User talk:ObsessiveMathsFreak/Shinji Ikari ReEdit

Shinji Ikari
碇 シンジ
Rank / Title	Third Children (Rebuild): Third Boy
Affiliation(s)	Nerv
National Heritage	Japanese
Relations	Yui Ikari (mother), Gendo Ikari (father), Rei Ayanami (clone of mother)
Age	14
Birthday	06/06/2001
Seiyū	Megumi Ogata
Voice Actor	(English): Spike Spencer (Italian): Daniele Raffaeli (Brazilian): Fábio Lucindo (French): Donald Reignoux (Spanish): Victor Ugarte (German): Hannes Maurer

Shinji Ikari is the designated pilot of Evangelion Unit-01, is the main protagonist of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Much of the story of Evangelion centres around Shinji's personal struggles, with piloting Eva, and with his relationships with others.

He is the son of "deceased" Gehirn bioengineer Yui Ikari and Nerv Commander (formerly Chief of Gehirn) Gendo Ikari. After his mother's apparent death, he was abandoned by his father and lived for 11 years with his "sensei" , until he was summoned to Tokyo 3 to pilot Eva-01 against the Angels. He lives initially just with Misato Katsuragi; they are later joined by Asuka Langley Soryu.

Character Summary

Early Years

Shinji as an Infant

Main Article Episode 21

Shinji is the only child of his father Gendo Ikari, and mother Yui. He was born in 2001, in the year after after Second Impact. His name was chosen by Gendo. At the age of 3, he witnessed his mother's "death" in her Contact Experiment with Eva-01. A year or so later, while still very young, he was abandoned by his father Gendo, and sent away to live with a Teacher("Sensei").

Arrival in Tokyo-3

Main Articles Episode 01, Episode 02, Episode 03

In 2015, Shinji is summoned to Tokyo-3 by his father Gendo, now the Commander of Nerv. On the way, Shinji encounters the 3rd Angel Sachiel and is rescued by Misato Katsuragi, who then brings him down into Geofront and Nerv Headquarters, and then to Eva-01's Cage to meet his father. There Shinji is asked to pilot Unit-01 and fight the Angel. Shinji initially refuses; but after an injured Rei is brought in as a substitute, and after Eva-01 rescues him from falling debris, Shinji resolves Not to run away, and agrees to pilot the Evangelion.

Shinji's fight against the Angel goes badly until Eva-01 sustains critical damage, and afterwards goes berserk. In its berserk state, Unit-01 defeats Sachiel. Shinji suffers temporary amnesia, waking up later in Hospital, where later has silent encounters with both Rei, and his father. He only recalls the battle later in a flashback.

Arrival in Tokyo-3

After this first battle, Shinji is taken in by Misato, who becomes his guardian. The two live together in Misato's apartment, along with Pen Pen. Shinji becomes the designated pilot of Eva-01. He undergoes training for this role, under Ritsuko and Misato, but is under-enthused.

Shinji is assigned to school in Class 2A, alongside Rei, and with Kensuke, Hikari and Toji as classmates. Toji, whose sister was injured during the Sachiel fight, gives Shinji a beating in school, blaming the Eva pilot for his sister's condition.

Three weeks after the first attack, the fourth Angel, Shamshel, attacks Tokyo-3. Shinji sorties in Eva-01, but the battle goes poorly for Nerv when Shinji loses his nerve to fight and is tossed into a mountainside by Shamshel, almost killing Toji and Kensuke who have snuck out to watch the battle. To save their lives, Misato orders Shinji to let the pair into Eva-01's entry plug. Once aboard, Toji and Kensuke witness Shinji's struggles and suffering as he disobeys Misato's order to retreat, and fights and defeats Shamshel. Toji is overcome by guilt.

Hedgehog's Dilemma; Shinji runs away from home

Hedgehog's Dilemma

Main Article Episode 04

Following the battle, Shinji is ubraided by Misato for ignoring her orders. Though he agrees to continues piloting, he takes time off school, and after five days runs away from home, leaving behind a letter for Misato along with his Nerv security card.

Shinji spends a whole day riding around the Tokyo-3 loop line train, listening to his SDAT. At night he sleeps in a theatre, and the next day, takes a bus to the country, and wanders the mountains overlooking the city, eventually coming to cliff-edge at a famous suicide site.

As night falls, Shinji continues his wanderings and bumps into Kensuke who is out camping by himself. The two spend the night inside Kensuke's tent, but in the morning Nerv security agents arrive to take Shinji into custody. He is brought before Misato; but while he agree to pilot Eva-01 to please others, Misato rejects this attitude and tells him to leave.

Shinji's is taken to a train station to be shipped out of Tokyo-3. There he meets Toji and Kensuke, who have heard he was to leave. As an act of contrition, Toji begs Shinji to strike him, as payback for Shinji's earlier beating. The trio briefly bond.

The train arrives at the station, but upon recalling Misato's words of support, Shinji does not board. As the train pulls away, Shinji sees Misato, who has rushed to the station. They reconcile at the station.

Shinji and Rei

Shinji and Rei

Main Articles Episode 05, Episode 06, Rei and Shinji (Relationship)

Shinji is taken by Misato and Ritsuko to observe the disposal of Shamshel's remains. There he observes the burns on Gendo's hands, and learns of Gendo's rescue of Rei during the Eva-00 activation experiment. Later Shinji is stunned when he observes Gendo and Rei talking cordially together.

While having dinner with Misato and Ritsuko in Misato's apartment, Shinji is asked by Ritsuko to deliver a security card to Rei. Shinji goes to Rei's dilapidated apartment complex, and enters her even more dishevelled room. There he discovers his father's glasses, and as he tries them on, a naked Rei silently emerges from her bathroom, leading to a very awkward situation.

