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🧭 Watch order guide

Neon Genesis Evangelion watch order

2 core entries, 14 extras. Watching only the core story and movies takes about 11h 58m. Generated from the franchise graph, so it updates when new seasons are announced.

How to watch

Watch the 26-episode TV series, then The End of Evangelion. The film shows the outside events that episodes 25 and 26 depict as an inner monologue; the TV ending and the film are two views of the same conclusion, so watch both. Death & Rebirth is mostly a recap plus an early cut of End of Evangelion's first half, so skip it. The Rebuild films (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.0+1.0) are a separate retelling with their own continuity; watch them afterwards, in order.

2

core entries

1

movies to include

5

recaps / alt versions to skip

11h 58m

total core runtime

📚 Read the manga💿 Blu-ray box sets

Where the hours go

Core story and movies in watch order · 11h 58m in total · longest: Neon Genesis Evangelion

Show as table
ItemRuntime
Neon Genesis Evangelion10h 24m
Evangelion Shito, Hakata Shuurai7m
The End of Evangelion1h 27m

Recommended order

  1. 1
    Main
    Neon Genesis Evangelion

    TV Series · 1995 · 26 ep · 10h 24m

    Core story – watch in this order.

  2. 2
    Spin-offoptional
    Petit Eva: Evangelion@School

    ONA · 2007 · 24 ep · 1h 12m

    Spin-off – optional, different tone or cast.

  3. 3
    Side storyoptional
    Peaceful Times (F02) Petit Film

    Music · 2013 · 1 ep · 4m

    Side story / OVA – optional but adds context.

  4. 4
    Side storyoptional
    Nihon Animator Mihonichi

    ONA · 2014 · 35 ep · 4h 5m

    Side story / OVA – optional but adds context.

  5. 5
    Movie
    Evangelion Shito, Hakata Shuurai

    Movie · 2019 · 1 ep · 7m

    Movie – canon side content, best watched here.

  6. 6
    Spin-offoptional
    Evangelion × Attack ZERO

    Special · 2020 · 1 ep

    Spin-off – optional, different tone or cast.

  7. 7
    Spin-offoptional
    Evangelion x KATE CM

    Special · 2020 · 1 ep

    Spin-off – optional, different tone or cast.

  8. 8
    Side storyoptional
    Shin Gengou Nyankogelion

    Music · 2021 · 1 ep · 1m

    Side story / OVA – optional but adds context.

  9. 9
    Side storyoptional
    Evangelion: Housou 30 Shuunen Kinen Tokubetsu Kougyou

    Special · 2026 · 1 ep · 15m

    Side story / OVA – optional but adds context.

  10. 10
    Side storyoptional
    Evangelion (Shinsaku Series)

    TV Series

    Side story / OVA – optional but adds context.

  11. 11
    Main
    Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion

    Movie · 1997 · 1 ep · 1h 27m

    Core story – watch in this order.

Safe to skip

Recap compilations and alternative cuts that retell episodes you will already have seen.

Release order

  1. 1Neon Genesis Evangelion1995-10
  2. 2Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth1997-03
  3. 3Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion1997-07
  4. 4Petit Eva: Evangelion@School2007-03
  5. 5Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone2007-09
  6. 6Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance2009-07
  7. 7Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo2012-11
  8. 8Peaceful Times (F02) Petit Film2013-11
  9. 9Nihon Animator Mihonichi2014-11
  10. 10Evangelion Shito, Hakata Shuurai2019-06
  11. 11Evangelion × Attack ZERO2020-11
  12. 12Evangelion x KATE CM2020-11
  13. 13Shin Gengou Nyankogelion2021-01
  14. 14Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time2021-03
  15. 15Evangelion: Housou 30 Shuunen Kinen Tokubetsu Kougyou2026-02
  16. 16Evangelion (Shinsaku Series)TBA

Neon Genesis Evangelion watch order FAQ

What order should I watch Neon Genesis Evangelion in?

Watch the 26-episode TV series, then The End of Evangelion. The film shows the outside events that episodes 25 and 26 depict as an inner monologue; the TV ending and the film are two views of the same conclusion, so watch both. Death & Rebirth is mostly a recap plus an early cut of End of Evangelion's first half, so skip it. The Rebuild films (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.0+1.0) are a separate retelling with their own continuity; watch them afterwards, in order.

How long does it take to watch all of Neon Genesis Evangelion?

The core story and movies run about 11h 58m. At two hours a day that is roughly 6 days.

Can I skip the recaps?

Yes. Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth, Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time retell events you have already seen and can be skipped.

Where does this order come from?

It is built automatically from the sequel, prequel, side-story and spin-off links in the Kitsu database and refreshed daily, so new seasons appear without manual edits.