Kaworu Nagisa: Difference between revisions

From EvaWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(major structure changes, added Origin section, minor tweaks to text)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{organize}}
{{Character Infobox
{{Character Infobox
| name_r      = Kaworu Nagisa
| name_r      = Kaworu Nagisa
Line 10: Line 8:
}}
}}


'''Kaworu Nagisa'''<ref>The name "Nagisa" is a pun. The Kanji character "Nagisa" consists of the Katakana "shi" and the Kanji "sha", forming the word "Shisha", or "messenger". Kaworu, after all, is the final messenger, and the word used for "Angel" in the original Japanese dub is "Shito", or "Apostle" (messenger of God)</ref> (渚カヲル) is the Fifth Children and a replacement Eva pilot<ref>Kaworu's [[Plug Suit]] has an inverted, divided triangle symbol on its chest rather than a proper number, though he was sent to be the replacement pilot for Eva-02.</ref> sent to Nerv HQ by [[Seele]]. At the same time, he is the 17th and (supposedly) final [[Angels|Angel]], designated "'''Tabris'''" (Arabic: تبريس), the only one to infiltrate [[Terminal Dogma]].
==Profile==
 
Kaworu<ref>The name "Nagisa" is a pun. The Kanji character "Nagisa" consists of the Katakana "shi" and the Kanji "sha", forming the word "Shisha", or "messenger". Kaworu, after all, is the final messenger, and the word used for "Angel" in the original Japanese dub is "Shito", or "Apostle" (messenger of God)</ref> (渚カヲル) is both the 17th Angel and the Fifth Children. Although classified as an Angel, Kaworu is similar to [[Rei Ayanami]] in being a [[Seed of Life]] inhabiting a human body. Despite his human form, Kaworu does not consider himself to be human, since he refers to humans as "the [[Lilin]]".


==Profile==
Kaworu appears humming the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the same music that plays during his descent into Terminal Dogma and so serves as a leitmotif for his character. The Ninth Symphony itself incorporates an adaptation Friedrich Schiller's Ode to Joy (''An dem Freude'', to Joy), a poem dedicated to the unity of all men under God. The moment Kaworu opens the doors to Terminal Dogma is in synch with the line "Und der Cherub steht vor Gott"- "And the Cherub (Angel) stands before God".
Although classified as an Angel, Kaworu is similar to [[Rei Ayanami]] in being a [[Seed of Life]] inhabiting a human body. Unlike Rei, he appears more comfortable in his identity, and also warmer and more emotionally open, although he does show a distance from human protocols and the same tendency to speak in universal rather than personal terms. He often refers to humans as [[Lilin]].


Unlike the Angels who came before him, but like Rei, Kaworu has a Lilin body, with no visible physical difference from a regular human except for very pale skin, light grey hair and red irises. Although his body is presumably composed of the same "[[particle-wave matter]]" as Rei and the Angels, it is impossible to say if he possesses a [[core]] and [[S² Engine]]<ref>Kaworu's origins are not revealed either in the TV series or in any official publications.  The only known information about Kaworu's past is his birthday- September 13, 2000, the day of [[Second Impact]], which has led many to speculate on how his creation might be linked to Second Impact.''See also'': [[Theory:Kaworu's Origins|Theory & Analysis: Kaworu's Origins]].</ref>.
For an in-depth analysis of Kaworu's possible motives, see: [[Theory and Analysis:Kaworu's Agenda]].


Though he seems to have been sent to destroy it, Kaworu shows a marked interest in human culture, as well as human issues of pain and loneliness. When Shinji first saw him, he was humming part of the composer Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the fourth and final movement "Presto - Allegro assai", more popularly called the "Ode to Joy" after the poem by Friedrich Schiller, from which it is adapted.  He then says that he considers singing to be the finest achievement of the Lilin(Human) civilization.
==Origin==
{{expand}}


Little is known of Kaworu’s motivations for representing an idealized friend to [[Shinji Ikari]], although his interest in Shinji might have stemmed from his interest in human nature in general, Shinji representing a prime example of human pain and loneliness. Apart from very quickly understanding Shinji's personality, he understood Shinji as Shinji had been wanting someone to do for a long time and was interested in Shinji's welfare without asking anything in return. He does seem to consider meeting Shinji as extremely significant after listening to what Shinji has to say about himself and his relation to his father during his overnight stay in Kaworu's room, but it is not clearly understood what Kaworu truly meant.
[[Adam]]'s soul was combined with human DNA (either during or after the [[Contact Experiment]]) to create Kaworu. Kaworu's birthday is the day of second impact, strengthening arguments that Adam's soul took [[Lilin]] form on this day to create Kaworu.  


