“Neon Genesis Evangelion / Gendō Ikari”, Original Japanese Promotional Poster 1996, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) Q72

This is an original Japanese B2 promotional poster issued in 1996 for Neon Genesis Evangelion, featuring Gendō Ikari. Produced during the series’ original first wave of popularity, the poster is associated with SEGA and GAINAX / Project Eva, and belongs to the same important early promotional campaign as the other mid-1990s Evangelion character sheets.

Series background

First broadcast in 1995, Neon Genesis Evangelion quickly established itself as one of the most influential anime series of its era. Among its most imposing and enigmatic figures is Gendō Ikari, commander of NERV and one of the defining adult presences in the series. Cold, remote, and deeply calculating, Gendō stands at the centre of Evangelion’s emotional and philosophical tensions, making him one of the franchise’s most iconic characters.

Character posters such as this are especially appealing because they isolate individual figures from the wider ensemble, allowing the viewer to focus on the personality and visual identity of each character in a way that more crowded campaign posters do not.

Poster design

This is a powerful, minimal, and highly collectible design. Gendō is presented frontally, standing rigidly against a pale green gradient ground, wearing his distinctive dark coat, red inner layer, and tinted glasses. The large NEON GENESIS EVANGELION masthead dominates the upper section, while “Gendo Ikari” appears at the top right. The SEGA logo at lower right and the printed credit to Takeshi Honda further anchor the poster within Evangelion’s original promotional landscape.

What makes the design so effective is its restraint. There is no mecha, no battle imagery, and no visual clutter — only the severe silhouette and controlled expression of one of anime’s most memorable authority figures. The result is both graphically strong and psychologically charged, making it an excellent standalone display piece.

Rarity and significance

Because this poster was issued in 1996, it belongs to Evangelion’s original release era, the period most sought after by collectors. Early Japanese promotional posters linked to SEGA campaigns, home-video promotion, or related merchandise were not mass-market retail items and were generally produced in more limited quantities than later franchise material. As a result, surviving examples are increasingly desirable today.

This Gendō example is especially appealing because adult-character Evangelion posters are encountered less often than those focused on the main pilots, giving it additional interest for collectors seeking a more complete and nuanced group of original series material.

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.