And embarrassed Shinji follows an unphased Rei to work and is eventually able to deliver her security card. On the long escalator down, Shinji tries to talk to Rei about piloting Eva-00. But when the conversation turns to Gendo, and Shinji's disapproval of him, Rei silent rounds on Shinji and slaps him in the face.

Following Rei's successful reactivation of Eva-00, the fifth angel Ramiel appears and approaches Tokyo-3. Shinji sorties, but Eva-01 is immediately blasted by Ramiel's powerful energy beam and barely escapes destruction. Shinji is hospitalised for several hours. He is woken by Rei who informs him that they are both to participate in Operation Yashima. Shinji is reluctant, but when Rei declares that she can take his place, he changes his mind. Just before the operation begins, the pair talk again about Rei's reasons for piloting.

During Operation Yashima, Shinji uses the JSSDF's re-purposed Automated Positron Rifle and all the electrical power in Japan to defeat the angel. After Eva-01's first shot misses, Shinji is defended from Ramiel's counterattack by Rei in Eva-00. Shinji's second shot destroys the angel, but Eva-00 is badly melted. Shinji rushes to rescue Rei, in a parallel to Gendo's earlier rescue. On finding her safe, Shinji is tearfully overwhelmed; Rei is confused, but on Shinji's suggestion she -- reminded of Gendo -- breaks into a deep smile.

Shinji and Asuka

Shinji and Asuka

Main Articles Episode 07, Episode 08, Episode 09, Asuka and Shinji (Relationship)

Shinji continues to live with Misato and pilot Eva-01, becoming more comfortable with his life in Tokyo-3, though is still ignorent of many of its mysteries. He is eventually informed by Ritsuko of the true details of Second Impact, and that the official story is a cover-up. When Shiro Tokita's J.A. unit is sabotaged and threatens to destroy a populated area, Shinji pilots Eva-01 to assist Misato in her attempts to board and disable J.A. before it explodes.

Shinji is taken by Misato to meet the Pacific Fleet as it escorts Evanagelion Unit 02 (and Adam) to Tokyo-3. There he encounters Eva-02's pilot, Asuka, who is less than impressed with Eva-01's pilot. He also meets Kaji for the first time. When the sixth angel Gaghiel attacks the fleet, Shinji and Asuka both board Eva-02 to battle it, but end up falling into sea where the Eva's B-Type equipment makes combat impossible. Following Misato's plan to sink two battleships right down the angel's maw, Shinji and Asuka are able to focus their thoughts enough to get Eva-02 to force open Ramiel's mouth leading to its destruction. The pair break their own Synchronisation records in the process.

On arrival in Tokyo-3, Asuka is assigned to school in Class-2A with Shinji and the rest. When the seventh angel Israfel attacks, Eva-01 and Eva-02 are dispatched to defeat it before it makes landfall. However, when Israfel splits into two parts, Shinji and Asuka are humiliatingly defeated, and the angel is temporarily halted by the [[UN] with an N² bomb.

Based on a plan of Kaji's, Misato decides to have Asuka live with herself and Shinji so that the two can learn to work with the perfect unison required in order to defeat the Angel. The arrangement starts off poorly, with Shinji and Asuka resenting their living arrangements and matching dance outfits. However, when Misato threatens to replace Asuka with Rei, Asuka resolves to work harder at her unison with Shinji, and their performance imporves. On the night before the battle, Asuka sleepwalks onto Shinji's futon; he attempts to kiss her, but stops but after she calls in her sleep for her mother, after which Shinji realise Asuka is just a child too. The next day, their unison perfected, Shinji and Asuka sortie in Eva-01 and Eva-02, and successfuly defeat Israfel with a simultaneous attack on both of its cores. The plan is a complete success, apart from the Evas ending up in a heap and the pilots bickering over whose fault it was.

Shinji in Tokyo-3

Shinji in Tokyo-3

Main Articles Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14

During the summer, Shinji, Asuka and Rei are required to miss the school trip on account of their piloting duties. During Nerv's operation to attempt to capture the eighth angel Sandalphon, Shinji's serves as backup while Asuka descends into a magma pit. The operation fails, though the angel is later destroyed. Asuka and Eva-02 are almost lost, but Shinji leaps into the magma in Eva-01 to save them both. Afterwards, Misato takes the pair to a nearby hot-spring.

Just before the blackout at Nerv, Shinji tries to call Gendo to inform him of an upcoming Parent-Teacher meeting in school. Gendo dismisses this, telling Shinji that all such responsibilites have been delegated to Misato, and not to bother him with such matters again. During the blackout, Shinji, Asuka and Rei have to manually infiltrate Nerv HQ, discovering along the way that the ninth angel Matarael is attacking the base. Once inside, Shinji learns that his father has been working to manually prepare the Eva's for launch, in the belief that the pilot's would arrive. All three Evangelions sortie under emergency power, and work together to defeat the angel.

Shinji and Asuka continue to live with Misato. Shinji's synchronisation with Eva-01 continues to imporve much to Asuka's annoyance. When Kensuke notices that Misato has been promoted to Major, the children throw a party for her at the apartment, though Shinji is a little unused to being around so many people. He asks Misato why she joined Nerv; she claims to have forgotten, but later reveals that she joined Nerv to both avenge her father, and in part to break free of his spell.

While Commander Gendo is absent from Nerv, Tokyo-3 is attacked from orbit by the 10th angel Sahaquiel, which jams all communications and threatens to destroy Tokyo-3 by falling on it like a giant bomb. Misato orders the city evactuated, and all three Evangelions again sortie in order to catch the Angel as it falls. With a burst of speed, Eva-01 catches the angel first and holds it in place until Eva-00 and Eva-02 arrive to dispatch it. After the battle, Gendo personally praises Shinji by name for his actions. Later while out eating Ramen, Shinji reveals to Misato that he pilots Eva to hear such words from his father.

