Neon Genesis Evangelion is a popular Japanese anime franchise consisting of 26 episodes and five films. It follows teenage pilots who battle monsters in futuristic Tokyo and incorporates philosophy, religious imagery, and Christian references. The series is credited with popularizing anime worldwide, particularly in the United States.
Neon Genesis Evangelion, often abbreviated NGE, is a hugely popular, influential and successful Japanese anime franchise that was launched by the animation studio Gainax in October 1995. Many unofficial and official sources call Neon Genesis Evangelion as the greatest anime Of all times. Currently, the franchise consists of 26 episodes and five films, with two more films on the way.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is in the apocalyptic mecha genre, of which it is often considered the definitive example. It also contains elements of drama and comedy. The story takes place in the almost futuristic Tokyo of 2015. The main protagonists are a cast of teenagers who work under the United Nations special agency NERV as pilots of giant mechas. Using these mechas, called Evas, the teenage pilots battle monstrous entities called Angels, who are apparently intent on wreaking havoc in Tokyo and other Japanese cities. The story includes both fight scenes between Eva and Angels as well as intense personal and romantic interactions between the characters.
The series is famous for its use of philosophy, religious imagery and numerous linguistic references. The title is Greek and roughly means “New Beginning Gospel”, emphasizing the apocalyptic element of the series. Numerous symbolic references to Christianity, both subtle and overt, are inserted throughout the series, although the mythology presented in the story is far from Christian. Some of the Christian references mentioned in Neon Genesis Evangelion include the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Spear of Longinus, the three Magi, etc.
The international success of Neon Genesis Evangelion is widely credited with kickstarting the popularity of Japanese anime worldwide. While prior to the series, anime was more of a niche interest, anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion, along with others like Sailor Moon and DragonBall Z, brought anime into the mainstream in countries like the United States. Neon Genesis Evangelion stands out strongly from the last two titles due to its mature and complex themes.
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