This is a little condescending (and telling that you didn't read through my initial post, or skimmed through it briefly) because everything I mentioned is straight from the canon, the movies, posters, the calendar or Anno's interviews, and nothing is my personal take on things.
And Jäeger you definitely did not read the first post in this thread. Those spinoffs you mentioned aren't even sanctioned by Anno by the way. You must suffer when you read the official Episode 24 drafts where Shinji and Kaworu kissed and went skinnydipping in a lake.