Most recent watched Rebuild 2.2, most recent read Gakuen Datenroku. I never read the original Manga, as I've yet to find it, btu I did watch the end of evangelion as well as the original Neon Genesis, I still hgave cruel angels thesis burned into my skull XD.
Right now I think Mari is just there, for like the secret agent, badass girl who coincidentally ends up in the pervy wank-off to poses, so right now I think shes there for the nerds and young teens to wank to.
I hated Asuka at first until I understood her situation, when you think about it she's really alone, and she doesn't know any other way so she makes people hate her so they can't abandon her, but deep inside she wants to reach out to someone else... kinda like half the kids in Evangelion, except she takes an aggressive approach. I mean I don't think it would be psychologically easy for everyone if tyheir mom mistook a doll for their child after a fereak accident and said who is that doll when looking at their 4 or 5 year old daughter.