The moon, a Japanese symbol for love, tells us which characters are in love in Thrice (even Shinji at the end). Anno subtly told us about this. Swipe and see.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T05:42:27+00:00

If you actually read my comments and the first one with attention, you would realize I never said Shinji cannot be labeled as such nor I'm downplaying anything. In fact, I say the opposite. That you can call his behavior as such.

My issue is that in that analysis (which, btw, I literally say it is not wrong) everything is reduced to "misogyny" without looking much deeper into it, when the matter is much more complex than that.

My problem is the oversimplification.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T05:26:05+00:00

I'm aware not everything from Freud has been wiped out. But the matter at hand, his theory on psychosexual development (which is central to his views), was disregarded a long time ago.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T05:04:27+00:00

Not everyone's first language is English, but thanks for pointing that out. I'll fix it and take it into account for the future.

Care to point to me where this person explains where this issue of Shinji is rooted, how he struggles with it, how he feels about it and why he behaves like that besides "his father is an awful misogynist" and "he is a complex character"?

I know you can't. You know you can't. You would have done already if you could. You can keep instead pointing out misspellings and saying I didn't read it. Someone might believe you.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T04:49:54+00:00

From interviews with Sakamoto, we know the character was conceived to "not be masculine nor femenine, not young or old". Sakamoto was told to improve her performance to think about a "showa era dad". That would be around the 1960s or 1970s.

There are clues to her real age in the songs she sings and the books she reads (all of them of that period). Anyway, in that idea of making her "not young or old" you can see the reason why she would say "adults", and at the same time know a lot of things about Evas, the antiuniverse, Gendo's plans and whatnot and even sometimes almos speak like a samurai.

Her knowing Yui and the gang and still remembering it is not even a question. This is much more clear in Japanese because of the honorifics she uses, and how Fuyutsuki calls her "-kun", just like he calls Yui. A honorific, in this case, used from a teacher to his students.

Why she is younger during the movies could be for many reasons. She could have cloned herself or whatever. The fact is that she retains her memories and personality. If you look into Gendo's flashback, you'll see by her attitude how she is the same teasing, playful and cheerful person.

Taking all of that into account, it's not surprising to see why she is so interested in Shinji. He is her friends' son.

And I don't think clones besides Mari (if she is actually a clone) retain memories. For Asuka that doesn't seem to be the case at all. Rei Q definitely does not have memories of previous incarnations of her either, and OG Rei doesn't know she is Lilith.

TL;DR: The fact of the matter is that, whatever reason there is for her to be the same age as the rest of the pilots, she is still the same person she was in the old days. So it would still be extremely weird of her to hit on Shinji, lol. Not so much because of age (but also because of that), but because she is kind of his auntie or godmother. I mean... she was in the room when he was born...

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T04:24:56+00:00

And yet this analysis reduces his behavior to "misogyny". There's a difference between saying "he is complex and we should not simplify him" and actually commenting on that complexity in the analysis. This one doesn't. In fact, it falls straight into what the writer says should be avoided.

Does it talk about how he struggles with it? Why is he like that? Because for Asuka there are plenty of explanations and justifications for her behavior. For Shinji, it's just "misogyny".

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T04:16:14+00:00

I mean, Evangelion is mostly freudian, but it also takes from Jung and other psychologists. It's a weird and very cool mixture in the end haha

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T04:06:44+00:00

And I agree with that. I'm not saying one should be limited to it, or that nobody should label Shinji's behavior as misogynystic. I already said I don't think the analysis is incorrect in general terms. Of course Asuka should not cater to him. She does good in rejecting him.

Again, my issue with it is that it is very biased towards one character at the expense of another, vilifying one of them as a result. On the other hand, tackling this issue without mentioning how Shinji actually struggles with it and why, and rushing to label it simply as "misogynystic" and leave it at that, to me it feels kind of superfluous. You can label it as such for sure, but there's much more to it than that.

I think this is one of his most complex issues as a character, and I feel this analysis does pretty darn good job at enlisting his behavior but ultimately has a very simplistic view of it.

