List of Neon Genesis Evangelion characters facts for kids
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a Japanese anime TV show with many characters created by Gainax. The main character is Shinji Ikari, a teenage boy. His father, Gendo, asks him to join a secret group called Nerv. Shinji's job is to pilot a giant robot-like machine called an Evangelion. He uses it to fight against powerful beings known as Angels.
The characters were designed by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. He made sure each character could be easily recognized just by their outline. The personalities of the characters were inspired by Hideaki Anno, the show's director and main writer. In the second half of the series, the characters often think deeply about their actions and lives. The last two episodes focus a lot on Shinji's thoughts, but the story doesn't end clearly.
In Japan, the characters were very popular. They appeared on merchandise and won many popularity polls. Critics had different opinions about how deep their personalities were. Some liked their complexity and praised Anno's writing. Others found them too simple or had problems with how weak they seemed. The last two episodes were debated because they focused more on thoughts than on the plot. Some main characters, especially Rei Ayanami, inspired later anime shows. They helped create or spread new types of characters in Japanese animation.
Contents
Creating the Characters
The studio Gainax wanted to make Neon Genesis Evangelion about how people communicate. They especially focused on relationships between parents and children. The studio aimed to create a show that reflected the lack of communication in Japanese society at the time.
The director, Hideaki Anno, said that all the characters in Evangelion were parts of himself. Kazuya Tsurumaki, the assistant director, also said that this personal touch could be seen in female characters like Misato Katsuragi and Rei Ayanami. Anno also mentioned that Shinji and the others reflect the experiences of the show's creative team.
In 1993, before the show aired, the studio made a document called New Century Evangelion (tentative name) Proposal. Many characters were already planned, even if the story changed later. Anno didn't follow a strict plan for the characters. He made things up as the episodes went on, like a "live performance." An early idea included a girl named Yui Ichijō, who looked like Rei but had dark hair. She never appeared in the final show.
Most characters' blood types and birthdays matched their voice actors'. Anno named many characters after ships from the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. Others came from comic books and a novel called Ai to gensō no fascism by Ryu Murakami. Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, who designed the characters, was asked to make them look "relatively calm." He gave them unique features and shapes so they could be easily recognized. Sadamoto tried to show their inner feelings through their designs. Anno first thought about having a female main character, like in his past shows. But Sadamoto preferred a male lead, Shinji, and Asuka became the co-star.
How Characters Developed
.jpg)
Anno started Neon Genesis Evangelion wanting the setting and characters to change as the story went on. He used his own experiences and avoided showing "human dramas." He saw Evangelion more as a "documentary." While working on the third and fourth episodes, he aimed for deeper character development than other TV shows. The first episodes focused on Shinji's relationship problems and his efforts to connect with Rei. The team felt these episodes were too heavy.
To change the mood in the second half, the lively character Asuka was added in the eighth episode ("Asuka Strikes!"). She brought many funny and typical teenage situations. In later episodes, despite their communication problems, the characters were shown with a lighter, more comedic touch. The writer Shinji Higuchi helped make the characters' development more positive. Misato started talking to Shinji about her difficult past. Asuka showed a sweeter side, and the usually cold Gendo praised his son.
The original plan for the ending was a scene where Gendo would tell Shinji to "Live!" But during the first broadcast, Anno became upset with some fans. He felt they were too closed off. Because of this, he made the second half of the show darker and more focused on inner thoughts. This change affected how the characters grew.
According to Michael House, a translator for Gainax, Anno initially wanted the anime to end with Shinji smiling and the characters having healthy relationships. But halfway through, he felt this wasn't realistic. Anno felt he had created characters who were too closed off and troubled. For example, Asuka was added to lighten the show, but later, her inner struggles became a focus.
In the fourteenth episode, Anno wanted to explore Rei Ayanami more, as he felt he hadn't understood her as well as others. From then on, Anno included more ideas from psychology. The main theme became understanding people's inner lives. Characters' thoughts were shown through "streams of consciousness." Shinji's character was explored deeply through internal monologues, especially in episodes sixteen and twenty. The last episodes were also made quickly due to a tight schedule. In the twenty-fifth episode, characters go through a kind of therapy session. They look back at their childhoods through flashbacks. Anno rewrote the script to focus only on the main characters' minds, especially Shinji's. He left the main plot unfinished. He wanted to send a message to and criticize the otaku world and himself.
Pilots
In the original Japanese show, the Eva pilots are called "children." In English, they are called First Child, Second Child, and so on. In Rebuild of Evangelion, they use terms like "The First Qualified Person" or "Third Boy."
