>>2238233It's difficult to say. There is no source for it and it is indeed a myth, so to find out where it comes from is a challenge and I can only speculate
It's more than often mentioned and spread by word of mouth, without any form of source or backing. So you have to want to believe it to remember it and spread it further. It's an idea that needs to enable something you want to be true or reassure you.
Then we look at the community that gathers around anime such as Evangelion, which is a selfish, competitive and petty one. Because the issue of character popularity ties in with a feeling of approval or even correctness, it's an area where people want to go around advertising their opinion/choice.
This myth could have originated like this. It's more or less slander and libel of Rei, and it implies that it's incorrect to like Rei. It would enable an Asuka fan for instance to feel more secure being an Asuka fan.
So the myth is repeated, that Rei is this and that despite the fact that she's portrayed entirely differently. The delusion is strong enough for people to discard reality in favor of the myth they created.
But it is difficult to say. The propagation of it is another thing.
>>2238235>>2236685She's present, relevant and not gone, but all those movies seems to hate the fact that she is, and it shows - all while trying to squeeze her out.
4.0 is in a great position to be the worst yet.
