Shinji Ikari
Template:Infobox Neon Genesis Evangelion character Shinji Ikari (碇シンジ Ikari Shinji) is a fictional character from the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion and the movie The End of Evangelion. He is the Third Children (or simply 'Third Child' in the US version) and pilots EVA-01. He is the son of Gendo and Yui Ikari.
Shinji's story
Template:Spoiler Shinji becomes involved in NERV's war against the Angels when he receives a letter from his father with an NERV ID card and note saying "Come! -Ikari Gendo", and a cute postcard from Captain Misato Katsuragi, the commander of the Evangelion team. He is delivered to NERV's Geo-front by Misato, and pilots Unit 01 against the Angel Sachiel out of pity for a badly injured Rei. After the battle, Shinji is taken in by Misato, who acts as his guardian. Shinji manages to build a social life when he becomes friends with classmates Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida, something more than friends but not quite something else with Rei, and a love-hate relationship with Asuka. He also seems to be sexually attracted to Asuka, even masturbating over her comatose body (in the opening scenes of End of Evangelion) after both children suffered from severe mental breakdown. However, his relationship with his father remains strained, and Shinji's abandons his hopes for rebuilding their ties after battle with the Angel Bardiel.
Shinji's character
After losing Yui, Gendo left Shinji with a teacher when he was a toddler so he could focus on "Project Evangelion." This abandonment has caused Shinji to become very reclusive and avoidant of difficult or painful situations, using escape as a shield. He is often shown listening to his SDAT player with headphones, blocking out the world. He appears in some ways to be the opposite of the extroverted Asuka, though not as much as Rei does. He also is afraid of physical contact. Asuka tries to get Shinji to assert himself and even gets him to admit that he tried to kiss her when she was sleeping. In a later episode, Shinji kisses Asuka, at Asuka's insistence; Asuka pinched Shinji's nose so he wouldn't breathe on her and tickle her face, and washed her mouth out thoroughly afterwards. He is normally shy and timid, but when it comes to sexually attractive females like Asuka he becomes afraid and even more non-confrontational than usual. Shinji is also somewhat intimidated by Misato (who seems to enjoy teasing him in a good-natured way), although he is also irritated by Misato's drunken behaviors and slobbish housekeeping habits.
As an Eva pilot, Shinji is very reluctant, but he is given strength by his mother, whose soul is thought to be contained in Unit 01. Sometimes the Eva reaches Berserk mode - a state in which the Eva is activated without an apparent energy source - helping Shinji in his times of need. Once when Unit 01 went berserk, Shinji had exceded a 400% sync ratio and was basically absorbed within it, where he briefly met his mother. Shinji's estrangement from his father and his literally being inside Unit 01 is believed by some to represent the Freudian Oedipus complex. His apparent attraction to Rei, who is believed by some to be a partial clone of Shinji's mother, could also be seen as proof of this psychological aspect of Shinji's character; however, his attempts to gain Gendo's acceptance and love could be seen by some to counteract this idea. He may also be seen as suffering from the culture-specific psychological disorder taijin kyofusho and, from a Western psychological perspective, generalized social phobia (and developing avoidant personality disorder).
While he is acknowledged later in the series to be a skilled Eva pilot, he is never really shown to have any other notable skills, in contrast to the other children (Toji is athletic, Aida has immense knowledge of everything associated with the military, and Asuka is a 14-year old college graduate). However, he is a cellist. Right before he and Asuka kiss he is shown practicing, and during the alternate-reality segment of episode 25, a cello is shown lying in his bedroom. He claimed to not be very good, but he is shown both in episode 15 and in Death and Rebirth playing Bach's Cello Suite No. 1, which is widely recognized and very difficult (for the number of years he has played, he is actually rather talented, as anything more difficult than this piece often requires prodigious talent).
