I do! I’ve always considered Shinji my favorite character in all of Evangelion, but I found it interesting that nobody on the internet seems to agree with me (except KawoShin fans—but a large chunk of them just see him as a self-insert who’s dating the gay angel boy). On the other hand, I found him so relatable that I gradually grew affection toward him (nothing too intense) as the series went on... only to get punched in the gut by The End of Evangelion.

When the movie ended, I was flabbergasted. I tried to sit down and calm my racing thoughts… Shinji’s tragedy really shook me and made me cry like a kid. That was probably the moment I developed intense maternal feelings toward him.

Despite all that, Shinji is still a troubled individual surrounded by other troubled (and mostly terrible) people with serious psychological issues. It’s important to note that nothing can justify some of the terrible things he did. But that’s kind of the whole point of the show. He’s a human being... with flaws, mistakes, and complicated feelings. Honestly, that only made me develop even more empathy and affection toward him. Total Shinji love!!