Best Pair: What Eva Characters Do You Ship?

[Clover]

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[Xard]

Well, Is this quote from before or after EoE?

It's from interviews done after tv show was finished but before End of Evangelion.

This really doesn't change anything though.

I think that Shinji's realization that Rei is the Hope in his inner world might as well be Anno's own realization, I mean, why else would Rebuild look the way it does?
She is clearly not 'just sitting in the background' THERE.

Rebuild's focus is vastly different from the one in the original. Anno wanted to develop things differently this time around, albeit the biggest reason for Rei's enlargened screentime is the fact Rebuild has taken Shinji/Gendo relationship as the absolute lynchpin of the work. It emerges naturally from that.

Furthermore, if it was Anno's (initial!) intention to do an 'oedipus thing', then the relationship between Rei and Shinji must be, by definition, not as platonic as a mother/son relationship should be, but containing sexual/romantic attraction.

Careful with the layers here - how "sexual" Shinji's Oedipus complex is depends on whether Anno is going by Freud's, Jung's or someone else's version of it, not to mention if Freud's it matters if it's by young or old Freud.

In any case shipping is blurring your vision, Kendrix.

Shinji/Rei ending in original would have been catastrophy that would've nullified everything that happens in the show thematically. Can't say about Rebuild yet because we don't know about its ultimate thematic focus and ending but I'm similarly skeptical S/R waffyness continues much longer. Third installment propably destroys this.

[esselfortium]

Kaji and Misato are not genetically related.

Don't classify Rei's feelings based on a piece of background knowdlege that she simply doesn't have.

Aren't you making conjecture, as well?

[Kendrix]

Aren't you making conjecture, as well?

Show me any evidence that she knows it.

I think she'd have reacted quite different at Shinji's comment in ep. 15 if she knew the story. She seemed a bit disapointed at the notion that Shinji had been watching her just to ask about Gendo. Sounds like a teenager with a crush wanting her loved one's attention to me, but crush or not, she wanted Shinji to look at her for being Rei Ayanami, not because of any of her connections. So if she knew about the Yui thing, she'd be saddenned/dissapointed as well at his comment that she "looked like a mother". But instead, she blushes and looks around nervously, stating that she feels embarassed. (again, suspiciously similar to a teenager with a crush who mistook something for a romantic compliment)
Doesn't look disapointed to be.

[NemZ]

Shinji/Rei ending in original would have been catastrophy that would've nullified everything that happens in the show thematically.

how so?

[Xard]

how so?

Remember everything Rei represents. Indulgence in fullfilment of Oedipus Complex and return to womb and unconsciousness might not be exactly the best way to end the series, unless you ask SEELE

[Kendrix]

Remember everything Rei represents. Indulgence in fullfilment of Oedipus Complex and return to womb and unconsciousness might not be exactly the best way to end the series, unless you ask SEELE

What Rei represents is something you can heavily debate on. She is also a factor that spurrs Shinji into ACTION.
Do not forget that the freudian things, much like... EVERYTHING in the story is just a great, big metaphor and you can rarely continue a metaphor into all aspects of the thing it's compared to.

[NemZ]

Remember everything Rei represents. Indulgence in fullfilment of Oedipus Complex and return to womb and unconsciousness might not be exactly the best way to end the series, unless you ask SEELE

Depends on how you look at it. Had they tackled those issues head on and come out the other side as a couple you'd be going on about how Rei's overcoming her Lilith/Yui origins and becoming a separate person in her own right is parallel to Shinji moving on from his need for daddy's approval or mommy's robot as the basis of his self esteem, that the trials each faced in 'waking up' from their merely reactive, unconscious former lives to a more active, conscious experience of life, and how the old world was the womb of mankind and the post-impact transhumanized future is a planetary birth event akin to 2001's starchild.

[Bagheera]

What Rei represents is something you can heavily debate on.

