Asuka Langley Soryu

Asuka Langley Soryu
惣流・アスカ・ラングレー
Age	14
Birthday	12/04/2000
Seiyū	Yuko Miyamura

Asuka Langley Soryu is the Second Children, designated pilot of Evangelion Unit-02. She is 1/4 Japanese and 1/4 German (from her mother Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu's side), although her nationality is American, as is, apparently, her father's.

Past

Asuka's mother went insane and committed suicide after her Contact Experiment with Evangelion Unit-02. Before Kyoko killed herself, she would talk to a doll that she thought was Asuka, and ask her daughter to die with her, as Asuka's father wanted neither of them. One day, the young Asuka opened the door to see that Kyoko had hung herself along with a doll.

Until some point in 2015, Asuka lived in Germany, where she met Misato Katsuragi and Ryoji Kaji.

Present

After traveling to Japan with Kaji, Asuka moved in with Misato and Shinji Ikari.

Profile

When her mother told Asuka that she was not wanted, and so should die with her, it might have been the impetus for Asuka’s entire teenage personality, as she certainly tries to make people "notice" her, and also to assert her independence and adulthood.

As a consequence of these needs, Asuka loves to pilot an Evangelion because it gets people to pay attention to her, but beyond that, Asuka seems to have a genuine zest for piloting, that it makes her feel powerful. But because Asuka does not pilot out of a pure warrior’s spirit, she is trapped in the same bind that Shinji Ikari is, of being unable to have an identity separate from an Evangelion.

Asuka is so identified with piloting that the loss to Zeruel in Episode 19 devastates her. This, followed by a mind-rape from Arael that forced Asuka to relive childhood trauma, and then being rescued by Rei Ayanami, whom she despised, started a breakdown that lead to a nearly comatose state in which she cared about nothing.

Asuka tends to push people away, acting abrasive towards others if not snubbing them completely. She also tends to avoid relationships with boys of her own age (despite her popularity with them), possibly to enhance her own image of "maturity". For this same reason, Asuka prefers to chase after the adult Ryoji Kaji though he ignores her advances. Asuka also attended college, despite being a minor. It is unknown what degree she received.

Episode 22 demonstrates that Asuka also tries to appear totally independent in order to distance herself from the sadness caused by her mother’s death, swearing that she would never cry again. Episode 25, however, reveals that Asuka really doesn’t want to be alone, that retreating from others didn’t cure her pain. Despite her outer strength, Asuka does not have inner happiness.

Asuka is attracted to Shinji Ikari, which appears to cause conflict in her. Initially Asuka seemed to view Shinji as competition in Episode 08 because of all the praise he was getting, and she tried hard to show off to him, even though Shinji didn’t act like competition. Following this, Asuka showed frustration with Shinji’s accepting nature and reflexive apologies, often arguing with him, but Asuka also flirted with Shinji and seemed disappointed when he didn’t respond.

Asuka, upset that Shinji didn't hold her as they kissed.

While sometimes Asuka’s behavior towards Shinji can be viewed as standard romantic-comedy ribbing, there are darker undertones to it, as when she almost suffocates Shinji while she kisses him, by holding his nose shut at the same time (Episode 15). Episode 22, however, shows Asuka internally complaining of Shinji. "You won't do anything!" (after the "Wall of Jericho" sequence from Episode 09, in which Shinji didn’t take to her reverse psychology), "You won’t help me! (Ironically, Shinji saved Asuka from the volcano in Episode 10) "You won’t even hold me!", (upset that Shinji didn't hold her while they kissed in Episode 15), demonstrating the true nature of her feelings towards him.

Asuka’s relationship with Rei Ayanami is similarly strained. Though it starts with Asuka often mocking Rei, later in the series Asuka acts blatantly hostile towards her, likely reflecting Asuka’s own deteriorating level of control. But the motivation is the same in either case: Asuka hates Rei because she’s the opposite of everything Asuka has tried to be. She also sees Rei as being a doll, only doing what's ordered. Rei herself even admitted that she'd die if ordered to. All of this upsets Asuka due to her traumatic childhood experience with dolls.

