The story is simply incredible though very hard to follow with some big gaps in the plot that aren't explained. Some things are answered in the movies, but some aren't. Much is left up to the interpretation of the viewer, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Evangelion's story has opened up some of the most incredible debates I've ever participated in and it constantly stretches the boundaries of what we know as rational thought. You have to get around reality to try and understand Evangelion. Many episodes will leave you confused, breathless and depressed as you watch these events unfold around Shinji and tear at his soul. I've rarely encountered a character I could sympathize with more as things beyond his control consume him and force him to face harsh truths. Whether you can understand it or not, you will carry the story with you for quite some time as reality benignly teases you. The animation is top of the line, better than some of the big theatrical releases. The artistic style is excellent with well-conceived characters showing a tremendous array of emotion. The Eva's and Angel's are among some of the most incredible looking things you'll see and when they are moving on the screen it is awesome. The Eva's are amongst the coolest looking Mech's ever designed. They also make nice use of still images collage with text to give it a unique visual flavor that matches the content in the later episodes as reality shatters around Shinji.