Shinji takes part in the autopilot tests with the simulation bodies, along with Asuka and Rei in the Pribnow Box. During the tests, the 11th angel Ireul infiltrates the Pribnow Box and attacks. Shinji and the other pilots are evacuated, as Nerv deals with the angel without using the Evangelions.

Shinji later takes part in an interchangeability test, and he tries to pilot Eva-00 for the first time. During the test Shinji feels the presence of something trying to dive into his mind, after which Unit-00 again goes berserk, trying to attack the control room. Shinji wakes later in hospital, apparently remembering nothing of the incident.

Shinji and Gendo

Main Articles Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18 , Gendo and Shinji (Relationship)

The anniversary of Yui's Death is coming up, and Shinji is due to visit her graveside with his father. While Class 2A are cleaning their schoolroom, Shinji stares intently at Rei while she wrings a cloth. Later in an elevator, Shinji tries to ask Rei what Gendo is like, but she claims not to know. When Rei asks Shinji why he was staring earlier, he says that the way she was wringing the cloth was like a mother. Later in Misato's apartment, Shinji reflects on Gendo, and Misato tries to encourage him for his graveside visit the next day.

The next day, Shinji and Gendo visit Yui's graveside marker to lay a wreath of flowers. Shinji has not been there in three years, having run away on the last occasion. Gendo and Shinji converse about Yui, how there is no body at the graveside, and how Gendo has destroyed all pictures of her, but keeps everything in his heart. A Nerv VTOL arrives to collect Gendo, and Shinji catches a glimpse of Rei on board. As Gendo makes to depart, Shinji calls out to say he was glad to have spoken with his father today; Gendo responds briefly and the pair depart seperately.

Later at home in Misato's apartment, Shinji places his cello. Asuka arrives home and applauds his performance. Shinji tells her that he first started on his Teacher's instruction, and continues because no-one ever told him to stop.

Shinji and Gendo

During the evening, while Misato stays out late with Kaji, Asuka asks Shinji if he wants to kiss, saying she is bored, and eventually manages to persuade Shinji to agree. The pair kiss, but Asuka holds Shinji's nose until he turns blue and has to break off. Asuka runs off to the bathroom, and washes out her mouth declaring that kissing is not a great way to pass time. Kaji arrives home with a drunken Misato, Asuka becomes downcast on smelling Misato's perfume, but tells Shinji she is so because she kissed him.

Shinji synchronisation results continue to improve until eventually he passes Asuka to gain the highest synchronization ratio. He is congratulated by Misato, but Asuka is secretly enraged. Shinji confidence improves so much, that later when the 12th Angel Leliel attacks, Shinji decides not to wait for back up from Eva-00 and Eva-02, and attacks Leliel without support in Eva-01. When the Angel's spherical form turns out to be an illusion, Eva-01 is sucked into the Angel's "shadow" as Shinji screams for help.

Shinji is trapped "inside" the Angel, within the Dirac Sea, cut off from outside communication as the Eva's power supply and life support systems slowly begin to give out. As more time passes. the LCL purification system fails, and Shinji is overwhelmed by the smell of blood and panics, banging on the entry plug and calling out for help from Misato, Asuka, Rei, Ritsuko and even Gendo.

Still trapped in Leliel, Shinji finds himself in a dreamscape, faced by a younger boy in a dusk-lit train carraige. A voice, pesumably the boy's, forces Shinji to confront his relationships with others and in particular with his father. Shinji is forced to recall his abandonment by Gendo, and memories of the scandal surrounding Yui's death. Shinji wakes in the entry plug, finding life support systems have now completely failed, believing this is the end. As he gives in Shinji sees a vision of a long haired woman in the entry plug, who he presumes is his mother Yui, and also sees a vision or memory of his mother from the past.

As Nerv prepare to destroy Leliel with their remaining Eva's and 992 N^2 mines, to everyone's shock, Leliel's shadow suddenly splits open, and despite being completely without power, a berserk Eva-01 tears it ways out of the Angel's upper sphere, bellowing amidst sprays of blood. Shinji's entry plug is opened by a tearful Misato, relieved to find him still alive. Shinji later wakes in hospital, with Rei at his bedside, and is surprised when she mentions the very same words heard from Yui in the entry plug.

Misato later refuses to allow Shinji to be interrogated by The Committee about his time inside the Angel. The committee asks whether the Angel attempted to communicate, but Misato claims that nothing in Shinji's report suggests this.

When Evangelion 04 and Nerv's Second branch in Nevada are destroyed, Shinji remains uninformed, both about the incident, the impending arrival of Eva-03 to Tokyo-3, and the selection of the Fourth Child. Shinji's life continues as normal in Class 2A, with the rest of his classmates. When Toji is asked to deliver a printout to an absent Rei, he asks Shinji to accompany him. The two travel to Rei's Apartment, finding no-one home upon entering. When Shinji decides to clean her room, Toji remarks on what a different impression he has of Shinji now than when they first met. When Rei returns, surprised that Shinji has cleaned her room, she awkwardly thanks him, later reflecting that she has never done so with Gendo.

When Shinji comes upon Misato and Kaji in Nerv HQ, he is invited by Kaji to drink tea. While sitting on a bench in the Geofront Shinji express some disappointment in Kaji's lack of seriousness. Kaji decides to show Shinji something special, and takes him to a secret garden patch in the Geofront where Kaji has been growing melon plants. While Kaji waters the plants, the two discuss what can be learned from such expieriences, and about Shinji's knowledge of suffering.