During the battle while descending to [[Terminal Dogma]], Kaworu is manipulating [[Evangelion Unit-02|Eva-02]], but the manipulated Eva doesn't seem to put up as much of a fight as it possibly could under his control. While Shinji aimed for Eva-02's head and neck to incapacitate it, both of Eva-02's knife strikes were in the pectoral region where damage was limited. Kaworu might simply have wanted to delay [[Evangelion Unit-01|Eva-01]] as far as possible, so that he could use the Eva to realize his own death if necessary.
Since Kaworu was delivered to Nerv by [[Seele]], it is believed that Kaworu has been living under Seele's surveillance prior to his appearance in the series.


Indeed, Kaworu decides to willingly let Shinji kill him to let Lilin live and [[Angels]] remain dead shows. As the human incarnate of [[Adam]], a fact disclosed by the [[Seele]] monoliths, the sheer strangeness of the sacrifice is that Kaworu allowed Adam's (And by extension, his own) children to remain dead while letting the children of [[Lilith]] live on. 
==As a Pilot==


For an in-depth analysis of Kaworu's possible motives, see:  [[Theory and Analysis:Kaworu's Agenda]].
Kaworu is brought to Nerv as the Fifth Children to replace Asuka<ref>Kaworu's [[Plug Suit]] has an inverted, divided triangle symbol on its chest rather than a proper number, though he was sent to be the replacement pilot for Eva-02.</ref>, who is no longer able to pilot Unit-02. He is only able to pilot Unit-02's soul is in hiding. In his first test, Kaworu immediately achieves impressive synchonisation results. It later emerges that Kaworu is able to achieve whatever level of sychronisation he chooses with Unit-02.


Though he seems to have been sent to destroy it, Kaworu shows a marked interest in human culture, as well as human issues of pain and loneliness. When Shinji first saw him, he was humming part of the composer Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the fourth and final movement "Presto - Allegro assai", more popularly called the "Ode to Joy" after the poem by Friedrich Schiller, from which it is adapted.  He then says that he considers singing to be the finest achievement of the Lilin(Human) civilization.


In [[End of Evangelion]] Kaworu makes several appearances. A multitude of his appearances involve him appearing simultaneously in two places at once, which [[Yui Ikari|Yui]] and most notably, [[Rei Ayanami|Rei]]/Lilith demonstrate. Kaworu is present within the massive Rei/Lilith/Adam being and has control of the being for a brief period of time in order to bring down Shinji's [[A.T. Field]], but otherwise remains passive. Whether or not Kaworu's identity survived at the very end remains unanswered.
Kaworu appears comfortable in his identity (far more than Rei), and also warmer and more emotionally open. However he does show a detachment from human protocols and shares Rei's tendency to speak in universal rather than personal terms.


==As an Angel==
===Relationship with Shinji===
As the seventeenth and final Angel, Kaworu is given the angelic name [[Tabris]] (タブリス), as revealed in Newtype publications such as ADAM and used by [[Keel Lorenz]] in the Manga. As an Angel, Kaworu is associated with free will, which is considered a gift of God.
Little is known of Kaworu’s motivations for representing an idealized friend to [[Shinji Ikari]], although his interest in Shinji might have stemmed from his interest in human nature in general, Shinji representing a prime example of human pain and loneliness. Apart from very quickly understanding Shinji's personality, he understood Shinji as Shinji had been wanting someone to do for a long time and was interested in Shinji's welfare without asking anything in return. He does seem to consider meeting Shinji as extremely significant after listening to what Shinji has to say about himself and his relation to his father during his overnight stay in Kaworu's room, but it is not clearly understood what Kaworu truly meant.


