Tributes to Neon Genesis Evangelion in other Anime and Manga
This is the list of confirmed references to Evangelion from other anime and manga. These are either confirmed by authoritative sources or are obvious references. See also: Unconfirmed References and Similarities to Neon Genesis Evangelion in other Anime and Manga, Tributes to Neon Genesis Evangelion in other Media, and Tributes to Other Shows in Neon Genesis Evangelion
This is a work in progress.
801 T.T.S. Airbats (青空少女隊)
In 801 T.T.S. Airbats, an OVA that was released from 1994 to 1996, an Evangelion poster can be seen on the wall of Takuya Isurugi's bedroom.
A.I. Love You (ＡＩが止まらない)
A romantic comedy manga series by Ken Akamatsu, A.I. Love You has a panel from volume 8, chapter 53, where the protagonist's sister, Yayoi, mentions that the subterranean section of the house looks like Nerv.
Burn Up W/Excess (バーンナップ W/EXCESS)
Burn Up W, a 4 episode OVA release starting in April of 1996. Although it was released the same year the Evangelion TV Series was aired, in episode 2, Nanvel produces a robot named "El Heggunte'" which is very obviously a reference to Evangelion Unit-01. There is a sequence of Nanvel's display with a timer and text scrolling by. The text is the episode list of the Evangelion TV Series. In the second half of episode 8 of Burn Up Excess, the follow-up TV series, Rio Kinezono and Lilica Ebett perform a synchronized somersault and double kick like Eva-01 and Eva-02 do in Episode 08. Also in the second half of episode 8, a giant transvestite performs a rush and somersault mimicking Eva-01 in Episode 02 against Sachiel.
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Diebuster (トップをねらえ2！)
Diebuster, or Gunbuster 2, is an OVA from 2004 by Gainax. In episode 6, the final episode, there is an overt reference to Gendo putting his hand over Rei's left breast and it going inside her body.
Elf ban Kakyuusei (エルフ版 下級生)
Elf ban Kakyuusei is a 4 episode OVA that was released in November of 1997 and based on a dating sim. In episode 4, during a scene in a theatre, several characters from Evangelion are clearly depicted sitting in the theatre.
FLCL/Fooly Cooly (フリクリ)
The Gainax/Production I.G. OVA Fooly Cooly (Furi Kuri or FLCL), naturally contains several Evangelion references.
In the second episode of the series, main character Noata Nandaba remarks that his father, Kamon "wrote an ‘Eva’ book a long time ago"
In the third episode, Naota’s teacher "Miya-Jun" (Junko Miyaji) is seen wearing bandages similar to Rei Anayami’s after an accident.
Hideaki Anno also provides the vocal effects for Miyu Miyu, the Nandaba family cat.
Gear Fighter Dendoh (GEAR戦士 電童)
Gear Fighter Dendoh is a lesser-known mecha series by the Gundam SEED director Mitsuo Fukuda. The show makes numerous humorous references to older mecha shows, and two of its episodes are largely dedicated for parodying Evangelion.
Episode 14 of Gear Fighter Dendoh is practically Evangelion's Episode 6 on super robot crack. When the Gulfer aliens use a swarm of tiny machine beasts to sap all electricity from Earth's power plants, GEAR HQ must devise an alternate way to recharge their battery-powered giant robot. Their ingenious solution is to harness together a huge number of small stand-alone power sources, including gasoline-powered generators, car and motorcycle engines, bicycle dynamos and even batteries from household appliances and children's toys. The ludicrous recharging operation becomes a race against time as a huge, slowly-crawling machine beast (looking vaguely like a cross-breed between Ramiel and Matarael) begins to home in on Dendoh's location in the mountains. In the ensuing beam sniping match Dendoh's Final Attack pushes back the machine beast's beam, destroying the invader. The episode ends with a public service announcement urging viewers to save electricity.
In Super Robot Wars MX, the series roster of which includes both Evangelion and Dendoh, their respective episode scenarios are combined and Operation Yashima is powered by people pedaling bicycles. (See M. Neidengard's walkthrough on Gamefaqs.)
Dendoh's episode 18 is another, less inventive medley of Evangelion spoofs. Gulfer emperor's pet, Ragoh, has infected Dendoh's Data Weapons with a deadly computer virus, which is now slowly taking over their bodies. Scientists at the GEAR base desperately try to counterhack the virus (mimicking Evangelion's Episode 13), but when their attempts prove unsuccesful, the Dendoh pilots are sent to retrieve a sample of Ragoh's body from the bottom of the Japan Trench so that a vaccine could be based on it. The descent to the bottom of the Trench mimics Evangelion's Episode 10, and the subsequent battle against a marine-adapted machine beast recycles imagery from Episode 08.
