Does Shinji's personality rub off on some people?

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Gus Hanson
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Does Shinji's personality rub off on some people?

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Postby Gus Hanson » Sun Nov 11, 2018 5:56 pm

Like many EvaGeeks, I practically grew up with the NGE TV series and movies. I kept repeating my favorite episodes and segments of the movies for hours on end. On the subject of Shinji Ikari, his whiny personality certainly doesn't endear him to many but as I think about it now, I noticed that the more I watched how Shinji for the lack of a better word didn't grow up, the more I adapted a similar way of looking at things which probably explains why my life got tough as I got older. Therefore, I have to ask whether fellow EvaGeeks have experienced this similar feel of cowardice and spinelessness that Shinji Ikari oozes inward and outward?
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Re: Does Shinji's personality rub off on some people?

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Postby ShonHam » Thu Nov 15, 2018 6:42 am

I wouldn't say that it's something that rubbed off on me, although his very defeatist and negative personality throughout the show does play on your mental state depending on your current mindset. For example, if one is typically depressive and watches the show, Shinji can potentially have an adverse effect on you.
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Re: Does Shinji's personality rub off on some people?

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Postby Jibe » Thu Nov 15, 2018 6:50 am

I feeled deeply concerned by all protagonists personnality ans feelings, but there Never has been any connexion with mines.

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Re: Does Shinji's personality rub off on some people?

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Postby ACGT-Samael » Fri Dec 21, 2018 1:11 pm

Honestly I was about as introverted as Shinji in my younger years, but that's where my similarities to him end. I'm generally considered a very outgoing and confident person, and that's put me into a position where I inspire others. That's why Shinji's character used to frustrate me so much; he spends a lot of time dwelling on his problems, and I'm very solution oriented. Having gained more experience with people facing depression I can definitely sympathise with Shinji and his problems, but I can't truly say I empathise with him. I know people who probably could, but I don't think they do.

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Re: Does Shinji's personality rub off on some people?

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Postby StrokeMeGoat » Sun Dec 30, 2018 2:39 am

I related heavily with Shinji when I first watched the series when I was 14, especially following a concussion that sent me into an intense depressive spiral, where I isolated myself entirely, developed crippling social anxiety, feelings of hatred for everything and self-loathing, as well as losing all sense of self-worth, and uncontrollable intrusive homicidal and otherwise violent fantasies stemming from rage that could be triggered by literally nothing at all.

Shinji was the one that encapsulated my lack of self-worth, social ineptitude, and trust issues (thinking people only ever wanted me around because I was useful to them in some convenient way and using me), whereas Asuka embodied more my anger issues, intense self-loathing, and overall hatred of basically everything. They were a yin and yang type of thing.

However, I used the series to teach myself to get better, mostly through poring over the TV ending eps 25&26, ep 24, and EOE (especially during HIP). I finally got myself to realize that my happiness (or lack thereof) was my own responsibility and I was accountable for my psychological state (and my life in general) and truly understood what all that responsibility entailed and accepted it. It still took several years to make any real progress, but it eventually paid off. So now, I would have to say that Shinji's personality and perspectives don't rub off on me at all any time I rewatch the series. It's possible for me to be miserable still, but once I'd truly learned all that I had and embraced personal responsibility, I really don't believe it's possible for me to go back to being a person that sees things the way Shinji does.

Now the people I relate to most are Misato and ESPECIALLY Kaji. I hadn't really realized until rewatching the series about 6 months ago just how similar our behaviors, attitudes, and pursuits are, our personalities are about as identical as two different people's personalities can get. Misato I feel like is very easy to relate to for anybody her age in a very general or I suppose generic (for lack of a better term) sense. Kaji may be too I guess, but for me, our similarities are highly specific.


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