Kaworu possesses the [[salvaging|salvaged]] soul of Adam itself, and wields all of the power that comes with it. His [[A.T. Field]] is described by the [[Magi]] as the strongest yet encountered (until it is surpassed by Rei's). Kaworu is observed using it for levitation, to control [[Evangelion Unit-02|Eva-02]], as a massive barrier that prevents the Command Center from receiving wave transmissions, and, (evidently) to bypass the [[LCL|LCL Plant's]] locking mechanism.  
===Relationship with Seele===
{{expand}}
Seele delivered the final angel to Nerv, as a tool to advance their schedule. Kaworu is seen talking with Seele before his final battle, and it can be assumed that he has been in previous communication with Seele (for example being briefed on his mission to enter Nerv as a pilot).


Kaworu, being the vessel for Adam's soul, is in effect Adam reborn as a human. By being both the First Angel (Adam, whose body and soul were seperated in Second Impact) and the Seventeenth and final Angel, he is in effect ''both'' the first and the last of his kind.  Kaworu is "born from Adam", and describes Adam as being the "Mother of us all". As Kaworu is the vessel for Adam's soul, that paradoxically makes him his ''own'' mother.
==As an Angel==
As the vessel for Adam's soul, Kaworu's designation is "'''Tabris'''" (Arabic: تبريس). As revealed in Newtype publications such as ADAM and used by [[Keel Lorenz]] in the Manga. Tabris (タブリス), the 17th and final Angel, As an Angel, Kaworu is associated with free will, which is considered a gift of God.  


Kaworu appears humming the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the same music that plays during his descent into Terminal Dogma and so serves as a leitmotif for his character. The Ninth Symphony itself incorporates an adaptation Friedrich Schiller's Ode to Joy (''An dem Freude'', to Joy), a poem dedicated to the unity of all men under God.
Unlike the Angels who came before him, but like Rei, Kaworu has a Lilin body, with no visible physical difference from a regular human except for very pale skin, light grey hair and red irises. Although his body is presumably composed of the same "[[particle-wave matter]]" as Rei and the Angels, it is impossible to say if he possesses a [[core]] and [[S² Engine]]. Tabris is the only Angel to infiltrate [[Terminal Dogma]].
The moment Kaworu opens the doors to Terminal Dogma is in synch with the line "Und der Cherub steht vor Gott"- "And the Cherub (Angel) stands before God".


==In Other Media==
Kaworu's human body is a vessel for the [[salvaging|salvaged]] soul of Adam itself, and wields all of the power that comes with it. He is in effect Adam reborn as a human. His [[A.T. Field]] is described by the [[Magi]] as the strongest yet encountered (until it is surpassed by Rei's). Kaworu is observed using it for levitation, to control [[Evangelion Unit-02|Eva-02]], as a massive barrier that prevents the Command Center from receiving wave transmissions, and, (evidently) to bypass the [[LCL|LCL Plant's]] locking mechanism.


{{expand}}
By being both the First Angel (Adam, whose body and soul were seperated in Second Impact) and the Seventeenth and final Angel, he is in effect ''both'' the first and the last of his kind.  Kaworu is "born from Adam", and describes Adam as being the "Mother of us all". As Kaworu is the vessel for Adam's soul, that paradoxically makes him his ''own'' mother.


===Sadamoto's Manga===
===Battle===
During the battle while descending to [[Terminal Dogma]], Kaworu is manipulating [[Evangelion Unit-02|Eva-02]], but the manipulated Eva doesn't seem to put up as much of a fight as it possibly could under his control. While Shinji aimed for Eva-02's head and neck to incapacitate it, both of Eva-02's knife strikes were in the pectoral region where damage was limited. Kaworu might simply have wanted to delay [[Evangelion Unit-01|Eva-01]] as far as possible, so that he could use the Eva to realize his own death if necessary.


