Criterion Channel Adds Neon Genesis Evangelion on September 1

Hideaki Anno’s genre-defining mecha drama just locked a prestige streaming berth: the Criterion Channel confirmed it will add the full Neon Genesis Evangelion television series on September 1, alongside the companion films Evangelion: Death (True)² (also known as Death & Rebirth) and The End of Evangelion.

GKIDS, which licensed the original 26-episode run and both theatrical features for North America in 2020, remains the rights partner behind the arrival. The move places one of anime’s most scrutinized works next to Criterion’s carefully curated film library—fresh after recent theatrical anniversary screenings of the two Eva movies in July.

For years the classic package was hard to find outside Netflix and older home-video editions. Criterion’s anime lane, which opened in 2025 and has already hosted titles such as Gunbuster: The Movie, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and the K-ON! film, now gains a cornerstone of 1990s psychological sci-fi.

With a new Evangelion series already announced for the franchise’s next chapter, the September drop gives newcomers a high-profile way to experience the original Tokyo-3 saga—and longtime fans a reason to revisit Shinji, Rei, and Asuka before the next Angel rises.

Official: Official site · X