon a Time. A self-contained alternate take you can follow without the original, though it lands harder if you know it.
Original Continuity
The 1995 TV series and the two theatrical films that followed. The End of Evangelion provides the film ending to the series, while Death & Rebirth is a clip-show recap paired with a preview of that ending.
Rebuild of Evangelion
Hideaki Anno's four-film reboot (2007 to 2021). It opens as a faithful retelling of the original, then progressively diverges into its own story and a definitive ending.
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