“Neon Genesis Evangelion: 2nd Impression”, Original Japanese Promotional Video Game Poster 1997, Sega Saturn, B2 Size (c. 51 × 73 cm) T220

This is an original Japanese B2 promotional video game poster, produced in 1997 for Neon Genesis Evangelion: 2nd Impression (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン 2nd Impression) on the Sega Saturn. Printed in the standard B2 display format used for Japanese game-shop and hobby-store promotion, this is a highly desirable piece of late-1990s Evangelion ephemera, combining the franchise’s dark, psychologically charged visual identity with the golden age of Sega Saturn-era marketing.

The poster is especially appealing for collectors because it carries the clear “NOT FOR SALE” designation at lower right, confirming that it was issued strictly as promotional material rather than sold commercially. Original store-display game posters of this type were produced in comparatively small numbers and were often discarded after use, making surviving examples increasingly difficult to find in strong condition.

Poster design

This is a striking and unusually intense Evangelion image, dominated by a towering, heavily stylised depiction of Evangelion Unit-01 rendered in a raw, painterly, almost distressed visual language. Rather than the cleaner cel-based aesthetic associated with much franchise artwork, the design leans into the organic, biomechanical and unsettling qualities of the Eva itself.

The entire sheet is saturated in a dramatic range of crimson, rust, pink and blood-red tones, with black sketch-like linework running through the body and background, creating an atmosphere that feels apocalyptic, violent and psychologically unstable—perfectly aligned with the tone of Evangelion.

Across the lower half appears the oversized title treatment:

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION

set in a huge, semi-transparent serif typeface that merges into the body of the image, while the more specific game branding:

新世紀 EVANGELION 2nd Impression

sits discreetly at the upper left.

The classic SEGA logo anchors the lower left corner, and the Sega Saturn branding appears at the upper right, giving the piece immediate period authenticity as a 1990s Japanese game-promotion poster.

The result is a superb design that works not just as franchise memorabilia, but as a visually powerful standalone poster.

Game context

Released for the Sega Saturn during the height of the Evangelion boom, 2nd Impression is one of the key early console titles associated with the franchise. As a piece of promotional material, this poster captures a fascinating moment when Evangelion was expanding beyond the original television series into broader multimedia form—games, merchandise and related collectible material that have since become an important part of the property’s history.

For collectors of Evangelion, Gainax, 1990s anime, or retro Japanese video game advertising, original promotional posters from this era are especially attractive, and much scarcer than standard later reprint material.

Condition

Offered here in excellent+ condition. 

Please see imagery provided (both front and back) as this is the exact poster that is for sale.

This is not a reproduction or reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.