Six Anime for Fans of Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion is an iconic series, one that helped further establish the anime medium in the 90s and continues to be one of the most popular series ever. Even today, new merchandise is released to the point of excessiveness. While many fans are waiting for the now delayed Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, we decided to collect a few anime recommendations for those seeking something similar in style, tone, or subject matter. 

Most of these shows are intended for mature audiences, so viewer discretion is advised.  

BOKURANO

Adapted from the manga Bokurano: Ours, this anime definitely has a similarly depressing plot when compared to Evangelion. It’s an apt comparison being that the mecha battles also feature similar music and the kids piloting the thing face incredible trauma at the hands of a power beyond comprehension. The twist in Bokurano as a mecha anime is that out of the fifteen children that sit in the control room, only one can pilot the machine at a time, which usually coincides with the perspective in each episode. However, once a battle has been one, the chosen pilot quickly dies as if their soul is forcefully evacuated from their body. 

This show may lack the spectacular violence and the flashy combat scenarios of Evangelion but it’s one that grabs the viewer quickly with dark plot development and straps them in for a terrible ride. There does seem to be more praise for the manga but the anime makes for a solid watch. That said, it is a harder show to track down as it is not on most streaming services currently. 

GANTZ

Another show with dark themes and brutal plot twists, Gantz creates a world where people are summoned into a room with a strange black orb that sends them on missions to kill aliens. This is definitely a mature show full of over the top violence, sex, and language. There permeates this sense of hope throughout it though, like the heroes just might make it through the nightmare. Those who want to see more can also check out the CGI film Gantz: O which features some stellar monster design. 

This is another show that has more content in the manga where the story continues well beyond the anime adaptation. There are also a few spinoff mangas to explore for those looking for more content. The striking, heavily inked visuals and creative design of the world of Gantz is one that’s hard to walk away from.  

BLOOD-C

To talk about the parallels to Evangelion found in the background plots of Blood-C would go into spoiler territory for a series that is best enjoyed by watching without much prior knowledge. Fair warning though, Blood-C has some of the craziest gore I have ever seen in anime. In fact, several of these scenes haunted me with nightmares for months after seeing them. The show ramps up in brutality with every episode, following a similar Monster of the Week pattern for many episodes, culminating into a swirl of chaos that’s banned on YouTube. Definitely try to pick this one up uncensored for the full experience. Just know that it’s not for the faint of heart. 

Surprisingly, Blood-C was produced by CLAMP and Production I.G. of which CLAMP is known more for their shojo franchises and shared universes. The story does conclude in a less-than-stellar anime film but the twelve-episode journey is one that I will never forget. 

ERASED

Erased might be one of the most tense shows I’ve seen in a while, one that was nerve-wracking to watch week-by-week. This anime is unpredictable because of the nature of the main character’s abilities. Satoru has this strange connection with time and when a tragedy occurs he finds himself warped to the past. Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t have any control over when the warp occurs. The show focuses on the hero trying to find a way to undo the terrible future and the whole adventure is full of spine-chilling moments. It’s not overly violent but it certainly has its moments. 

For those that enjoy Erased, there is a fairly decent live-action adaptation with a slightly different conclusion. Both were enjoyable and either version can make for exciting viewing. 

SSSS GRIDMAN

This one fits more into the sentai universe, specifically the Ultraman series, but it still has the general kaiju genre flair that makes it a perfect watch for Evangelion fans. The show’s setting is full of strange mysteries that are fun to unravel and the characters are all likable and well-drawn. The mecha battles feature similar high-energy choreography where things are a little silly but incredibly cool. Another positive to SSSS Gridman is that it’s a short series with only twelve episodes. 

We may eventually get a true Evangelion lens on the Ultraman character though as Shin Ultraman is being planned for 2021 but based on the way the Coronavirus affected the release of the last Rebuild of Evangelion film, we may not see this interpretation until 2022 or later. 

NOEIN: TO YOUR OTHER SELF 

Noein stars a younger cast, thrust into a battle that encompasses their town, endangered by monstrous, otherworldly beings. Heroes wielding incredible powers appear to fight but their motivations are uncertain, further putting the young ones’ lives at risk. Expect gorgeous Japanese backgrounds, spectacular fights, and a finale that’s fun to discuss. 

Featuring some wild science fiction exploration through incredible animation, Noein is a fairly obscure series that made an impact on me when I caught it on the SciFi channel as a teen. Each character has interesting development and when cloak-wearing strangers start attacking them it gets wild. This is another shorter series at twenty-four episodes, making it just as easy to get through in a weekend. 

BONUS: SHIN GODZILLA (LIVE-ACTION FILM) 

One of the darkest interpretations of Japan’s most popular monster, Shin Godzilla is a masterclass in kaiju film. Some of the CGI visual effects feel out of place but one could argue that this adds to the general uneasiness the film rests on. Most of the film revolves around politicians trying to figure out how to deal with Godzilla but when the beast is on-screen it is a tirade of monstrosity and destruction. Shin Godzilla has scenes that made me feel ill and during one of the defining moments of it, I knew I was actually watching a horror film. 

Of course, this film feels like Evangelion because it was directed by Hideaki Anno, who also directed the Evangelion series, including the Rebuild of Evangelion films. There are lots of references in this Godzilla film to Anno’s other work, not the least of which is the use of the timpani drums battle theme of Evangelion. Based on the ending and the film’s artbooks there could be more live-action Shin Godzilla projects planned for the future.  

Is there an anime we missed that fans of Evangelion would enjoy? Let us know on social media or by sending us an email. 

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