Shinji Ikari
Voiced by: Megumi Ogata, Ryūnosuke Kamiki (adult) (Japanese); Spike Spencer (ADV, Movies and Rebuild), Casey Mongillo (Netflix) (English) Shinji Ikari (碇 シンジ, Ikari Shinji) is the only son of Gendo and Yui Ikari. After his mother disappeared in a mysterious accident, his father left Shinji with a guardian. When Shinji turns fourteen, Gendo calls him back to Tokyo-3. He is asked to be the Third Child, a pilot for Eva-01. Because he felt abandoned, Shinji feels unwanted. Hideaki Anno said Shinji "gave up trying to understand himself" and believed he was useless. Anno also said Shinji was shy around people. Unlike typical anime heroes, he is quiet and often sad. After moving to Tokyo-3, Shinji starts making friends. These relationships, especially with other pilots and Nerv members like Misato Katsuragi, help him.
Shinji has been compared to other anime heroes and Japanese fans. Critics linked him to the youth of 1990s Japan, a time of big events like the Tokyo subway sarin attack and the Great Hanshin earthquake. Some saw him as a savior figure.
Nick Verboon from Unreality Magazine called Shinji "one of the most complex, popular, and relatable characters in anime history." Anime and manga writers had mixed feelings about him. Angelo Delos Trinos from Comic Book Resources said, "No anime character inspires as many strong opinions as Shinji." People praised his complexity and realism, but criticized his insecurity and weakness. However, Shinji's character in the spin-offs and Rebuild of Evangelion movies was liked more. In these, he is more confident and the story is more hopeful.
Rei Ayanami
Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese); Amanda Winn-Lee (ADV, Movies and Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Brina Palencia (Funimation Rebuild), Ryan Bartley (Netflix) (English) Rei Ayanami (綾波 レイ, Ayanami Rei) is the First Child, piloting Evangelion Unit 00. Her birthday is unknown. Rei is a quiet, shy girl who follows orders without question, even if they are harsh. She is dedicated to fighting Angels, seeing it as her only connection to others and her reason for living. Rei avoids contact with most people, except for Gendo Ikari, with whom she is more open. Rei is a clone created from the genes of Yui Ikari, Gendo's wife. When Rei dies, a new clone replaces her, and she knows she can be replaced. As the show goes on, Rei slowly becomes friends with Shinji. She starts to feel human emotions and understand herself better.
According to Amanda Winn-Lee, Rei's voice actress, behind Rei's cold outside is a "small spark of humanity." Winn-Lee also said Rei "knows she's replaceable, but she's still human." Critics have compared Rei to the Virgin Mary and Pinocchio. Anno originally saw Rei as a part of his own hidden thoughts. He asked Sadamoto to make Rei look like "a very unhappy young girl with little presence." Sadamoto also got ideas from Paul Gallico's story The Snow Goose. Writer Patrick W. Galbraith called Rei "the single most popular and influential character in the history of otaku anime." Rei has been very well-liked and often appears in popularity polls, even decades after the show first aired. Her role in Rebuild was especially praised for her development and growing self-awareness.
Asuka Langley Soryu
Voiced by: Yūko Miyamura (Japanese); Tiffany Grant (ADV, Movies and Rebuild), Stephanie McKeon (Netflix) (English) Asuka Langley Soryu (惣流・アスカ・ラングレー, Sōryū Asuka Rangurē) is the Second Child, piloting Evangelion Unit 02. She is a red-haired, blue-eyed girl who grew up in Germany. Asuka is a child prodigy who finished college very young. She is brave, positive, and excited about being a pilot. However, she has a strong inferiority complex when it comes to boys. Asuka seems bossy to new people. Even though she is naturally lively, she struggles with mental health issues. These problems, along with her strong self-love, make it hard for her to pilot her Evangelion in the second half of the series. Asuka is interested in Shinji Ikari, but over time, her feelings for him become mixed. In the final episodes, Asuka starts to dislike herself deeply and feels worried about being alone. In the Rebuild of Evangelion movies, Asuka is renamed Asuka Langley Shikinami and becomes a Captain in the European Air Force.
Otaku Kart website called Asuka "one of the most popular female characters in anime history." She always ranked high in popularity polls for the series and in surveys of popular anime characters in Japan. Despite this, Asuka received mixed reviews. Some critics didn't like her hubris (extreme pride) and found her personality tiring and arrogant. Others appreciated her realism and complex inner thoughts.