While at school, Toji is asked by Ritsuko to become the Fourth Child, and Pilot of Eva-03, though the others remain unaware of this. Shinji learns from Kensuke that Eva-03 is coming to Japan, and will be tested in Matsushiro, and that Eva-04 and Nerv second branch have been destroyed, none of which Misato has told Shinji anything of. When Misato is about to depart for the test, Shinji puts these questions to her, and tries to ask her about the selected pilot, but is interrupted by Kensuke, who has arrived at the apartment to (unsuccessfully) beg to be selected as the pilot.

Later at home, Shinji and Asuka are being looked after by Kaji while Misato is away. Shinji tires to learn the pilot's identity from Asuka, but she refuses to tell him. That night, Shinji tries to ask Kaji what his father Gendo is like, as Kaji is frequently with Gendo. Kaji tells Shinji that the Vice Commander is most often with Gendo. The two also discuss Misato.

Crisis

Crisis

Main Articles Episode 18, Episode 19

The next day during its activation test at Matsushiro, Eva-03 is taken over by the 13th angel Bardiel, and Misato and Ritsuko are caught up in the explosion. Commander Gendo assumes tactical control of Nerv, and orders Shinji, Asuka, and Rei to sortie in their Evangelions, and to intercept Eva-03/Bardiel, which is advancing on Tokyo-3. When Asuka and Rei are both defeated by Bardiel, Shinji is left alone to face the Angel in Eva-01.

However, Shinji is unable to fight when faced with the prospect of having to consequently kill the pilot who is still trapped inside. Bardiel, facing no resistance, proceeds to begin to throttle Eva-01. Despite Gendo's attempts to get him to fight, Shinji refuses, preferring to die himself rather than kill another person.

Gendo then orders Eva-01's control switched over to the Dummy System. Control is switched, and Shinji is left powerless to stop Eva-01's actions as the dummy system proceeds to destroy Eva-03 and Bardiel in a particularly brutal fashion. Over Shinji's pleas for Gendo to stop, Eva-01 tears out and crush Eva-03's entry plug in its right hand. Later, Shinji discovers that the pilot was indeed Toji, when he sees him being removed alive but severly injured from the smashed entry plug.

Upon returning Eva-01 to Nerv HQ, an Shinji seals himself inside Eva-01, threatening to destroy Headquarters and demanding that Gendo explain himself. Gendo orders the LCL pressue in the plug to be maximised, and Shinji is knocked unconscious. While recovering in hospital alongside Shinji, Toji apparently witnesses Shinji and Rei in the dreamscape train, arguing over Shinji's actions and his relationship with Gendo.

Shinji is imprisoned is subsequently brought before Gendo in handcuffs to explain his insubordination. Shinji declares that he no long wants to pilot an Eva anymore, and that he wishes to leave Tokyo-3 and return to live with his teahcer. Gendo allows this, telling Shinji he is disappointed to find him running away, and that they are unlikely to meet again. Shinji states that this is his intent.

Misato takes Shinji to a train station to depart, and reveals to him that all of his classmates in Class-2A where potential Evangelion pilot candidates. While Misato offers to maintain his Nerv security pass and security card, Shinji asks her not to, saying he will never pilot Eva-01 again. Misato is struck by how frankly he is speaking.

Before Shinji can leave, Tokyo-3 is attacked by the 14th angel Zereul, and Shinji is lead to a civilian shelter. Meanwhile, Eva-01 refuses to accept commands from either Rei or the Dummy Plug system, and Nerv is left to face the Angel with only Eva-02 and a damaged Eva-00. Asuka sorties in Eva-02, but is defeated by Zeruel. Eva-02's severed head crashes into Shinji's evacuation shelter, forcing the civilians out into the Geofront. Once outside Shinji meets Kaji at his garden patch, and learns that if the Angel makes contact with Adam in Terminal Dogma, all humanity will be destroyed in Third Impact. Shinji witnesses Rei make a desperate Sortie in a damaged Eva-00, detonating an N2 mine, but to no effect, with Eva-00 being subsequently struck down. Kaji reminds Shinji that only he can pilot Evangelion, and tells him to make his own decisions about what to do next.

As the attack continues, Shinji runs down to Eva-01's Cage in order to pilot again. At the Cage, he encounters Gendo, standing over the Eva-01 as in their first encounter. When Gendo asks why Shinji has come, Shinji replies that he is the pilot of Eva-01.

Zeruel penetrates Nerv HQ and Central Dogma and almost destroys the Command center before being stopped just in time by Shinji in Eva-01. The angel severs Eva-01's arm, but Shinji manages to get Misato to use the Evangelion Launch System to move the fight out into the Geofront. But before Shinji can win, Eva-01 runs out of power. As Zeruel proceeds to methodically smashes at Eva-01's now defenceless core, Shinji desperately pleads with the Eva to move, so that no-one else will die. At his final scream, Eva-01 suddenly awakens, stopping Zeruel's attacks and wrenching off part of the Angel to restore its severed arm. Eva-01's synchronisation rate is revealed to have reached over 400%, and Shinji is later found to have vanished inside the entry plug, having been absorbed by Eva-01. Only his plug suit remains.

Inside the Eva

Inside the Eva

Main Articles Episode 20, Shinji Inside Eva 01 (Dreamscape)

Shinji spends 30 days trapped inside Eva-01 while Nerv comes up with a salvage plan to rescue him. Nerv surmised that Shinji is alive, but his matter is dissolved in the LCL inside the entry plug. Meanwhile, Shinji experiences an extended dreamscape in which he examines his relationship with Gendo, Yui, and his reasons for piloting Eva-01.

