And now the Rebuild movies, which seem to be a continuation more than a retelling. We’re introduced to a new character: Mari, who doesn’t seem to exist beyond providing panty shots and talking about how her breasts are too big, stealing the spotlight from Asuka, and sell a lot of figures.
Anno was apparently on record as saying he put her in the movies to “destroy Eva.” She’s the moebait fantasy the otaku nerds clearly crave, and Anno is sarcastically giving it to them.
Note the lack of a source and the use of 'apparently' - where did this come from, and if he did say this, how do you know he was talking about 'moeshit fanservice' or whatever?
The only Eva fans I can see Anno hating are the "Tier 2" Eva fans; people who misinterpret the sexual tones of the show for erotic fanservice and masturbate to them.
All discussions about Evangelion lead to Death of the Author because the fandom's hyperfocus on What Anno Thinks dismisses 90% of the show's meaning, and even people who've never seen the show know that Anno wants you to grow up and stop masturbating to cartoons.
Sure, this is one thread, but these views are really common. People seem to think that Anno's criticism of otaku goes beyond 'stop being a total shut-in' and into the realm of 'if you enjoy erotic drawings you are scum'.
I've asked Carl Horn what he thinks of this and whether Anno has ever stated or done anything implying that he's against fanservice, given that he's someone who's documented Hideaki Anno's statements for ages, and his answer was a resounding "no, definitely not". He pointed out that Anno contributed to Chosen Ame, is friends with the guy behind Golden Boy and that Eva itself is full of fanservice and fanservice-themed merchandise, which Anno approved of.
And of course, some fans will say, "Oh, it's ironic! You're just too stupid to tell!", but it extends beyond Eva. Even ignoring his past works like Gunbuster (since, if you wanna be that way, you can say "oh no, he started hating fanservice AFTER he made Gunbuster!"), he directed a live action adaptation of Cutie Honey and is a well-known fan of Go Nagai, who is a huge pervert. He's also a documented fan of Strike Witches which is EXTREMELY fanservicey.
Not to mention, he said this (as documented on this forum http://forum.evageeks.org/post/505322/2003-Kodansha-interviews-Hideaki-Anno/#505322):
I feel that otaku have already become common to all countries. In Europe, in Korea, in Taiwan, in Hong Kong, in America, otaku really do not change. I think that this is amazing. I say critical things towards otaku, but I don't reject them. I only say that we should take a step back and be self-conscious about these things. I think it's perfectly fine so long as you act with an awareness of what you are doing, self-conscious and cognizant of the current situation. I'm just not sure it's a good thing to reach the point where you cut yourself off from society. I don't understand the greatness of society, either. So I have no intention of going so far as to call for people to give up otaku-like things and become more suited to society. Only, I think there are many other interesting things in the world, and we don't have to reject them.
Not being a complete shut-in and liking fanservice/hentai/whatever are hardly mutually exclusive. Also, liking 2D erotica does not mean that you aren't attracted to real-world women.
"But EoE had that comatose Asuka scene! That must mean he's repulsed by fanservice!"
...actually, no, unless you think any and all fanservice is of the kind where a character is gravely hurt. There's a colossal difference between Shinji masturbating over a comatose Asuka and the nude scenes in Gunbuster. I really, really doubt that he looks back at those scenes in Gunbuster and goes, "UGH, I was such a sicko then. Thankfully I only include fanservice in my works ironically now'. It's kind of akin to stating that if someone makes a negative statement about rape porn, they're against any and all porn.