Toji Suzuhara
.jpg)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki (Japanese); Joe Pisano (ADV, episodes 3–18), Michael O'Connor (ADV, episodes 19 and 20), Brett Weaver (ADV, episode 26, films and Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Justin Cook (Funimation Rebuild), Johnny Yong Bosch (Netflix) (English) Toji Suzuhara (鈴原 トウジ, Suzuhara Tōji) is a student in class 2-A at Tokyo-3's middle school. At first, he is very angry at Shinji. He blames Shinji for an accident that hurt his younger sister during a fight between Eva-01 and the Angel Sachiel. In the third episode, he even attacks Shinji. But after seeing the fight, Toji feels bad and starts to care about Shinji, even though his pride makes it hard to show it. Toji acts like a tough guy, but he is actually honest, kind, and a bit shy. His friendly and open personality helps Shinji and the other pilots. In the second half of the series, Toji is chosen as the Fourth Child, the pilot for Eva-03. Toji agrees to pilot if his sister can be moved to Nerv's hospital. However, during its first test, the Angel Bardiel takes over Unit 03. The Eva goes out of control and fights Eva-02 and Eva-00, then Eva-01, which destroys it. Toji survives but loses his left leg. In the manga, Toji is killed. In the Rebuild movies, Asuka pilots Unit-03 instead of Toji. In the final movie, he marries Hikari and they have a child.
Kaworu Nagisa
Voiced by: Akira Ishida (Japanese); Kyle Sturdivant (ADV), Aaron Krohn (films), Greg Ayres (Director's Cut), Jerry Jewell (Funimation Rebuild), Clifford Chapin (Netflix), Daman Mills (Amazon Prime Video Rebuild) (English) Kaworu Nagisa (渚 カヲル, Nagisa Kaoru) is the Fifth Child. He is sent to Nerv to replace Asuka as Unit 02's pilot after she has a mental breakdown. Kaworu becomes friends with Shinji Ikari and shows him true, unconditional affection. Then, he reveals he is the seventeenth and final Angel, Tabris. Kaworu enters Nerv's headquarters to try and meet the first Angel, Adam. But when he finds the second Angel, Lilith, locked in Terminal Dogma, he asks Shinji to kill him. Kaworu was born on September 13, 2000, the same day as the Second Impact.
Critics have compared Kaworu to Jesus Christ because of his sacrifice. Evangelion Chronicle magazine linked his name to Tabris, the Angel of free will. Gainax first thought of Kaworu as a cat controlling a boy. Even though Kaworu only appears in one episode, he is very popular with fans and often tops popularity polls. Kenneth Lee from Anime News Network didn't like Kaworu's unclear nature. Other reviewers praised it and enjoyed his personality. Kaworu's role in the film Evangelion 3.0 (2012) also received positive comments.
Mari Illustrious Makinami
Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto (Japanese); Trina Nishimura (Funimation), Deneen Melody (Amazon Prime Video) (English) Mari Illustrious Makinami (真希波・マリ・イラストリアス, Makinami Mari Irasutoriasu) first appears in the film Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2009). She is a pilot for Nerv's European branch and is from England. Mari first pilots Evangelion Unit 05 and later fights using Asuka's Eva-02. Mari was created because Toshimichi Ōtsuki, the original series' producer, wanted a new female character for the Rebuild series to attract new viewers. Anno decided not to get involved in Mari's creation to avoid making her too similar to other main characters. He gave her development to Kazuya Tsurumaki. Mari's design changed many times because no one knew what kind of hero they wanted her to be until the last minute. Sadamoto designed Mari to be different from other Evangelion characters. He got ideas from shows like Space Battleship Yamato and a character played by Yui Aragaki.
Mari received mixed reviews. Some critics thought her role was unimportant. Others praised her, finding her a good change from the other characters. In Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, Mari's character was given more details, which led to more mixed opinions. Some critics complained about a lack of explanations about her background, feeling she was not fully developed. Others liked her battle scenes, her personality, and her role in the show's ending.
Supporting Characters
Nerv Staff
Gendo Ikari
Voiced by: Fumihiko Tachiki (Japanese); Tristan MacAvery (ADV and films), John Swasey (Director's Cut and Rebuild), Ray Chase (Netflix) (English) Gendo Ikari (碇 ゲンドウ, Ikari Gendō) is Nerv's top commander. He is married to Yui Ikari and is Shinji's father, with whom he has a difficult relationship. Gendo works on the Adam Project and the Human Instrumentality Project. He is cold, practical, and calculating, and acts distant towards his team. Only Fuyutsuki seems to understand his thoughts. Gendo will do anything to reach his personal goals. He leads the Instrumentality Project hoping to reunite with his wife Yui, who died in a mysterious accident years ago. Gendo is also the main opponent in Rebuild of Evangelion, especially in Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (2021).
The character was first thought of as a modern Victor Frankenstein. He was also inspired by the personal experiences of the show's staff, including director Hideaki Anno's father. Gendo appeared in polls for attractive male characters, but reviewers also had negative opinions of him. They criticized his controlling ways. Gendo's role in Rebuild has been better received, especially in the final movie. His image is also "one of the most easily recognizable images of anime on the internet." His pose with joined hands, called the "Gendo pose" by fans, has been copied in other anime and manga.