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Genshiken (げんしけん)
In the Genshiken manga by Shimoku Kio, which started in December of 2002, one of the short Omake strips has Ohno Kanako, an avid cosplayer, dressed up as Asuka.
In the second season of the Genshiken anime, near the end of episode 2 you can see 2 stacks of doujin on a table. The one on the right features Asuka and Rei in bikinis on the cover and Asuka is holding a beach ball that looks like Leliel.
In volume 7, chapter 39, of the manga, when Ohno's 2 friends from the States come to visit, one of her friends, Sue, introduces herself by saying "Anta Baka", a saying made popular by Asuka. The reference is made even more evident in episode 10 of the second season TV series where she even mimics the way Asuka says it. Ohno then tells her she can't just say stuff like that and that she's lucky Madarame (the person she says it to) understands that it's a parody (of Evangelion).
Great Teacher Onizuka (グレート・ティーチャー・オニヅカ)
Great Teacher Onizuka is a show that first aired in June of 1999 and based on a manga series that started in February of 1997.
- In the manga, when Onizuka walks through Yoshikawa's room, you can see several posters of Rei and Asuka hanging on the walls.
- In the manga, after winning the swimming contest against Mr. Fukuroda, he says that he'll use the winnings to buy Evangelion trading cards.
- In volume 11 of the manga, when Miyabi was setup with an S&M crowd, there is a Seele mask on one of the S&M implements against the wall.
- In volume 14 of the manga, when Miyabi came to school after dying her hair blue, Onizuka hugs her and tells her how big of a Rei Ayanami fan he is, believing that Miyabi dyed her hair to look like Rei.
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Hayate the Combat Butler (ハヤテのごとく！)
Hayate no Gotoku, or Hayate the Combat Butler, is a show that started in April of 2007. This show contains so many parodies and references to other anime, TV shows, and games, that it is nearly impossible to catch them all.
- A Nerv logo look-alike can be seen in one of the baths:
- In Episode 05, Hayate recites Shinji's "I mustn't run away" mantra.
- During an episode with an extended parody of the game "Dragon Quest", the head of Giant Rei/Lilith popped out of the enemy everyone was fighting.
- There is a sequence that parodies the first launch of Evangelion Unit-01. A giant nursing robot (which looks alarmingly like Snoopy) goes berserk.
- In Episode 25, after Nagi is abducted, a Mecha comes to fight Hayate that looks somewhat like a strange SD version of Evangelion Unit-01, and displays a cross-shaped explosion after it is destroyed.
- In Episode 34, during a scene in the school festival that suspiciously looks like Comiket, there's a girl holding a sign wearing a teal colored plugsuit.
- In Episode 36, Klaus, the old Sanzenin Family butler, is sulking in a corner repeating "I mustn't run away" over and over again, with a Spear through his chest that looks remarkably like the Spear of Longinus. When Hayate approaches him, an A.T. Field appears, which Maria the maid immediately responds with "An A.T. Field. It's a barrier made by the soul."
- In Episode 39, Hayate and the school's superintendent are talking in the battle arena and the superintendent summons a treasure among butlers. It is delivered through the floor by a large mecha that emerges from the ground using an Eva lift.
- In Episode 40, while Hayate and Nagi are on a bicycle, Hayate mentions to Nagi about coming up with a new Instrumentality Project while trucks pass them in the background with parody Nerv emblems. Also in this episode, several ocean waves shots were used to segway between scenes, a possible homage to the many times it was used in Evangelion
- In Episode 46, while Saki does a short monologue a Seele monolith (Seele 01) appears in front of her.
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He Is My Master (これが私の御主人様)
From the anime He Is My Master, a 12 episode TV show by Gainax, there is a scene in episode 8 where several female characters from different productions of the studio show up as chibi-dolls on a shelf. The characters are:
- Top left shelf: Glenda, Elmina, Yucie and Cocoloo from Petite Princess Yucie.
- Middle left shelf: Mitsuki, Izumi and Anna from He is My Master.
- Lower left shelf: Mayumi from Neon Genesis Evangelion: Second Impression, Misato, Asuka and Hikari.
- Top right shelf: Mamimi from FLCL, Noriko from Gunbuster, and Nono and Tycho from Diebuster.
- Middle right shelf: Patricia Burnmite (unofficial romanization, from パトリシア・バーンマイト), the main character from the Gainax-produced game Grapple Gear, with character design by Mine Yoshizaki; Mahoro and Minawa from Mahoromatic, and Melody from Melody of Oblivion.
- Lower right shelf: Nadia from Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Yukino from His and Her Circumstances, alternate reality Rei from Evangelion Episode 26, and Arumi from Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi.