Kaworu in the manga is portrayed differently from the Kaworu in the anime. Among other things, he is invasive of personal space and seems to have little understanding of the idea of privacy, walking right into the girl's bathroom to find out why Asuka is upset. His homosexual overtones, while debatable in the anime, are overtly evident in the manga--while Shinji is staying at Kaworu's has a nightmare during which he hyperventilates, Kaworu places his mouth over his to slow Shinji's breathing, as well as kissing him. When Shinji leaves his room he is sad that Shinji didn't even bother to say goodbye.  
Indeed, Kaworu decides to willingly let Shinji kill him to let Lilin live and [[Angels]] remain dead shows. As the human incarnate of [[Adam]], a fact disclosed by the [[Seele]] monoliths, the sheer strangeness of the sacrifice is that Kaworu allowed Adam's (And by extension, his own) children to remain dead while letting the children of [[Lilith]] live on.


Kaworu's introduction comes much earlier: he is first seen waking up in an LCL tube with Keel Lorenz talking to him, and speaks to Seele, who call him by his Angel name "Tabris" and refer to an agreement made between them. His arrival in Tokyo-3 is shortly before the battle with Arael. Shinji first finds Kaworu playing ''Ode to Joy'' on a piano in a ruined church, and Kaworu immediately earns Shinji's immense dislike when he breaks a starving kitten's neck as an act of mercy<ref>In the anime's original plan, Kaworu was that a boy with a pet cat, who could switch from "Human form" to "Angel form" at will. As in the manga, he was to appear earlier in the series (Although unlike the manga, he was to attack far earlier as well). Sadamoto seems to have made an ironic reference to Kaworu's initial concept with the kitten-killing scene.</ref>. At school, Kensuke thinks of him as "Creepy...something inhuman." When Arael attacks, Kaworu is a spectator in Central Dogma, and is disturbed by Gendo's use of the Spear of Longinus. After Asuka enters a vegetative state from the mental attack, Kaworu takes her place in the battle with Armisael, proving himself a spectacular Eva pilot, but refusing to reveal his true nature to the invasive Angel. Despite momentarily feeling Rei's love for Shinji, he tells him that Rei was stupid in sacrificing herself, drawing an intense outburst of violence from Shinji. Kaworu allows Shinji to kill him in the end, although he displays none of the self-sacrifice portrayed in the anime.
==End of Evangelion==
In [[End of Evangelion]] Kaworu makes several appearances. A multitude of his appearances involve him appearing simultaneously in two places at once, which [[Yui Ikari|Yui]] and most notably, [[Rei Ayanami|Rei]]/Lilith demonstrate. Kaworu is present within the massive Rei/Lilith/Adam being and has control of the being for a brief period of time in order to bring down Shinji's [[A.T. Field]], but otherwise remains passive. Whether or not Kaworu's identity survived at the very end remains unanswered.


===In Rebuild of Evangelion===
==In Other Media==


===Rebuild of Evangelion===
Kaworu appears in [[Evangelion 1.0]], rising from a coffin on the moon in sight of an Eva-sized giant in a white covering ([[Eva-06]] under construction).  He speaks to Keel Lorenz (via his monolith), agreeing that "the child" is progressing as predicted in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and saying that "The Third is still the same." He ends the conversation saying that he hopes to meet Shinji Ikari. Bizarrely, Kaworu appears to be capable of breathing and even speaking in the absence of air.  
Kaworu appears in [[Evangelion 1.0]], rising from a coffin on the moon in sight of an Eva-sized giant in a white covering ([[Eva-06]] under construction).  He speaks to Keel Lorenz (via his monolith), agreeing that "the child" is progressing as predicted in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and saying that "The Third is still the same." He ends the conversation saying that he hopes to meet Shinji Ikari. Bizarrely, Kaworu appears to be capable of breathing and even speaking in the absence of air.  