Kozo Fuyutsuki
Voiced by: Motomu Kiyokawa (Japanese); Guil Lunde (ADV), Michael Ross (films, Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Kent Williams (Rebuild), J. P. Karliak (Netflix) (English) Kozo Fuyutsuki (冬月 コウゾウ, Fuyutsuki Kōzō) is Nerv's deputy commander. In 1999, as a professor at Kyoto University, he met Yui Ikari, a talented student. Around this time, he also met Yui's boyfriend, Gendo, and immediately felt suspicious of him. After the Second Impact, the United Nations asked Kozo to investigate the event. Kozo met Gendo again, which made him even more suspicious. Kozo started to think that Gendo and a secret group called Seele might be responsible for the disaster and the deaths of many people. In 2003, Kozo kept investigating on his own. When he found the Artificial Evolution Laboratory, he threatened to tell the public what he knew. But Gendo took him to Central Dogma, where he met Dr. Naoko Akagi and learned about Gehirn, a secret group they both worked for. Gendo asked Kozo to help him build a new future for humanity. For unknown reasons, Kozo agreed and later became Gendo's close partner.
Kozo shares Nerv's main goals, but sometimes he doesn't agree with their methods. He is calm and doesn't panic in tough situations. Despite his high rank, he is kind and caring towards his team, including the pilots. In The End of Evangelion, Kozo sees a vision of Yui Ikari during Instrumentality. He smiles, waiting to be reunited with the woman he always cared for. Kozo's last name, Fuyutsuki, comes from a Japanese destroyer from World War II. According to Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Gendo and Kozo are based on characters from the TV series UFO.
Misato Katsuragi
Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese); Allison Keith (ADV, Movies and Rebuild), Carrie Keranen (Netflix) (English) Misato Katsuragi (葛城 ミサト, Katsuragi Misato) is the captain of Nerv's Operations Department and Shinji's guardian. Because of a difficult childhood, she acts lively and outgoing, but lives a messy life. Misato's caring nature sometimes makes her put her feelings before her duty at Nerv. This causes her inner conflict and makes her choices difficult. In the Rebuild movies, Misato is the captain of Wille, a group created to fight Nerv.
The creators got ideas for Misato from characters like Fujiko Mine from Lupin III and Usagi Tsukino from Sailor Moon. Kotono Mitsuishi, her voice actress, said Misato is a lonely, insecure woman who tries to hide "the sadness and loneliness she holds deep in her heart." Misato has ranked high in popularity polls and is generally well-liked. Reviewers appreciated her determination, kindness, and complex personality. They found her realistic and often underestimated.
Ritsuko Akagi
Voiced by: Yuriko Yamaguchi (Japanese); Sue Ulu (ADV and films), Colleen Clinkenbeard (Funimation Rebuild), Erica Lindbeck (Netflix), Mary Faber (Amazon Prime Video Rebuild) (English) Ritsuko Akagi (赤木 リツコ, Akagi Ritsuko) is the head of the technology department at Nerv and a main developer of the Evangelion units. In 2005, during college, Ritsuko became friends with Misato Katsuragi and her boyfriend Kaji. In 2008, Ritsuko joined Gehirn Research Center as the head of Project E. When she moved to Nerv, Ritsuko became in charge of the Magi supercomputer. At Nerv, Ritsuko works closely with Gendo Ikari, who was her mother's partner. She learns secret information that most other Nerv members don't know.
Ritsuko is logical and disciplined. She finds it hard to balance these traits with her emotions, which often leads to strong inner conflicts. Ritsuko is very determined and seems uncaring, and she doesn't talk much about herself, even with old friends. Despite her calm outside, she is sensitive and passionate. Early in her university life, Ritsuko dyed her hair blonde to be different from her mother, Naoko. She later developed feelings for Gendo Ikari and worked closely with him. Ritsuko is jealous of Rei, who gets a lot of Gendo's attention. Feeling used, she tries to get revenge on him. In The End of Evangelion, Ritsuko can no longer control her mixed feelings. She tries to destroy Nerv's headquarters. However, the Casper computer, which has her mother Naoko's personality, refuses the self-destruct command, and Gendo kills Ritsuko. Newtype magazine compared Ritsuko to earlier characters created by Anno.
