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, Gainax: Evangelion References and Cross References, 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.

An Evangelion Poster on the wall

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.

Yayoi makes a mention of 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.

Burn Up W/Excess
"El Heggunte" from episode 2	Nanvel's display and scrolling text	Rio and Lilica's synchronized somersault
Rio and Lilica's double kick after the somersault	The giant transvestite rushing	The giant transvestite doing a somersault, with umbilical cable clearly visible

Desert Punk (砂ぼうず)

Desert Punk focuses on the adventures of a desert handyman called Kanta Mizuno, nicknamed Desert Punk (Sunabōzu), due to his seemingly incredible feats of skill and daring while on the job. Throughout the series, he acquires an apprentice and makes a few friends as well as enemies.

• In ep. 14, during one of Taiko's (Kanta's apprentice) daydreams of being a top-notch, super-beautiful Handyman, she is seen being surrounded by bandits and Kanta all congratulating her with applause like that seen in Episode 26'.

Taiko being congratulated.

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.

The backs of Asuka, Rei, and possibly Misato and Fuyutsuki

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 Deranged'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.

Gear Fighter Dendoh
Episode 14: Blackouts spread as aliens hijack power plants	Jury-rigged energy transfer system being prepared	Ginga's family members pedal for power
Standing on a mountainside, Dendoh fires its Final Attack	The beams collide mid-air	Episode 18: Ragoh's computer virus spreads segment by segment
Descent to the bottom of the Japan Trench	Dendoh does battle with a fabulous metal shark

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.

Cosplayer Ohno Kanako 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.

Doujin with Asuka and Rei in bikinis

In volume 1, chapter 3, of the manga, a panel of "Best Selling Fan-zines" (or Doujinshi), you can see one of them being an Asuka doujin.

"A one" can be seen in the list

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).

Gintama (銀魂)

Gintama is an action/comedy/parody show that started airing in April 2006. There was a parody of Evangelion's Episode 26 in episode 150.

Comparison between Gintama episode 150 and Evangelion episode 26 (Source: 2ch)

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. Evangelion is probably the second-most referenced anime in GTO after Gundam, and only some of the spoofs are illustrated here.

• 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. Onizuka also occasionally sports a red scarf that has the seven-eyed mask.
• 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.
• In episode 12 of the anime, Teshigawara Suguru, the devious Math teacher, wears a white glove on his right hand that looks very similar to the ones that Gendo Ikari wears, and can be seen pushing his glasses up several times in this episode.
• See also: Yoshikawa's sand pyramid.

Great Teacher Onizuka
Posters of Rei and Asuka line Yoshikawa's walls	Volume 4, page 114, of the GTO manga	Volume 11 of the GTO manga
Volume14 of the GTO manga	Onizuka's red scarf	Teshigawara pushing his glasses up in a similar fashion as Gendo Ikari

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:

Nerv logos in a bath house

The comparison from Episode 24' when Shinji and Kaworu are in the bath

• 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.

Hayate no Gotoku
Hayate mustn't run away.	Rei/Lilith makes an appearance	The shoulder pylon locks are released.
The giant nursing robot takes its first tentative steps.	The giant nursing robot roars.	A mutated SD version of Eva-01?
The mecha dies in a cross-shaped explosion.	A teal colored plugsuit makes a cameo.	A depressed Klaus generates an A.T. Field.
An Eva Lift opens up and the rails extend.	Instrumentality Project and the Nerv trucks.	The ocean waves on the beach
Seele 01 appears before Saki Kijima.

History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi (史上最強の弟子ケンイチ)

In the History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi manga, Volume 25, Chapter 1, Battle 218: For The Sake Of Getting Stronger, Kozo Ukita is seen hunched over repeating I mustn't run away over and over again, a catch phrase made popular by Shinji in Evangelion.

Ukita doing his Shinji Ikari impression

Janguru wa Itsumo Hare nochi Guu (ジャングルはいつもハレのちグゥ)

The surreal, comical and occasionally serious series focuses on the story of a 10 year-old jungle boy named Haré and his misadventures with Guu, a liminal being who usually presents herself as a young girl.

• A character in Guu's stomach, Hiroko Yamada/"Angry Yamada", is seen sitting in a chair under a spotlight in season 1: episode 8, like that seen in episode Episode 26' of Evangelion.

Yamada under the spotlight

• Guu is seen in season 3: episode 7 with a Sachiel on her shirt.

Guu with Sachiel shirt

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.

Gakushin Bunken is seen wearing Rei's plugsuit

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.

An image of Naru dressed in Asuka's plugsuit

Keitaro has gone All Shinji

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.

Asuka and Rei figures behind Soujirou

Macademi Wasshoi (まかでみWAっしょい！)

A show about a magic academy that aired in the Fall of 2008, had a short sequence that parodied Evangelion in episode 5. Within the command center, Eitarou Sakuma (as Gendo) sits in the typical pose with Eneus as Fuyutsuki while mayhem breaks out all over the command center, clammoring about "The 4th defense line has been penetrated!" and the like. He then declares that The Evangelist has been resurrected, followed by screams that "The tragedy is going to be repeated!".

