Being a true testament to the creativity of its origins,Marvel Rivalsfeatures countless references to characters and stories from the comics. Thanks to its near-endless source material,Marvel Rivalswill have no trouble finding unique additions to pull from when it comes to future content and character skins. While most ofMarvel Rivals' references trace their origin to the comics themselves, there are plenty of Easter eggs for other iconic franchises.
Marvel Rivalshas 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 charactershinting towards upcoming contentalready,it seemsMarvel Rivalswill have no shortage of well-deserved callbacks for fan-favorite stories from Marvel Comics. While many ofMarvel 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 likeRivalsAssembledon X,Peni’s skins are still original enough not to feel out of place for the character or world ofMarvel 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 overcomethelack of appreciation for Vanguards inMarvel 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
WhileMarvel Rivalfans new to the character might be surprised by Peni Parker’s abundant anime-inspired references, they’re nothing new for the popular character. Even inPeni 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.
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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 uniqueMarvel Rivalsgameplay, there are plenty of gameplay incentives to learnhow to play Peni Parkeron 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 thatMarvel Rivalsalready 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 userCH1P3R404.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 inMarvel Rivalsis 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.
WithMarvel Rivalsalready 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 withMarvel Rivals' unique art style.
