Neon Genesis Evangelion is a Japanese anime television series directed by Hideaki Anno, originally aired from 1995 to 1996. The story is set in a futuristic city called Tokyo-3, fifteen years after a global cataclysm known as the Second Impact. It follows a teenage boy named Shinji Ikari who is recruited by his father to pilot a giant biomechanical mecha called an Evangelion to fight mysterious beings known as Angels. The series is known for its psychological depth, complex characters, and incorporation of religious and mystical symbolism from Shinto, Judeo-Christian traditions, and psychoanalytic theory. It is considered one of the greatest and most influential anime series of all time, noted especially for its existential themes and its controversial abstract ending episodes. An alternate ending was provided in the 1997 film "The End of Evangelion," and more recently, a series of films called "Rebuild of Evangelion" have retold the story with new elements and endings.
The series also explores deep emotional and mental health issues faced by the characters, particularly the pilots, making it distinctive in the mecha genre. Its approach combines intense mecha battles with introspective and complex character development, drawing heavily on psychological and philosophical concepts. The franchise includes manga adaptations, films, and merchandise with significant commercial success.