Gendo and Fuyutsuki?

Maria+Holic (まりあ†ほりっく)

A comedy that aired at the start of 2009, Maria+Holic features an all girl's school and yuri. Near the end of episode 6, Honoka is missing her underwear from the infirmary and when Kanako (main character, she likes girls) is accused, Maria puts up an A.T. Field to protect herself, either against Kanako's pervertedness or against the inevitable blood pouring out of her nose from a nosebleed.

Maria protects herself with an A.T. Field

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.

Miami Guns
Yao starts going Berserk	Yao starts to punch through the glass that her Father and Kaken are at	Another angle of Yao punching the glass
The warm water is turned on to contain Yao (instead of Bakelite)	Yao's Father behind his desk

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.

An unholy fusion of an Ingram and an MP Eva

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.

Pani Poni Dash!
Ichijo, looking kinda cool	Himeko holding Serizawa like Eva-01 holds Kaworu	Kurumi in a Tokyo-3 school uniform and Rokugo dressed up as a harpy
A brief switch from Picard to Keel	More Star Trek/Eva fun	Miyako getting mind-crushed
The final form of Pani Poni X. Notice the G Gundam reference	A fossilized "Angel skull"	Sachiel in a pool

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 2, there's a shot of UCC Coffee cans with Gendo on them.
• 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.

Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei
Gendo UCC Coffee cans	7 Mistakes in Life	Shinji/Kaworu doujin
Kaere on Lilith's cross in episode 11	Eva-01 on the TV screen in episode 12	A Sachiel mask in the lower right of the background
Drawing of Eva-01	Drawing of Rei	Drawing of Kaworu
Kaere designated as the 21st Angel

• 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.

Chiri's fight in episode 4
Chiri dashing toward her first enemy	Asuka and Eva-02 dashing toward their first enemy	Chiri destroying the first enemy robot
Asuka and Eva-02 destroying the first MPE	Chiri choking an enemy robot	Asuka and Eva-02 choking an MPE
Chiri pushing an enemy robot's head through a wall	Asuka and Eva-02 pushing an MPE's head through a wall	Chiri then takes the same robot and throws it at another
Asuka and Eva-02 takes the same MPE and throws it at another	Click image for animation

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.

Rei and Asuka amongst the crowd

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.

Sgt. Frog
Corporal Giroro...	...revives like Eva-02	Sgt. Keroro as a Seele Monolith
Another of Kururu's experiments gone horribly wrong	Congratulations!

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.

Slayers Evolution-R, a sequel to Slayers Revolution, has a scene in episode 13 where Xelloss invokes a sheild that looks similar to an AT-Field.

The Slayers
Misato, Asuka, Shinji, and Rei in the Slayers manga	Kerel on top of a rock, looking over a lake	Lila says "Kerel" in an odd way that makes it sound like "Kaworu"
Kerel turns around to find Lila (a fish)	Xelloss uses a shield that looks like an AT-Field

Welcome to NHK (NHKにようこそ！)

The Welcome to NHK manga, which started its publication run in June 2004, features an antisocial, unemployed, uneducated main protagonist who fears going outside and a girl that tries to help him. In chapter 5 of the manga, a page with Satou and Misaki, Evangelion Unit-01 has a cameo.

Satou about his plan to make eroge, with Misaki and Eva-01 in the background

Also, in Chapter 37, the title page shows the characters dressed in plugsuits and the first 3 pages has Satou playing an Evangelion pachinko game.

"Welcome to NHK, Chapter 37"
Title page	Asuka fighting Israfel	Satou losing	Picture of the pachinko machine with the Evangelion logo

Zettai Karen Children (絶対可憐チルドレン)

In episode 7 of Zettai Karen Children, Kaoru Akashi, a 10 year old with telekinetic powers, unleashes a psychic shield that looks similar to an A.T. Field.

Kaoru's psychic shield

In episode 16, a laptop depicting Seel with a Sound Only designation on a laptop

Seel, Sound Only

Zone of the Enders

Some visual details in the two Zone of the Enders anime appear to be Evangelion homages. The titular AI mecha of Dolores, i has a female personality (at least partly based on memory imprints) and a nasty propensity for going berserk. Especially the scene in episode 18 where berserk Dolores brutally mauls her downed opponent seems to borrow heavily from the Bardiel fight. Episode 22 has another Bardiel reference, when the orbital frame Hathor extends its arm to an unnatural length to grab Dolores's head.

In the prequel OAV Idolo Dolores Hayes, the human whose memories would be imprinted into Dolores the mecha, is shown wearing a Greek cross pendant similar to that of Misato's.

Dolores Hayes wearing her cross pendant

Berserk Dolores going stabbity

Baby Hathor humiliates Dolores