A rod lens system for an endoscope is provided, in which the rod lens system has at least one reversal stage, in order to image an intermediate image lying in a distal intermediate image plane into a proximal intermediate image plane, wherein each reversal stage has at least one rod lens and images an intermediate image into a next intermediate image plane, wherein the rod lens system is formed as an asymmetrical rod lens system and at least one of the reversal stages is formed as an asymmetrical reversal stage.