How did Kaworu become so popular?

[chaosakita]

This is a character that got as much screentime as Jet Alone. But from the merchandising, there would be no way you'd think that. For such a minor character, he sure has gotten a lot of emphasis placed on him with the manga, GoSII, and now, Rebuild.

So what exactly did people see in him? I guess I would know, since when I first read about Kaworu, I was like, "I know I'd like him." I guess his calm demeanor is really appealing, as well as self-sacrifice and trust stuff. It must be universally liked.

[Mongoosedog]

i think hopeless, obese yaoi fangirls make up a large percentage of fans.

i like him though, one of my favourite characters. i have reasons why i like him but i can't be bothered doing a mini psycho-analysis in order to list them

[Natsuka_Chie]

He's mysterious, hot, and makes Shinji look like a shy young girl.

[Joseph the PRPD]

I have no idea.
But the above post makes Mongoosdog's theory possibly true...

[supershinjiasukashipper]

I have no idea.
But Mongoosdog's theory is true...

edited for the truth. he was an interesting character though, and i guess he became big because he was one of the pilots. but mainly the fat yaoi fangirl theory fits.

[Lucretius]

I really love Sadamoto's take on Kaworu, but the series iteration of him didn't leave as much of an impression on me. I think manga Kaworu is interesting because of his amorality. He's not deliberately malicious, but basic human emotions are completely foreign to him, and not in a cute Mr. Spock sort of way. He thinks nothing of snapping a kitten's neck or calling Rei a "fool" after she kills herself to save Shinji. He wants to use Shinji to feel human emotions, but they aren't forthcoming. When he dies, he's nearly as alien as he was when he was introduced.

[TheAyanamiOtaku]

I'm sure people like Kaworu for multiple reasons, and not just because he'd make a yaoi manga with Shinji.

Hopefully.

But I did get a feeling that Anno wanted us to think of Kaworu as enchanting. He did keep smiling all the damn time. I'll wait for the harder hitting people to jump in here.

[Sammaeloo]

Kaworu's bizzare wierdness is probably what attracts people's attention. He's just so abnormal.

[MatrixRefugee]

Just my take, but Kaworu stands out from the rest of the Angels because he passes as one of us, so we the viewer relate to him more than the others, since they at best only look vaguely human.

Plus, he's pretty damn cute, so couple that with his mysteriousness...

[Synapsid]

Well to start of it does have to do with the ambiguity that surrounds, Kaworu, he also was a novel way to characterise the angels.

He's mysterious, hot, and makes Shinji look like a shy young girl.

Why not looks always help, and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Kaworu’s Kakkoii personality complements Shinji’s moeish/uke one. The same goes for their looks. Oh and it also helps that Gainax had some rather interesting back stories thought up for him"bishonen with cat"...That and it’s kind of fun to see how Tabby-kun has a habit of getting Shin-chan emotional.
[URL=http://s528.photobucket.com/albums/dd325/Synapsidia/EVA/?action=view&current=DSC054041.jpg][/URL]

[Great Genius Shinji-Sama]

Yes Shin/Tabby certainly does have a good deal of Yaoi potential IMO. BTW, Synaps, those pics are they from fanfics/doujins/products somewhere?

EDIT: They look like they might come from SIRP?

[GasmaskAvenger]

how cute, though the Ritsuko one just comes out of nowhere

[DIDDY]

Kaworu embodies unconditional love and acceptance. I don't know if that's what made him popular, but that's why I like him.

[Synapsid]

Yes Shin/Tabby certainly does have a good deal of Yaoi potential IMO. BTW, Synaps, those pics http://i528.photobucket.com/albums/dd325/Synapsidia/EVA/12122807003591.jpg are they from fanfics/doujins/products somewhere?

EDIT: They look like they might come from SIRP?

That's right It's from the ISIK promo, to my knowledge a fair amount of gainax material done outside of the game by the artist do existI think they did the kitty image. Their strategy guide was also supposed to have artwork in it

And yes it wouldn't be wrong to say that Kaworu brings out very interesting responses out of others, whether it's Shinji, or the audience. ;)

[Great Genius Shinji-Sama]

Can you help me cut out the Ritsuko/Shinji part and make fit the parameters for an Avvie?

EIDT: Ill use it later I decided to stick with the Shinjiquarium again

[Eva Yojimbo]

My theory about Kaworu's popularity is the same one behind Rei's popularity; these characters - especially compared with the others in the show - are mysterious, blank canvasses on which the audience can project all of their fantasies on and, essentially, "fill in the blanks". It's not that they aren't given adequate characterization (especially Rei), but they are certainly much more abstract and symbolic than the rest of the cast. Plus, there's the whole sexually ambiguous nature behind both of them which definitely appeals to horny anime fans and fanfic writers.

[Synapsid]

@Shinji
Give me a little while, and I'll have it done(I'm probably sick but the idea of Ritsuko molesting Shinji to get revenge against Gendo is a rather interesting one), but this thread is supposed to be about our enigmatic cat boy (the silver one of course), and why everyone loves him
[URL=http://s528.photobucket.com/albums/dd325/Synapsidia/EVA/?action=view&current=Kaworu_prototype1.png][/URL](Shito no Nyanko-kun?)
@Eva Yojimbo
And what we do find of his background has an apeal to some fans.

[Xard]

I really love Sadamoto's take on Kaworu, but the series iteration of him didn't leave as much of an impression on me. I think manga Kaworu is interesting because of his amorality. He's not deliberately malicious, but basic human emotions are completely foreign to him, and not in a cute Mr. Spock sort of way. He thinks nothing of snapping a kitten's neck or calling Rei a "fool" after she kills herself to save Shinji. He wants to use Shinji to feel human emotions, but they aren't forthcoming. When he dies, he's nearly as alien as he was when he was introduced.

I hate EMK and found the way K/S was handled in manga utter storytelling disaster (I stopped reading manga pretty soon after Kaworu had been killed. The Asuka strangling Shinji shit not to mention LOLNEO-Gendo certainly doesn't make rest of Sadamoto's recent efforts look any better) but I loved the trolling Sadamoto pulled with how he handled Kaworu

Whole thing was from very start was enormous shitting project on yaoi fans.

it was pretty hilarious

[Synapsid]

Whole thing was from very start was enormous shitting project on yaoi fans.

it was pretty hilarious

I disagree, if anything the more conflicted relation played to them(I don't mean the inclusion of the Piano though) Kaworu was blatantly in love with Shin-chan, read and watched crappy romance stuff and then tried to act them out on Shin, by nearly violating him at night, and then basically saying that he wanted Shin to love him, and in the end he forces Shinji to remember him, by having his kitty kill him with his bare hands(a suicide of sorts). Shinji himself was also interesting, he did seem to be rather homophobic and repelled by Kaworu's lack of empathy(Kaworu seemed rather glad to have the other pilots out of the way), but in the end it turned out that Shinji was rather attracted to him keeping with the Manga version's tsundere theme.
I certanly think it was a nice contrast to the more passive/peaceful relation they had in the anime.
[URL=http://s528.photobucket.com/albums/dd325/Synapsidia/EVA/?action=view&current=61111061.jpg][/URL]

[Boredom]

I went to a couple of stores, I was disapoint at the lack of Kaworu figures. but that's just me