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SHINJI IKARI - comment no. 1
He is the central character of the story and the third chosen EVA pilot. His
father chose him to pilot EVA-01, the first prototype when the Third Angel attacked
in the first episode. Shinji first presented himself to be a really weak person
who is afraid of everything. Throughout the series, a complete tour of his mind
was given as he undergoes a catharsis.
Shinji constantly deceives himself to escape from the painful reality. He wanted
to remember his father praising him. He wanted to remember Misato calling him
number 1 in synchro. He does not want to remember being deserted by his father.
He does not want anyone to dislike him. Anything that made him unhappy he did
not want to know or remember. He lived his life by painting a rosy picture for
himself.
Although Shinji’s demonstrated weakness throughout the series, it does not mean
that he is always so. He also has a courageous side, which often surface to
snap him into action. There is a constant conflict within himself between these
two sides. He could never reconcile his feelings towards his father. He loves
him and hates him. Shinji hated him for deserting himself as a boy, yet he enjoyed
his father’s praises. In the first episode, he refused to pilot EVA. After he
saw the pain that Rei was going through was even greater, he instantly changed
his mind. In the third episode, he was even ordered to retreat after rescuing
Toji and Kensuke, but he did not stop until the 4th Angel was destroyed. In
episode 16, he undergoes a self examination where his courageous self confronts
his weak self, and telling himself not to run away from his problems. He had
allowed his “cowardly?self to dominate most of the time since he thought it
is easier to escape from the problem. In the end, he finally realized that escaping
from reality is even more painful than confronting it.
Shinji did not have any sense of self worth when he first arrived at NERV. His
father had left him on his own at a very young age. Therefore he felt that his
father never cared about his existence. During the attack in the first episode,
his sense of self-confidence and self worth was so low that he felt completely
worthless. The responsibility to pilot EVA-01 was too much to bear. He feared
the responsibility so much that he sternly refused to pilot the EVA unit, even
when the Angel Attack was imminent and no one else can pilot EVA but him.
His self-confidence gradually changed as his talent for piloting EVA-01 was
slowly realized. After accomplishing many successful missions and reaching the
highest synchro-rate, he was praised by many, including his father. His confidence
grew tremendously. In fact he became overconfident and got himself trapped inside
the Sea of Dirac in episode 16.
Although Shinji became a very confident person as the story progressed, his
sense of self worth was still very fragile, because it was completely derived
from piloting EVA. Without EVA, he feels like nothing again. That was evident
after the 17th Angel, Nagisa was killed. The fact that he may no longer be important
bothered him. EVA was the only thing that made him feel needed. He did not want
to give that up. That is a moment that he felt like himself. He was praised
when he piloted EVA. That made him feel happy. He felt that all he has is EVA.
He has lost his self to EVA. He has become EVA. He was too dependent on another’s
praise to support his sense of self worth. During the final lines of the last
episode, Shinji finally realizes that it is great to be himself. It is great
to like himself rather than depending on another to like him. His existence
is worthwhile.
SHINJI IKARI - comment no. 2
The Third Child &
Pilot of EVA 01
Shinji Ikari is the embodiment
of the ultimate wuss. He is introverted, will take a beating and won't fight
back and he is weak in every sense.
When Eva begins Shinji is called to the NERV HQ by his father who he hasn't seen for ten years. Gendo, his father, walked out on him when Shinji was just a kid but it seems dear daddy wants shinji back in his life. When first faced with the prospect of piloting the EVA Shinj is sacred and keeps repeating to himself "I musn't run away" until he sees Rei Ayanami as the substitute pilot. However she is very injured and Shinji decides he must take it upon himself to fight Angel 03. He feels especially close to Rei but never does learn that she is a clone of his mom.
Throughout the series Shinji is the focal point and catalyst of many important events. He does attempt to becoem closer to his father but he fails. He tries to get close to Rei and Asuka and he fails. The only one who reaches out to him is Misato, his guardian in Tokyo 3. Things goes bad when the dummy plug takes over his EVA and he cripples the fourth child and his best friend Toji. Shinji goes crazy after seeing how his dad manipulated him and tries to revolt against NERV but is halted before his rampage can be unleashed. However his life is changed when he is forced to kill Kaoru, a close friend to him and someone he thinks he loved.
(Japanese Voice by Megumi Ogata, English Voice by Spike Spencer)