Neon Genesis Evangelion, the acclaimed mech-meets-psychological-drama anime, is finally coming to streaming. Netflix announced that it has acquired the anime classic, alongside its two sequel films, and will add them to the service next spring.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is easily the biggest get for Netflix yet in its ongoing pursuit to become a major player in the anime space. Earlier this year, it exclusively debuted the brilliant Devilman Crybaby, followed by other popular series like Aggretsuko and B: The Beginning. But nabbing exclusive Evangelion rights is a much bigger deal. There hasn’t been a way to stream Gainax’s beloved series before, for one.
Evangelion ran for just 26 episodes between 1995 and 1996. The anime is set in the year 2015, following a devastating attack on Earth that has left huge scars across the world. It’s also awakened several mechanical monsters called Angels that are now set on destroying what’s left of the human race. A special forces team called Nerv uses giant mechs called Evas to combat the Angels — and only a small group of teens, including the anxiety-riddled Shinji Ikari, is qualified to pilot the mechs.
Two films, the series-recut Death and Rebirth and the feature-length finale The End of Evangelion, followed in 1997, cementing that the anime was less action, more existential horror. Since then, the animation studio has returned to the Evangelion well with a collection of movies meant to reimagine the original series. Fans have since speculated that these Rebuild films are actually something else entirely, however.
Check out the trailer above for a peek at what’s to come when Evangelion debuts on Netflix in spring 2019. Also coming to the streaming service starting next summer are new Saint Seiya and Ultraman shows, both classic franchises in their own right; a stop-motion anime based on the adorable Rilakkuma bear will also air on Netflix next year.