Also from episode 2, there is a quick shot of the inside of a computer room after Mitsuki unlocks a secret on her PC. The computer room looks exactly like the shot of the inside of the Magi computers in End of Evangelion when Misato is hacking to find Nerv's secrets, right down to the metal grating.
Kanokon (かのこん)
Kanokon is an ecchi fanservice show that started airing in April of 2008. In the 3rd episode, Nozomu Ezomori purposely runs into Kouta Oyamada by running around a corner with toast in her mouth shouting "Ahhh, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late..." similar to Rei in the alternate universe scene from Episode 26.
Ikki Tousen (一騎当千)
In the second season of Ikki Tousen (Dragon Destiny), the mid-episode eyecatch in episode 8 featured Gakushin Bunken in Rei's plugsuit as well as the interface headsets.
Love Hina (ラブ ひな)
In the Love Hina manga, Keitaro was following Naru around when she stops at a Cosplay Cafe, he imagines her wearing Asuka's red plugsuit.
In Volume 8, after an especially pathetic speech by Keitaro, Naru exclaims: "Hey, who told you to go all Shinji on me?!"
Lucky Star (らき☆すた)
The cover of the Vol 11 Lucky Star Character Song CD, featuring Soujirou and Kanata (Hirokazu Hiramatsu and Sumi Shimamoto), shows Soujirou standing in front of a wooden cabinet that's seen in the TV series. However, unlike in the series, you can see Asuka and Rei figurines sitting on it behind Soujirou's left shoulder.
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (アベノ橋魔法☆商店街)
Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi is a 13 episode series by Gainax that aired in April of 2002. In episode 3, when Satoshi realizes what's going on in this world, you can see grey Evangelion Unit-01 floating in space in the same fashion at the very end of End of Evangelion, with flowing hair. In a non-Eva related reference, the Space station looks exactly like Ultraman's face. Also, in episode 3, during the brief flash of the "Anime Pyramid", you can see Eva-01's head in the 3rd tier. Other notable anime references here include mechs from Mobile Suit Gundam and Mazinger Z, the Space Battleship Yamato, Tetsuo from Akira, the Scopedog from VOTOMS, a guardian robot from Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and what seems like the robot Godmars. Also, in episode 3, after Satoshi gets inside the pilot's seat, the Evangelion background music, Decisive Battle, can be heard in the background. In episode 8, Satoshi's sister is seen running down the street, toast in mouth, wearing Rei's school uniform, saying "I'm late, I'm late", taken directly from the alternate reality in Episode 26 of the Evangelion TV Series.
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Miami Guns (マイアミ☆ガンズ)
In episode 7, Yao reverts to a primitive state after her father takes her money and priviledges away, and is being monitored from a control room. She goes berserk and punches the glass that separates her and her father and Kaken. Kaken orders the warm water to be turned on to contain the berserk Yao. This entire sequence mimicks Eva-00's activation test in the beginning of Episode 05. Also, in the opening animation there is a quick shot of Yao's father behind his desk wearing white gloves in a Gendo Pose. This shot is also re-used occasionally in the show itself.
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Minipato (ミニパト)
The short Patlabor parody OAV Minipato (2002) spoofs the many tropes of the mecha genre by making references to various other mecha anime, including Evangelion. In Episode 2 one of the alternative Patlabor designs, translated as "Large quantity style" in the offcial subs, is based on a Mass Production Evangelion.
Pani Poni Dash! (ぱにぽにだっしゅ！)
Pani Poni Dash! is a gag anime that aired in July of 2005. As the show constantly references other anime (and other works of popular culture), it also contains numerous Evangelion parodies. To list just a few:
- In the super robot parody sequence in episode 12, Rebecca plays the role of a base commander in a Gendo Pose.
- In episode 18, one of the explosions following a bomb-defusal training gone wrong resembles the awakening of Eva-01 in The End of Evangelion.
- In episode 19, Akane Serizawa is seen holding a miniature Spear of Longinus. In the same episode, Ichijo's character design undergoes a brief Rei-ish (or Yui-ish, if you prefer) transformation.
- In episode 21, a giant Himeko is holding Serizawa (dressed up as Rebecca) in a similar fashion as Eva-01 holds Kaworu Nagisa during the long single still shot in Episode 24. Immediately following, Rei Tachibana makes an Evangelion-themed appearance as a Betamax Seele monolith.
- Episode 20 features fig leaf shaped split screens and random Evangelion cosplay.
- Episode 25 is another mecha parody episode. The alien captain's human form alternates briefly between the standard Jean-Luc Picard and Keel Lorenz .
- The crew of Pani Poni X is trapped in a series of fake worlds, resembling Evangelion's TV-ending version of Instrumentality. After breaking free, their mech is transformed into what looks like a hybrid of Eva-01 and Diana A from Mazinger Z.