After 30 days, Nerv attempt to salvage Shinji, but the attempt fails due to Shinji's own reluctance to return. The entry plug opens, spilling out the LCL containing Shinji's former matter and plug suit. However, Shinji is still alive, now fully absorbed into Eva-01. He experiences a flashback to his early infancy, remembering his mother. As Misato weeps, cradling the empty plugsuit, Shinji is reconstituted, intact and alive, out through Eva-01's exposed core.

Descent

Descent

Main articles Episode 21, Episode 22, Episode 23

Shinji returns to duty, but Eva-01 is placed under lockdown by Gendo, to satisfy The Committee. Shinji also returns to Misato's apartment, but home life becomes difficult. After Kaji's death, Misato breaks down crying after hearing Kaji's Kaji' last message on her answering machine. Though Shinji hears her crying, he is unable to do or say anything, and retreats to his room, realising he is still a child.

Shinji's relationship with Asuka also begins to break down. When Arael attacks from orbit, Eva-02 and Asuka are mentally attacked and incapaciated. Shinji asks to sorties in Eva-01 to rescue her, but Gendo refuses, maintaining the lockdown, and instead has Rei use the Lance of Longinus to destroy the Angel. Asuka is infuritated that she had to be rescued by Rei.

When Armisael attacks, Eva-00 is infected by the angel, and Asuka is unable to synch with Eva-02 to mount a rescue. As Eva-00 and Rei continue to be taken over, Gendo lifts the lockdown on Eva-01, and Shinji is allowed to sorties to rescue Rei. The rescue fails when Armisael attempts to take over Eva-01 as well, and to prevent this, Rei inititates Eva-00's self destruct, which destroys the Angel, Evangelion 00, and apparently herself. Shinji is stunned. Later he tells Misato that though he is sad, he finds himself unable to cry, and when Misato tries to comfort him, he refuses her contact. Upon learning that Rei is "alive", Shinji rushes to the hospital, noticing that his father is not there. He tells Rei that he is relieved she is alive, and thanks her for saving him from the angel, though Rei does not remember doing so.

Shinji later recieves a call from Ritsuko, informing him that his movements are no longer restricted. Shinji is lead to Terminal Dogma, and there witnesses Misato surprise Ritsuko at gunpoint. Ritsuko then leads the three on a tour of Nerv's secrets in Terminal Dogma. Ritsuko shows Shinji and Misato Rei's birthplace, and also the Eva Graveyard where she reveals to Shinji that he witnessed his mother's dissappearance during her contact experiment with Eva-01. When the three reach the Dummy system, Ritsuko reveals the tank of floating Rei's, and gives a monologue on the secrets of the Nerv and the Evangelions. After this Ritsuko destroys the floating Rei's, and asks Misato to kill her. Misato refuses, causing Ritsuko to break down. Shinji witnesses the entire event.

Shinji and Kaworu

Shinji and Kaworu

Main Articles Episode 24, Kaworu and Shinji (Relationship)

Afterwards, Shinji reflects on the connection he has felt between Rei and his mother Yui. Further developments leave Shinji friendless and alone after Toji and Kensuke leave Tokyo-3, Asuka runs away from home, and as he can no longer face either Misato or Rei. While contemplating this, Shinji first meets Kaworu Nagisa who is humming a tune by the lake shore. Kaworu is quick to befriend Shinji, and reveals immediately that he is the Fifth Child.

Following synchronisation tests, Kaworu meets Shinji who is loitering outside Central Dogma, as he is reluctant to return to Misato's Apartment. Kaworu invites Shinji to bathe in the Nerv public baths. In the baths, Kaworu tells Shinji that while his avoidance of contact with others means he will not be betrayed or hurt, it also means he will always be lonely. Kaworu touches Shinji's hand, and declares that he admires Shinji's sensitive nature, and that he even loves Shinji. Having nowhere else to go, Shinji later stays in Kaworu's room for the night. At Kaworu's prompting, Shinji begins discusses his life before coming to Tokyo-3, and his feelings about Gendo. Shinji wonders why he is doing so; Kaworu declares he may have been born to meet Shinji.

Later when Kaworu seizes Eva-02, taking it down to Terminal Dogma, Shinji is ordered to pursue in Eva-01. Shinji initially cannot believe that Kaworu is an Angel, and regards Kaworu as having betrayed his trust like Gendo. During the pursuit, Shinji tries to persuade Kaworu to stop but is forced to grapple with Eva-02, and witnesses Kaworu's AT Field in action. He also witness the effects of Rei's AT Field.

Kaworu reaches Terminal Dogma, finding Lilith. Shinji defeats Eva-02 and, seizes Kaworu in Eva-01's hand. Kaworu, having decided not to proceed with his original plans, tells Shinji choosing that choosing to die the only absolute freedom there is, and asks Shinji to kill him, so that humanity will not be destroyed. Shinji hesitates for a long time, but eventually crushes Kaworu in Eva-01's hand.

Afterwards, at the lake shore, Shinji mourns for Kaworu and tells Misato that Kaworu was the one who should have survived instead of himself.

The End of TV

The End of TV

Main Articles Episode 25, Episode 26, Instrumentality (EoTV)

Main Article Concurrency

Shinji spends the majority of EoTV in an extended Dreamscape, the majority of which apparently takes place after Complementation begins.

Shinji is shown to be tormented by Kaworu's death, and his own role in it. Amidst the introspection and imagery to which he is subjected, Shinji finds himself in surrounded in a mysterious fog. A vision of Eva 01 appears before Shinji, Shinji directly referring to the Evangelion as his mother. Shinji is also confronted by Asuka about his motivations for piloting. As Complementation proper begins, Shinji is shown experiencing a disassociation or disembodiment of a kind he feels he has experienced before.

