One Of Marvel Rival's Most Iconic References Is Hiding In Plain Site

Being a true testament to the creativity of its origins, Marvel Rivals features countless references to characters and stories from the comics. Thanks to its near-endless source material, Marvel Rivals will have no trouble finding unique additions to pull from when it comes to future content and character skins. While most of Marvel Rivals‘ references trace their origin to the comics themselves, there are plenty of Easter eggs for other iconic franchises.

Marvel Rivals has already launched several new events filled to the brim with additional background content, as the latest Mystical Sanctum Sanctorum has plenty of hidden details for players to uncover. With recent characters hinting towards upcoming content already, it seems Marvel Rivals will have no shortage of well-deserved callbacks for fan-favorite stories from Marvel Comics. While many of Marvel Rivals‘ Easter eggs take a keen eye to notice, some of its most iconic references have been out in the open this whole time.

Peni Parker’s Skins Bear A Heavy Similarity To Evangelion’s Mechs

A Fitting Easter Egg For The Popular Tech Savvy Hero

Given that both Peni Parker’s character design and origins are directly inspired by the Evangelion series, it’s fitting her skins are continuing the trend. With Peni’s base outfit and three currently available skins in mind, she bears a striking similarity to all three of Asuka, Shinji, and Rei’s Evas, respectively, on top of the less popular Unit-05 piloted by Mari.

While it’s hard to unsee the similarities after having them pointed out by users like RivalsAssembled on X, Peni’s skins are still original enough not to feel out of place for the character or world of Marvel Rivals. Peni’s stylish VEN#M skin is just one great example of how future content can both satisfy the origins of a character while still offering unique Easter eggs for fans, being recognizable as both a Venom-inspired suit on top of having striking similarities to Shinji’s Eva-01.

Even Peni Parker’s Lost Control emote seems to directly reference the hit anime series, which is similar to the beast mode activated as a last resort for Eva pilots. Playing as fan-favorite characters from the iconic series is a great way to overcome the lack of appreciation for Vanguards in Marvel Rivals, letting players protect their team in style.

Peni Has Always Taken Heavy Inspiration From The Famous Anime Series

Staying True To Her Anime-Inspired Origins

While Marvel Rival fans new to the character might be surprised by Peni Parker’s abundant anime-inspired references, they’re nothing new for the popular character. Even in Peni Parker’s comic backstory, the recognizable cast of Evangelion can be seen in the background of Peni’s classroom in multiple panels. The legendary Evangelion isn’t the only anime inspiration present either, as Shion from Gurren Lagann can also be seen sitting across from her.

Marvel Rivals Iron Man Blood Edge Armor skin

Marvel Rivals Skin Features Spark A Conversation On Gameplay Mechanics Being “Inconsistent”

The newest Iron Man costume in Marvel Rivals has sparked an interesting discussion on the color of some of the hero’s abilities.

While simple references like these are fun to see, Peni’s backstory features multiple themes and elements inspired by Evangelion. Starting with her backstory, Peni’s father was killed while piloting the SP//DR unit before owning it, much like Shinji’s mom, who both inherit their parent’s mechs thanks to their innate compatibility with them. Thankfully, Peni’s story still has plenty of differences that make it stand out as a worthwhile venture for either Spider-Man or Evangelion fans, offering a concise and interesting take on the genre.

Offering a concise and interesting take on the genre.

Unfortunately for Peni, she seemed to share the same unfortunate luck that follows both a Spider-empowered hero and an Evangelion protagonist, powering through the canon events that befall each iteration of the character. Whether players first discovered Peni from her comic appearances, Spiderverse adaptation, or unique Marvel Rivals gameplay, there are plenty of gameplay incentives to learn how to play Peni Parker on top of her anime-inspired designs.

Fans Have Already Guessed Peni’s Next Two Skin Inspirations

Plenty Of Potential For Interesting And Unique Skins

Given that Marvel Rivals already includes four skins that can be traced back to Evangelion’s iconic mech designs, there are still two more designs that haven’t made it to the game yet, as noted by Reddit user CH1P3R404. Out of all the main mechs seen in Evangelion, Peni Parker is still missing Mari’s Eva-08 and Toji’s Eva-03, which would let her finally complete the main cast of character designs. Since Mari and Toji’s Eva’s are similar enough to the designs, they could be easily added as simple recolors similar to Peni’s Tarantula Blue skin.

While seeing more of Evangelion’s unique cast of characters represented in Marvel Rivals is an exciting prospect, plenty more Japanese or anime-inspired mech series would make for fantastic inspirations. From Gundam and Gurren Lagann all the way to Hollywood’s Pacific Rim, there’s a near-limitless supply of excellent source material to use as a reference for new Peni Parker skins.

Marvel Rivals Skin Features Spark A Conversation On Gameplay Mechanics Being “Inconsistent”

The newest Iron Man costume in Marvel Rivals has sparked an interesting discussion on the color of some of the hero’s abilities.

With Marvel Rivals already surpassing the competition with its incredibly massive launch and concurrent player count, it wouldn’t be a far stretch if players started seeing official collaborations that Overwatch has had, featuring shows and even anime that would fit right in with Marvel Rivals‘ unique art style.

Sources: RivalsAssembled/X, CH1P3R404/Reddit