If you were seriously into anime sometime between 1995 and 2008, you've seen Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's a landmark of a medium, still loved, loathed, discussed and debated long after its future was supposed to happen. Americans who entered anime fandom in the last decade, however, were unfortunately out of luck when it came to getting into the show. ADV Films, the original US licensor, went bankrupt partially due to trying to fund a live-action Evangelion movie. Rights disputes between Gainax, the show's original producers, and Khara, director Hideaki Anno's new studio, blocked other companies from rescuing the American license. If a new fan wanted to watch the show legally, they had to either import the expensive Japanese Blu-ray set or hope their library had the old DVDs.

All that changes in Spring of 2019. As part of its huge investment in anime and anime-related content, Netflix has licensed the original Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series as well as the Death and Rebirth and End of Evangelion movies for streaming. New fans are advised to check it out, while older fans might be curious about revisiting the show. Does it live up to its reputation? Yes. It's still a masterpiece, both deeply personal and deeply flawed. Some aspects of the show don't have the same impact today as they did in 1995, but it's still worth checking out. Since this article aims to give an overview for potential new viewers, specific plot spoilers will be avoided, but because it's impossible to discuss Evangelion's legacy without talking about its tonal shifts, those who want to go in completely blind might want to skip this list.

20 PRO: STILL A POWERFUL STORY

evangelion unit 01

The best reason to watch Evangelion is also the most obvious: it's worth watching because it tells a great story. It takes the basic archetypal hook of a young boy destined to save the world while both extrapolating this premise into a complex, compelling mythology and grounding it in a realistic struggle with depression and self-worth.

Each episode answers some big questions while raising even more. The story covers a wide range of emotions, frequently surprising you in how it delves into unexpected territory. It can't and doesn't explain everything or wrap up all loose ends, but that doesn't stop it from being an incredibly powerful narrative.

19 CON: MECHA GENRE LOSING RELEVANCE IN ANIME

Darling-in-the-Franxx

Part of what made Evangelion so important was its commentary on the mecha genre. Mecha anime was once extremely popular, but in the past decade, the genre's nowhere near as important as it once was. Old favorites like Gundam still get new installments, but there hasn't been a new breakout mecha hit since Code Geass and Gurren Lagann. Darling in the Franxx (pictured above) is the closest thing in a while, and it's nowhere near as universally popular.

While Japan might not be as obsessed with giant robots, America might be gaining interest. The Pacific Rim movies and the American Voltron cartoon have certainly made an impact. Still, Evangelion's less relevant to the current anime landscape than it once was.

18 PRO: AMAZING FIGHT SCENES

evangelion sachiel fight

Evangelion might not be your typical giant robot show, but it's no slouch when it comes to the giant robot battles. The majority of the show's animation resources went into the fight scenes, and it shows. The showdowns between the biomechanical EVA Units and the mysterious alien Angels are routinely stunning.

Right from the show's first big action scene, the showdown between EVA Unit 01 and the Angel Sachiel in the second episode, you're clued into the warped brutality of Hideaki Anno's vision. As this vision grows more and more dramatic over the course of the series, the fight scenes appropriately follow suit.

17 CON: INCONSISTENT ANIMATION QUALITY

evangelion elevator scene

Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's design work on Evangelion is fantastic, and show's artwork looks better than ever in the HD transfer. As for the actual animation, though, it's important to remember that Gainax was really short on money when making the series. While the fights are beautifully animated, everything else is a lot more limited in movement.

Some scenes can barely even be called animated at all, holding still images for long periods of time. Sometimes Anno actually twisted this limitation for dramatic effect (a motionless elevator ride becomes unbearably tense), but other times it's kind of annoying. This isn't even getting into the animation of the last two episodes, which had zero budget whatsoever.

16 PRO: PSYCHOLOGICALLY COMPLEX CHARACTERS

evangelion shinji asuka rei

You might end up hating protagonist Shinji Ikari. Many viewers do. He's whiny and uncomfortable. You might also find yourself relating to Shinji. Regardless of how you feel about him, Evangelion makes sure you that you understand Shinji. It delves deep into his depression, his familial trauma, his poor relationships with women, his whole psychology.

The whole cast of Evangelion is like that. Asuka and Rei might appear to be anime girl stereotypes, but the show reveals reasons why Asuka is so tsundere and Rei so coldly inexpressive. The adult characters have their own traumas to deal with, even a character like Misato who initially appears to be comic relief. Even Gendo, the world's worst father, has reasons he does the awful things he does.

15 CON: MEANINGLESS RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM

evangelion cross explosion

The alien enemies are "Angels." Explosions almost always take the shape of a cross. The Kabbalist Tree of Life appears in the opening credits. The Lance of Longinus is a prop, Adam and Lilith play roles and references are made to the Dead Sea Scrolls. Surely all this religious symbolism must mean something, right?

