Today, Evangelion 3.0+1.0 : Thrice Upon a Time officially launches outside of Japan. It marks the end of a decade-long wait and a journey to reimagine one the most loved mecha anime ever. If you're new to the series, it means there's never been a better moment to get started. Here's our guide to help you make sense of those confusing titles and where to begin.AdvertisementHow Many Evangelions Are There?This is a complex question because Evangelion may be as culturally dominant than Star Wars in terms of tie-in media, manga side stories and other absurdist merchandise. The answer to the question of which Evangelion series you should watch is simple and can be divided into two groups. The original TV series as well as its two spinoffs in movies, were released from 1995 to 1997.Neon Genesis Evangelion is a 26-episode animated series.Neon Genesis Evangelion Death & Rebirth is a animated film that combines a recap of the first 24 episodes and a preview for the final chapter in the Evangelion movie series...... The End of Evangelion is a movie that gives you an expanded perspective or, depending on your interpretation, a totally different alternative versionNext, the Rebuild of Evangelion project, which spans 2007-2021, is a four-movie reimagining of the entire story of Neon Genesis Evangelion.Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) AloneEvangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) AdvanceEvangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) RedoEvangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a TimeDo I watch Neon Genesis Evangelion, or Rebuild of EvangelionIdeally, both versions of Neon Genesis Evangelion would be in conversation with one another, not just through their lore or their character work, but also in their thoughts about the series themes. If you are just curious about the franchise and just want to see the reasons it has become so popular, then you can choose either the TV series and its sequels or the Rebuild of Evangelion films. You can check out the other if you like it! You can always try again if you don't like it. That is perhaps the most important thing about Evangelion.AdvertisementA word of caution if you watch the TV series: You can skip Death & Rebirth completely. If you're watching the entire series, you don't need a recap. You can skip to The End of Evangelion.AdvertisementTo understand the Movies, Do I Need to Watch Neon Genesis Evangelion?Again, the answer is not as simple as a yes or no. Rebuild of Evangelion, as the title suggests, is a reimagined version of the events and basic premise from Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's a post-apocalyptic society in which the last remnants of humanity fight for survival against an attack by the supernatural, techno-organic entities known to as Angels. This movie series is meant to be an onboarding story for Evangelion and not a continuation of the TV series. It's also not spoiler-free to mention that it quickly veers away from adapting the original show. It is essentially the same as the TV series in that it includes the parts in You Are (Not) Alone. This means you are introduced to the characters, plot points and situations in the same way as those who watched the TV series, but in a shorter format.AdvertisementNevertheless, the Rebuild movies are a joy to watch with the knowledge of what has gone before. You can still enjoy the movie and then go back to the show later if you want more Evangelion. It is satisfying to be in a position to learn what has changed and how it happened, especially if you are familiar with the original series.AdvertisementYou Can Watch the Evangelion Movies and TV Show.It has become much easier to stream the Evangelion TV series as well as the Rebuild movies, after years and years of waiting on out-of print media. Let's start with the TV channel: Neon Genesis Evangelion and Death & Rebirthunder the new, alternate name Evangelion Death (True2)2and The End of Evangelion were all added on Netflix in 2019. This was the first time that the series was legally available for international streaming.AdvertisementAmazon Prime Video added three Rebuild of Evangelion movies today, August 13, to its exclusive Premiere of Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time. This is the first time that theyve been made accessible to stream outside Japan. These movies will be listed on the service at 1.11, 2.22 and 3.33, respectively. Do not be alarmed! These are the names they were given after their theatrical debut. They have animation tweaks and bonus scenes so don't be alarmed that you're not seeing the correct version.GKids will soon be releasing an Ultimate Edition Bluray collection of the original TV series. More details are coming soon. The first three Rebuild movies You Are (Not) Alone (Not) Advance), You Can (Not) Redo (Not) Redoare now available on Blu-ray and DVD. 3.0+1.0 is currently only available to stream outside of Japan.AdvertisementAre you curious about where our RSS feed went. The new one can be found here.
