The characters ofNeon Genesis Evangelionare one of the reasons that the anime show is still so popular, with the three Eva pilots getting most of the attention. Out of these three, the one who is nobody’s favorite is Shinji, the quiet and passive Third Child who pilots Unit 001.
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In a world where the most powerful robots in the world were designed, built, piloted, and maintained by women, Shinji is one of the few main male characters. Aside from that, NERV is staffed by competent geniuses, and Shinji as the new pilot isn’t exactly the most interesting character compared to the others. However, there’s a lot to like about Shinji, who takes a lot of criticism just for being a normal guy amid an apocalyptic nightmare.
6Rejects The Path
The Hero’s Journeydescribes more than one type of path for the protagonist, and Shinji originally takes the path of rejection by telling his father off and refusing to pilot the Eva. People often point to this as something that makes Shinji less interesting, butEvangelionisn’t about the fantasy of big giant robots,it’s about the reality, which is horrific. How many viewers who criticize Shinji for refusing would actually get in that thing themselves?
Besides, when faced with the badly injured Rei going in his place, he relents and courageously pilots Eva 01. What follows is a mix of psychological trauma, body horror, and visceral gore, along with the revelation that this show isn’t exactly a conventional mecha anime.
5The Everyman
Shinji is easily one of the most relatable characters in what’s a complex and often terrifying show. He’s brilliantly introduced as a normal kid using a phone by a train station when his life turns upside down, and his reactions are almost too human to be on TV.
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Shinji is what the viewer might call an Everyman, a character that is deliberately designed to connect more deeply with the audience. The viewer learns about the nature of the Evas at the same rate as Shinji, and he’s intended to mirror their surprise and confusion with these revelations at the same time.
4Modest And Brave
Shinji doesn’t make a big deal out of his abilities,the same way that Asuka does, but on the other hand, he’s not completely docile when it comes to instructions like Rei. This is another way that he connects with the audience on a deeper level.
Shinji asks more questions than the other pilots about the Eva project and seems more interested in its roots as the purpose when compared to his teammates. Misato often confides her discoveries in Shinji because she knows he’s the quiet and reasonable one who can handle the information.
3Doesn’t Fit The Harem Stereotype
The show does this, for sure, but Shinji seems to be caught up in a lot of things here against his will, including the harem genre. It’s not as prominent here as it is in other shows, and it’s possible toargue it’s anti-haremin the sense that the women that surround Shinji seem to hate him as much as love him. The cast ofEvangelionis overwhelmingly female, with only two or three supporting male characters, one of them being Shinji and the other being his father, Gendo.
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Between the two of them, it seems to be Gendo that has the true harem of devoted followers while Shinji is often pushed away, berated, or friend-zoned by the women in his life. It’s easier to like Shinji, who prefers to function on his own, than the self-conscious Gendo, who always needs a fan nearby.
2Big Boys Cry
One of the persistent complaints about Shinji’s character is that he cries too often. First, he’s just a kid, maybe we should give him a break. Secondly, that actually means he hasa better level of emotional adjustmentthan Asuka and Rei. Granted, that’s not a high bar for comparisons, but it’s something.
Compare Shinji’s emotional displays to Asuka’s angry outbursts or Rei’s cold passivity, and his crying isn’t all that weird. Wasn’t everyone crying when they saw Misato’s bloody necklace in his hand? And is it really so strange to cry when death is imminent and humanity is about to be destroyed? Remember that Shinji’s function as the main character is to identify with the reality of the situation instead of the heroic fantasy.
1Doesn’t Give Gendo A Free Pass
For a person that is often labeled as docile, Shinji doesn’t hold back when it comes to his father. Unlike other kids, who might be so emotionally needy for a parental figure after a life alone that they would be ready to embrace Dad no matter what, Shinji berates his father and denies him instead.
The updated series and modern movies gloss over the turbulent and distant relationship between Gendo and Shinji. In the original series,it got pretty ugly, partly because Shinji refused to back down even when his father threatened him.
Nobody else was able to stand up to Gendo and meet the challenges he set. Although Shinji forgave his father eventually, it was only after a sincere apology and the appropriate penance.
