Mr. Jive wrote:Then again what did she see in that emo guy anyway? He's show in heck was nothing like Kaji. Sometimes I wonder.....
Nothing at all. They have no common friends or interestest, the only thing they have in comon is being screwed up, and not in a way that unites them. She wouldn't even look at him if being an eva pilot didn't put him near the acceptable ratio radius (and was, in fact, quick to dismiss him before she heard the magic words "forty percent". )
He just happened to be around when Asuka felt like getting herself some attention (and, as much as she refuses to admit it, company) , and when he failed to react in a manner obvious enough for Asuka's latent self-doubts to be convinced, and on top of that, got all friendly with Asuka's despised rival wondergirl, it became a battle, and Asuka hates to lose battles.
Also, he doesn't object to being kicked around, dedicately cleans and cooks fort her, can easily be provoked/manipulated, and lets Asuka do with him whatever she wants. Perfect victim. Well, until he finally snapped.
On some level, it's the same thing as with Kaji - He has qualities she wants to "posses" (being the kid with the instant 40% ratio) by "possesing" him sexually, because she, as a young child, percieved her parent's relationship as one of possesion. And she doesn't want to be the "possesed" one, lest she get torn appart by a man's whim like Kyoko.
You see, she expects to feel she's won or got him to submit if she "gets him" sexually, kinda like she's acting as if the paternal sort of bond with Kaji was a sexual one, because she can't allow herself to have a paternal bond - well, she can't allow herself to have a fighting comerade she actual relies on or a brother whom she teases, squabbles with and speaks wth in a familiar, uncomplicated manner, either.
From Shinji's side, it's a lot more simple than that - scantly clad girl his age + teenage hormones = drama. In some ways he was somewhat more honest about it than Asuka, even in his immature limerence (he certainly wouldn't badmouth her if she was MIA or react with a callous "she's finally blown it." if her best friend just got maimed. She was treating hom badly even by teenage standards, even long before shit escalated, when he's like "Oh, why is she angry again? It#s probably my fault... mope, mope, I can't do anything right, I'd rather not get the praise I'm so desperate for after doing harrowing work that I hated every minute of if that would make her less angry" ) but there still wasn't a whole lot of comitment, if only to the degree that is common in teenage relationships. A few highshool sweethearts marry, but most don't, and ego is somehow involved more often than not, so, there just wasn't much to the whole thing from either side - perhaps this is one of the situations for which the phrase "ruined their friendship" is appropiate, be it only because of a lack of life experience on Shinji's part - there was some genuine bond of comeradery in the action arc, which actually had a positive effect on Asuka, but she just had to go and demand something she herself was not willing to give: an unambigous romantic response.
They both need a lot of positive reinforcement, but are, for different reasons, only able to give it to a limited extent (in Shinji's case) or in a twisted, deliberately misleading manner (Asuka)
They'd have enough problems with any other person, but with each other?
The alternate live action scene compares Asuka's way of having romantic relationship to "keeping a dog", saying that she is "pretty cold-hearted, but gets attached easily" and "deliberately and wilfully causes men to misunderstand."
There could not be a better description.
I just hope that, post-EoE. she grew up to be a more open person than either of her horror-scenario alter egos (both in the alternate scene and Q... allthough, Q!Asuka at least archieved some genuine independence and streght, even if she's just as embittered as 24-year-old alt!Asuka. )
It's very possible, she's still young. It also depends on how you interpret the "caress", I guess... Some ppl would argue that she's already on the way to accepting the recieving and giving of affection.
On the other hand: So maybe Shinji and Kaji have nothing in common, but do Asuka and Rei need to have much in comon for Shinji to have the hots for them?
You could argue a common denominator between Kaworu, Misato, Asuka and Rei (admiration perhaps? Messy rooms?) and maybe they have one, but that CR interview about the effectiveness of Rei and Asuka (and the hardships that presented for Mari's design) suggests that a factor is that the two appeal to whole different parts/contrasting drives/wishes/contradicting forces. in the minds of the audience, and probably Shinji as well.
Perhaps Kaji and Shinji represent opposing desires for Asuka as well.
She says she wants Shinji to act like Kaji, but she knew what Shinji's like. If you're optimistic, you could say she appreciated his kindness, if not, again, perfect safe victim she though she had nothing to fear from, untill she finally drove him to the point that he snapped her freakin neck in horribly misguided retaliation for months of mistreatment.
And, are they really so different after all? Superficially, perhaps, but if you give them an in-depht look, Kaji's actually a pensive, sensitive understanding guy despite the way he acts; supplemental material even suggests he writes depressing poetry ... which is probably why Kaji took the kid under his wing to begin with (gaining brownie points with Misato aside), to show him some guidance on the stony way he had to climb the hard way.
Then again, Asuka probably hasn't looked at Kaji or Shinji beyond the surface level; The above is probably closer to an explanation of what
Misato sees in the two of them.
You bring up lots of good points. I just wish the shippers would read what you wrote. They seem to have a problame whit Asuka or Rei either liking or being whit anyone who not name Shinji. If emoman could not handle a 14 year old Asuka, there no way he would be abile to handle a adult version of her.
