1. Use visual contrast early
Because every answer already belongs to Neon Genesis Evangelion, your first guesses should create obvious contrast in hair color, eye color, and release-year range. Repeating two similar-looking candidates too early usually wastes information.
2. Let year split smaller pools
In a franchise mode, the year clue often becomes more valuable than genre because the cast already shares a common identity. Bigger jumps between older and newer entries make it easier to bracket the right character quickly.
3. Memorize a few anchor characters
A small group of recognizable anchors is enough to carry most solves. For Neon Genesis Evangelion, useful anchors include Asuka Langley, Rei Ayanami, Shinji Ikari because they help you remember distinct clue combinations inside the current pool.