Why do people like Asuka?

[aznskills90214]

My friends and I watched the anime all the way through, watched EoE, and watched as much of Rebuild as has been released, and for the life of us, we just can't figure out why she some people's favorite character.
Like, I understand that she, like all the other characters, has a very intricate personality, and that we can't just dismiss her as "just a bitch," but... it is REALLY hard to look past that. I mean, like, REALLY hard. Other than the fact that she's human just like everyone else, and that her flaws stem from traumas that we can't imagine.... SHE SEEMS TO HAVE NO REDEEMING QUALITIES-- at least, none that other characters don't have.

Again, this feels like an ignorant question, but... a simple answer would be greatly appreciated.

[Chuckman]

I enjoy her on two levels. One, she's a lot like me. I find her character resonates with me more than Shinji's; the specific type of depression she represents is more in tune with my own moments of melancholy than his.

Two, I enjoy a deconstruction of the character archetype she represents. Besides being a specific examination of the anime tsundere character, she's a deconstruction of the more generalized "damaged girl that's vulnerable inside" archetype that's so common in fiction and a repudiation of the bullshit nice guy "if I just understand her trauma she'll melt into a puddle of cuddles" fantasy.

[aznskills90214]

So, if I understand correctly, you're saying that people like her because of how complex a character she is? Like... her "bitchiness" (for lack of a better word) is a result of her traumatic background?

First and foremost do people who like her, able to look past the fact that she's bitchy or do they embrace the fact that she's bitchy because it makes her more of a 3-dimensional character?

[Lorkhan]

I'll leave the floor to Bagheera on this one, since he'd explain it in a more eloquent fashion than I would, but I will say that once you (hopefully) understand the inner machinations of Asuka, you begin to find that the whole bitchiness factor is overshadowed. For me, I just find her more likable than a good portion of the cast, for whatever reason. I find her character development and how she goes about dealing with the world to be her most intriguing quality, bar none.

[aznskills90214]

I'll leave the floor to Bagheera on this one, since he'd explain it in a more eloquent fashion than I would, but I will say that once you (hopefully) understand the inner machinations of Asuka, you begin to find that the whole bitchiness factor is overshadowed. For me, I just find her more likable than a good portion of the cast, for whatever reason. I find her character development and how she goes about dealing with the world to be her most intriguing quality, bar none.

Umm..question who's Bagheera?

[TehDonutKing]

Baggy-kins (can I call you that?) is another user of the forum and I suck at describing people.

I like her due to being a gender swap of the hot blooded jackass seen in other shounen series. The “bitchiness”, as many eloquently put it, is part of the arrogant attitude in many male protagonists in other series.

[Final Messenger]

I like Asuka because she is a very well developed character that one can get very attached to and sympathize with. Also her bitcheness makes her totally hotter but in all seriousness her bitcheness and her thinking she is the best is all a facade and when she admits she hates herself you just want to give her a nice hug.

[Xard]

She's sexy

[Xana]

I used to wonder the same thing during my Asuka-hating phase.

I like Asuka now but everyone has different reasons to like her. I can relate to her, and I find her "bitchiness" (as some call it) to be charming.
And I dunno, maybe I'm a shallow person but something happened to me that I now can't resist the fiery-type personality characters. At some points in the series I enjoyed her more than Rei.

[the_seventh_child]

Asuka's my second favorite character, after Misato; when I first watched Eva back in middle school, it was more like 'lulz, she's hella entertaining, don't care if she's bitch, no siiiir!!11'.
On a second, past puberty-stage more serious rewatch, apart from the fact that a lot of her lines were still crackers, I guess her complexity and emotional issues etc. were something that you could relate to, or at least force you not to dismiss her flatly as a teenage pms little shit.

In a nutshell, I guess a lot of people, myself included, like her because despite her horrid childhood and trauma she went through, she manages to carry on and take pride in the most difficult task of the world; to save the world. (and yes, she carries on while not being dandy to everyone, but that is just a defense mechanism because blah blah bagheera will enter the stage in a little while and sum it up for me)

[Xard]

Asuka's my second favorite character, after Misato

hell yeah!

For me it really was also case of being very relatable at the time - as well as being superbly written, fascinating character in general.

[the_seventh_child]

hell yeah!

For me it really was also case of being very relatable at the time - as well as being superbly written, fascinating character in general.

Please don't like the same characters I do, that will subconsciously push me to consider liking a tad Ranka.

And yeah, she was definitely a character that left a huge mark; I like characters that make an impact, rather than just sitting around couch lock.

