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SHINJI

Seiyuu: Megumi Ogata

shinji sits on a bus, trying to inspire himself.

Shinji Ikari, 14, First City Junior High School, Eighth Grade, Class A.

    Shinji: "I knew you didn't need me."
    Gendou: "I called you because I have a need for you."

THIRD CHILDREN

shinji and misato pose.Shinji Ikari pilots EVA 01, the test model, which was constructed at NERV HQ. He is not as bold as Asuka or as thoroughly competent and reliable as Rei. In fact sometimes he willfully disobeys orders. But he almost always manages to win.

Shinji is the famous Third Child, who piloted an EVA in battle without any training. His synchronization ratio was over 40 percent in combat with no prior contact with the unit. He is the designated pilot of EVA 01. He is the son of UN NERV Commander, Gendou Ikari, and Gehirn biotechnologist Yui Ikari.

shinji watches his mom in the lab.His mother ceased to exist as a human entity while testing EVA 01. Shinji was present in the lab when she was physically "erased." Her last thought was that she wanted to show her son a promising future.

A fragment of who she was is now a fixture of Shinji's EVA, which makes it the most protected of the units, though it fights in more battles than the others.

Commander Ikari's attachment to EVA 01 is genuine and not at all based on the fact that his son operates it, for he would just as soon have Rei pilot it -- if EVA 01 would let her. But Yui Ikari won't acquiesce.

Shinji and his father don't see eye to eye on most things. Shinji focuses on the quotidian, the human factors. He can't think about humanity, when a friend is at risk. His father is the opposite. Commander Ikari can't be bothered with the pain and needs of a single boy, when plans within plans are being executed.

gendou's stern face.kaji points out that luck is part of shinji's skill.He, however, lies to himself a lot. He tries to find out why the others pilot EVA, but their answers don't work for him. He finally tells himself that he pilots EVA because he enjoys the praise of others when he does well. But in truth, he does it because he is told to do so.

His unspoken belief is that if he never makes a decision and does what he is told then he cannot hurt anyone and he cannot himself be hurt. But to rely so heavily on others is to subvert your on will. And that's why he spends most of his time doubting himself and constantly asking why he pilots EVA.

He believes that he has only because he pilots EVA., that the fact that he pilots EVA. justifies his existence. But if he would simply do something without being told, then he would learn that what you do in life creates your self-worth, the value you have in yourself, the value others see in you. How can you have value if you never chose to do or to think on your own?

Shinji: "Evangelion Unit One. I have to pilot it? Even after it made me kill him? My father and the others tell me that I have to pilot it no matter what. Why do I have to keep fighting after all that's happened?"
Why do you pilot EVA?
Shinji: "Because everyone tells me to."
Is that the only reason you pilot it?
Shinji: "What do you mean? It's for the sake of Mankind! Isn't that good enough?"
eva01 makes a grab.So you pilot EVA for the sake of others?
Shinji: "Yes! Is there anything wrong with that? I'm doing the right thing! When I do it the others appreciate me! The others like me then!"
Asuka: "That's a lie."
Shinji: "What?"
Asuka: "Are you stupid? You know damn well that you do it for yourself! You're just making excuses, the way you usually do."
Shinji: "Do I?"
Asuka: "Pretending that you're sacrificing yourself for the sake of others is just another cop out, isn't it? It makes you feel so superior to play the martyr!"
Shinji: "Is that so?"
Asuka: "You're feeling lonely and isolated, nothing more."
Shinji: "Am I?"
Asuka: "Of course you are! You live on sympathy! You gain it through your symbiosis with your EVA., Shinji."
Shinji: "That could be true."
Asuka: "You love having others depend on you! It really satisfies your twisted little mind!"
Shinji: "That could be."
Asuka: "All you're doing is sitting there and waiting for someone else to give you happiness. A false happiness."

The only reason Shinji pilots EVA. 01 initially is because a critically wounded Rei Ayanami would have had to fight in his place.

Shinji lives with Major Misato Katsuragi and Soryuu Asuka Langley . Like Shinji, Misato could not get along with her father either. While Asuka covers her need for love with arrogance, Shinji become self-effacing. Like Misato, he tends to run away from difficult relationships.

shinji actually laughing!Asuka: "Actually, he's just a dolt. He's an idiot, too. He hasn't got any idea as to how to relate to others."

He has two best friends, Touji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida. Together they are the Three Stooges, at least in Asuka's opinion.

Shinji found himself when he met Kaoru Nagisa. Then he lost his faith in humanity when he was forced to kill him. He could not reconcile the fact that Kaoru chose to die, because he was too busy thinking about himself and what he had to do.

After Kaoru's death, Shinji has a mental breakdown. As Misato says, this is the tragedy of those who work with EVA.shinji blushes at the rotemburo.

Shinji's inner turmoil paralyses his ability to do anything when NERV is finally attacked. Even when Misato is dying before him and sacrifices herself for him, he is an inert mass of cowardice. Sure he's scared and mixed up and upset and all of that, but he sat there immobile and listened on the comm system while Asuka fought five Joker-faced EVAs alone!

If only he had learned more than the fact that he was loved from Kaoru, but the courage to make a decision, to determine his own self-will.

shinji in eva 01 on the move.
kotoba.
rei in organge eva 00 on the move.