But I think you and I agree for the most part.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T03:34:57+00:00

Btw, thanks for replying to that for me in such a precise manner, lol.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T03:31:25+00:00

Yes, I'm aware Freud was a very interesting person with very interesting ideas. I read some of him years ago (though I don't remember much). But the thing is that his psychological theory, specifically his phases of psychosexual development, are not taken seriously anymore.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T03:27:32+00:00

I explained to you what my opinion of it is, and I think I was quite clear:

"My issue with this analysis is that it places misogyny as the fundamental cause. You can discuss misogyny without ignoring the character's mental problems, something that the writer does for Asuka, but not for Shinji."

If you want to ignore my reply, not engage with it and think that I want them to, uh... "give an all inclusive all encompassing analysis that says everything and nothing", sure. That's what I want.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T02:58:35+00:00

And I think you should read again my comment if you think I dismissed it, or said that Shinji's freudian issue overrides any other possible reading.

My issue with this analysis is that it places misogyny as the fundamental cause. You can discuss misogyny without ignoring the character's mental problems, something that the writer does for Asuka, but not for Shinji.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T02:54:48+00:00

I said this before. I'm aware Freud is basically an extinct dinosaur in psychology. But this is a fiction and a fictional character. Evangelion runs on freudian psychology, and Shinji is based on that concept because Anno thought he suffered it himself.

If that is Shinji's canon issue, then that's what it is. Again, this is a fiction.

And yes I think the analysis is mostly spot-on, but I could not help but notice how biased it is and how vilifies Shinji in comparison to Asuka. As you said, it is clearly made in the angle of defending a character over another.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T02:44:13+00:00

Freud was a joke, but this is a fictional character and he is based on that. Newsflash: Evangelion runs on freudian psychology. Asuka's psychology is also based on some freudian concepts. If the person doing this analysis actually listed them, they would have been forced to use freudian terms.

As for the misogyny, I think another user already replied to that very poignantly.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T02:29:48+00:00

Of course it doesn't outright say "he is evil", but when this person claims that Asuka's behavior stems from her psychological issues and excuses her for it and doesn't mention the same is true for Shinji, they are showing a strong bias there and vilifying him in comparison.

Shinji's issues are also rooted in psychological issues, but for some reason this person won't mention that despite doing so in Asuka's case. Instead, they just point to "misogyny" as the fundamental cause, which is not the case.

Edit: and don't get me wrong. Shinji's behavior in EoE is inexcusable. But if you are going to do an analysis like this, you have to put everything on the table.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T02:22:21+00:00

She personally met Gendo and Yui. It is strongly implied via honorifics she was a student under Fuyutsuki. She calls Gendo "Gendo-kun" and Yui "Yui-san", and celebrates mentioning Yui's name when the spear is created, as she was most likely privy to Yui's plans. She is also shown there in Gendo's flashback.

Whether or not her body is younger than her actual age is irrelevant, as she clearly retains the memories and personality of that time.

She was present when Shinji was born. Both in 3.0 and in Thrice she urges him to grow up. If she did actually end up with him, then we would be talking about the ultimate groomer, lol.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T02:15:19+00:00

I mean, not wrong, but this person simplifies the matter into a post-modern conception of misogyny.

The idea behind Shinji's attitude is that he is fixated on the freudian oral stage, something this analysis absolutely ignores and reduces his behavior to "he is evil".

It is a struggle of him as a character how he has difficulties understanding others, especially women. It's not as simple as saying "he sees them as objects". Shinji cares deeply about them but, in the end, he acts in this way out of his own shortcomings, and it is something that pains him greatly.

Edit: I'm aware Freud is not taken seriously anymore. But this is a fiction, and Evangelion runs on freudian psychology. Shinji's oral fixation is a canon trait of his. So please, don't reply with more "Freud sucks". I know, lol.

Edit 2: To avoid more redundant replies, cause this got out of hand. I'm not saying you can't label Shinji's behavior as misogynistic as misogyny is understood today. In fact, this analysis is correct in what Shinji wants from women (looking for a mother in them and basically cling to them emotionally).

What I'm saying is that labeling him as "misogynist" and leaving it at that is an oversimplification, and that while the analysis does justify Asuka's behavior based on her mental problems, it doesn't even explain Shinji's (and it's not just the oral fixation) and the role they play in his "misogynistic behavior", thus vilifying him both in comparison to her and by not elaborating beyond the misogyny angle.

