Shinji and Asuka's Relationship

"The story presented to the public was just a cover-up." The neutrality and accuracy of the article is disputed. It should be cleaned up to present unbiased information. Please discuss this issue, or begin editing the page.

"When Aoba called B Wing's construction sloppy he hadn't seen anything like THIS!" This article or section may require a cleanup to meet a standard of quality that isn't plain embarrassing. Please discuss this issue on the talk page and/or begin editing the page.

Despite not joining the cast until Episode 08, Asuka quickly becomes a pivotal figure in the narrative, both in her own right and in her interactions with Shinji. The complex dynamics of their relationship quickly become the heart of the show. Most aspects of the relationship, however, remain unspoken or denied and it is important to realize that what the characters say or do almost never directly corresponds to what they actually feel or desire. Thus it is up to the viewer to piece together their motivations from the unspoken or implied aspects of their actions.

It is often only by looking at the wider details of a scene, such as background conversations or framing that their true feelings are revealed. In many cases the clues to unraveling a scene can only be found in conjunction with other scenes. Finally, it is often the case that important information is transmitted visually rather than through dialog, so examination of screenshots is necessary.

Are They a Couple?

The short answer is yes, but certainly not as traditionally portrayed in this sort of story. As stated above, there is no closure such as their accepting their feelings and acknowledging them to each other and possibly to others as well. Rather, it is the evidence presented in the show makes it clear that they are the show's primary couple.

Through the action arc and into the beginning of the downswing their interactions follow many conventions of romantic comedy. They have an eventful first meeting, complete with instant dislike and sexual misunderstandings. Circumstances force them into continued proximity, with sexual tensions and slowly building mutual acceptance. Friends see a relationship of which the character's themselves are blind, either teasing or offering advice.

For example, this from Episode 17:

The classmates always know first
The pause in the second image before they deny their relationship typically shows that Toji's observation is correct. They are quarrelling like a married couple.

Another example would be in Episode 09. Misato has momentarily substituted Rei for Asuka in the synchro-attack training and Rei aces it the first try. After Asuka runs from the room Hikari says to Shinji: "Go after her! You made a girl cry!". On the surface, it's hard to understand exactly how Shinji is responsible. If anyone made Asuka cry it was Misato. Then you realize that Hikari has already figured out that they are a couple, and feels that it is Shinji's responsibility to protect Asuka from this sort of humiliation.

Finally they have their first kiss... at which point the trouble starts.

This is also supported in a more subconscious manner via clever use of cuts during important moments to force a parallel between the Shinji/Asuka relationship and that of Misato and Kaji. In episodes 9 and 15, for example, kiss attempts between Shinji and Asuka are immediately followed by scenes of Kaji and Misato engaged in the same. In episode 11 both pairs end up in compromising positions.

Shinji/Asuka and Kaji/Misato
comparison shots from episodes 9, 11, and 15

Episode 08: Introductions

Upon meeting Shinji Asuka seemed less than impressed, dismissing him as "dull", and resenting the attention he was getting. The radio program playing in the background during lunch, about a man whole girlfriend replaced him with a puppy reflects her feelings. Suddenly she had to share all the attention with another pilot. But when Kaji told her of Shinji's high synch rate his first mission, for which he had absolutely no training, she felt the need to impress him.

So she took him to visit Eva-02 in order to show off it's superiority to his Eva-01, reminding him that his is just the prototype. Just then an Angel attacks, giving her a real chance to show him just who is the superior pilot, forcing him to wear her spare plugsuit, which seems too tight in certain areas, and to accompany her in the battle.

But his presence made piloting difficult until they both synched with Eva-02 forcing them to work together to complete the mission and kill the Angel. So, at best she only proved herself his equal. From this point on she considers Shinji to be a rival. But is he anything else to her?

Asuka is Not Impressed
"Pleased to meet you...NOT"	You’re telling me that I lost to this puppy?	Asuka Shows off Eva-02.

Episode 09: Once Again They Must Work Together

Seeing Asuka in a positive light

Asuka soon becomes Shinji's classmate. It is at once apparent that she has gained respect for Shinji, greeting him with a cheery "Guten Morgen!", while stomping disdainfully on a locker full of love letters from her other male classmates. She also meets Rei at school and immediately identifies her as a rival.

Soon Asuka finds another opportunity to impress Shinji, and everyone else, with her superiority. When the Angel Israfel attacks, instead of coordinating her attack with Shinji, she rushes ahead and tries a solo attack. Defeat soon follows when Israfel splits into two Angels. The two halves easily defeat her and then Shinji. Disaster is averted only when the JSSDF temporarily imobilizes the Angel.

