Neon Genesis Evangelion

The series has been described as a deconstruction of the mecha genre; it delves into the experiences, emotions, and mental health of the Evangelion pilots and Nerv members as they are called upon to understand the ultimate cause of events and the motives behind human action. The series features archetypal imagery derived from Shinto cosmology and mystical Judeo-Christian religions and traditions, including Midrashic tales and Kabbalah. The psychoanalytic accounts of human behavior put forward by Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung are also prominently featured.

Neon Genesis Evangelion received acclaim from critics and audiences and is regarded as one of the greatest animated series of all time; however, its final two episodes drew controversy, as many viewers found the ending confusing and abstract. Gainax attributed the episodes' abstract style both to the severe time constraints imposed by the production schedule and to Anno's deliberate artistic choice. In 1997, Gainax released a remake of the last two episodes in the feature film The End of Evangelion, written and co-directed by Anno. A series of four films, Rebuild of Evangelion, retelling the events of the series with different plot elements and a new ending, were released between 2007 and 2021. Evangelion has had a profound influence on the anime industry and influenced numerous future works. Films, manga, home video releases, and other products in the franchise have achieved record sales in Japanese markets and strong sales in overseas markets, with related goods earning over ¥150 billion by 2007 and Evangelion pachinko machines generating ¥700 billion by 2015.