During Complementation, Shinji appears before Misato, telling her that he must connect with other people to find out who he is, and asks Misato what it is that she wants. The Case of Misato Katsuragi begins, and amidst other images, Shinji is shown apparently observing a memory of Misato's week alone with Kaji, which seems to anger Shinji. When Misato's case ends, Shinji like appears before Asuka and asks her what she wants, as The Case of Asuka Langley Soryu begins.

Following these cases, Shinji appears in an empty auditorium, confronted by visions of people he knew in Tokyo-3 -- and even a vision of himself -- who explain that the empty place he now finds himself is part of the Human Instrumentality Project, and the "reality" he finds himself in is the result of what Shinji himself wanted. The Case of Shinji Ikari begins.

Shinji is confronted about his own insecurities, and told that humans must complement each other in instrumentality. Shinji and Asuka are both questioned by Rei about their reasons for living, for piloting their Evas, and for running away. Shinji is told that he can "run away", but he states that he no longer wants to. Shinji is confronted at length with this self-hatred, anxieties, and his dependence on piloting Eva 01 for others' acceptance. As instrumentality continues, both Shinji and Asuka are questioned further on their insecurities and desires.

Eventually, Shinji asks what he himself is, and the Dreamscape shifts to an even more abstract form, where Shinji examines the nature of his own existence. Shinji is shown floating in an abstract emptiness, which can alter at will, and where he can even change his own form to whatever he imagines. Shinji's form morphs in fantastic ways, but Shinji realises that he will eventually lose all image of himself, because he is alone in this world, and always will be. Upon this realisation, Shinji wakes in a vision of an alternate reality.

In this alternate reality, Shinji appears to have a normal, well adjusted life, in more idyllic version of Tokyo-3. His lives with his father Gendo, and mother Yui, who is alive, and is friends with Asuka. The two attend school in Class 2A as before, with Kensuke, Toji, and Hikari, but now Misato is teaching the class. A livelier, more animated Rei is also present, as a transfer student into the class, who immediately enters a likewise animated argument with Asuka, over the topic of Shinji. As the vision of this alternate reality fades, Shinji realises that such a life is a possibility for him.

Shinji returns to the empty auditorium. He is again confronted by visions of the people he knows, who urge him to change his negative perceptions of reality, of others' opinions of him, and of himself. Shinji lists his faults, and replies still hates himself; but Shinji also states that he may be able to learn to love himself. At this, the auditorium begins to crack. And as Shinji states that he is himself, and stands up to proclaim that it is all right for him to be here, the misty auditorium is blown away to be replaced by a bright blue landscape. Shinji is surrounded by applauding friends and family, who one by one proceed to congratulate him. Shinji smilies happily, and thanks them.

The End of Evangeion

Main Articles The End of Evangelion. Episode_25', Episode_26', Third Impact, Instrumentality

Main Article Concurrency

Air

Air

Main Article Episode 25'

At dawn, possibly the morning after Kaworu's death, Shinji stands by a lake, his hair wet with water. Later, Shinji goes to hospital Room 303, where Asuka is currently sedated. He tells the unconscious Asuka that Rei and Misato now frighten him, and begs her to save him, shaking her to try and wake her up. Asuka remains unconscious, and Shinji's desperate pulling only ends up inadvertently tearing open her blouse. On seeing her exposed body, Shinji proceeds to masturbate next to the still sleeping Asuka, ejaculating onto his hand. Upon concluding, Shinji depreciates himself.

On the night before the JSSDF attack, Shinji lies awake with his SDAT, but it is shown to have run out of batteries. The next day, after Seele's failed attempt to hack Nerv's MAGI system, the JSSDF attacks Tokyo-3 and Nerv HQ. As the attack commences, Misato orders Shinji into Eva 01, but he is soon found to have simply curled up under a stair somewhere in Nerv HQ. As the attack progresses Shinji is subsequently discovered by a group of JSSDF soldiers, who commence with his execution. A gun is placed to Shinji's head, with the soldier pausing for a moment to tell Shinji that this is nothing personal. But he can pull the trigger, Misato arrives in the nick of time, dispatching the soldiers and rescuing Shinji.

In a underground parking lot, as Misato listens in on a captured JSSDF radio, Shinji simply sits listlessly as before, not responding to Misato's calls for him to move on towards Eva 01. Shinji only silent calls for Asuka to save him. Misato berates him, and tries to drag his limp and apathetic form off the ground, with Shinji saying that he wants to simply die. Misato refuses to accept this, telling him that he can die later.

Main article Misato's Revelations

Misato drives Shinji to Eva 01 in her car via a chamber filled with the skulls of rejected Eva 00 prototypes. On the way, Misato reveals several secrets of Nerv to Shinji, including that humans are the 18th Angel, born from the Source of Life, Lilith. Shinji hears over the radio that Eva 02 has reactivated and that Asuka is alive. Farther on in Nerv HQ, Misato's car has crashes with a blown out tire and bullet holes. Over radio, Misato orders Asuka to destroy the Mass Production Evangelions which have just arrived, telling her that Shinji will be her backup. Misato again has to almost drag a limp Shinji onward.

Misato and Shinji reach an emergency elevator route leading to Eva 01, but are ambushed by a JSSDF unit who open fire. The pair escape behind a sealed door, but Misato is shot and mortally wounded. At the elevators Shinji sees that Misato has been shot, though she passes it off as nothing.

Main article Misato's Last Words

Opening the elevator to Eva 01, Misato again tries to persuade Shinji to move on, but he is still inert and self depreciating, and refuses to Pilot Eva 01, listing all his faults and failings, and preferring to do nothing. As Shinji continues to refuse to pilot, Misato gives an impassioned, desperate, speech in an effort to convince Shinji not to give up or give in to regret. At the end, she bequeaths Shinji her Cross necklace, kisses him deeply, and finally pushes him backwards into the elevator, sealing the doors behind. As Shinji ascends in the elevator, he notices what is either Misato's blood (or lipstick) on his hand, and begins sobbing.