In Episode 25' Asuka appeared to have regained her power through contact with her mother’s soul, but it is debatable as to how much Asuka was in control, and how much was Eva-02 acting independently.

During the beginnings of Pre-Instrumentality, Asuka told Shinji that she knows how he masturbated by her bedside at the start of Episode 25', and told him to "Do it again like usual... I'll even stand here and watch." But she also said that couldn’t have Shinji all to herself, she didn’t want anything from him, indicating that she wanted to possess him utterly. In Pre-Instrumentality, Asuka also told Shinji to stay away--for all he ever did was hurt her--and accused him of only going to her for help because she was the person who would hurt him the least.

Although Asuka was the first person to return to human form after Shinji rejected Instrumentality, it was unclear why she did this. She may have been motivated by a strong will to live, or merely a desire not to be so close to others’ souls, as one of her lines towards Shinji in Pre-Instrumentality was, "But, if I have to be with you, I'd rather die!"

Despite wearing bandages that coincide with her final battle injuries in the final scene of The End of Evangelion, the fact Asuka was able to move her right arm and caress Shinji's cheek suggests she imagined herself in her own heart as healed.

Asuka in the Manga

"It's almost as if she's a different person!"

Asuka's origins and nature in the manga differ significantly from the anime. In the manga, it is revealed that she is a test tube baby, and that she is capable of putting an actual physical fight, indicating that she is trained in the martial arts. Different family situation, etc. Was actually throttled by Kyoko as a child; later "reenacts" this with Shinji while she's hospitalized.

Notes

• "Anta baka?" becomes a trademark line delivered by Asuka frequently, usually directed at Shinji. The best translation is "Are you stupid?". Throughout the series and movies, "Anta baka" is said 15 times, "baka" by itself is said 10 times and "baka Shinji" ("Stupid Shinji") is said 9 times.
• Though Asuka does use some German language in the original script, in the English dub, voice actress Tiffany Grant added much more to Asuka's speech, both in the TV series and Episode 25'. Sometimes the extra German is equivalent to the original Japanese speech, but usually not.
• Asuka is the character with the most consistent "color scheme" in the series. Her Plug suit, Interface Headset, Evangelion, and hair are all red. This might be meant to symbolize her temperamental personality.
• Asuka is also the only Children whose number designation matches with her Evangelion's
• Asuka’s blue eyes and red hair are the inverse of Rei Ayanami’s blue hair and red eyes, perhaps a reference to their opposite personalities.
• Asuka is named after two warships. Her Japanese surname comes from the aircraft carrier Soryu, which took part in the Pearl Harbor attack and was sunk at the Battle of Midway, along with sister vessel Hiryu and carriers Akagi(Ritsuko and Naoko's namesake) and Kaga. Her American surname (Her father's) is taken from the USS Langley, the first American aircraft carrier, which was sunk by Japanese air attack.

This article bears the unpleasant designation of "Stub." This is a Bad Thing. Provide a great service to NGE fan-geeks everywhere by making it awesomer!

Characters

Main characters: Shinji Ikari | Rei Ayanami | Asuka Langley Soryu

Nerv staff: Misato Katsuragi | Gendo Ikari | Ritsuko Akagi | Kozo Fuyutsuki | Ryoji Kaji | Maya Ibuki | Makoto Hyuga | Shigeru Aoba

Classmates: Toji Suzuhara | Kensuke Aida | Hikari Horaki

Other characters: Kaworu Nagisa | Yui Ikari | Naoko Akagi | Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu | Dr. Katsuragi | Mr. Langley | Keel Lorenz | Pen Pen

Rebuild of Evangelion: Asuka Shikinami Langley | Mari Makinami Illustrious | Sakura Suzuhara | Ryoji Kaji (Jr)

Miscellaneous: Minor Characters | Minor Characters (Rebuild) | Extracanonical Characters

Theory and Analysis: Name Origins (Warships) | Designs | Relationships | Profiles

Resources: 2015: The Last Year of Ryohji Kaji