In [[Evangelion 2.0]], Kaworu is seen on the moon base (Tabgha base), when Fuyutsuki and Gendo approach it on an SSTO to inspect the construction of the new, Seele-built Eva-06. Fuyutsuki, looking out of the spacecraft window, observes Kaworu sitting on Eva-06's finger, clad only in his trousers, and wonders whether Kaworu is human or not. Kaworu greets Gendo as "Father"<ref>[http://forum.evageeks.org/viewtopic.php?p=389045#389045  Evageeks.org: Kaworu calling Gendo "father".] Retrieved 2011/02/19.</ref>, although the circumstances render it impossible to determine whether he used the word in a literal or metaphorical sense. Kaworu is seen putting on a plugsuit immediately before the battle with Zeruel, standing on top of the now-complete Eva-06, confirming that he is the new Evangelion's pilot. He reappears at the end of the movie and stops Eva-01 from transforming with a staff-like weapon thrown from his Eva, addressing Shinji and saying "This time, only you will find happiness".
In [[Evangelion 2.0]], Kaworu is seen on the moon base (Tabgha base), when Fuyutsuki and Gendo approach it on an SSTO to inspect the construction of the new, Seele-built Eva-06. Fuyutsuki, looking out of the spacecraft window, observes Kaworu sitting on Eva-06's finger, clad only in his trousers, and wonders whether Kaworu is human or not. Kaworu greets Gendo as "Father"<ref>[http://forum.evageeks.org/viewtopic.php?p=389045#389045  Evageeks.org: Kaworu calling Gendo "father".] Retrieved 2011/02/19.</ref>, although the circumstances render it impossible to determine whether he used the word in a literal or metaphorical sense. Kaworu is seen putting on a plugsuit immediately before the battle with Zeruel, standing on top of the now-complete Eva-06, confirming that he is the new Evangelion's pilot. He reappears at the end of the movie and stops Eva-01 from transforming with a staff-like weapon thrown from his Eva, addressing Shinji and saying "This time, only you will find happiness".


With the [[Third Angel]] dealt with by [[Mari]] at the beginning of Evangelion 2.0, there can be no doubt that Kaworu and Keel Lorenz were speaking of Shinji as "The Third (Boy)" at the end of 1.0. Why Kaworu is so intent to meet Shinji or how far he is involved in Seele's plans is, in the absence of anything more than a few mysterious utterances, a matter of speculation.
With the [[Third Angel]] dealt with by [[Mari]] at the beginning of Evangelion 2.0, there can be no doubt that Kaworu and Keel Lorenz were speaking of Shinji as "The Third (Boy)" at the end of 1.0. Why Kaworu is so intent to meet Shinji or how far he is involved in Seele's plans is, in the absence of anything more than a few mysterious utterances, a matter of speculation
 
===Sadamoto's Manga===
Kaworu in the manga is portrayed differently from the Kaworu in the anime. Among other things, he is invasive of personal space and seems to have little understanding of the idea of privacy, walking right into the girl's bathroom to find out why Asuka is upset. His homosexual overtones, while debatable in the anime, are overtly evident in the manga--while Shinji is staying at Kaworu's has a nightmare during which he hyperventilates, Kaworu places his mouth over his to slow Shinji's breathing, as well as kissing him. When Shinji leaves his room he is sad that Shinji didn't even bother to say goodbye.
 
Kaworu's introduction comes much earlier: he is first seen waking up in an LCL tube with Keel Lorenz talking to him, and speaks to Seele, who call him by his Angel name "Tabris" and refer to an agreement made between them. His arrival in Tokyo-3 is shortly before the battle with Arael. Shinji first finds Kaworu playing ''Ode to Joy'' on a piano in a ruined church, and Kaworu immediately earns Shinji's immense dislike when he breaks a starving kitten's neck as an act of mercy<ref>In the anime's original plan, Kaworu was that a boy with a pet cat, who could switch from "Human form" to "Angel form" at will. As in the manga, he was to appear earlier in the series (Although unlike the manga, he was to attack far earlier as well). Sadamoto seems to have made an ironic reference to Kaworu's initial concept with the kitten-killing scene.</ref>.  At school, Kensuke thinks of him as "Creepy...something inhuman." When Arael attacks, Kaworu is a spectator in Central Dogma, and is disturbed by Gendo's use of the Spear of Longinus. After Asuka enters a vegetative state from the mental attack, Kaworu takes her place in the battle with Armisael, proving himself a spectacular Eva pilot, but refusing to reveal his true nature to the invasive Angel. Despite momentarily feeling Rei's love for Shinji, he tells him that Rei was stupid in sacrificing herself, drawing an intense outburst of violence from Shinji. Kaworu allows Shinji to kill him in the end, although he displays none of the self-sacrifice portrayed in the anime.


