So does Shinji like Asuka?

[chee]

S&A joining forces with the A-Team to fight Post-3I Zombies would be awesome.

Oh, and don't be frightened by Crash. If you have a strong stomach, have a high tolerance for sexual content, and are good at deciphering cryptic/hidden subtext (and since you're an NGE fan, all of those probably apply to you), you'll be rewarded with one of the most beautifully-shot and subtly (VERY subtly) thought-provoking films of the 90's. But then again, i'm a Cronenberg fan, so my opinion's probably a little biased.

[CorporalChaos]

(For those who get the reference: I am so, so sorry.)

Oh god, I think curiosity just killed this cat, and left him to rot for good measure.

Anyway, do they? Asuka is kinda shown to have feelings for Shinji, but does Shinji? Does he just turn to Asuka because she's the only one left that doesn't scare him? I don't know, really. Whether its just an unrequited love from Asuka, I'll probably never be absolutely sure.

[Sailor Star Dust]

From what I gather, Shinji seems to admire her as a pilot as well as find Asuka physically attractive (lol Episode 9 and start of 25')... With liking her, I dunno, maybe he also feels that "{because} I'm just like you."; they are similar. Either way, he certinaly seems happy when he's around her (during the few times Asuka doesn't have a total bug up her ass that is, for instance episodes 15, 10 as well as their brief dinner talk scene in 22'). Shinji likes her romantically, too, but in terms of why or anything, I'm stumped about that myself. :(


@ chee: I actually don't have a strong stomach, so count me out. It's seriously a wonder why EoE didn't freak me out except for the creepy expression on Lilith's face during the Komm Susser Tod scene.

[CorporalChaos]

Shinji likes her romantically, too, but in terms of why or anything, I'm stumped about that myself. :(

Shinji's 14. He doesn't need a reason.

[Sailor Star Dust]

Hmm. Good point.

[the_seventh_child]

Shinji likes her romantically, too, but in terms of why or anything, I'm stumped about that myself. :(

Classic story: Shy boy meets hot girl. He likes her, she pretends (?) she doesn't. Gives him a hard time, but he gets her crap because he still likes her. Now that's when EoE made its appearance. Pretty much that, with some Anno's mindfuck around.

[Incisivis]

Shinji likes her romantically, too, but in terms of why or anything, I'm stumped about that myself. :(

Actually, I'm more stumped as to why Asuka likes *him*.

...I'd rather concentrate on the characters as their own entities, instead of falling back on stereotypes. Lazy, lazy.

My take is that Shinji is attracted to Asuka partly because her bullying makes him come out of his shell, temporarily, to argue with her and protest. He does know that that's not her intention, but he's addicted to it, in a way.

And he does admire her vigour and enthusiasm, and I guess she'd be considered hot, yeah.

[Mr. Tines]

Actually, I'm more stumped as to why Asuka likes *him*.

Ditto. Reluctantly and half-heartedly for lack of alternatives is my best guess.

[CorporalChaos]

My take is that Shinji is attracted to Asuka partly because her bullying makes him come out of his shell, temporarily, to argue with her and protest. He does know that that's not her intention, but he's addicted to it, in a way.

LOL, Shinji the masochist.

[chee]

LOL, Shinji the masochist.

That would explain a lot.

[Sailor Star Dust]

Funny joke I heard recently: A Sadist and Masochist get married. On their Wedding Night, the Masochist sprawls on the bed and says "Hurt me", to which the Sadist grins and replies, "No."

Anyway.
With why Asuka likes Shinji, I think it's because of the fact he's kind most of the time, as well as the fact he seems to have a different side to him when piloting; brave and such. Plus she probably thinks he's physically attractive, why else would she kiss him. ;) Of course, her "bullying" at times is actually just her way of trying to get him to assert himself, but he doesn't seem to realize that.
The fact that they're both pilots seems to make Shinji worthy in Asuka's eyes, he's the only boy she gave the time of day to at school and all.

Also, Shinji probably likes Asuka because she does seem to draw him out of his shell, though the past few days I've been mentally theorizing that part of the reason he's attracted to her is not because her gung-ho attitude (as well as her piloting) and just because around him makes Shinji want to live; basically that he doesn't feel suicidal or depressed when he's with her??

Thoughts?

[Incisivis]

Thoughts?

Ooh, boy, you have a much more optimistic assessment of things than I do. :)

The way I see it is that, yeah, Shinji can be sweet sometimes, just like Asuka can be strong and powerful. But both of their good qualities are covered by the shadow of their massive psychological issues. You must look at them *both* and ask why anyone not maladjusted would want them.

And yep, I do see Shinji as a little masochistic.

Asuka, now, I don't think that most of the time there's a positive purpose to her ribbing Shinji or flirting with him. Shinji becoming more assertive in the face of it is an unintented side effect. She does it because she wants to mess with him a little, and underneath that is a serious ambivalence.

Asuka thought she wanted someone cool and adult, not Shinji. She does flirt with him, and gets angry when he doesn't respond, but Asuka isn't going to come out and say it, because it disgusts her to be drawn to him.