As Asuka battles with the MP Evas in the Geofront, Shinji reaches Eva 01's Cage, but finds it encased in Bakelite. Over a radio, he hears Asuka's battles with the MP Evas, and later hears her calling that her own mother is with her. When Eva 02 is impaled by the MP Evas replica spears, Shinji hears Maya's screams over the radio, but is unable to get inside Eva 01. At that moment, Eva 01 moves of its own accord, shattering the Bakelite, and reaching its hand out to grasp the platform where Shinji sits. At this, Shinji exclaims, "Mother".

Final Sortie

Final Sortie

Main article Episode 26'

Shinji now inside its entry plug, Eva 01 sets off a giant cross shaped explosion which destroys the Nerv Pyramid. Sporting a set of wings, Eva 01 levitates out into the Geofront. Inside the entry plug, Shinji looks up to see the MP Evas eating Eva 02's eviscerated remains, and begins screaming. As Shinji screams Eva 01 breaks off its bindings, and at this, the Lance of Longinus rushes down from the moon, stopping only feet away from Eva 01.

The MP Evas use their replica spears to impale Eva 01, and carry it outside the Geofront and high into the sky. Shinji's own hands are somehow marked with Stigmata from spears. The MP Evas use their S² Engines to create an Anti AT field, unleashing a massive explosion completely destroying Tokyo-3 and the surrounding region, exposing the Geofront as Lilith's Black Moon. Below in Terminal Dogma, Rei betrays Gendo and merges with Lilith to become a Enormous version of herself. This Giant Rei grows out through the Geofront until it rises up to where Eva 01 is still suspended. Shinji to begin screaming in terror.

The MP Eva's AT Field begin to resonate, and they begin merging with Rei, their faces partially morphing into her appearance, and also spawning Fractal Reis as well. The sight of this shocks and terrifies Shinji to such an extent that when he screams again, Eva 01 screams in unison, and it's chest splits open to expose its core. As Shinji begs in the entry plug, unable to cope, Rei suddenly transforms into Kaworu, who asks Shinji if he wants to stop. Shinji is instantly put at ease by Kaworu's presence, closing his eyes and relaxing as the Lance of Longinus merges with Eva 01, forming the Tree of Life. After Eva 01 is enveloped, Shinji hears Yui telling him that Rei embodies his hopes and dreams, and asking him what does he wish for?

Pre 3I Instrumentality

Pre 3I Instrumentality

Main article Pre 3I Instrumentality (Dreamscape)

Shinji finds himself in a Dreamscape, first as a young child in a playground. he is asked by other "children" to help build a pyramid in a sand pit, but when these children depart with their mother, the young Shinji is left alone. He finishes but then destroys the sand pyramid in frustration, but afterwards attempts to rebuild it again.

Shinji continues through the dreamscape, seeing flashes of Asuka, Misato and Rei. He witnesses a memory of Misato's past, seeing a vision of her making love to Kaji. Shinji relives a memory of his first kiss with Asuka, but here Asuka berates him for not understanding her. Shinji protests, but Asuka reveals that she knows Shinji fantasies about her, seemingly including what he did in Room 303. Shinji is brought to the Dreamscape train, where he reveals his fears and frustrations about the ambiguity of his relationships with Misato, Rei, and Asuka.

Following this, Shinji arrives in a vision of the kitchen in Misato's apartment, where Asuka is sitting. There he again begs her to help him, but Asuka instead rounds on him, accusing him of simply being afraid of Gendo, Yui, Misato and Rei, and of never having learned to love himself, finally pushing Shinji to the ground, into a pool of spilled coffee. Shinji gets up, overturning the table and chairs, while still calling for Asuka help him. When Asuka again refuses, Shinji proceeds to strangle her.

Third Impact

Third Impact

Main article Third Impact

As images pass in the dreamscape, as Rei questions him, Shinji tells her that it is better if he, and everyone else, simply dies. Third Impact begins; A Colossal Rei, hundreds of kilometres in size, appears over the Black Moon, and ethereal Rei's appear inside the Geofront, liquifing the living and dead into LCL, with this process sweeping over the whole world. The Tree of Life, with Eva 01 still inside, is swallowed into an eye which opens in the Colossal Rei's forehead. Shinji momentarily wakes, and sees multitude of swimming Rei's floating around a giant core, and sees a vision the Tank of Reis, whose faces then change into his own.

Shinji sees a blur of visions and voices, including smiling visions of Misato and Rei, telling him that he can stop or run away if he wants, though Asuka's voice again rejects him. Shinji eventually sees visions of an another reality, and there asks Rei about dreams. Rei tells him that he is seeing a dream, and that reality lies at the end of his dream.

Shinji wakes inside a red seascape, seemingly floating between the earth and the moon, naked with a likewise naked Rei sitting over him, their bodies physically merging together. Rei tell Shinji that they are in the Sea of LCL, a place without AT Fields, where everyone has been joined into one. When Shinji tells Rei this isn't right, Rei tells him that if he wishes, everyone will be separated once again. Shinji says that this is fine, and thanks her.

The seascape shifts to blue, with Shinji lying in Rei's lap. He tells her that while he wanted to run away, there was nothing good in the place he ran too. Kaworu also appears in the seascape, which begins to shift to different landscapes. Shinji speaks with Rei and Kaworu, saying that the return of AT Fields means he will be hurt, but that he wishes to see others again as his feelings were real, a vision on the people he knows appearing as he does so.