===Shinji Ikari Raising Project (Manga)===
===Shinji Ikari Raising Project (Manga)===
In keeping with the SIRP's lighter tone and focus on comedy/domestic drama, Kaworu's primary role is as a rival to Asuka and Rei for Shinji's affections. There are several scenes in which he and Shinji interact in a stereotypical "Shoujo romance manga" fashion, marked by the use of stylistic devices such as flowery backgrounds and elaborate fonts. These scenes are played for comedy, as are the indignant reactions of others. Even in this lighter setting, however, Kaworu is still allied with SEELE for mysterious - and possibly nefarious - reasons.


In keeping with the SIRP's lighter tone and focus on comedy/domestic drama, Kaworu's primary role is as a rival to Asuka and Rei for Shinji's affections. There are several scenes in which he and Shinji interact in a stereotypical "Shoujo romance manga" fashion, marked by the use of stylistic devices such as flowery backgrounds and elaborate fonts. These scenes are played for comedy, as are the indignant reactions of others. Even in this lighter setting, however, Kaworu is still allied with SEELE for mysterious - and possibly nefarious - reasons.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 08:41, 16 March 2011

Kaworu Nagisa
Kaworu Nagisa
渚カヲル
Age 15
Birthday 09/13/2000
Seiyū Akira Ishida

Profile

Kaworu[1] (渚カヲル) is both the 17th Angel and the Fifth Children. Although classified as an Angel, Kaworu is similar to Rei Ayanami in being a Seed of Life inhabiting a human body. Despite his human form, Kaworu does not consider himself to be human, since he refers to humans as "the Lilin".

Kaworu appears humming the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the same music that plays during his descent into Terminal Dogma and so serves as a leitmotif for his character. The Ninth Symphony itself incorporates an adaptation Friedrich Schiller's Ode to Joy (An dem Freude, to Joy), a poem dedicated to the unity of all men under God. The moment Kaworu opens the doors to Terminal Dogma is in synch with the line "Und der Cherub steht vor Gott"- "And the Cherub (Angel) stands before God".

For an in-depth analysis of Kaworu's possible motives, see: Theory and Analysis:Kaworu's Agenda.

Origin

"Making something... Nurturing something is really great. You can see and learn so many things from the process."
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Please discuss this issue, or begin editing the page.


Adam's soul was combined with human DNA (either during or after the Contact Experiment) to create Kaworu. Kaworu's birthday is the day of second impact, strengthening arguments that Adam's soul took Lilin form on this day to create Kaworu.

Since Kaworu was delivered to Nerv by Seele, it is believed that Kaworu has been living under Seele's surveillance prior to his appearance in the series.

As a Pilot

Kaworu is brought to Nerv as the Fifth Children to replace Asuka[2], who is no longer able to pilot Unit-02. He is only able to pilot Unit-02's soul is in hiding. In his first test, Kaworu immediately achieves impressive synchonisation results. It later emerges that Kaworu is able to achieve whatever level of sychronisation he chooses with Unit-02.

Though he seems to have been sent to destroy it, Kaworu shows a marked interest in human culture, as well as human issues of pain and loneliness. When Shinji first saw him, he was humming part of the composer Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the fourth and final movement "Presto - Allegro assai", more popularly called the "Ode to Joy" after the poem by Friedrich Schiller, from which it is adapted. He then says that he considers singing to be the finest achievement of the Lilin(Human) civilization.

Kaworu appears comfortable in his identity (far more than Rei), and also warmer and more emotionally open. However he does show a detachment from human protocols and shares Rei's tendency to speak in universal rather than personal terms.

Relationship with Shinji

Little is known of Kaworu’s motivations for representing an idealized friend to Shinji Ikari, although his interest in Shinji might have stemmed from his interest in human nature in general, Shinji representing a prime example of human pain and loneliness. Apart from very quickly understanding Shinji's personality, he understood Shinji as Shinji had been wanting someone to do for a long time and was interested in Shinji's welfare without asking anything in return. He does seem to consider meeting Shinji as extremely significant after listening to what Shinji has to say about himself and his relation to his father during his overnight stay in Kaworu's room, but it is not clearly understood what Kaworu truly meant.

Relationship with Seele

"Making something... Nurturing something is really great. You can see and learn so many things from the process."
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Please discuss this issue, or begin editing the page.