Ryoji Kaji
Voiced by: Kōichi Yamadera (Japanese); Aaron Krohn (ADV and films), J. Michael Tatum (Funimation Rebuild), Greg Chun (Netflix), Sean Burgos (Amazon Prime Video Rebuild) (English) Ryoji Kaji (加持 リョウジ, Kaji Ryōji) is part of Nerv's Special Investigations Department. In college, he met Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi. He later lived with Misato, but they broke up after two years. When Ryoji joined Nerv, he was sent to Germany and became Asuka's guardian. In 2015, he traveled with Asuka to Japan and met his old college friends. During the trip, he secretly carried the embryo of Adam, the first Angel, and gave it to Gendo Ikari. For Gendo, Ryoji sabotages the Jet Alone, a robot built by Nerv's rival company. Ryoji also works for the Japanese Government's Ministry of Internal Affairs and is asked by Seele to watch Gendo Ikari. Ryoji is a spy working for three different groups. Gendo knows this, but seems to benefit from Ryoji's presence.
The reason for Ryoji's actions is not fully known, but he tries to find the truth about Nerv's real goals. After a battle against the Angel Zeruel, one of Ryoji's contacts betrays him, and he is killed. Ryoji leaves the results of his investigations to Misato. The character was inspired by Captain Foster from the TV series UFO.
Makoto Hyuga
Voiced by: Hiro Yūki (Japanese); Matt Greenfield (ADV), Keith Burgess (films), Mike McFarland (Funimation Rebuild), Daniel MK Cohen (Netflix), Joe Fria (Amazon Prime Video Rebuild) (English) Makoto Hyuga (日向 マコト, Hyūga Makoto) is one of Nerv's main operators. From the command center, he monitors all Eva unit operations. He helps Major Misato Katsuragi plan battles against the Angels. Makoto is friendly, kind, and caring. He speaks his mind and isn't afraid, even with his bosses. Compared to his colleagues, Makoto is more confident with Katsuragi because of his skills and ability to find secret information. Sometimes, Makoto acts without thinking and seems to have feelings for Misato. Even though he knows his feelings are not returned, he continues to help Misato and puts himself in danger for her. In The End of Evangelion, Misato appears to him during Instrumentality, and he shows a mix of fear and happiness. His last name comes from a Japanese battleship. Hideaki Anno said he doesn't remember why he named the character Makoto, but it might have been from a novel called Shinsengumi Keppuroku.
Maya Ibuki
Voiced by: Miki Nagasawa (Japanese); Kendra Benham (ADV), Amy Seeley (films, Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Monica Rial (Director's Cut), Caitlin Glass (Funimation Rebuild), Christine Marie Cabanos (Netflix) (English) Maya Ibuki (伊吹 マヤ, Ibuki Maya) is one of the three main technical operators at Nerv's headquarters. Her main job is to report how well the pilots are syncing with their Evas. She works directly under Dr. Ritsuko Akagi and respects her greatly, following her orders faithfully. Although she is a hard-working and skilled assistant, she is emotionally not fully mature. Ritsuko sometimes calls her too idealistic. Maya is very careful and dislikes the Dummy System, which she sees as not human. As the series goes on, it seems Maya develops feelings for her superior, Ritsuko, beyond just professional respect. For the names Maya and Ibuki, Anno got ideas from two Japanese Navy cruisers and a commander from the series Return of Ultraman.
Shigeru Aoba
Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Japanese); Jason C. Lee (ADV and films, Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Vic Mignogna (Director's Cut), Phil Parsons (Funimation Rebuild), Billy Kametz (Netflix) (English) Shigeru Aoba (青葉 シゲル, Aoba Shigeru) is one of the technical operators at Nerv's Operations Command Center, along with Makoto Hyuga and Maya Ibuki. Shigeru is realistic, serious, and professional. He keeps his personal life private and doesn't socialize much, though he has good relationships with his colleagues. At work, Shigeru is calm and logical. He loves music and plays guitar. In The End of Evangelion, during Instrumentality, Shigeru is terrified when he sees Rei Ayanami's clones. As his colleagues turn into LCL (a liquid substance), he looks scared. Rei doesn't appear as anyone he loves, which, according to a book, is because he "has never loved another person." His last name comes from the Japanese Imperial Navy cruiser of the same name. The name Shigeru was chosen to make a pun with Aoba Shigereru, a 1974 Japanese film.
Classmates
Kensuke Aida
Voiced by: Tetsuya Iwanaga (Japanese); Kurt Stoll (ADV and films), Greg Ayres (Funimation Rebuild), Benjamin Diskin (Netflix), Alejandro Saab (Amazon Prime Video Rebuild) (English) Kensuke Aida (相田 ケンスケ, Aida Kensuke) is a student in class 2-A at Tokyo-3's middle school. Kensuke is good at talking and loves military life. He often plays survival games by himself in the countryside. Like Shinji Ikari, Toji Suzuhara, Rei Ayanami, and Hikari Horaki, Kensuke's mother is not present. Some dialogue suggests his father works for Nerv. He and the rest of the school move to a new place after Tokyo-3 is destroyed.