When she first met Shinji, she saw him as competition, and dragged him along to fight Gaghiel just to show him that she was better, even though Shinji was unassuming.

They've got a pretty messed-up dynamic, in short. But it's canon that they like each other, and stuff.

[Sailor Star Dust]

Of course they have a messed up dynamic; she has the starting stages of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and he's got Anxiety and Depression.

She pushes everybody away, and he won't let anybody in...

Yet both of them just want to be noticed and loved; which is why they focus on piloting Eva. Why it becomes all of them: because they pretty much feel like there's nothing else for them when that just isn't true.


...And there was somewhere I was going with this, but yeah. Brainfart.

[chee]

Of course they have a messed up dynamic; she has the starting stages of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and he's got Anxiety and Depression.

She pushes everybody away, and he won't let anybody in...

Yet both of them just want to be noticed and loved; which is why they focus on piloting Eva. Why it becomes all of them: because they pretty much feel like there's nothing else for them when that just isn't true.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head there, I think.

[UrsusArctos]

I doubt that Asuka found Shinji that physically attractive, but he's a bishie anyway. I think the idea that they bonded in being Eva pilots is right after all, it's the one single thing they have in common and the one thing that they have that they think is worth anything- their only way of getting the attention and care that they so badly want.

There's no doubt that they like each other, I'm just not sure how much they accept it within themselves. I mean, Asuka had no trouble showing off her boobs to Shinji at the start of the series, but she began to get a whole lot more hateful and neurotic towards the end. Shinji, too...he was embarassed at first but that hospital scene, well...

Both just can't consistently accept that they really do like each other because they're so messed up.

[the_seventh_child]

Shinji, too...he was embarassed at first but that hospital scene, well...

Oh trust me, any other boy would do the same in his shoes. Well, except maybe Kaworu. :P

Both just can't consistently accept that they really do like each other because they're so messed up.

That's right. They do like each other, they just don't admit it. Though Asuka is being a total girl in terms of jealously in DC 22, in the Rei-Shinji train scene.

[shinesman_cobalt]

Shinji, too...he was embarassed at first but that hospital scene, well...

Oh trust me, any other boy would do the same in his shoes. Well, except maybe Kaworu. :P

Most boys, knowing that the world was coming to an end, would have done a lot more. I think the scene says a lot about Shinji's feelings toward Asuka. He could have done anything he wanted with Asuka. He could have touched her boobs or any number of unspeakble acts. But he didnt. Instead he beats off looking at her and then berates and is disgusted with himself for doing it. Even when Asuka was right there for the taking and probably wouldn't (or couldn't) have fought back, he did nothing except soil himself, both pyshically and metaphorically. In the end, I think Shinji desperatly wanted to express his feelings to her, but couldn't.

I don't know, maybe I'm just crazy. XD

[Sandoz]

Most boys, knowing that the world was coming to an end, would have done a lot more. I think the scene says a lot about Shinji's feelings toward Asuka. He could have done anything he wanted with Asuka. He could have touched her boobs or any number of unspeakble acts. But he didnt.

"Most boys" would violate an unconscious girl if the opportunity came up? As scary as that thought is, it kind of misses the point of the scene. Shinji was so (as the EoE dub so tactfully put it) fucked up at that point that he did something no well-adjusted person would do. Shinji could have just covered Asuka up and left the room. But he didn't. He might not have raped her, but he still took advantage of her.

[DatDude]

A lot of people forget a few simple things when looking at the AxS relationship. 1 they are both 14 that is a hard time in your life. Asuka's a pretty girl Im sure Shinji noticed and was just to shy to make a move. 2 in eoe Shinji ( along with Asuka and probably Misato ) was broken by the evens of the series. Shinji wouldn't have ( and had the chance to ) taken advantage of Asuka at the start of the series.

I think they had a real chance of making it work but after eoe a line was crossed. I guess we'll just have to wait for movie four to see if they end up together.

To be honest I'd be glad if they removed the whole jerking off over the drugged 14 year old scene for rebuild.

[Mr. Tines]

I mean, Asuka had no trouble showing off her boobs to Shinji at the start of the series, but she began to get a whole lot more hateful and neurotic towards the end. Shinji, too...he was embarassed at first but that hospital scene, well...

Basically, their "relationship" started off based on superficial similarities, and by the end has crashed and burned on the real underlying incompatibilities of temperament.

From Shinji's PoV Asuka is just too good to be true -- a hottie who he actually gets to live with -- how faptastic! But actually doing or saying anything that she can react to? Better say nothing than end up being shot down and humiliated -- after all, we all know the operating rule to apply about things that seem too good to be true.

Meanwhile, Asuka is learning the painful way that a boy who is an Eva pilot is not necessarily a boy who is truly like herself; her early tentative probes to try and find out whether under the appearances he was a fitting match all drew blanks, leaving her locked in a state of frustration, until upon discovering that the true object of her affections was dead, decided to call it quits herself.