- And finally in episode 26, there are a number of minor references.
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Rurouni Kenshin (るろうに剣心)
According to the author of the Rurouni Kenshin manga, Nobuhiro Watsuki, the visual design of Yukishiro Tomoe ended up being like Rei Ayanami and Honjo Kamatari's face was based on Yui Ikari.
Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei (さよなら絶望先生)
- In episode 9, there is a short eye-catch that appears after Itoshiki Nozomu says to name 7 mistakes in life. The second mistake listed in the eye-catch is "'Getting hooked on Eva while failing to get into college'".
- From the second season, Zoku Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei, in episode 11, there is a shot of Kaere Kimura on Lilith's cross with a Spear of Longinus through her chest.
- Also from the second season, in episode 12, Evangelion Unit-01 appears briefly on the TV set. Later in the episode, Kafuka goes on to describe Hirumi Fujiyoshi's long history of "counter currents" including: "Studying Greek mythology because of Saint Seiya", "Listening to classical music because of Eva", "Reading the bible because of Eva", "Dabbling in psychology because of Eva". The ending of this short sequence has an eye catch that says "キモチ ワルイ" (kimochi warui), the last line from the End of Evangelion. Following that, we see the classroom and a Sachiel mask in the background (lower right) followed by a quick shot of Kaere Kimura changing in a locker room with an Angel designation.
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- In episode 4 of the second season, using the text from an ancient civilization to find a weapon capable of defeating the alien invaders, Chiri Kitsu gets turned into a giant and fights the onslaught of giant robots. She defeats them in a similar manner as Asuka and Evangelion Unit-02 defeats the Mass Production Evangelions in the first half of End of Evangelion.
- Chiri, like Asuka, shouts Erster! (German for "First") after destroying the first enemy, and continues as she destroys the others.
- Chiri then takes out a Proper Sword, which looks very similar to Eva-02's Progressive Knife, and continues the onslaught against the enemy robots, where she kicks 2 of them in a similar manner as Asuka and Eva-02 kicks 2 of the VTOLs before the Mass Production Evangelions arrive.
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Seto no Hanayome (瀬戸の花嫁)
Seto no Hanayome is a series that aired in April of 2007. In episode 16, Rei and Asuka can be seen in the crowd in the school's hallway wearing the school's uniforms.
Sgt. Frog (ケロロ軍曹)
Sgt. Frog aka Keroro Gunsou (anime and manga) has too many Evangelion references to possibly list them all, so a few will have to do:
- In Vol. Eleven of the Manga, there is a sequence in which Corporal Giroro revives like Eva-02 in EOE.
- In both the anime and the manga, Sgt. Keroro has been known to dress up like a Seele Monolith.
- In one episode, the Keron Force tries to conquor Earth by making everyone lethargic with "May Disease", which seems to be the Japanese equivalent of Spring Fever. This somehow escalates into a Third Impact-style disaster.
- In another episode, there is a tribute to the "congratulations" scene.
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Slayers (スレイヤーズ)
In the Slayers manga, there is a frame where you can clearly see Misato, Asuka, Shinji, and Rei in the background.
Slayers Try, is a sequel to Slayers Next and Slayers that aired starting in April of 1997. In episode 17, there is a scene where Kerel is sitting atop a rock, mimicking the scene in the beginning of Episode 24 where Kaworu is humming atop of a broken statue looking over a lake. Also, Kerel is played by Kaworu's seiyuu, Akira Ishida, taking a break from his regular Slayers character, Xellos.
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Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann (天元突破グレンラガン)
Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann, an anime by Gainax that aired starting in April of 2007, in episode 6, the animators were said to have "gone crazy" (according to Hiroyuki Yamaga, at the Fanime 2007 Gurren-Lagann panel, concerning how the cameos weren't scripted to turn out like that) and stuck several females from other Gainax shows in the bathhouse, all wearing bunny outfits similar to the Daicon III and IV animations. The girls are, from left to right, Rei, Mahoro from Mahoromatic, Nono from Diebuster, Asuka, and Lal'c from Diebuster.
In episodes 24 and 26, Nia is depicted as a giant white figure in space. This is a possible reference to the giant Rei from End of Evangelion.
This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (この醜くも美しい世界)
In episode 9 of This Ugly Yet Beautiful World, a 12 episode series produced by GAINAX (amongst others), the foriegn lush, Jennifer Portman, mimicked Misato drinking a beer. Normally, a chug and a yelp would be considered an unconfirmed reference. However, this one used nearly the same framing, camera angle, and motions as Misato, and being a show produced by GAINAX, it's very possible that this was an intentional tip of the hat to Evangelion.
