Rei Ayanami
| Rei Ayanami | |
| |
| 綾波レイ | |
| Age | 14 (biologically) |
|---|---|
| Birthday | Unknown |
| Seiyū | Megumi Hayashibara |
Contents
Profile
Rei Ayanami is the First Children and exclusive Pilot of Eva-00. Officially, Rei Ayanami is fourteen years old, but it is stated that all records of her background have been erased. Unusually for a child her age, Rei lives alone in an decrepit apartment. Rei attends Tokyo-3 Junior high school and is a member of Class 2-A.
Rei Ayanami is most famous for her distinctive appearance. She has blue hair, pale skin, and red eyes. It has been stated that Rei's unusual appearance was intended by the creators of the series to make her stand out. Strangely, Rei's unusual appearance is never commented upon throughout the series, even by Asuka.
Rei is a vegetarian. This is seen in Episode 12.It is not clear whether this is by choice, or through quirk of her physiology. It should be noted that series creator Hideaki Anno is also a vegetarian, as was Nadia Ra Alwar of Nadia: Secret of the Blue water.
Outwardly, Rei can seem somewhat cool and aloof, often spending time on her own reading books. Yet, she can easily be confused by emotions, and is somewhat detached from her own. This is Most Obvious in Episode 6, when Rei finds her self unsure how she is supposed to feel after being rescued by Shinji Ikari. When Rei is invaded by Armiseal in Episode 23, the Angel forces her to feel her own true loneliness and pain. In the next scene, Rei is shown crying and not even understanding why she is crying. Episode 25 further shows that Rei has a deep despair and a wish to return to nothingness.
Rei has been shown to place no value on her own existence. In Episode 19 she states that If she dies, she can just be replaced. It is only in Episode 23 that finally we understand what she means by this. This is further shown by her indifference towards her own comfort or personal space. In Episode 5, she shows nothing but indifference to Shinji when he accidentally falls on top of her, in what would be seen as a compromising position. Yet, she is also aggravated enough when he makes disparaging remarks about Gendo Ikari to slap Shinji in the face for it.
Yet she is also capable of placing value in investing herself in people. She has a strong connection with Gendo Ikari throughout the series. Rei keeps a broken pair of Commander Ikari's glasses as an memento of his rescuing her after EVA-00's failed activation test shown Episode 4. It can be suggested that Rei is seeking to stave off her own despair, by investing herself fully towards the needs of one single person, in order for her to be recognized as a person.
As the series progressed, Rei began to distance herself more from the Commander. Meanwhile a bond of somesorts began to develop between herself and Shinji Ikari, beginning shortly after the attack of the Sixth Angel, Rei was shown talking with Shinji on several occasions, something stated within the series that she almost never does to anyone else. As the series finale approached, Rei eventually chooses Shinji over Commander Ikari, and allows Shinji to control Third Impact through her. She also destroys Commander Ikari's glasses, symbol of her bond with him.
Origin
Rei's true origins are revealed in their majority through Episodes 21 and 23. Rei Ayanami is a clone of Yui Ikari. On some level, she may also incorporate DNA from the Second Angel, Lilith. Rei Ayanami was created sometime between the year 2004, and 2008, as suggested by her appearance in Episode 21. At this stage, she is a child capable of walking unaided, apparently around four years old in 2010. She is later seen in 2015 apparently aged 14. This would suggest that on some level, Commander Ikari has the ability to manipulate her growth. In Terminal Dogma, a large tank of spare Rei clones are maintained. These are referred to by Ritsuko Akagi as being 'Spare Parts' for the Dummy Plug system. The Dummy System in Eva-01 also shows the name REI on it's side when it is activated during Episode 18. These clones are the origin of Rei's "If I die, I can be replaced" statement from Episode 14.
Rei's birthplace in Central Dogma is also shown in Episode 23. It is noted by Shinji Ikari as being remarkably similar to Rei's apartment. On the concrete walls, different states of quantum particle spin are painted. (UP, Down, Strange, Charmed, Top, Bottom). It is likely that this is where Rei spent the majority of her early years.