As Instrumentality ends, Shinji see's a vision of his mother Yui, floating away from him into the depths of a red sea, as Shinji rises upwards. Yui asks Shinji if he will be alright, he responds saying that he does not know where to find happiness, but that he is himself. Shinji surfaces in the ocean, now coloured red. He sees the disintegrating head of the Colossal Rei in the distance, and wonders what his mother--still inside a now petrified Eva 01--will do now.

One More Final

One More Final

Main article Theory and Analysis: One More Final

An undetermined length of time later, Shinji lies next to Asuka on a beach beside the red ocean, the landscape around in ruins. Shinji turns is head to to Rei, floating over the water, who then disappears. Shinji sits up looking to where Rei was, then looks down at Asuka. Shinji then proceeds to climb over Asuka and begins to strangle her. Asuka does nothing other than raise her bandaged hand to Shinji's cheek. At this, Shinji stops, and begins weeping, then lets go of Asuka. and starts sobbing. Asuka looks at Shinji, and says "Kimochi Warui".

Profile and Relationships with Other Characters

Image	Name	Profile/Relationship	Main Page
	Shinji Ikari	Shinji is a damaged but compassionate individual. The death of his mother, and especially his abandonment by his father have left Shinji with difficulties in his relationship with others, and with himself.	See Shinji (Profile)
	Gendo Ikari	Gendo and Shinji have one of the most complicated but central relationships in all of Evangelion. The relationship is ostensibly one of mutual distance, but underlying feelings remain.	See Gendo and Shinji (Relationship)
	Misato Katsuragi	Misato is Shinji's guardian during his time in Tokyo-3, and also his commanding officer. Her status as adoptive parent is always in conflict with other aspects of their relationship.	See Misato and Shinji (Relationship)
	Asuka Langley Soryu	The confident, forthright and ambitious Asuka is Shinji's polar opposite in many ways, but the two Eva pilots share more similarities than at first appears. Shinji comes to rely on Asuka for more than just her piloting skills.	See Asuka and Shinji (Relationship)
	Rei Ayanami	Shinji and Rei are linked by mutual bonds to Gendo, Yui, and the Evangelions, which he is only dimly aware of. In time, Shinji slowly displaces Gendo in Rei's affections.	See Rei and Shinji (Relationship)
	Ritsuko Akagi	As head of Project-E, Ritsuko's relationship to Shinji is more professional than personal, and largely through Misato in both instances. But Ritsuko can be perceptive when it comes to Shinji.	See Ritsuko and Shinji (Relationship)
	Kaworu Nagisa	Kaworu enters Shinji's life for the briefest of periods. But in that time his life, and death, have the most profound impact.	See Kaworu and Shinji (Relationship)
	Ryoji Kaji	Practically the only adult male figure in Shinji's life. Shinji looks up to Kaji from the time they first meet.	See Kaji and Shinji (Relationship)
	Toji Suzuhara	One of Shinji's friends from Class 2A. After a rocky beginning, Shinji and Toji become firm friends.	See Shinji and Toji (Relationship)
	Kensuke Aida	One of Shinji's friends from Class 2A. Kensuke often knows more about what's going on at Nerv than Shinji does.	See Kensuke and Shinji (Relationship)
	Hikari Horaki	One of Shinji's friends from Class 2A. Hikari is the class representative	See Hikari and Shinji (Relationship)
	Yui Ikari	Yui disappeared into Eva 01 when Shinji was still very young. Though he can no longer remember her face, Shinji slowly begins to suspect who is really inside Eva 01.	See Yui and Shinji (Relationship)
	Pen Pen	Misato pet Penguin. He lives in the apartment with Shinji and the rest.	See Pen Pen and Shinji (Relationship)

Shinji in Other Media

See Shinji Ikari (Rebuild Character)

See Shinji Ikari (Manga Character)

In other Eva-based Manga

The Shinji Ikari Raising Project manga portrays Shinji as acting more like his manga counterpart since he's more confident about himself. Shinji here also is something of a pervert, which goes along with Shinji's personality in the possible world sequence of Episode 26 as well as Girlfriend of Steel 2 video game Shinji.

In the Girlfriend of Steel 2 manga, however, Shinji acts like his anime self, to the point where he doesn't have the perverted side of his personality that the Girlfriend of Steel 2 video game Shinji has. He also still acts shy and introverted around others, although he's friendly.

Trivia and Notes

Sadamoto showing how to draw Shinji.

• Ikari means "anchor" in Japanese, but written in different Kanji, it can also mean "anger". See Character Name Origins for details.

• "I mustn't run away" ("Nigecha dameda!" in Japanese) becomes a trademark line delivered by Shinji starting in Episode 1. According to Hideaki Anno, this was the phrase that came to him that inspired him to keep working on and finish Evangelion.

• In Episode 16, it's revealed that Shinji doesn't know how to swim.

• The two songs usually played on Shinji's SDAT are: Track 25 for "You are the only one" and Track 26 for "Blue Legend", respectively. The songs are from "Lilia from Ys", an image album for the "Ys" RPG series. The Vocalist is Kotono Mitsuishi, Misato's seiyu. However, Episode 02 has two Eva BGM pieces playing, while Episode 23 has a different vocal song for Track 25 instead.

• Shinji's birthday is the same day as his seiyu Megumi Ogata. This is a trait that can be found in several of the Evangelion characters, Rei Ayanami being an exception.

• According to an interview with Yoshiyuki Sadamoto featured in volume 2 of the manga, Shinji’s design is a male version of Sadamoto’s design for Nadia, the title character from Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, which Hideaki Anno also directed.

• XTC is the name found on the back of Shinji's shirt in Episode 22, which refers to a band in the real world by the same name. This New Wave band covers many of the themes that are associated in Evangelion. See example, Making Plans for Nigel.

Theories in Brief

Theory and Analysis:Shinji and Asuka's Relationship

References

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