Hikari Horaki
Voiced by: Junko Iwao (Japanese); Carol Amerson (ADV), Kimberly Yates (films, Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Leah Clark (Funimation Rebuild), Abby Trott (Netflix) (English) Hikari Horaki (洞木 ヒカリ, Horaki Hikari) is the class representative for 2-A at Tokyo-3 Municipal Middle School. She has an older sister named Kodama and a younger sister named Nozomi. Hikari is strict and follows rules, but she is also sweet and patient. She is caring and looks after her sisters and friends. Hikari often teases and scolds Toji Suzuhara, probably to hide her feelings for him. Among the girls in class 2-A, Hikari is the only one who can get close to Asuka. In the final episodes, when Asuka has a difficult time, Hikari stays close to her. She hosts Asuka in her home and shows her true, unconditional care until the end. For her last name, Anno got ideas from Murakami's novel Ai to gensō no fascism. Her sisters' names, Kodama and Nozomi, come from high-speed trains in Japan.
Other Characters
Naoko Akagi
Voiced by: Mika Doi (Japanese); Laura Chapman (ADV and films) (English) Naoko Akagi (赤木 ナオコ, Akagi Naoko) is the mother and colleague of Dr. Ritsuko Akagi. Naoko is a famous scientist and a member of the Gehirn Research Center. She knows the truth about the Second Impact and the Eva creation project. Naoko had a close relationship with Gendo, Gehirn's commander-in-chief, even though he was married to Yui. In 2008, Naoko finished the main theory for the Magi System supercomputer, which was completed two years later. In the three Magi biocomputers she created, she put parts of her own personality: as a woman, a scientist, and a mother. Naoko later realized that Gendo was using her for her scientific skills, but she continued the relationship. For the character's name, Hideaki Anno got inspiration from an old elementary school friend.
Yui Ikari
Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese); Kim Sevier (ADV), Amanda Winn-Lee (films, Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Stephanie Young (Funimation Rebuild), Ryan Bartley (Netflix) (English) Yui Ikari (碇 ユイ, Ikari Yui) is Shinji's mother and Gendo's wife. In 1999, as a student at Kyoto University, she met Professor Fuyutsuki and discussed research on artificial evolution. Later that year, she became involved with Gendo and married him, which disappointed Fuyutsuki. Yui then worked with her husband at the Laboratory for Artificial Evolution. In 2004, at age twenty-seven, Yui volunteered for an experimental activation of Unit 01. During the test, Yui died. In the final episodes and in The End of Evangelion, it is revealed that the accident was Yui's choice. Her soul stays inside the unit, and she sometimes helps Shinji by controlling its movements. In The End of Evangelion, Yui's spirit gives Shinji the courage to choose his future and humanity's future, rejecting Instrumentality. Hideaki Anno chose the name Yui because it is similar to Rei's name. While Rei (零) means "zero" or "nothingness," Yui (唯) can be translated as "only one."
Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu
Voiced by: Maria Kawamura (Japanese); Yvonne Aguirre (ADV), Kimberly Yates (films) (English) Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu (惣流・キョウコ・ツェッペリン, Sōryū Kyōko Tsepperin) is the mother of Asuka Langley Soryu. Kyoko was born in 1974 and worked for the German part of the Gehirn Research Center, which later became Nerv. In 2005, Kyoko took part in a contact experiment with Unit 02, which she had helped build. During the test, her mind was affected. After being hospitalized, Kyoko could no longer recognize Asuka and talked to a cloth doll she believed was her daughter. Meanwhile, Kyoko's husband found a new partner. Soon after, Asuka was chosen as the Second Child and pilot of Unit 02. Asuka, hoping this would make her mother recognize her again, ran to Kyoko's hospital room, only to find her mother had passed away. It is believed that a part of Kyoko's soul or her maternal side remains within Eva-02. For the names Zeppelin and Sōryū, the staff got ideas from two warships, one German and one Japanese. The name Kyōko was inspired by a comic book character.
Keel Lorenz
Voiced by: Mugihito (Japanese); Rick Peeples (ADV), Tom Booker (films, Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Bill Jenkins (Funimation Rebuild), D. C. Douglas (Netflix) (English) Keel Lorenz (キール・ローレンツ, Kīru Rōrentsu) is the leader of the Human Instrumentality Committee and the secret group Seele. He has many cybernetic parts in his body, which help him stay alive despite being sixty-seven years old. Keel secretly controls the world's fate to make the Third Impact happen. Keel is German and has a calm, logical personality. For his name, the creators were inspired by biologist Konrad Lorenz. In the show's early planning document, his name was Konrad.