According to Hideaki Anno, it actually doesn't mean anything at all. He just decided to use imagery from Abrahamic religions because it looked cool and "exotic" to Japanese audiences. Some of the symbolism (moreso the Kabbalah parts than the Christian ones) have been analyzed for more meaning, but in general it's wise not to get too hung up on what's generally a thematic red herring.

14 PRO: COMPELLING "MONSTER OF THE WEEK" ADVENTURES

evangelion fifth angel

It makes sense why so much discussion of Evangelion focuses on the darkness and pain, but those aspects wouldn't be nearly as effective if the show hadn't established itself as fun early on. Before the second half of the series takes its turn into deconstruction, the first half is one of the most enjoyable "monster of the week" series ever made.

While dropping enough hints of a greater mystery to keep viewers on their feet, the early part of Evangelion is extremely effective at just being an enjoyable mecha anime. The Angels are all creatively weird, the characters are established well through the episodic storylines and at times the show is even downright funny.

13 CON: NOT MEANT FOR BINGE-VIEWING

binge-watching

Evangelion was meant for week-to-week viewing in Japan. American fans in the past would typically experience it in a similar gradual trickle. There were the airings on The Anime Network and Adult Swim. The VHS releases had two episodes per overpriced tape, and the DVDs typically had three-to-five episodes per slightly less overpriced disc.

Taking one's time with Evangelion, soaking every detail in and developing all sorts of wild theories along the way, was part of the experience. One could compare it to phenomenons like Twin Peaks or The X-Files. Soon, it will all be available to binge on Netflix. You can still pace it out, but so many viewers will just rush through the show and not really get the full experience.

12 PRO: NECESSARY FOR UNDERSTANDING ANIME HISTORY

evangelion one hour photo robin williams

"Important" is not the same as "good," but Evangelion's added importance on top of its high quality makes it an extra special recommendation. Anyone trying to understand the history of anime should watch it. Not only did the series revitalize the mecha genre, but it provided a major boost to the entire industry during a time of creative stagnation.

Evangelion inspired plenty of rip-offs, of course, but also inspired greater waves of original auteur-driven anime. It unintentionally boosted the otaku culture Anno was criticizing, while also reaching out beyond the typical anime audience into mainstream Japanese popular consciousness. This is a show so widely beloved that Robin Williams was a fan (an Evangelion toy is notably included in One Dollar Photo)!

11 CON: OWN INFLUENCE MAY REDUCE IMPACT

rahxephon-pluralitas-concentio

The flipside of Evangelion being so influential is that it's no longer quite so distinctive and surprising to new viewers. So many different anime creators have taken lessons from Evangelion's successes and failures. Mecha anime since Evangelion have mostly either been directly inspired by EVA (Rahxephon, pictured above, is one notable series) or rebelling against it (Gurren Lagann, from former EVA animators).

Even beyond the mecha genre, younger anime fans who haven't seen Evangelion have almost certainly seen its progeny, and might wonder what the big deal is. They might prefer other psychological anime such as Lain and Utena, or other dark genre twists like Madoka. Evangelion's still worthwhile for them, but new fans should measure their expectations.

10 PRO: UNFORGETTABLE SCENES OF HORROR

evangelion beast mode

Even in the early episodes of Evangelion, when the show is in its more traditional mecha anime phase, it's clear something's not quite right. The Angels are creepy enough, but even the EVA robots themselves have something off about them. Without going into details, it's not really a spoiler to say that things get more and more... off as the show goes along.

Even if you don't normally find yourself frightened by cartoons, there are moments in Evangelion that will haunt you. Combinations of impeccably grotesque imagery and some truly upsetting psychological terror escalate throughout the show's second half, and The End of Evangelion goes ever further.

9 CON: RUSHES SOME DEVELOPMENT

evangelion kaworu

One thing that's important to remember about the second half of Evangelion was that it was more or less written on the fly. A full and more traditional outline for the series had been written, but as Hideaki Anno went through therapy, he started changing up the series' plot to reflect him more personally.

The story got far more interesting because of this, but the on the fly style does result in some awkward structure. Perhaps the most dramatic example is with Kaworu Nagisa, a major character who doesn't even get introduced until the show's third-to-last episode. The director's cuts of episodes 21-24 do improve the original versions' rushed pacing somewhat; hopefully Netflix streams those.

8 PRO: CAPTURES TURMOIL OF ADOLESCENCE

evangelion shinji

"Confusing sci-fi metaphors for puberty" kind of counts as its own genre in anime, with classics ranging from Akira to FLCL to Kill la Kill returning to the well of adolescence for inspiration. Even among such other great anime, Evangelion stands out as one of the best anime about the struggles of being 14.