Seele delivered the final angel to Nerv, as a tool to advance their schedule. Kaworu is seen talking with Seele before his final battle, and it can be assumed that he has been in previous communication with Seele (for example being briefed on his mission to enter Nerv as a pilot).

As an Angel

As the vessel for Adam's soul, Kaworu's designation is "Tabris" (Arabic: تبريس). As revealed in Newtype publications such as ADAM and used by Keel Lorenz in the Manga. Tabris (タブリス), the 17th and final Angel, As an Angel, Kaworu is associated with free will, which is considered a gift of God.

Unlike the Angels who came before him, but like Rei, Kaworu has a Lilin body, with no visible physical difference from a regular human except for very pale skin, light grey hair and red irises. Although his body is presumably composed of the same "particle-wave matter" as Rei and the Angels, it is impossible to say if he possesses a core and S² Engine. Tabris is the only Angel to infiltrate Terminal Dogma.

Kaworu's human body is a vessel for the salvaged soul of Adam itself, and wields all of the power that comes with it. He is in effect Adam reborn as a human. His A.T. Field is described by the Magi as the strongest yet encountered (until it is surpassed by Rei's). Kaworu is observed using it for levitation, to control Eva-02, as a massive barrier that prevents the Command Center from receiving wave transmissions, and, (evidently) to bypass the LCL Plant's locking mechanism.

By being both the First Angel (Adam, whose body and soul were seperated in Second Impact) and the Seventeenth and final Angel, he is in effect both the first and the last of his kind. Kaworu is "born from Adam", and describes Adam as being the "Mother of us all". As Kaworu is the vessel for Adam's soul, that paradoxically makes him his own mother.

Battle

During the battle while descending to Terminal Dogma, Kaworu is manipulating Eva-02, but the manipulated Eva doesn't seem to put up as much of a fight as it possibly could under his control. While Shinji aimed for Eva-02's head and neck to incapacitate it, both of Eva-02's knife strikes were in the pectoral region where damage was limited. Kaworu might simply have wanted to delay Eva-01 as far as possible, so that he could use the Eva to realize his own death if necessary.

Indeed, Kaworu decides to willingly let Shinji kill him to let Lilin live and Angels remain dead shows. As the human incarnate of Adam, a fact disclosed by the Seele monoliths, the sheer strangeness of the sacrifice is that Kaworu allowed Adam's (And by extension, his own) children to remain dead while letting the children of Lilith live on.

End of Evangelion

In End of Evangelion Kaworu makes several appearances. A multitude of his appearances involve him appearing simultaneously in two places at once, which Yui and most notably, Rei/Lilith demonstrate. Kaworu is present within the massive Rei/Lilith/Adam being and has control of the being for a brief period of time in order to bring down Shinji's A.T. Field, but otherwise remains passive. Whether or not Kaworu's identity survived at the very end remains unanswered.

In Other Media

Rebuild of Evangelion

Kaworu appears in Evangelion 1.0, rising from a coffin on the moon in sight of an Eva-sized giant in a white covering (Eva-06 under construction). He speaks to Keel Lorenz (via his monolith), agreeing that "the child" is progressing as predicted in the Dead Sea Scrolls, and saying that "The Third is still the same." He ends the conversation saying that he hopes to meet Shinji Ikari. Bizarrely, Kaworu appears to be capable of breathing and even speaking in the absence of air.

In Evangelion 2.0, Kaworu is seen on the moon base (Tabgha base), when Fuyutsuki and Gendo approach it on an SSTO to inspect the construction of the new, Seele-built Eva-06. Fuyutsuki, looking out of the spacecraft window, observes Kaworu sitting on Eva-06's finger, clad only in his trousers, and wonders whether Kaworu is human or not. Kaworu greets Gendo as "Father"[3], although the circumstances render it impossible to determine whether he used the word in a literal or metaphorical sense. Kaworu is seen putting on a plugsuit immediately before the battle with Zeruel, standing on top of the now-complete Eva-06, confirming that he is the new Evangelion's pilot. He reappears at the end of the movie and stops Eva-01 from transforming with a staff-like weapon thrown from his Eva, addressing Shinji and saying "This time, only you will find happiness".

