2015 marks the 20th anniversary of Hideaki Anno's genre-defining giant robot anime. The series has cultivated a large fan following dedicated to its immersive lore. Viewers still argue for Rei or Asuka, and its iconic characters have, for better or worse, inspired mountains of merchandise and tie-in goods.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is like a star athlete that, sales wise, can do no wrong. This has led to some strange and nonsensical ad campaigns.