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What are people's feelings on Shinji (Neon Genesis Evangelion?)

Ocarina_117

Ocarina_117

Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,562
I'm reflecting on the series having recently watched what's available on Netflix?

Quick side note: are the rebuild movies worth checking out?

Anyway... I'm unsure how I feel about Shinji. At the end of the TV series I felt a lot of sympathy for Shinji. Hes just a kid and he had a lot put on him in a short period of time. As someone battling depression, I found it easy to empathise with his internal struggles and found his ending in the series to be quite uplifting.

And then.... End of Evangelion.

The fuck :(
 
jack_package_200

jack_package_200

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,537
He is a kid who had insane pressure and shit thrust upon him. Most people let alone a kid couldn't cope with that.

That's not an excuse of his behavior.
 
Dice

Dice

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,209
Canada
A kid with a shitty childhood and an even worse remaining relative .... the "end of the world" isn't helping matters.
 
Temascos

Temascos

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,501
He's an interesting character, but as a person he's a mess.

Parental abandonment, confused sexuality, plus the whole Eva thing leads him down a destructive path. And sadly in NGE he's not the only one.
 
RROCKMAN

RROCKMAN

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
10,817
Poor Bastard

SRW makes him much more fun, and that's largely because he has friends who actually give a shit in those games.
 
Neoleo2143

Neoleo2143

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,462
Shinji is a kid who has far too much responsibility without much real emotional guidance to help him through it. That he ends up fucking up and being messed up and acting in some pretty terrible ways is unsurprising.
 
elyetis

elyetis

Member
Oct 26, 2017
4,550
I'm sure he is a better written character than what you find it most anime, he still ended up being the most infurating thing I ever watched watched and the reason I never gave anything related to eva ( movies ) another chance since.
 
RKasa

RKasa

Member
Jul 28, 2019
680
New Jersey
I preferred the manga version of Shinji (in the official adaptation, written and drawn by the show's character designer), who shows a bit of backbone every so often and is, overall, a bit more believable and relatable than the TV version.

As for Rebuild, I personally do not like those movies, and Shinji is one reason why. He's made to be even more unlikable, if you can believe it.
 
RumbleHumble

RumbleHumble

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,128
Part of what makes Shinji's story interesting is that, like most people's struggles with depression, anxiety, and existence, his arcs are cyclical with some variation between arcs. There is no "end" of the fight or happily ever after with Shinji. Instead, he is locked into a constant struggle with his own issues and selfishness, where the major victories are simply a matter of continuing to fight against his worst impulses. The act of continuing to exist is an act of victory in NGE proper.

But EoE is particularly cutting. The act of continuing to exist isn't merely enough there because, as framed through Shinji's relationship with Asuka, Shinji's own focus on his internal issues, his focus on fixing himself, harms others. To the point where Shinji resents others (specifically Asuka) for getting in the way. EoE, a year after seeing it for the first time, feels to me to be a call to action. It's not enough to merely exist. You must co-exist.

To get too personal: I get where Shinji is coming from. I struggle regularly with existence, depression, anxiety. That said, while I find Shinji relatable, I've never particularly loved Shinji. I think partly because, since he repeats many of the same struggles over and over, his arcs feel repetitive. I think partly because Shinji embodies so many traits I identify in myself that I don't like. Yet, I think those reasons are exactly what make him an interesting character to many people.

EDIT: I recommend giving yourself some time away from the series before getting into Rebuild. I jumped in immediately after watching the series and EoE and from the second film onward, couldn't stand it. I rewatched again recently a month ago and it far more interesting. It's best to treat it like Final Fantasy VII Remake.
 
toy_brain

toy_brain

Member
Nov 1, 2017
2,202
Ashby said:
how the fuck have I never seen this before lmao wow
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It kinda made me like Shinji's character a whole lot more, as it ends the series with him being a bit less of a dope and at least saying what everyone else was thinking.
Even if it is an entirely ad-libbed bit of nonsense Spike Spencer did for fun, and only shows up on a secret audio track.
 
AliceAmber

AliceAmber

Drive-in Mutant
Administrator
May 2, 2018
6,657
I think he's a very interesting protagonist, and reacts to many things realistically. I thought he was annoying when I was first watching the series as a teen, but as an adult its much more interesting.
 
Violence Jack

Violence Jack

Drive-in Mutant
Member
Oct 25, 2017
41,671
A 13 year old kid that is doing the best he can given his shitty childhood, the overwhelming pressure of the situations he finds himself in, and the burgeoning emotions along with the newfound feelings that come with puberty. I used to think he was annoying as fuck (which he still is at times) but it's hard for any of us to say whether we would've behaved any differently at his age.
 

Deleted member 18021

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,000
Shinji's arc isn't too different from Amuro's. The difference is that Amuro had Bright, whereas Shinji has Misato.
 
