What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPacific Rim
Guillermo del Toro · Film · 2013
If you loved Pacific Rim, start with Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Pacific Rim across media.
If Pacific Rim hooked you with its high-stakes spectacle, you will love these stories of humanity fighting against overwhelming existential threats.
Start with the source
The source
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Series · 1995
Adaptation
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
Film · 1997
Adaptation
EVANGELION: DEATH (TRUE)²
Film · 2026
Books on the same thread
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card · Book · 2013
Explores: Child Soldiers, Alien Invasion, Moral Ambiguity.
Just as Pacific Rim centers on the desperate defense of Earth, this story forces a young protagonist to master advanced weaponry to prevent an alien-led planetary apocalypse.
The Windup Girl
Paolo Bacigalupi · Book · 2010
Explores: Corporate Power, Environmental Collapse, Genetic Engineering.
Like the global crisis featured in Pacific Rim, this narrative explores how humanity adapts its technology and survival strategies when faced with an encroaching, world-altering environmental collapse.
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir · Book · 2021
Explores: Amnesia, Planetary Survival, Xenobiology.
If you enjoyed the high-stakes first contact scenario in Pacific Rim, you will appreciate this gripping tale of a lone hero tasked with saving humanity from extinction.
The Big Book of Science Fiction
Jeff VanderMeer, Ann Vandermeer · Book · 2016
Explores: Technological Advancement, Existentialism, Utopian Societies.
This massive collection captures the same spirit of grand-scale science fiction and alien contact that defined Pacific Rim, offering a deep dive into the genre's most imaginative visions.
Series on the same thread
Attack on Titan
Series · 2013
Explores: Survival, Existential Horror, Loss of Innocence.
Sharing the intense man-versus-monster conflict of Pacific Rim, this series depicts the last remnants of humanity forced to take a desperate, violent stand against a relentless, titan-sized enemy.
The Pacific
Bruce C. McKenna · Series · 2010
Explores: Pacific Theater, Marine Corps, Brutality of War.
While Pacific Rim uses giant robots to frame its war, this series captures the same grueling, grounded reality of soldiers forming unbreakable bonds during a brutal Pacific-based conflict.
Gurren Lagann
Series · 2007
Shares a thread with Pacific Rim: Mecha.
Fans of Pacific Rim will recognize the core appeal of underdogs piloting massive machines to fight back against oppressive forces and reclaim their world from a powerful enemy.
Psycho-Pass
Series · 2012
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Technological Determinism, Social Control.
This series mirrors the high-tech, dystopian tension of Pacific Rim, focusing on how a society uses advanced monitoring systems to maintain order in the face of existential threats.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Big Picture
Podcast
Explores: Hollywood, Awards Season, Film Criticism.
Use this podcast to dive deeper into the blockbuster film analysis that Pacific Rim inspires, exploring the craft behind the spectacle and the genre tropes that define it.
Raiders Of The Lost Podcast
Podcast
Explores: film criticism, television criticism, blockbuster movies.
This show provides the critical breakdown you need to better understand the cinematic impact of blockbuster hits like Pacific Rim and how they shape modern pop culture.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Pacific Rim related to the Neon Genesis Evangelion series?
Pacific Rim and the Neon Genesis Evangelion series are separate works. While both feature massive piloted robots fighting against alien threats, they are distinct franchises. Pacific Rim was released in 2013, whereas the original Neon Genesis Evangelion television series premiered in 1995.
What order should I watch the Evangelion titles if I liked Pacific Rim?
If you enjoyed the giant robot combat in Pacific Rim, you should begin with the 1995 Neon Genesis Evangelion television series. Follow this with the 1997 film The End of Evangelion. You can then conclude your viewing with the 2026 film titled EVANGELION: DEATH (TRUE)².
Does Pacific Rim feature the same type of alien invasion as Neon Genesis Evangelion?
Pacific Rim depicts humanity fighting an alien force emerging from the Pacific Ocean. While Neon Genesis Evangelion also involves defending earth against mysterious invaders, the specific origins and nature of the threats differ between the Pacific Rim universe and the Evangelion series.
How long is the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series compared to the Pacific Rim movie?
Pacific Rim is a single feature film released in 2013. In contrast, the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise includes the 1995 television series, the 1997 film The End of Evangelion, and the 2026 title EVANGELION: DEATH (TRUE)², providing a significantly longer runtime than the Pacific Rim movie.