That's your stock response whenever someone brings up a point you aren't equipped to argue. But the fact of the matter is that what Rei represents, at least in broad strokes, isn't really debatable, because Anno hammers us over the head with it relentlessly throughout the series (as noted in excruciating detail in several threads in the Discussion forum; I seem to recall Yojimbo laid it out most plainly, though I can't find the post at the moment). You can debate when Shinji figured it out, or the extent to which Rei recognized her role, or Ritsuko's involvement in the whole mess, or lots of other minor details, but the issue of what she is and what that means (again, at least in broad strokes) isn't really in question.

Depends on how you look at it. Had they tackled those issues head on and come out the other side as a couple you'd be going on about how Rei's overcoming her Lilith/Yui origins and becoming a separate person in her own right is parallel to Shinji moving on from his need for daddy's approval or mommy's robot as the basis of his self esteem, that the trials each faced in 'waking up' from their merely reactive, unconscious former lives to a more active, conscious experience of life, and how the old world was the womb of mankind and the post-impact transhumanized future is a planetary birth event akin to 2001's starchild.

Some might. Me, I'd be going "dude, incest!" That shit creeps me the fuck out, regardless of whether or not it's pushed by the storyline.

[Xard]

Depends on how you look at it. Had they tackled those issues head on and come out the other side as a couple you'd be going on about how Rei's overcoming her Lilith/Yui origins and becoming a separate person in her own right is parallel to Shinji moving on from his need for daddy's approval or mommy's robot as the basis of his self esteem, that the trials each faced in 'waking up' from their merely reactive, unconscious former lives to a more active, conscious experience of life, and how the old world was the womb of mankind and the post-impact transhumanized future is a planetary birth event akin to 2001's starchild.

Yeah, well, you're one of the loonies who thinks EoTV has Shinji accepting the Instrumentality.

So there

[Kendrix]

The instrumentality bit is really a bit... uh, I'm sure Shinji DOES reject instrumentality in EoTV, but Rei's character arc DOES consist of her becoming her own person/her character is shown to illustrate what makes us individuals.
And that new, individual person that is neither Yui nor Lillith luvz Shinji.


EoE unambigiously characterizes Rei as being "The Hope."
That is hardly a negative thing one should turn away from.
There has been ridiculously little interpretation on that statement, even tough it explains so much.

[Bagheera]

The instrumentality bit is really a bit... uh, I'm sure Shinji DOES reject instrumentality in EoTV, but Rei's character arc DOES consist of her becoming her own person/her character is shown to illustrate what makes us individuals.
And that new, individual person that is neither Yui nor Lillith luvz Shinji.

What are you getting at here? No one here has claimed Rei wasn't her own person, so I'm not sure what you hope to accomplish by harping on the idea.

EoE unambigiously characterizes Rei as being "The Hope." That is hardly a negative thing one should turn away from.
There has been ridiculously little interpretation on that statement, even tough it explains so much.

What statement? If you're referring to a specific scene it would help if you identified it.

[Kendrix]

What statement? If you're referring to a specific scene it would help if you identified it.

After Shinji decided that he doesn't want intrumentality after all, we see him standing in front of Rei and Kaworu, above channging backgrounds (A Forest, people returning, a stree crowded with people - Just before the "I want to see them again" part - uh, ever noticed that Rei is on that "group picture"? I also didn't notice untill someone on this forum pointed it out. She is blocked off a bit. So, she is PART of the real world he wants to return to)
Before he leaves, Shinji asks Rei and Kaworu what they are/stand for in his heart (maybe referencing the many times Rei appears in his 'inner world') Rei replies that they are the hope, mostly the Hope that ppl might one Day understand each other. And Kaworu adds that they're also "The words 'I love you'."
There are somewhat their parting words...

[tehprognoob]

yea, and Asuka's literally right in front of the camera on that shot. Way more identifiable as something that he wants to return to. (Or rather, her boobs are way more identifiable as something that he wants to return to ^^)

[Sanger Zonvolt]

I have to say it's Shinji/Rei now, or at least I see it as a possibility, ignoring the complications.

I don't like Asuka with Shinji, never will.

