Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a Japanese science fiction media franchise created by Hideaki Anno and the studio Gainax, beginning with the television series Neon Genesis Evangelion, which aired in 1995 and 1996 and follows teenage pilots who operate giant biomechanical vehicles called Evangelions to defend a near future Tokyo from mysterious beings known as Angels, while the series increasingly turns its attention to its characters' psychological trauma and depression. Its unconventional, ambiguous final episodes, followed by a controversial theatrical recut, End of Evangelion, provoked intense debate among fans and critics and are widely credited with popularizing a more introspective, psychologically driven approach within mecha anime. The franchise was revisited in the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy of theatrical films released between 2007 and 2021, which retell and ultimately diverge from the original story, and Evangelion's imagery and themes have had a lasting influence across Japanese animation, video games and fashion, alongside an extensive line of merchandise and collaborations.