Rei's reason for creation was as a controllable link between Gendo Ikari, and Lilith. It appears to have been his intention to use Rei to control Human Instrumentality Project, and allow him to see Yui again End of Evangelion. The reason why the DNA of Yui Ikari was used is not explicitly stated. It may be due to Commander Ikari's desire to be with his wife once more, in whatever way possible.
In Episode 24, Shinji Ikari is able to make the link between Rei Ayanami and his own mother, wondering what Commander Ikari has planned for them. He also states in Episode 15 that Rei's hands while washing remind him of a mother's while she is washing the classroom floor.
Incarnations
Through the run of the series, Rei Ayanami died at least twice. On these occasions, she was apparently ressurected through the use of the Dummy Plug system. This is not without flaws, as is seen in Episode 23 when after her death fighting the Sixteenth Angel, Rei is apparently able to recognise that she is the Third Incarnation.
- Rei 1
Rei one was first Introduced in Episode 21. She is show as a small child wearing a simple red dress. She is later murdered by Naoko Akagi, for revealing the Commander Ikari referred to her as a 'useless old hag' behind her back. Whether this was Commander Ikari's intent, or Rei was merely innocently repeating what she had heard the Commander say privately, is a matter of speculation. Rei 1 is also shown alongside her two 'sisters' and Yui Ikari during Commander Ikari's final scene in End of Evangelion.
- Rei 2
Rei 2 was the incarnation of Rei for the majority of the series, until Episode 23. This Rei is shown to have a strong attachment to Gendo Ikari, and a building attachment to Shinji Ikari. It is likely that Rei 2 was created sometime after the death of Rei 1. Given that this occurred in 2010, this would suggest that in reality, Rei 2 is approximately four years old, despite appearing to be fourteen years old. She is shown with her sisters in Episode 26' wearing the same bandages that she first wore after being injured in Eva-00's failed activation test.
- Rei 3
The Third incarnation of Rei Ayanami is first seen in Episode 23, after the death of Rei 2. This incarnation of Rei shows little attachment to Gendo Ikari, attempting to break the glasses that Rei 2 had kept after being rescued by Gendo Ikari from Eva-00 after it's berserker accident. This comes to a head, when Rei-3 decides to betray Gendo Ikari. In Gendo Ikari's final scene in Episode 26' Rei 3 is shown naked with her sisters.
Rei's depiction in the anime
For information regarding Rei's psychology and for a examination of her character throughout the anime:
In other media
Rei Ayanami features in much of the officially licensed Gainax media.
- Rei features as a character in all officially licensed Eva manga: Evangelion Academy, Angelic Days, and Shinji Ikari Raising Project.
- Ayanami Raising Project is a dating game licensed by Gainax that features Rei as the main character.
- Neon Genesis Evangelion on the N64 features Rei and Eva-00 as playable characters.
- Akihabara Hobby released a 1:1 scale model of Rei in 2007 (along with a large model of Eva-01) as part of Gainax's Eva Works series.
- The OST The Birthday of Rei Ayanami features recordings of A Cruel Angel's Thesis, Tamashii No Refrain, and Fly Me to the Moon sung by Megumi Hayashibara, Rei's voice actress. The OST also features most of the music in NGE that came to be associated with Rei.
There is also much unofficial media circulating which is cantered around or featuring Rei: garage kit models, dojinshi, etc.
Manga adaption
In the manga adaptation by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Rei's character comes off as being a much warmer and more open, at least with regards to Shinji and despite having the same initial reaction to Shinji in the anime, she soon becomes Shinji's romantic interest.
Unique to the manga, in Vol. 01 she pilots Eva-01 against Sachiel and loses, her injuries seemingly being a direct result of the defeat. Though Vol. 03 of the manga includes the Eva-00 berserk incident from Ep. 05 of the anime, and seems to be implying that she received her injuries at that time. If so, then she was piloting Eva-01 while badly injured, and when Gendo tried to shame Shinji into piloting, he was threatening to send a severely injured Rei into battle for the second time that day! Including the Ep. 05 material may have been an attempt by Sadamoto to retroactively correct the source of Rei's injuries to match the anime.