The series has caused debate over Shinji's sexuality. He is obviously attracted to Asuka, as is shown by his attempt to kiss her in her sleep, his arousal at the onsen, and the opening scenes of the End of Evangelion movie. However, his interactions with Kaworu, have caused some speculation. Shinji is unusually open and emotional when around Kaworu than around any of the other principal characters. The series gives no indication that anything sexual happens between the two, but the creators of the series have never given any clear-cut answers to the question, which has led to many different interpretations including Shinji simply being a heterosexual who engages in a strange type of relationship with Kaworu due to his apparent lack of love from anyone else to Shinji actually being bisexual. Fan fiction and fan art depicting Shinji and Kaworu as a fully romantically involved couple is quite common, and Gainax itself has produced some mildly suggestive (though not explicit) official art of the two together, although Gainax has never officially endorsed the pairing of Shinji with Kaworu or with anyone else. Gainax has published several Evangelion-based dating simulation computer games in Japan (unreleased in the United States) in which the player assumes the role of Shinji and decides with whom Shinji will be paired. In one of the most popular of these games, Koutetsu no Girlfriend (Iron Maiden, or popularly known in English as Girlfriend of Steel), Shinji meets a new girl at school named Mana Kirishima and the two strike up a close friendship with romantic overtones, making Asuka hotly jealous and leading her to try to sabotage the relationship.
Among fans, Shinji is something of a polarizing character, with fans either despising him for his (perceived) cowardice and self-hate, or sympathizing with him for his easily relatable human flaws and occasional moments of courage.
Anime Shinji vs. Manga Shinji
The Shinji of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's manga adaptation is considerably different from his animated counterpart. Although Shinji still has issues with his father and his past, he is portrayed as being considerably more violent, far more of an angry youth than a nervous character. One of the first things he does after being forced to attack Toji (who is severely injured and crippled in the anime, but actually dies of his injuries in the manga) is to try to punch his father, something he'd never do in the anime. He's also considerably more willing to burst out angrily in protest and voice his opinion - in the manga, Shinji loudly protests when Misato announces her plans to take him home to live with her; he does not do so in the anime. He butts heads with Asuka far more often and is very openly spiteful towards his father, although deep down he still wishes for Gendo's acknowledgement. Shinji in the manga is also much more smart-mouthed than in the anime. For example, after Toji and Kensuke witness Shinji fighting Shamshel, Toji asks Shinji to hit him as payback for having beat up Shinji earlier. In the anime Shinji obliges, but in the manga Shinji decides not to hit him at the last minute, cheerfully saying, "I'd rather have you owe me one. It's more fun that way."
Although fundamentally he is still the same, many prefer this Shinji, believing him to be a far more realistic character to come out of such a situation, not only because he is more assertive but also because many believe he just seems like what a neglected young boy would act like. However, others posit that this version of Shinji is actually less compelling, as he is closer to the "average" teenage male anime character and is therefore less flawed/interesting. Also, neglected children tend to become withdrawn, quiet, and submissive as often as they become aggressive.
Many also point out that the manga version of Shinji has an interesting parallel to his Eva unit, in that both share a frightening hidden rage.
Another possible reason for the change in his character in the manga version is his stronger bond with Rei. In book 10 (where Rei detonated Unit-00), between tears, Shinji let it be known that he doesn't want to lose Rei. The emotion of wanting to be with someone whom he cared for (and wanted to protect) could probably be better conveyed if his character was more aggressive.
Trivia
- Shinji Ikari was named for Gainax co-founder Shinji Higuchi.
- "Ikari" means "anchor" in Japanese. Alternatively, it can also mean "rage" or "anger," possibly a reference to Unit 01's infamous moments of going berserk or his suppressed feelings of anger and rage.
- One of the more memorable moments of Super Robot Wars Alpha 3 comes from Shinji telling off Kira Yamato of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED fame for his comments, presenting both a side to Shinji that the themes of Evangelion couldn't allow for and a source of humor for Eva and Gundam fans alike. Adding to the humor of this scene is the derogatory title of "Jesus Yamato" Kira had gained during Gundam SEED and its sequel, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, in ironic comparison to the themes explored in Evangelion. Coincidently, Hoshi Soichiro (Kira's seiyu) and Ogata Megumi (Shinji's seiyu) have both voiced Sanada Yukimura, a famous general of the Sengoku period, in different settings, and characters in Samurai Deeper Kyo. Also, in Gundam SEED, Kira's female guardian (Murrue Ramius) is also voiced by Misato's seiyu.
- If one were to look at Shinji's name in Japanese, the last three characters (in katakana) seem to resemble crudely drawn faces with the first having two eyes, the next only one and the third with four eyes. These appear to correspond with the number of eyes that Evangelion Units 01, 00 and 02 have (two, one and four respectively).
- Both Shinji's seiyuu (Megumi Ogata) and Misato's seiyuu (Kotono Mitsuishi) play Sailor Senshi in the anime Sailor Moon. Ogata is Sailor Uranus, while Mitsuishi is the title character.