Classics - Why Neon Genesis Evangelion Still Hits

The 1995 series that turned a giant-robot show into a story about three frightened teenagers.

Words by Maya Sterling 25 October 2026

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Rei, Asuka and Shinji

The 1995 series that turned a giant-robot show into a story about three frightened teenagers.

Neon Genesis Evangelion aired in Japan from October 1995 to March 1996. A great deal of the anime made since has been answering it, one way or another.

The premise - A boy who never wanted the job

Fourteen-year-old Shinji Ikari is called to Tokyo-3 by the father who left him. Gendo Ikari wants him for one reason: to pilot Evangelion Unit-01 against the giant beings called Angels.

Shinji says no, then yes, then spends 26 episodes asking himself whether he should have. That doubt drives the whole series, and it is why the show still feels honest.

Why it still works - The fights are not the point

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Shinji and Asuka

The battles are spectacular, but the show is really about Shinji, Asuka and Rei, three teenagers carrying an adult war. It never pretends that is fine.

Director Hideaki Anno and studio Gainax give the quiet scenes as much weight as the action, and a long silent ride in a lift can say more than any battle. Shiro Sagisu's score does the rest.

The verdict - Watch it, then argue about it

Neon Genesis Evangelion: watch it, then argue about it

Watch the 26 episodes, then The End of Evangelion, the 1997 film that retells the final two. Fans have argued about how it closes for thirty years, and you will join in.

If it grabs you, the four Rebuild of Evangelion films, finished in 2021, tell the story again and take it somewhere new.

Where to watch

Streaming catalogues for Neon Genesis Evangelion differ between the USA, the UK, Canada and Australia, and they change from month to month, so check the services you use.