Pen Pen
Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese); Amanda Winn-Lee (ADV, films, Amazon Prime Video Rebuild), Mandy Clark (Director's Cut), Monica Rial (Funimation Rebuild), Cherami Leigh (Netflix) (English) Pen Pen, or Pen2 (ペンペン, Penpen) is a small pet penguin who lives with Misato Katsuragi. Pen Pen is a new kind of hot spring penguin, likely created through science. He has a serial number on his collar. He seems very smart, able to bathe himself, understand human speech, read a newspaper, and live on his own in Misato's apartment. In the final episodes, Pen Pen moves to a country house to live with the Horaki family. Yoshiyuki Sadamoto designed Pen Pen to be a mascot for the series. Since the show is set in Hakone, a town known for hot springs, Pen Pen was first thought of as a monkey, but that idea was dropped. Pen-Pen might be inspired by a genetically modified penguin from a 1986 anime.
Shiro Tokita
Voiced by: Hōchū Ōtsuka (Japanese); Rob Bundy (English) Shiro Tokita (時田シロ, Tokita Shirō) represents the Community of United Chemical Industries of Japan. This group built the Jet Alone, a robot designed to compete with Nerv's Evas. Shiro knows many secrets about Nerv from spying. Shiro appears only in the seventh episode. He openly makes fun of Nerv's abilities and the Evangelions to Ritsuko Akagi. During its test, the Jet Alone goes out of control, threatening a nuclear disaster. After some hesitation, Tokita gives Misato Katsuragi the code to stop it. For his name, Anno got ideas from Murakami's novel Ai to gensō no fascism. The seventh episode also features men named Manda and Yasugi, whose names are also from the same novel.
Other Media Characters
Mari Illustrious Makinami
Mari Illustrious Makinami is introduced in the film Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance (2009). She is a pilot for Nerv's European branch. Mari was created to introduce a new female character for the Rebuild series and attract new audiences.
Wille Staff
In Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012), a new group called Wille (German for "will") is introduced. Wille was created to destroy Nerv and is led by Misato Katsuragi.
- Sumire Nagara (長良スミレ, Nagara Sumire) is in charge of the anti-gravity system of an airship called AAA Wunder. She is a dark-skinned woman in her twenties or thirties, with long brown hair. Her name comes from a class of light cruisers used by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Her voice actress described her as a strong woman who has faced many difficulties.
- Koji Takao (高雄コウジ, Takao Kōji) is one of Wille's engineers. He is responsible for starting the Wunder ship's engine. Koji is a strong-looking man with a goatee and mustache. He knows Kaji and through him, Misato. His name comes from a class of heavy cruisers used by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
- Hideki Tama (多摩ヒデキ, Tama Hideki) is a young engineer and Takao's colleague on Wunder. He is thin, has thick black hair, and is shy. During operations, he keeps manuals nearby for help. His name comes from a Japanese World War II-era cruiser. His voice actor was asked to show weakness and humanity in the character.
- Midori Kitakami (北上ミドリ, Kitakami Midori) is an engineer on AAA Wunder. She is slim, has pink hair, and is a bit lazy and timid. Her control panel is covered in sticky notes. Her last name comes from a Japanese cruiser. Her voice actress described Midori as a modern woman who doesn't like difficult tasks.
- Sakura Suzuhara (鈴原 サクラ, Suzuhara Sakura) is a member of Wille. She is briefly shown in Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance but doesn't speak. Sakura is Toji's younger sister. She looks up to Misato as a role model. Sakura is kind, simple, and hopeful.
Mana Kirishima
Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara Mana Kirishima (霧島 マナ, Kirishima Mana) appears in the 1997 visual novel Neon Genesis Evangelion: Girlfriend of Steel. Mana is a shy, gentle, fourteen-year-old girl with reddish hair. She moves to Shinji's class in Tokyo-3 and immediately gets attention from the boys, especially Shinji. Shinji and Mana quickly become close friends. Shinji likes Mana's direct behavior, even though Asuka is jealous and thinks Mana is a spy.
Mana immediately treats Shinji like her boyfriend, and they go on their first date. Later, it's discovered Mana is a spy working for a rival company to Nerv. She is a pilot for a mecha called Trident. Depending on the player's choices, Mana might move to another city, die in combat, or join Nerv. Her name comes from the Japanese battleship Kirishima. Mana also appears in the manga Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project and Petit Eva: Evangelion@School.
Mayumi Yamagishi
Voiced by: Kyōko Hikami Mayumi Yamagishi (山岸マユミ, Yamagishi Mayumi) is in the video game Shinseiki Evangelion: 2nd Impression (1997). Mayumi is a shy girl with long black hair and glasses. She moves into Shinji's class. The game focuses on Mayumi's growing friendship with Shinji, who seems to have feelings for her. Mayumi is a good student and loves singing and reading. When an Angel called the "Original Angel" appears, it's found that Mayumi holds the enemy's core inside her body, which is its only weakness. In one ending, Mayumi moves to another school after the battle.
