“Neon Genesis Evangelion: Genesis 0:6 / Gendō Ikari”, Original Japanese Promotional Poster c. 1996, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) I168

This is an original Japanese B2 promotional poster issued in the mid-1990s for the home video release of Neon Genesis Evangelion: Genesis 0:6, published by King Records for the Japanese VHS / LaserDisc market. It is an official country-of-origin Evangelion item from the franchise’s original release era, and features Gendō Ikari in one of the strongest and most graphically striking character-based designs from the early video campaign.

Series background

First broadcast in 1995, Neon Genesis Evangelion rapidly became one of the most influential anime series of its era. By the time the early Genesis home video volumes were issued, the series had already established its reputation for combining mecha action, psychological tension, religious imagery, and an unusually complex emotional structure. Posters tied to these original Japanese video releases are especially desirable today because they belong to Evangelion’s formative period, before the franchise expanded into the vast later merchandising universe.

Poster design

This is a superb, bold, and highly collectible design. Gendō Ikari is shown in full-length side profile, standing rigidly against a stark pale ground. Behind him sits a dramatic horizontal strip of eyes, creating an atmosphere of surveillance, secrecy, and control. The composition is further dominated by the enormous vertical kanji 人類補完計画 — Human Instrumentality Project — one of the central concepts of the series and one of the most loaded pieces of Evangelion iconography.

The poster also identifies the volume as Genesis 0:6, and at lower left lists the included episodes:

Episode 11: The Day Tokyo-3 Stood Still
Episode 12: She said, “Don’t make others suffer for your personal hatred.”

What makes the poster especially effective is its restraint. There is no action montage, no Eva unit, and no visual excess — only Gendō, the eyes, and the typography. The result is austere, enigmatic, and unmistakably Evangelion.

Because this poster was issued for an original 1990s Japanese home video release, it is part of Evangelion’s first-generation promotional material, the period most sought after by collectors. Posters for the early Genesis VHS / LaserDisc volumes were produced for display and promotion, not as standard retail merchandise, and surviving examples are increasingly difficult to locate.

This example is especially appealing because it combines a major character, a crucial plot concept, and a highly minimalist layout, giving it both strong display value and real historical interest within the Evangelion collecting field.

Condition

Very Good / Excellent overall. Please review the photos—they show the exact poster for sale. 

It is approximately 30 years old!

It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

Certificate of Authenticity included.