Dr. Katsuragi

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Age	Unknown
Birthday	Unknown
Seiyū	N/A

The mysterious Dr. Katsuragi (葛城博士, Katsuragi-hakase) is Misato's father, a dedicated and brilliant scientist up until his death on September 13, 2000 (during Second Impact). He has one scarce, silent appearance in Episode 12's brief flashback sequence.

Professional Life

Dr. Katsuragi's field was apparently energy research. His work eventually led him, in 1999, to the controversial Super Solenoid (or S²) Theory. Using the principles established therein, he hoped to create an engine capable of harnessing limitless amounts of energy ("helical energy"). His breakthrough somehow led to an entanglement, whether direct or indirect, with the shady organization Seele. In 2000, he was charged with the eponymous Katsuragi Expedition, under the banner of the United Nations and funded by Seele, to investigate a mysterious cavity that had been detected beneath Antarctica the year before. It's not clear why he was considered qualified for such a position.

An inert humanoid entity, designated Adam, was subsequently discovered within the subterranean space code-named the "White Moon". She possessed an organ that was double-helical in structure, which Dr. Katsuragi proposed was the source of Adam's power and operated according to the principles established with the S² Theory. While met with some skepticism, Katsuragi was ultimately vindicated, and Adam's own "S² Engine" was researched so that it might be artificially emulated.

Katsuragi's research team eventually undertook a "Contact Experiment" between Adam and a human test subject designated the "donor", although the exact details are shrouded in mystery. From what little is known, the experiment seems to have had little to do with Dr. Katsuragi's own specialty. While both the show and all official sources are silent on the issue, it has been suggested that the donor was none other than Dr. Katsuragi himself: in part for being the "better-qualified" of the two available named cast members, but more specifically for providing a counterpart to Yui Ikari's own undertaking in 2004. See: Theory & Analysis: Kaworu's Origins.

It is not entirely clear if Dr. Katsuragi knew as much about what the contact experiment with Adam would result in, as Gendo and Chairman Keel did. Certainly, Katsuragi knew a grew deal about Adam. However, it is unknown just how involved in Gendo and Keel's plans he was. Katsuragi may not have known that Second Impact would result from the contact experiment (as Gendo did), or he may have thought that he had the situation under control. It does seem that after Adam awoke and was about to initiate Second Impact, Katsuragi tried as hard as he could to lessen the effects of the explosion. Whether Katsuragi knew that Seele's actions were based on prophesies in the Dead Sea Scrolls also remains a mystery.

Personal Life

Katsuragi was a man who became totally consumed by his work, eventually coming to completely neglect his responsibilities as a husband and a father. Due to his absence, his wife developed chronic depression, and Misato lived a joyless childhood of being a "good girl" who helped shoulder the burdens her father left behind. Katsuragi's friends described him as being "sensitive and delicate", but Misato rejects this notion, believing him to be no more than a weak person who ran away from reality.

At length, Katsuragi's wife resolved to divorce him, with Misato fully backing the decision. Perhaps indicative of his level of detachment from reality, and even of naivete (Misato does, in fact, liken him to a kid), this development shocked Katsuragi. The young Misato mocked him, although she seems justified in her claim that he had "brought [the situation] upon himself".

Presumably, Katsuragi did not have primary custody of Misato. However, in 2000, Misato was present at the UN Base in Antartica, where the expedition team was located. Why she was there is unknown: Did Katsuragi force her to accompany him despite the wishes of Misato and her mother, or did something happen to his ex-wife, after which he accepted custody? No information is provided.

When the Contact Experiment with Adam (for which the expedition's leader would have certainly been present) went awry, Katsuragi escaped with Misato so that he might deliver his daughter to her best chance for survival. He and Misato were evidently caught in some kind of explosion, and, judging from Katsuragi's level of injury relative to Misato, it is possible that he used his own body to shield her from harm. In spite of his extensive wounds, he stayed alive long enough to place his daughter within the only intact escape capsule. Misato regards this as her father's "sacrifice", even though Dr. Katsuragi was already mortally wounded.

Before he died, he passed a pendant in the shape of a Greek cross on to Misato. No elaboration whatsoever is provided as to what this object meant to its original owner (e.g., if Katsuragi was a practicing Christian or if the cross was just a good-luck charm), although it functions as a versatile symbol throughout the course of the series.

Notes

• Dr. Katsuragi's full name is never revealed.
• Although he is completely silent in the original Japanese version, ADV chose to have him vocalize in their English language dub.
• Katsuragi's final moment with Misato is directly paralleled in Episode 18 when Misato wakes up and finds Kaji by her side. The situation as a whole is also heavily mirrored with Misato and Shinji in Episode 25'.
• While Dr. Katsuragi is regarding Misato for the last time, a drop of his blood falls and spatters onto her cheek. This is probably intended to represent a "tear of blood".
• A lingering shot of a tattered, blood-stained glove appears in the classified footage shown at the beginning of Episode 21' and DEATH. This is, in fact, the missing part of Dr. Katsuragi's left-hand glove.
• Dr. Katsuragi seems to briefly stare at his left hand the moment before he collapses. Combined with the bloody glove and the close-up of his lacerated hand, this would make three instances of attention being drawn to that particular hand.
• An image of Adam being excavated within the White Moon is included in the pre-Renewal version of Episode 23' and the Full-Length Opening video compiled by Masayuki. Three figures stand in the foreground with their backs to the camera, and it has been proposed that these are actually (from left to right) Keel, Gendo, and Dr. Katsuragi.
• According to Misato in Episode 15, her father was a member of Nerv, and she later joined that organization. Misato seems to have been simplifying, as Nerv didn't exist in 2000: the predecessor organization of "Nerv" was "Gehirn". Of course, Gehirn was essentially just renamed and reorganized into Nerv; Misato herself joined Gehirn a short time before it was reformed into Nerv, but she still refers to things "since I joined Nerv". It is not clear, though, if Gehirn existed in 2000 and Dr. Katsuragi was a member, or if he was a "member" of a United Nations research group which was itself a predecessor of Gehirn.

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 | 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