Garlador

Garlador

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
14,131
He's believably screwed up, miserable, and unpleasant to be around.

I know that's the point, but that doesn't mean I like him.
 
Dragoon

Dragoon

Banned
Oct 31, 2017
11,231
Garlador said:
He's believably screwed up, miserable, and unpleasant to be around.

I know that's the point, but that doesn't mean I like him.
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Pretty much where I'm at. Except for doesn't mean I like him = one of the most annoying MC I have had the displeasure to witnessing.

Great series still :)
 
RROCKMAN

RROCKMAN

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
10,817
MochaKoffee said:
Shinji's arc isn't too different from Amuro's. The difference is that Amuro had Bright, whereas Shinji has Misato.
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Not that you said it, if he had a char and a lalah to bounce off of he might have turned out better

Not having anyone to focus on killing or surpassing ment he was always stuck in his own head. But the inhuman nightmare angels you cant really assign those kinda human responses too.

Like who does he even have to blame for Karou's death?

His father?
The unfeeling Angels?
God?
Or himself?

He never had anything to focus on. Not until rebuild anyway
 
Dust

Dust

C H A O S
Member
Oct 25, 2017
32,160
The most realistic portrayal of what an actual 13 years old boy would be when met with scenario to battle to death in bizzare giant robot and surrounded by weird people.

Shinji still did decently all things considering, never understood the hate.
 
nded

nded

Member
Nov 14, 2017
10,558
A traumatized child who gets thrust into a horrific situation and reacts accordingly. He makes perfect sense as a character.
 
Trey

Trey

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,954
He's annoying and depressing because war and human extinction sucks.

So he's a great thematic character for the story Evangelion is telling.
 
Slammin_Hammon

Slammin_Hammon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
920
Shinji is pitiable. Dealing with depression is hard enough as is, and on top of it he has to deal with the impossible situation he has been thrust into.

As for the rebuild movies, personally I haven't enjoyed them nearly as much as the main series. They don't explore the characters nearly as well as the main series, and become closer to standard action fare. Shinji also makes some baffling choices.
 
TitlePending

TitlePending

The Fallen
Dec 26, 2018
5,339
Masterspeed said:
A depressed child with anxiety forced into life situations his mind and body aren't built for.
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This. Child with no family relationships to develop any kind of healthy foundation, yet the fate of the world is placed on the shoulders of a 14-year old.

He had nothing to root his identity to before Eva-01 and once Eva became his only thing defining his entity, it's no wonder he spiraled down once he lost the ability to pilot it.

The last two episodes of the TV series are still among the best for understand the concept of identity. It personally helped me immensely make sense of back in high school. Biggest take away for me (to paraphrase) -- "The only person who knows you, and understand you, is you. So you must take care of yourself."

Words I live by.
 
808s & Villainy

808s & Villainy

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
42,700
As a teenager I thought he was just a whiny brat even though I understood he had depression and was way in over his head.

As an adult I've grown to appreciate his character an actually see how unreasonable and fucked up everyone was to him. Plus I actually understand the final 2 episodes now, with Shinji rejecting instrumentality and realize he's literally the only character to actually grow stronger/better out of all of this (well, Rei too)
 
Chopchop

Chopchop

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,171
The guy is frustrating to watch, but the show also makes a point to show you why he is the way he is.
 
Diarrhea Day-Lewis

Diarrhea Day-Lewis

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,755
If I was younger maybe I would sympathize but watching for the first time last year at 31, I just think he and a majority of Eva's first 25 episodes are creepy and voyeuristic, especially since they put kids in sexual scenarios.

there are for sure some cool, and great set pieces and moments, but I could do without Shinji groping other female kids, even if it's supposed to be a joke, and imo the whole plot comes across like some middle school age boy who is an incel in training.

the ending is worth watching just because of how fucked the production got, and it certainly delivered on the weirdness so I don't regret watching it, but other than the theme song I have no desire to revisit it
 
Ralemont

Ralemont

Member
Jan 3, 2018
4,508
He has no qualities to cheer for which makes his place as a protagonist rather complicated. Instead of becoming invested in him and his successes and failures, I instead was forced by his very nature to keep an aloof distance from his plight and regard his misfortune and suffering with a sort of "seems like his life sucks" attitude.

But then, Anno's intention with the series seems to be built on a disgust and hatred for otaku and himself, while simultaneously and hypocritically profiting immensely from those same otaku both with tons of fan service within the series and extensive merch and licensing.
 
Multiverse Moo

Multiverse Moo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,426
Silicon Valley
I like him a lot better in the Rebuild series, despite him having serious issues in that too. Though he doesn't do "that" stuff like in EoE.

Definitely worth checking out the films, as it will be familiar but also very much not the same (and will slowly go completely off the rails...)
 
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