Why only Children?

[Olin of Xephon]

Ritsuko: It's so hard on these Children...

Gendo: ...So long as they can pilot the Evas,
That is what I'll have them do.

Ritsuko: With no regard to what they may want?

But why only Children?
I know, I know, "it's Just a anime" and really only a excuse to get a bunch of kids with serous issues to try there damnest to save the earth.

But does anybody have any logical (ilogical?) reasons only fourteen year olds could pilot the Evangelions?
I think there are a couple of vauge clues scattered throughout the series, but I've never heard a satisfactory answer.

[Crazyman42]

It's not actually that they're children, it's that they're teenagers and that they're minds are extremly sensitive at this stage in their life. Then the Eva could have a strong connection to their brains. It's not just that they're children they are also children with a lot of problems in their lives. That's what I understood at least.

[The Eva Monkey]

On the floor of the midbrain is the ventral tegmental system, that neurobiologists call region A10. Cells soaked in dopamine, certain emotions are processed here; such as the thoughts of two lovers--or of a parent and child. And it is the synchronization of the threads and bundles of A10 that splice pilot and Eva together; to become one entity, to fight. In other words, the power of love drives this weapon of mass destruction. Well, what a simple and corny and emotional and wonderful story.

The A10 connection is based around the familial relationship. And as such, it works best when the soul of the Eva is related in some way to the pilot.

Unit 01 is inhabited by the soul of Yui Ikari, hence why Shinji is can synche well with it.

Unit 02 is inhabited by the soul of Kyouko Zepplin Sohryu, hence why Asuka can synche well with it.

Ignore Kaworu and Rei as they possess the souls of angels, and are capable of subduing the souls of Evas they pilot, and thats what you have. The child can pilot an Eva if the soul is that of a mother figure, age really has nothing to due with it. Its a ploy, just like the Marduk Institute.

[Olin of Xephon]

I see! said the blind man when he picked up his hammer and saw.

That does explain a couple of things, like why all the canidates where children, the selected always motherless.
So then, does every Evangelion required to absorb a maternal figure to create something to synchronize with?

Is that the real reason Yui and Asuka's mother sub jected themselves to that test?

[Mr.Guy]

Didn't it also have to do with being born around 2nd Impact? I think I read that somewhere :?

Er... but yeah, the soul thing is pretty big with synchronizing. But I don't think it's nessacary... maybe just easier for them to synch. See, Yui was absorbed by the Eva in an accident. She wasn't suppose to be absorbed, and thus her soul wasn't meant to be in it (maybe?).

As for Kyoko... I have no idea. Maybe her soul went to the Eva to be near Asuka? To make up for lost time? I have no idea. Just my thoughts :?

[Somnius Kenate]

Personally, I think subconsciously, Gendo wanted Yui to be absorbed into the Evangelion unit. He is a maniupulative man; he seduced Naoko and Ritsuko for his own desires. If she was never absorbed into the unit, how would the unit function to protect humans from the angels, but more importantly in his eyes, bring forth Third Impact.

The question is, with Asuka's mom hanging herself in their house, how did her soul enter the physical body of Unit 02?

[Vulkurt]

As a further extensional metaphor, Shinji and Asuka are continuing to "gestate" within the Eva/mothers, and reach different developmental psychological stages in their lives, just as they had different developmental physical stages when they were originally in their mothers' wombs.

[the_seventh_child]

The question is, with Asuka's mom hanging herself in their house, how did her soul enter the physical body of Unit 02?

I have the same question too.

[Dave]

Asuka's mom got into Unit 02 just as Yui got into Unit 01. However, when Kyouko's soul was absorbed into Unit 02, her body still remained. That's my take on it anyway, I doubt anyone could remain very sane for long without a soul. And Gendou did NOT want Yui to be absorbed into unit 01. When Yui and Gendou first found out about Seele's plans to initiate third impact, it was their intentions to stop it. However, Yui was abosrbed into Unit 01 by accident. Gendou along with Ritsuko's mom attempted to bring Yui back, but she refused because she believed she could best stop the third impact Seele wanted if she was inside the Eva.

[Asterix]

Asuka's mom got into Unit 02 just as Yui got into Unit 01. However, when Kyouko's soul was absorbed into Unit 02, her body still remained. That's my take on it anyway, I doubt anyone could remain very sane for long without a soul.

Yeah, I think it's mentioned that her activation experiment was before she went loopy. Wasn't she in the hospital from when the experiment occurred until her death (at which point I believe she was home)? Because she hangs herself right around the same time that Asuka finds out she's been chosen to be a pilot, as Asuka finds her dead when she had come home to tell her the news. Which then raises the question of is that the only reason they chose Asuka, because of the activation experiment gone wrong...

Or it could be that there's no way an adult would fit into the chairs in the entry plugs. ;)

[TheMessiah]

i think it was something to do with being born after second impact

[Asuka Langley]

Well obviously.
Eva's werent exactly around pre-second impact.
So no souls were inside the core at that point.

[Olin of Xephon]

Personally, I think subconsciously, Gendo wanted Yui to be absorbed into the Evangelion unit. He is a maniupulative man; he seduced Naoko and Ritsuko for his own desires. If she was never absorbed into the unit, how would the unit function to protect humans from the angels, but more importantly in his eyes, bring forth Third Impact.

But the only real reason Gendo wants to start Third Impact, is so he can have Yui back.
Why then, would he sacrifice her in the first place?

My guess would be that neither of them knew much about the Eva at the time, I mean, it was the first test that Yui was sucked into the Eva.

I concor with the whole Seyoko lost her soul in the Eva thus her insanity theory, it's one of those precious few things in Eva that makes since.

Does this mean that every Eva is activated with a kind of blood sacrifice?
Are the mothers aware of what they are about to do before hand?

[Dave]

I seriously doub they know what they are about to do before being absorbed into the Eva, but the most definitely realize what has happened after they are absorbed. Yui chose not to come back after being absorbed, but that doesn't mean she performed the experiment with that in mind. I seriously doubt Gendou would let her get anywhere near the Eva if that was what she was planning.

[sadsadshinji]

i think they simply have to be at an age where they will depend on the eva, and then be able to link to it...
Asuka's mom went crazy cause she lost her soul i guess...

[DatDude]

Why only children can Pilot EVA's Silly people do you watch anime ? 14 years old children are the only ones that can save the world ! lol

On a more serious note I think the real reason is I think that Anno's trying to show us that its always children that have to fight to inhearit the future.

[coff]

Why only children can Pilot EVA's Silly people do you watch anime ? 14 years old children are the only ones that can save the world ! lol

I seriously think that is the answer to this question. Having young characters in anime shows is very popular, especially in mecha shows. That's why only children can pilot evas.

[sadsadshinji]

maybe, then again, by being young they also have the problems of puberty and such...and are more easily molded...

[wildarmsheero]

by being young they also have the problems of puberty and such...

Whoaaa. WHOOOOAAA. Shinji has no problems with puberty I can tell you what. [ insert pic of Shinji's cum crusted hand here ]

Oh, I agree with Coff. Eva would be boring if let's say... Fuyutski piloted the Eva and fapped to Asuka's naked body.

[Vulkurt]

by being young they also have the problems of puberty and such...

Whoaaa. WHOOOOAAA. Shinji has no problems with puberty I can tell you what. [ insert pic of Shinji's cum crusted hand here ]

You equate the ability to ejaculate with coping successfully with puberty? Do you have any basis for this assumption?