Shinji Ikari (碇 シンジ)

Shinji Ikari is the Third Child ("Third Children" in Japanese), who pilots Unit 01. He is the son of Gendo and the late Yui Ikari. Abandoned by his father, Gendo, when he was a toddler, Shinji often ran away from difficult situations. As a pilot, he panics easily and reacts very poorly to unexpected events. Over time and with encouragement from Misato, he learns to be less cowardly, more outspoken, and more confident.


Since Asuka is constantly heaping him with accusations and blame, his most natural response is to withdraw and hide himself, both emotionally and literally. To make matters worse, Asuka only finds herself more and more frustrated by Shinji's failure to respond to her advances, and in turn only abuses him more and more harshly, which only makes him withdraw further, thus continuing the vicious cycle. Their tense relationship reaches a breaking point toward the end of the story; when Asuka's stress finally causes her to degrade into a completely withdrawn state, Shinji tries to comfort her, only to be coldly rejected.