A humiliating defeat

Once again, they find that they must work together. Just one of them can't defeat a dividing Angel. It is determined that in order to force them to fight as a team they will spend every moment together training for a tandem attack. This includes living under the same roof, eating and sleeping together. Their tandem training seems to work to some extent. When their friends come to visit they answer in unison! Now comes the afore mentioned scene. When Asuka fails to match Shinji's moves properly, Misato substitutes Rei, who matches him perfectly the first time. Asuka storms out, humiliated. Hikari, who already recognizes Shinji and Asuka as a couple blames Shinji. He takes her advice and follows Asuka, giving her a pep talk she claims not to need. She does however, seem to realize that he's on her side after all. They redouble their training and are soon ready to fight.

On the evening before the second battle with Israfel Misato does not come home, leaving the children alone for the first time. Asuka then puts her increasing infatuation with Shinji to the test, pointing out that they are all alone. This hint goes completely over the socially inept Shinji's head. Misinterpreting his lack of response as a deliberate rejection, she angrily moves into Misato's room for the night, but not without bending forward giving him an impressive look at her cleavage. She also calls the bedroom door the "Wall of Jerico", warning him to stay out. The audience realizes that the Walls of Jerico fell down; Shinji doesn't figure out this hint either. In a flashback in Ep. 22 we find out this leaves her alone and dejected.

Later that evening she makes a bathroom trip, and subconciously lays down next to him, giving him another look at her cleavage. He almost kisses her, but stops when she cries out for her mother in her sleep. He realizes that she is also just a child.

Despite this misunderstanding, the battle is a success, the Angel defeated. At this point the almost kiss comes to light, revealing that he is interested in her after all. She reacts with (feigned?) anger.

Temptation
Asuka throws down the flirtation gauntlet, but her challenge goes unnoticed.

Episode 10, if at first you don't succeed...

Asuka presses her two advantages.

Following the battle against Israfel, Asuka learns that Shinji is not quite as immune to her charms as he had seemed. So she decides to keep at it; first tring to get him to man-up when he fails to protest their being left behind on the school trip, then showcasing both her physique and intellect by offering him help with his physics homework via a rather suggestive demonstration involving her breasts. When Shinji reacts with embarrassment, she once again pronounces him "boring", only to try to get his attention again when she sees him watching Rei. She ends the episode happy when he risks his life by plunging into molten lava to rescue her.

Episode 11: I'm in Charge!

Asuka takes charge.

When the three pilots are trying to make their way to the hanger during the blackout, Asuka attempts to impress Shinji and put her other rival, Rei, in her place by showing off her command abilities. At first things don't go very well; she leads them down the wrong path. But in the end she was the right choice as her plan defeats the Angel. She also feels the need to take the most dangerous role because Shinj rescued him the previous episode.

Episode 15: Is it just a kiss?

In Episode 15 Asuka dumps her blind date, and returns home. She tries once again to get friendly with Shinji by praising his cello playing. When Misato calls to say she'll be late, Asuka see's the chance to try once more to advance their relationship, pointing out, as she did in Episode 09, that they are all alone. She then suggests that they try kissing. She has to tease him into the kiss by suggesting the he's afraid that his mother is watching them from heaven, or maybe he's just afraid. However, she hides her genuine interest in Shinji by saying that she's just "bored", and that Kaji is the only one she wants. What she doesn't seem to realize is that Shinji doesn't read mixed signals well at all. Even though she holds their kiss to the point where she leaves him gasping for breath, due to his misunderstanding of her intentions, he shows no reaction at all. Furious and emabarrassed by his apparent rejection, she runs from the room and pretends to gargle to cover her true feelings. Once again, in Episode 22 we see what she really thinks of this.

Misunderstood Intentions
Shinji believes Asuka's lie that her kiss was just to relieve boredom, but it meant a lot more to her.

Episode 16: Asuka Surpassed

caught in the act

Soon after this incident Misato conveyed the news that he'd actually managed to beat Asuka for once in the synch tests. He was the best at something, and something that mattered! Feeling at the top of his game now he didn't bat an eye when Asuka challenged his piloting as they confronted Leliel. This led to some foolish and near-fatal consequences, but her appearance outside his recovery room confirmed that she wasn't indifferent to his existence anymore.

In Retrospect: Episode 22 Flash-Sign Montages

See this page: User:Ran1 for a complete interpretation of this following piece.

Asuka, during the Episode 22 Mindrape, is forced to come to terms with the nature of her relationship with others and society, especially in regard to her relationship with Shinji. In it, she engages in a dialectic with her inner persona, actively trying to reject Shinji due to his unresponsiveness to her, but in the end, realizing her need for him.

One More Final

(coming soon)

---

For more information, less accepted alternatives and objections, see http://forum.evageeks.org/viewtopic.php?t=3758