[Sailor Star Dust]

Asuka and Misato are my favorite of the females. (I like Rei just fine though.)

I like Asuka because of her energetic personality in the first half, and how her issues are explored and dealt with in the second half. Overall she's just fascinating like the rest of the cast.

Shikinami I have no real input on (since the NME series isn't completed yet--I'm sure I'll have plenty to say on her when it's over) other than she's cute, but no Soryu.

[Xard]

Please don't like the same characters I do, that will subconsciously push me to consider liking a tad Ranka.

funny as always


Anyway, Asuka was my favourite for years but during last 2 years or so my number uno has changed into Misato for variety of reasons. Asuka is still a very close 2nd though

FWIW the girl I've been interacting with a lot during this fall (and who is a huge eva fan) reallllllyy hates Asuka because she's such a bitch (Rei's her favourite). So OP, you're not alone

[Cody MacArthur Fett]

I like Asuka for two primary reasons, and many secondary reasons. The first primary is the girl is like the the frickin' Terminator, once she sets her mind to something she'll go after it like a wolverine, even while being boiled alive or stabbed to death, she just never gives up on the battlefield. The second primary is that, well, she's a Woobie; she suffered a horribly traumatic childhood, had no-one to turn to, and she's suffered with mental illness (BPD, PTSD, paranoia, suicidal tendencies, etc.) ever since then, and yet she still gets up every day and does her job right up until the day when her illnesses finally overtake her. Heck, I find it impossible not to like her.

[EveryoneGotTurnedIntoTang]

I enjoy her on two levels. One, she's a lot like me. I find her character resonates with me more than Shinji's; the specific type of depression she represents is more in tune with my own moments of melancholy than his.

Two, I enjoy a deconstruction of the character archetype she represents. Besides being a specific examination of the anime tsundere character, she's a deconstruction of the more generalized "damaged girl that's vulnerable inside" archetype that's so common in fiction and a repudiation of the bullshit nice guy "if I just understand her trauma she'll melt into a puddle of cuddles" fantasy.

What Chuckman said.

[KingXanaduu]

I suppose this could also double as an entry for the "Change of Heart" thread, but when I first watched Evangelion, Asuka was not my most favorite of characters due to her, as usual, "bitchiness". But after swiftly learning of her tragic background, she became much more organic to me than just simply being a shallow idol seeking attention. She eventually became one of my most favorite characters, not only by her gaining my sympathies, but also in the admiration of her strengths, where she walks and almost practically laughs in the face of such eldritch dangers and continues to fight despite all the traumas she has faced. True, she has faults, but they make her understandable and a whole lot more sympathetic. Next to both Shinji and Rei, she's one of my top favorite characters in the Evaverse.

[CJD]

Umm..question who's Bagheera?

Resident Asuka expert. I await his entrance, because his posts on Asuka are usually well thought out and interesting, even if I disagree with them sometimes.


Anyway? Why do I like her? Hmmm. Admittedly, I'm not good at describing things like this, but I'll try. I like her personality, I like her true personality, I partially identify with her (the extent to which varies by day), she's an interesting, believable character with flaws that make sense.

She's been through a lot, a whole lot, the world dealt her the damn near worst possible poker hand you can imagine, and it took a literal mind rape for her to finally break down. That's a resolve I wish I had, even if its' unhealthy. The thing is, she's complex. There's so many little things about her that I like, it's not like a more 2D character where I can say "Well I like him because he did/does X".


But, I can understand why people wouldn't like her. It takes a certain type of personality, just like it takes a certain, though probably broader, type to like Shinji.

[Fireball]

2 words

Anta Baka?

She was a goddamn asshole but a lovable goddamn asshole once you knew her background. She defines herself through piloting. As a competitive person myself with lack of parental attention I can relate to that. Constantly trying to prove your existence to feel good when you are at the top or feel like crap when you lose. God, there were moments when I flipped shit because I had to draw two cards in UNO. But that's besides the point...she was brisk and didn't give a rat's ass, she was so prideful but all she ever wanted was a hug. She broke completely, and yet she came back again throwing warships and ripping EVAs in halfs. She is the blazing sun to Rei's serenity, the firecracker to the protagonist's lethargy, the spice to one of the most iconic anime of all time. The show wouldn't be half as fun without her.

[Na7e]

Pretty much what Cody said. She suffers from a number of mental, and emotional issues. Yet, she would still go out, and pilot her Eva to the literal bitter end. Her resolve is what makes her great.

Second, I can look past her bitchiness. I just see a scared little girl. Who needs a lot of hugs.