How was it that Shinji was the only person that didn't know?

[CyberXIII]

Like, having read the manga and seen Rebuild, looking back I have to wonder how Shinji was the only person that didn't know Touji was the Fourth Child or Kaworu was the final angel.

Everyone who met Kaworu knew from the get go something was up with him, even Rei 3, and she was almost a zombie up until after episode 24.

And literally everyone but Shinji somehow knew Touji was the pilot of EVA-03, even friggin' Kensuke knew before he did.

How was it Shinji was the last to know all this crap?

[Sachi]

Regarding Shinji's knowledge of Touji as the 4th Child: I don't believe this is his fault, since everybody who knew actively kept the knowledge away from him (in order to protect his feelings). The ones who did know were either on a need to know basis (Misato, Ritsuko), or they happened upon it by accident (Asuka). Kensuke had no knowledge of it until afterward, although he did make a joke to Shinji about Touji possibly being the new pilot prior to the incident. Rei was apparently aware of it, even before Touji asked her if she knew.

As for Kaworu: I'd chalk it up to Shinji's ignorance, as well as his desperation for companionship that made him blind to Kaworu's true nature.

[AuraTwilight]

For Kaworu, in the original series he's not exactly privvy to the sync test results of other pilots which made Kaworu suspicious, and in Rebuild everyone had a decade and a half to learn about Kaworu and all kinds of nonsense.

[Moap]

Shinji didn't think Kaworu was an Angel because he loved him and didn't want him to be an Angel, he definitely knew something was up with him though. Even when Shinji is told by Misato that Kaworu is an Angel he says something along the lines of, "I refuse to believe Kaworu is an Angel!" That's denial in my book.

[BlueBasilisk]

In Kaworu's case, there weren't many red flags that Shinji could have noticed. Seele's practically rubbing him in Gendo's face, and Misato's hot on Nerv/Seele's trail so everything about Kaworu's appearance is extremely suspect. Shinji isn't privy to any of that information so Kaworu would just seem like another (rather odd) kid.

[Reichu]

KAWORU: HELLO Shinji IKARI-KUN! DON'T CALL ME NAGISA, CALL ME KAWORU! YOU DON'T KNOW ME BUT I KNOW YOU SOMEHOW! AREN'T I FRIENDLY! AND STRANGE-LOOKING, TOO! NOTICE HOW I'M SITTING ON THIS BIG STATUE OUT IN THE WATER AND MY CLOTHES AREN'T REMOTELY WET! THE END OF THE SCENE WILL CONVENIENTLY CUT AWAY BEFORE WE CAN SEE HOW I GET DOWN, AS WELL! BY THE WAY, AREN'T YOU EVEN REMOTELY CURIOUS WHAT A 'LILIN' IS AND WHY I'D BE THROWING SUCH A PECULIAR TERM INTO CASUAL CONVERSATION?

Shinji: He's so nice...

[Iuvenal]

NOTICE HOW I'M SITTING ON THIS BIG STATUE OUT IN THE WATER AND MY CLOTHES AREN'T REMOTELY WET! THE END OF THE SCENE WILL CONVENIENTLY CUT AWAY BEFORE WE CAN SEE HOW I GET DOWN, AS WELL!

To be fair, we also don't see how Asuka got up on top of Unit 02 in her debut episode.

[AuraTwilight]

Also, Shinji did ask about how Kaworu knew his name and Kaworu did give a plausible explanation. "Everyone knows you're name you're fuckin' famous."

[Arcadia's legacy]

Reichu: Where the caps really necessary?

[Lavinius]

Reichu: Where the caps really necessary?

Don't backseat mod.

: ^)

[Sachi]

Don't backseat mod.

: ^)

Telling someone not to backseat mod is backseat moderating, btw.

[pwhodges]

Hey, a back-seat modding competition? Wow!

[unz]

KAWORU: HELLO Shinji IKARI-KUN! DON'T CALL ME NAGISA, CALL ME KAWORU! YOU DON'T KNOW ME BUT I KNOW YOU SOMEHOW! AREN'T I FRIENDLY! AND STRANGE-LOOKING, TOO! NOTICE HOW I'M SITTING ON THIS BIG STATUE OUT IN THE WATER AND MY CLOTHES AREN'T REMOTELY WET! THE END OF THE SCENE WILL CONVENIENTLY CUT AWAY BEFORE WE CAN SEE HOW I GET DOWN, AS WELL! BY THE WAY, AREN'T YOU EVEN REMOTELY CURIOUS WHAT A 'LILIN' IS AND WHY I'D BE THROWING SUCH A PECULIAR TERM INTO CASUAL CONVERSATION?

Shinji: He's so nice...

Also some weird arms as wings pose/tic as giveaway to the audience to facepalm through the whole thing