Shinji and Asuka have more reason than most teenagers to be angsty, but their feelings if not their circumstances should be relatable to anyone who is or remembers being that age. Naturally, their hormones are raging, and the show handles budding sexuality with relative sophistication by anime standards.

7 CON: FAN-SERVICE CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE

So as perceptive as Evangelion can be in addressing teenage sexuality, it would be dishonest not to mention that its treatment could make people uncomfortable. While it's not graphic, there is a fair deal of nudity and suggestive moments involving teenager characters.

The suggestive stuff is typically comedic, and the usage of nudity is decidedly unsexual. Artistically, any creepy gaze could be attributed to getting into Shinji's own perspective on things. Anno is extremely critical of adult fans who treat his younger characters creepily, but even with all the artistic defenses of his motivations, it's understandable if some are uncomfortable with this content regardless.

6 PRO: TAKES RISKS

evangelion shinji trippy

Perhaps the closest parallel to Evangelion in the history of American TV would be Twin Peaks. Both shows took popular commercial genres and twisted them into surreal art pieces. Somehow they both became hugely successful despite their avant-garde leanings. Neither could be considered consistently great, nor could either come up with an ending that didn't cause mass controversy, but that's why risks are risks.

Evangelion's evolution into its more experimental self was more gradual than Twin Peaks', but you have to applaud Anno for just going all out the way David Lynch does. Somehow he made an action anime where climactic scenes occur entirely in abstract stream-of-consciousness montages inside the anti-hero's head.

5 CON: TV ENDING'S GOOD IN CONCEPT, LOUSY IN EXECUTION

Evangelion Congratulations

Both the TV and movies endings to Evangelion are controversial, to say the least. The final two episodes of the TV show were rushed into production with no money supposedly after an initial ending pitch got rejected by the censors. They're mostly scribbles and still images. The artistic gamble doesn't deserve all the hate it gets (and Hideaki Anno definitely didn't deserve the threats he got over it), but ultimately it's a swing and a miss.

Episode 25 is a dreadfully boring episode of an otherwise great show, didactically reiterating the characters' psychological problems without any plot. Episode 26 gets more interesting in how it tries to resolve those problems, and some find it powerful, but for others, it's rushed and unconvincing.

4 PRO: END OF EVANGELION IS STUNNING

end of evangelion

After finishing the TV series, you can skip the Death and Rebirth movie (half a recap, half a preview for the next movie) and go straight into End of Evangelion. This alternate ending gives a stronger conclusion to the series' narrative mysteries, but be warned: it's extremely dark.

Where the show's content straddled the line between a PG-13 and an R, End of Evangelion could very well get an NC-17 if rated by the MPAA, given its unrelenting violence and bizarre sexual content. Some ideas may have been in the original TV ending pitch, while others definitely came from Anno criticizing the show's legacy and the toxic side of its fandom. Apocalypses don't come much more horrifying, nor more artistically beautiful than this.

3 CON: OLD DUB'S A LITTLE CHEESY

evangelion school

Now it should be noted this point might very well be irrelevant, as sources indicate Netflix is making a new dub, but we should still note the sub is prefered to the old dub at least. Though not the worst dub, and not without its own nostalgic charms, it's fair to say the ADV Films dub of Evangelion shows its age, and the Manga Entertainment dub of End of Evangelion is even worse.

While the English performances in the ADV cast generally fit the characters, some line readings can get overwhelmingly hammy and shrill. The Manga cast replaces a bunch of the ADV actors with weaker talent, as well as including some significant mistranslations. Subbed is the way to go.

2 PRO: SUPERIOR TO THE REBUILD FILMS

Shinji Evangelion

Over the past decade, the most easily accessible pieces of Evangelion media in America have been the three Rebuild of Evangelion movies. While these movies remake the original series and theoretically can be enjoyed on their own, the original is generally a more enjoyable starting point.

The Rebuild films improve the animation quality, but the storytelling in the currently incomplete series is scattershot. The first Rebuild movie is just a redraw of the show's first few episodes with a few changes. The second movie has more changes and seems to promise a more popcorn-y take on the material. The third delves into the series' darker side but has extremely haphazard plotting, and who knows when the fourth and final will ever be released.

1 CON: MERCHANDISE REALLY MISSES THE POINT

evangelion toys mememe

Perhaps the strongest argument one could make against Neon Genesis Evangelion as a work is that it failed to prevent its own merchandising future. While there is cool or clever EVA merch to be found (the Evangelion store in Ikebukuro has the best T-shirts!), the fact so much merchandise literally objectifies the show's female characters for the pleasures of otaku is an utter shame.

Especially in light of End of Evangelion's harsh condemnation of creepy, misogynist fandom, it's more than a bit disturbing how many officially-licensed scantily-clad models of Rei and Asuka there are out there. The short film ME!ME!ME!, produced by Anno himself, satirizes this phenomenon, portraying an otaku's EVA character models as demonically possessed.