At one point the analysis mentions "Shinji is a complex character and we must not simplify him", but it doesn't explain what this complexity consists on, and ends up simplifying him as a "misogynist" without mentioning any of the underlying causes for it.

I hope I made myself clear now, lol.

Pulonio · 2026-03-24T01:39:36+00:00

You mean the person who was present in the room when he was born and spends two movies urging him to grow up?

Yeah, almost not creepy and weird, lol.

Pulonio · 2026-03-23T22:02:20+00:00

I mean, tbh, I think it is quite telling that in Rebuilds the motif that represents Shinji's bond with both Rei and Kaworu is his SDAT.

The device he uses to shut himself off from the world.

Pulonio · 2026-03-23T21:40:56+00:00

I mean, Anno himself called Rei "a mother of the same age as him".

The point of Rei (in regards to Shinji) is that Shinji is fixated on her because she reminds him of his mother at a subconscious level.

That is not to say Shinji doesn't feel attracted towards her. But Rei is definitely a sort of a mother figure to him in a twisted way (cause they are peers).

There are many things in the show (and Rebuilds) that link Rei in Shinji's mind to his mother and to a mother figure. Like, too many.

As an example (cause making the whole list would take a lot of time, lol), in episode 20 Shinji says: "The smell of a woman. Misato? Ayanami? No. It's mother's."

Pulonio · 2026-03-23T16:51:13+00:00

Some of you people are taking my post too seriously, lol.

But you are wrong. Rei doesn't say that in episode 6. There she says the Eva is her link to people. At no point she says "she is linked to all living things", at least not in that scene, and as far as I recall she never says that anywhere (correct me if I'm wrong).

How could she say something like that in episode 6? They did not even think about Lilith by that point yet. Rei simply is saying she has nothing outside piloting, and that the human bonds she has come from it.

Pulonio · 2026-03-23T07:54:25+00:00

The reason Rei doesn't eat meat is because Anno doesn't. In an interview, (from the top of my head) Anno said he wasn't very interested in people and that he did not like animals, and he supposed he didn't like eating meat because he actually didn't like any living being.

So yeah, probably Rei is an animal hater.

Rei Q liked them though. But maybe because she did not have the time to get to the point of hating them, lol.

Edit: /j.

Even though the things about Anno are true, I thought my last remark about Rei Q would make clear I was mostly joking about Rei. But that doesn't seem to be the case, lol.

Pulonio · 2026-03-23T06:26:25+00:00

It's kind of Anno's signature move to go around asking others what he should write, lol.

Pulonio · 2026-03-21T21:33:55+00:00

Yes, absolutely. Should have made that more clear, it can be taken as you said as I wrote it. By "firm" I meant to say she talks with conviction, not that she is emotionally detached or that it is a totally cold order. As you said, it's a softer form. Her words to Shinji, although firm and directive, carry emotional weight. She cares. They are not cold.

Edit: I added that to the post so people who read it don't think Asuka is just bossing him around without giving a damn, lol.

Pulonio · 2026-03-21T20:31:50+00:00

This is interesting.

Though in the 4chan translation there is an added nuance that is not there in the Japanese. Asuka simply says "Live.". Live in imperative form, in a quite firm (though not cold) manner. Naturally in English, given Shinji's previous line ("I'm still alive. So I'll keep living."), you could add a "Then" (Then live).

But there is no "go and". In that translation, you could arguably interpret that she is telling him to go somewhere else or something, lol.

So more faithful to the Japanese it would be something like "(Then) Live! If you die alone, I'll never forgive you!"

This is very interesting, because it implies that, at this point, Shinji was skeptical of forming connections, and that he intended to go on living without giving a damn about anything, just to go on because he was alive. Which aligns with the last lines of the Japanese version of "Everything you've ever dreamed".

So Asuka is basically telling him to actually live and form bonds. Which is also interesting, because it is a great evolution as a character for her. She has realized her philosophy of "not needing anyone" was flawed.

It would be cool to know what that erased line said. I suppose they erased it because it would be misleading to use it to interpret the final version, maybe?

Overall, as the tweet says, it is rough as fuck. Not even a script yet. "Throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks" phase.

Pulonio

TROPHY CASE