How exactly do the children pilot the Evas?

[EllenKido]

Hey there folks, Just got here with a question for y'all. How does Shinji and the others pilot giant mechs with just two levers and a few buttons? They shouldn't be able to do all the stuff they do with such limited controls. In the Rebuild 2.0 movie we see Mari display some motion control with Unit-02, but does that also apply in the original series? Or they don't really need the controls at all, just a high synch-ratio?

[The Eva Monkey]

How does Shinji and the others pilot giant mechs with just two levers and a few buttons?

In the first episode, Ritsuko tells Shinji that he just needs to think about what he wants to do (like walking). And then it would seem that switches are for specific mechanical actions, like firing weapons. Beyond that, it's not detailed in full.

[EllenKido]

It's funny how it looks so easy to pilot robots in the Japanese media. Just look at the original Mobile Suit Gundam cockpit, almost looks like Evangelion's, but they don't have the excuse of synch-ratios or LCL.

[Firetrout]

It's funny how it looks so easy to pilot robots in the Japanese media. Just look at the original Mobile Suit Gundam cockpit, almost looks like Evangelion's, but they don't have the excuse of synch-ratios or LCL.

They are all supported by plot guidance systems.

[The Eva Monkey]

They are all supported by plot guidance systems.

I think this is going to be my standard response from now on.

[ChaddyManPrime]

Now that you speak of it Good Sir, I really wish they made the pilots wear helmets that looked like they were actually attached to the Eva's brain. It would kinda work like this [url]http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/health/brain-interface/[/url]

Or maybe they found a way to do it with Neural Connectors alone?

Or maybe When the Pilots are born the implanted with a chip like this [url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVfr0n-o2dQ[/url]

I've also seen one where they put a band around your head that allows you to control robots.

[Kendrix]

In the first episode, Ritsuko tells Shinji that he just needs to think about what he wants to do (like walking). And then it would seem that switches are for specific mechanical actions, like firing weapons.

This. They don't need more buttons because it's largely thought-controlled, hence why the pilots feel the EVA's pain, and why we hear all that babbling about nerves and brainwaves from Ritsuko and the technicians.

It's even possible that the levers don't do anything at all and are just there to give the pilot something physical to focus on.

[TMBounty_Hunter]

It's even possible that the levers don't do anything at all and are just there to give the pilot something physical to focus on.

It's much more likely that they're there to give the audience some technoporn.

Dynamic cockpit shots have always been a thing, and it persists because it's awesome.

[EllenKido]

They don't need more buttons because it's largely thought-controlled, hence why the pilots feel the EVA's pain.
It's even possible that the levers don't do anything at all and are just there to give the pilot something physical to focus on.

And I've found the episode that proves a bit of what you said. And that is, episode 3.

SPOILER: Show

When Shinji stabbed Shamshel, Unit-01 was holding the progressive knife with two hands, while the pilot himself was pushing just one lever to do that.
So this evidence proves that the levers are there just for the sake of the pilot to focus on something physical at times like these (and the buttons are for shooting guns, of course). Why would one lever control BOTH hands?

It's much more likely that they're there to give the audience some technoporn.

That's probably it. Some things are better left looking cool than making sense.

[Guy Nacks]

Magical farts.

[El Squibbonator]

What I always wondered is why the views from inside the cockpit seem to show such big windows, but if you look on the outside it looks like you shouldn't be able to see anything at all!

[pwhodges]

They're screens, presumably.

[NemZ]

The switches and whatnot are probably entirely about focusing on the techonological parts of evas systems such as the plug startup/eject, com links, various sensors, life support, etc. Not sure about weapons... are they controlled remotely or does the eva actually pull a trigger?

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

With the positron rifle, the Eva definitely fired it. With Asuka's mini version of that during the Kou/Otsu battle, I think she was pulling a trigger (but I would have to check to make sure.) During the Zeruel scene, there were definitely triggers pulled. I think the answer is that there are indeed physical switches.

[Firetrout]

What I always wondered is why the views from inside the cockpit seem to show such big windows, but if you look on the outside it looks like you shouldn't be able to see anything at all!

They're not windows as all anyone would see inside a plug would be the eva's organs, they're probably video-fed screens.

[EllenKido]

Hey there gentlemen! To definitely confirm the existence of physical switches, I ask you all to remember episode 3 once again.

Remember what Shinji said while stuck in his madness mantra?

SPOILER: Show

And also this..

So it is 100% confirmed that the pilots require these switches to effectively use their firearms.
Now how Shinji and the others see things from inside the Evas, I have no idea.

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Shinji could still pull the switch in the cockpit to remotely trigger a weapon, without the Evangelion's finger necessarily pulling an IRL trigger. That was the point of the discussion, I believe.

[Chuckman]

I've always assumed that the video feed/images are being pumped directly into the pilot's head and they cope with it by mentally projecting it onto the surface of the plug, which appears to be bare metal from the inside.

It might be different in rebuild. Looks a lot more like screens there.

[KingXanaduu]

One thing that has always bothered me was in the episode with Gaghiel, when Asuka and Shinji are in it's mouth, they somehow disconnect the Butterfly Controls from the "main socket", as I'll call it, and flip it upwards. Does anyone remember that? And what exactly was the purpose of THAT?

[Nuclear Lunchbox]

Because the plot needs to happen somehow. ;)

It was a pretty cool gimmick, though.