[Kendrix]

yea, and Asuka's literally right in front of the camera on that shot. Way more identifiable as something that he wants to return to. (Or rather, her boobs are way more identifiable as something that he wants to return to ^^)

He says he wants to see them all again. don't tell me that Hikari was more important than Rei because she's more visible - The Picture was to depict his "fun, happy life with all his friends" 7 to 18.
Based on their personalities, this is the constelation they would most likely take if they were to take a group photo or just have a good time together - I doubt that this pic was made with the shipping aspects in mind (and just in case you got that impression, I didn't claim it either - I was answering to the "What Rei represents" part...) , it's just "Shinji's social network in a group picture and/or having a good time", and Asuka would make sure to be in the front of a picture/is more likely to talk to him/walk beside him in a social situation. Rei tends to just stand there and look a bit surprised in "fun situations", and wouldn't care whether she is blocked out of not/not rush to the front where Shinji is.
The picture is showing Shinji's loved ones "Just being themselves around him",(Asuka's comfident Smile and Handsighn, Touji's physical way of expressing himself, Kaji putting an Arm around a slightly annoyed Misato... Aoba has his guitar, Rei just standing there... they're all in a position that reflects ztheir individuality/personality - Maybe that's why Rei's face isn't shown (it's not truly hers), but I might be overanaliizing that...) and Shinji wants them and their individuality back.

Or (I admit that I might be overanalyzing here, I'm more for the former explanation) he's thinking of Rei II, but doesn't want to upset no III he's just talking with, so she's 'blocked off' in his vision... nah, it's probably the above thing.

I have to say it's Shinji/Rei now, or at least I see it as a possibility, ignoring the complications

I am (not) alone anymore!

[tehprognoob]

It is Shinji-Rei in REBUILD only. The original EoTV is fucking vague as hell, and EoE is definitely Asuka-Shinji. We all have our fun, but the Rei-WAFF-yness got better animation, that's all -_-

Anyway, we're ALL over-analyzing. This is the CHIT-CHAT forum, remember?

We're not contributing shit by arguing our favorite pairs, and I'm getting a helluva lot of spam from this thread that I have to read nonetheless.

[Kendrix]

It is Shinji-Rei in REBUILD only. The original EoTV is fucking vague as hell, and EoE is definitely Asuka-Shinji. We all have our fun, but the Rei-WAFF-yness got better animation, that's all -_-

EoE got A/S, yeah, but it got A/S after the supposed Hypothenuse of the luv triangle sacrificed herself out of her luv (I leave it to you to decide whether this occured in 23, the beginning of 26' or the end of 26' where GNR falls apart...)
That's actually a pretty smart way to deal with it...
EoE adressed the triangle situation (Some of the train scenes) while EoTV didn't resolve the triangle at all, because, frankly, the shipping isn't the main part, that's why this thread is in Chit-Chat XD

And that Bob ended up with Cheryll doesn't mean his intrest in Alice never existend and their relationship can't be liked by fans.

I wonder if it will put any hold on the S/K-Fans if Kaworu's cryptic commentary in 2.X isn't referring to Adam... I highly doubt it^^

And now that we're talking about Rebuild:

SPOILER: Show

Bringing Shinji and Rei together seems to be included in Gendo's Plans/The Prophecy. This might mean that they are LITTERALLY destined or even made for each other, this time! XD

...which is a bit disturbing since Fuyu said the Plan was made when Yui was still alive (14 years ago)...

[Xard]

EoE unambigiously characterizes Rei as being "The Hope."
That is hardly a negative thing one should turn away from.
There has been ridiculously little interpretation on that statement, even tough it explains so much.

Problem here is that we're talking about subconscious presence in psyche of all mankind and divine, transcendental entity with human rabu rabu


In EoE Rei assumed her real identity as Lilith again.

[Kendrix]

Problem here is that we're talking about subconscious presence in psyche of all mankind and divine, transcendental entity with human rabu rabu

That is your interpretation.
Rei always appears in Shinji's Visions as 'voice of reason'7the one questioning his worldview - this is, of course, not the actual Rei, but some part of Shinji's head he gave her face to, but it shows what she means to him... , he came to know her when he heard that his father saved her i.e, gained the hope that he might be able to understand his father (and others)...
Rei herself is associated with Hope in Shinji's head. - Or at least, there's nothing 100%-ly cementing the oposite.