The anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion and the subsequent films Death & Rebirth and End of Evangelion occupy an important place in Japanese art history. Previously examined from a primarily Western perspective, this study situates Neon Genesis Evangelion in a Japanese context, focusing on Japanese art, philosophy, and religion. A major focus of this study is the Buddhist influence on this anime and the manner in which this Buddhist worldview manifests in the television series and films. My study critiques the current Western scholarship on Neon Genesis Evangelion and resituates this anime in a Japanese art historical context. This investigation places Neon Genesis Evangelion in its appropriate cultural context and, thus, presents an innovative analysis of the anime from a Buddhist perspective.