With the Third Angel dealt with by Mari at the beginning of Evangelion 2.0, there can be no doubt that Kaworu and Keel Lorenz were speaking of Shinji as "The Third (Boy)" at the end of 1.0. Why Kaworu is so intent to meet Shinji or how far he is involved in Seele's plans is, in the absence of anything more than a few mysterious utterances, a matter of speculation.

Sadamoto's Manga

Kaworu in the manga is portrayed differently from the Kaworu in the anime. Among other things, he is invasive of personal space and seems to have little understanding of the idea of privacy, walking right into the girl's bathroom to find out why Asuka is upset. His homosexual overtones, while debatable in the anime, are overtly evident in the manga--while Shinji is staying at Kaworu's has a nightmare during which he hyperventilates, Kaworu places his mouth over his to slow Shinji's breathing, as well as kissing him. When Shinji leaves his room he is sad that Shinji didn't even bother to say goodbye.

Kaworu's introduction comes much earlier: he is first seen waking up in an LCL tube with Keel Lorenz talking to him, and speaks to Seele, who call him by his Angel name "Tabris" and refer to an agreement made between them. His arrival in Tokyo-3 is shortly before the battle with Arael. Shinji first finds Kaworu playing Ode to Joy on a piano in a ruined church, and Kaworu immediately earns Shinji's immense dislike when he breaks a starving kitten's neck as an act of mercy[4]. At school, Kensuke thinks of him as "Creepy...something inhuman." When Arael attacks, Kaworu is a spectator in Central Dogma, and is disturbed by Gendo's use of the Spear of Longinus. After Asuka enters a vegetative state from the mental attack, Kaworu takes her place in the battle with Armisael, proving himself a spectacular Eva pilot, but refusing to reveal his true nature to the invasive Angel. Despite momentarily feeling Rei's love for Shinji, he tells him that Rei was stupid in sacrificing herself, drawing an intense outburst of violence from Shinji. Kaworu allows Shinji to kill him in the end, although he displays none of the self-sacrifice portrayed in the anime.

Shinji Ikari Raising Project (Manga)

In keeping with the SIRP's lighter tone and focus on comedy/domestic drama, Kaworu's primary role is as a rival to Asuka and Rei for Shinji's affections. There are several scenes in which he and Shinji interact in a stereotypical "Shoujo romance manga" fashion, marked by the use of stylistic devices such as flowery backgrounds and elaborate fonts. These scenes are played for comedy, as are the indignant reactions of others. Even in this lighter setting, however, Kaworu is still allied with SEELE for mysterious - and possibly nefarious - reasons.


References

  1. The name "Nagisa" is a pun. The Kanji character "Nagisa" consists of the Katakana "shi" and the Kanji "sha", forming the word "Shisha", or "messenger". Kaworu, after all, is the final messenger, and the word used for "Angel" in the original Japanese dub is "Shito", or "Apostle" (messenger of God)
  2. Kaworu's Plug Suit has an inverted, divided triangle symbol on its chest rather than a proper number, though he was sent to be the replacement pilot for Eva-02.
  3. Evageeks.org: Kaworu calling Gendo "father". Retrieved 2011/02/19.
  4. In the anime's original plan, Kaworu was that a boy with a pet cat, who could switch from "Human form" to "Angel form" at will. As in the manga, he was to appear earlier in the series (Although unlike the manga, he was to attack far earlier as well). Sadamoto seems to have made an ironic reference to Kaworu's initial concept with the kitten-killing scene.



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


Angels
Angels (general)
First and Second Angels (Seeds of Life): Adam | Lilith
Third to Seventeenth Angels (Adam's Children):
Sachiel | Shamshel | Ramiel | Gaghiel | Israfel | Sandalphon | Matarael | Sahaquiel
Ireul | Leliel | Bardiel | Zeruel | Arael | Armisael | Tabris
Eighteenth Angel: Lilin
Rebuild of Evangelion: ?Adams? | Lilith | 3rd Angel | 4th Angel | 5th Angel | 6th Angel | 7th Angel | 8th Angel | 9th Angel | 10th Angel | 11th Angel | 12th Angel | 1st/13th Angel
Other: Extracanonical Angels