What order should you watch Evangelion in?
The most common question new viewers ask about Evangelion is also the simplest to answer badly, because the franchise contains two continuities and two endings. The reliable route is release order: the 26 episode television series from 1995 and 1996 first, then the 1997 film The End of Evangelion, which runs alongside and beyond the final two episodes rather than replacing them.
After that, the four Rebuild of Evangelion films form their own self contained continuity and should be watched in numbered order: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 3.0+1.0. They begin as a remake, so watching them first spoils the shape of the television story while giving you none of its context, and several of their strongest scenes only land if you know the original versions of the characters.
Optional material fits around the edges. Death and Rebirth, the 1997 compilation film, is now mainly of historical interest because its new footage was completed inside The End of Evangelion. The manga by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto is a separate retelling again and can be read before or after the anime, but it has its own ending and its own pacing, so it is best treated as a parallel work, not a supplement.
One practical warning for disc collectors: episode versions differ between editions. The television episodes exist in broadcast and slightly extended home video cuts for the later episodes, and streaming and Blu-ray editions use the home video versions. Whichever edition you own, finish the series before starting the film, because the film assumes knowledge of all 26 episodes.