Cultural Impact
Popularity
According to Allegra Frank and Aja Romano of Vox, Evangelion "created countless anime character types" in Japan. They say it's still common to see characters like Shinji, Rei, and Asuka in ads or pachinko parlors. Outside Japan, Evangelion characters are "well-known, loved and memed by anime fans." The characters were immediately popular in Japan and topped popularity charts. They are still very popular, often used for merchandise. The series appeared for years in the Anime Grand Prix, a big yearly poll by Animage magazine. In 1996, Shinji and Gendo were among the most popular male characters. Rei, Asuka, and Misato were among the most popular female characters. Their popularity continued for many years.
The characters also appeared in Newtype magazine's polls, even years after the show first aired. In March 2010, Newtype named Rei the most popular female character of the 1990s. Shinji was first and Kaworu second in the male category.
Merchandise
According to Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Unofficial Guide, the anime's release "started a merchandise boom never seen before." Over 600 items were made. Action figures were very popular, especially Rei's. Books with her on the cover also sold quickly, and media called her "the Premium Girl." When Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth came out in 1997, the UCC Ueshima Coffee Co. sold coffee cans with the characters. They sold 400,000 cases, about twelve million cans. After Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone in 2007, another 300,000 cases were sold. In 1997, books about the characters (Rei, Asuka, Shinji, Kaworu) and artbooks were published. A catalog called "E Mono" listed articles about the series and characters, including fan-made comics.
Critic Pier Francesco Cantelli said it's "impossible to take a tour of Akihabara without coming across at least one poster depicting [the show's] protagonists." He compared Evangelion's success to Star Wars in the United States. Neon Genesis Evangelion characters also appear in video games based on the show and in other games not related to Evangelion. These include Monster Strike, Super Robot Wars, and a crossover episode of Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion.
Legacy
Journal AsianScape said the way Evangelions characters are shown is "possibly the most innovative and influential aspect" of the series. It presented characters with deep emotional problems and feelings of being alone. Game Developer's Brett Fujioka wrote, "Eva turned old anime ideas upside down through its characters." He said Anno's characters, who were struggling mentally, connected with Japanese youth at the time. Researchers also studied the characters' success. Sociologist Shinji Miyadai reported that college students identified with Shinji or Asuka. According to essayist Satomi Ishikawa, this shows "how influential the impact of this particular anime has been" for Japanese youth. Ishikawa noted that the series became very popular, leading to the phrase "Eva phenomenon." Many fans saw themselves in the characters. A key reason for Evangelions appeal in Japan is called jibun sagashi (自分探し, "self-seeking"). This theme connected with young people who saw their own problems in Shinji and Asuka.
Because of Neon Genesis Evangelions success, the sekaikei genre became popular. In this genre, stories combine world-ending crises with school romance. The love stories of the characters are directly linked to the fate of the world. Many shows in this genre were inspired by Anno's series. They focus more on the characters' minds and relationships than on the plot. The term sekaikei was often replaced with "post-Evangelion syndrome." Critics have found sekaikei elements in shows like Voices of a Distant Star and Your Name.. According to Comic Book Resources's Timothy Donohoo, female heroes Rei and Asuka are "extremely important to the development of modern anime writing." He said all of Evangelions characters were influential, but Rei and Asuka especially created a model for interesting romantic characters that future series would use often. Patrick Drazen wrote that Evangelion had a strong influence on character design in later anime. Rei is seen as especially popular and influential. She inspired many female characters who came later and helped spread the kuudere stereotype, which describes characters who seem cold and emotionless but are actually caring. Asuka, Shinji, Misato, and Gendo also inspired artists and characters in other animated series, video games, and comics. Asuka is seen as an influential example of a tsundere character. She is grumpy and bossy but has a sad past and deep reasons for her behavior.
According to The Washington Posts Gene Park, much of cyberculture comes from Evangelions success. It is popular on websites like 4chan. Park says fans of the series are often divided between Asuka and Rei. This has led to "waifu wars," where users argue about which character is the most appealing. Maria R. Rider of Ex.org noted that Gainax's series inspired the character design of Miharu in Gasaraki, who looks similar to Rei. The author of Rurouni Kenshin, Nobuhiro Watsuki, compared his character Yukishiro Tomoe to Rei. He also used Yui as a visual model for another character's face.
Images for kids
-
Reproduction of the school uniform worn by the female students of the first municipal middle school of Tokyo-3
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Personajes de Neon Genesis Evangelion para niños