For information regarding Rei's psychology and for a examination of her character throughout manga:
Rei in other Eva based Manga
Most notorious is Rei's appearance in the Girlfriend of Steel 2 manga. She is regarded by some as being Rei in Appearance Only (RiAO), in that while she shares the same basic character design, her entire personality is different. Being based on the AU from Episode 26, Girlfriend of Steel 2 depicts Rei as a bubbly and excitable transfer student to Shinji's school, almost a mirror image of her character in the original animé series.
In the latest Neon Genesis Evangelion Academy manga, Rei is seen to be acting in a much more Rei-like manner.
Rei in Rebuild of Evangelion
Rei as seen in Rebuild of Evangelion is much the same as her anime counterpart. So far, she has been seen to have the same relationships with Gendo Ikari, and maintains much the same distance from her classmates. Rei sits on her own while other members of her class are swimming, or talking in groups.
Two important differences are worth noting. After the battle with Sachiel, Shinji is visited by an apparition of Rei in the first of the Personal Hell traincar scenes in the movie series. Yui is heard repeating the names Shinji Ayanami, and Rei Ikari. Gendo replies how Shinji would've been named Rei, if he had been born a girl. It is possible this voice is of Yui Ikari within Evangelion Unit-01, but this hasn't been confirmed. Finally, in the few moments before Shinji wakes up in the infirmary, an apparition of a naked, and somewhat disturbing and demented looking Rei appears before him, in much the same way as the moment Eva-00 runs berserk in Episode 14.
Also, finally in the final scene where Shinji is with Rei in the entry plug of Eva-00, Rei is depicted holding the hand of Shinji Ikari.
Notes
- Rei in Japanese (レイ) is sometimes a synonym for "zero". Fitting, as Rei is the pilot of Eva-00. "Rei" spelled with different Kanji is the word for "spirit" (霊). Rei's name thus becomes a double pun, she is the pilot of Eva-00, and the vessel for the spirit of Lilith.
- Rei Ayanami's first name comes from the character Rei Hino of the anime and manga series Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon. This was done in an effort to get one of the series directors, Kunihiko Ikuhara, to work on Evangelion [1]. While this effort failed, some of the staff and voice actors of Sailor Moon did work on Eva as well, including one of Sailor Moon's series directors' Jun'ichi Satoh under the pen-name Kiichi Jinme. As well as the voice actresses Kotono Mitsuishi (Usagi Tsukino) and Megumi Ogata (Haruka Tenoh).
- In the original Japanese dub of the series the characters refer to Eva-00 using the half-English term "zerogouki" ("-gouki" = "unit"). "Reigouki", however, wouldn't be an entirely inaccurate alternate rendering of it's name.
- Rei Ayanami's first name comes from the character Rei Hino of the anime and manga series Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon. This was done in an effort to get one of the series directors, Kunihiko Ikuhara, to work on Evangelion [1]. While this effort failed, some of the staff and voice actors of Sailor Moon did work on Eva as well, including one of Sailor Moon's series directors' Jun'ichi Satoh under the pen-name Kiichi Jinme. As well as the voice actresses Kotono Mitsuishi (Usagi Tsukino) and Megumi Ogata (Haruka Tenoh).
- Ayanami (綾波) literally means "twill wave", the Kanji meaning "twill" and "wave". Ayanami was one of the Fubuki class destroyers of the former Imperial Japanese Navy. The Nihon Kaigun website's page on warship names[2] gives the (nonliteral) alternative "wave patterns" or waves "whose beauty suggests figures woven in silk".
- For a discussion over whether Rei 1's soul is present in Eva-00:
- See Eva-00's soul.
- For information regarding Rei's repeated association with the Moon:
- See Rei and the Moon for more details.
- For information regarding Rei's psychology and for a examination of her character throughout the TV series and manga:
- For an interpretation of Rei's monologue or poem:
- See Rei's Monologue.
- For an interpretation of the relationship between Gendo and Rei:
- In Episode 01, Rei mysteriously appears before Shinji in a brief instant before disappearing once more. This same scene is repeated during the final scene of Episode 26'. This effectively creates two "bookends" at either end of the series.
- See Rei's Ghostly Appearances and Quantum Mechanics for more information.
- Rei’s blue hair and red eyes are the inverse of Asuka Langley Soryu’s blue eyes and red hair, a visual reminder of their opposite personalities.
- Rei 2's and 3's height is 145cm (4'9").
| 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 |
