Shinji Ikari Evangelion Unit-01 Pilot (Eva Unit-01)
Shinji Ikari is the 14-year-old pilot of Evangelion Unit 01 and the main protagonist of the Evangelion series as a whole. He is the son of Gendo and Yui Ikari, the commander of NERV and an engineer who worked under Gendo respectively. Shinji was present during the experiment that resulted in his mother's death/disappearance, and his father abandoned him shortly afterward. Although his father is absent for most of Shinji's life, Gendo suddenly asks Shinji to go to Tokyo-3 and pilot Evangelion Unit 01 to fight the Angels. Although Shinji doesn't immediately realize it, piloting an Evangelion unit is tantamount to becoming the protector of all humanity. Taking on such a difficult task puts undue strain on the 14-year-old Shinji, both physically and mentally. These struggles and Shinji's attempts to escape or overcome them are at the heart of Evangelion.
Voice actor
Shinji is voiced by Megumi Ogata in the original Japanese dub. Meanwhile, Spike Spencer voices Shinji in the ADV Film English dub of the Neon Genesis Evangelion and Rebuild films, while the Netflix dub replaces Spencer with Casey Mongillo.
Character and personality
When talking with others outside of NERV or other missions, Shinji is generally kind and cheerful, though a bit tense and nervous. This unease is addressed by the characters in the Evangelion series, as Shinji is unsure how to express himself. The "hedgehog dilemma"—the idea that hedgehogs cannot get close to each other because they will hurt each other with their quills—is also mentioned in response to how Shinji often tries to distance himself from people. That said, he eventually becomes friends with a few of his classmates, such as Kensuke Aida and Toji Suzuhara.
Shinji expresses a range of emotions when it comes to piloting Unit 01. He is often docile and obedient when it comes to following orders, especially toward the beginning of the series. Many other characters tell him that he is the only person capable of piloting Unit 01, leading him to believe that he has no choice in the matter. When ordered by his commander to complete a given task, he is obedient and compliant. In Misato Katsuragi , he often responds with a simple "yes, ma'am." However, there are several moments in the Evangelion series where the stress and trauma of fighting the Angels become too much for the young boy. During these moments, Shinji believes that his personal lack of desire to pilot Unit 01 outweighs everyone else's hopes and desires. While this is considered a valid argument by many, there is always an event that occurs shortly after Shinji abandons his position as an Eva pilot that makes him reconsider. Ultimately, the existential ending that delves into the minds of the characters shows that the reason he keeps returning to NERV is because piloting Eva-01 is all he has; that is, being an Eva pilot is the only thing that makes him special. Shinji's memories allow him to conclude that the only praise he ever received came from the time he fought the Angels in his Evangelion unit.
Notable relationships with other characters
- Gendo Ikari: Shinji's father left him at a young age. For most of his life, Shinji had little interaction with his father until Gendo summoned him to Tokyo-3 to pilot Eva-01. After that, Shinji's feelings toward his father evolved into something more akin to hatred or contempt. Gendo also forced Shinji to perform several actions he strongly disagreed with, such as destroying Eva-03 with its pilot, Toji, still aboard. Forcing Shinji to perform such actions only worsened the relationship between them. Despite all this, Shinji was pleased when his father praised his work as an Eva pilot.
- Misato Katsuragi : Shinji's effective commander and guardian. Rather than letting Shinji live alone, she offers to let him live in her apartment, as they could both use some company. Although many of her classmates admit to finding Misato rather attractive, Shinji is rather dismissive, saying that she leads a very unkempt and listless life. Her classmates say that being able to see past her appearance and see what she normally looks like every day is what makes them a family, which gives Shinji comfort.
- Rei Ayanami : Another Eva pilot who works with Shinji. Shinji is shown to have an unusual interest in Rei from the first time they meet. He often finds himself staring at her unknowingly and for no reason. Since they both have difficulty expressing themselves, their first legitimate interaction in Rei's apartment was an extremely awkward exchange. However, over time, they begin to learn to work together.
- Asuka Langely Soryu : Another Eva pilot who works with Shinji. Asuka is the confident and competitive pilot of Eva-02. She also ends up living with Shinji in Misato's apartment, which leads to several awkward teenage interactions. Shinji and Asuka are often seen bickering, showing that their relationship can sometimes be more of a rivalry than a friendship.
