Thanks a lot 1731298478-kun !! When someone makes an unusual claim, it always get the skeptical me to ask for source and context. Fortunately it is not that Sadamoto admitted that he does not understand Asuka as character, but far from it.
1731298478 wrote:I don't think it's likely Sadamoto made the comments in question. I pulled up a few of the comments Sadamoto made on Rei and Asuka and attempted to translate them. I'm not confident in some of the translations, and very much appreciate corrections. But maybe some people will find them interesting.
From a 1997 Newtype interview:
http://evangeliwon.blog107.fc2.com/blog-entry-461.html
There are a few places where I will translate a bit differently...
貞本 アスカは性格的に、いい子ぶっていたり、2面性があるところなんかはアニメにも通じるんですが、シンジにとってアスカが、“異性”として、ある程度尊敬できる、あこがれを感じるような存在にできたらなと思っています。時には友達、時にはライバル、でも時には異性、と。
Sadamoto: Like in the anime, Asuka will act like she is a "good girl," but have a second aspect to her personality. To a certain extent she is valuable as "the opposite sex" in relation to Shinji. I think it would be good if I can make her an "existence" [he] feels longing for. Sometimes a friend, sometimes a rival, but sometimes a member of the opposite sex.
シンジにとってアスカが、“異性”として、ある程度尊敬できる、あこがれを感じるような存在にできたらなと思っています。
I think it would be good if I can make Asuka an existence that, to Shinji as a member of opposite sex, he can respect to a certain extent and feels longing for.
アスカとシンジが使徒を倒すためにユニゾンを組む話では、アニメであったキスシーンをあえてやらなかったんですよ。男から見たら初めてのキスというのは魅力的な事件ではある。でもキスってなんだろうと考えちゃうと、好きな子と肉体的に結ばれる最初の事件じゃないですか。それよりも精神的なつながりが先のほうが、僕にはリアリティーがあるかなと。それに男と女の精神的なつながりも、14歳だと大人よりピュアに描ける気がして。漫画で描いた、2人が音楽に合わせて踊る場面が、僕にとってはキスみたいなものですね。
I decided not to do the kiss scene that was present in the anime as part of the storyline where Asuka and Shinji have to come together in unison in order to defeat the angel. For a boy, one's first kiss is an enchanting experience. When you think about what a kiss is, isn't it the very first time you come together physically with someone you like? I think the reality is more that it's the first psychological connection. Moreover, I felt I could depict the psychological connection between fourteen-year-olds as being more pure than that between adults. For me, the scene depicted in the manga where they dance together to the music is something like a kiss.
I would use some word that stresses the physical connection part as the word 肉体的に結ばれる is more than coming together (like walking and holding hands side by side) but has a sexual component. And I think それよりも精神的なつながりが先のほうが should be translated differently.
男から見たら初めてのキスというのは魅力的な事件ではある。でもキスってなんだろうと考えちゃうと、好きな子と肉体的に結ばれる最初の事件じゃないですか。それよりも精神的なつながりが先のほうが、僕にはリアリティーがあるかなと。
From a boy's point of view, the first kiss is an enchanting incident. But if you start to think about what a kiss is, isn't it the first incident where you connect physically with the girl you love? But to me it is more real that before that psychological connection comes first.
貞本 アスカには、結構辛いゆがんだ部分があって、それを強く出そうと思ったんです。アスカは異性同士で愛し合って生まれた子ではない、という。アスカの母は男に愛されなかった。彼女もそれを引きずって、男なんていなくても生きていけると思っている。でも心のどこかで父や男性的なものを求めていて、加持に甘えたり、シンジに対しても、拒否してる部分と、自分を抑えきれない感情があって、だんだんシンジを好きになっていく。そんなふうに描けたらいいと思ってます。
Sadamoto: Asuka has parts of her that are painful and distorted, and I wanted to bring that out more strongly, the fact that Asuka's not a child who was born of a loving union between two members of the opposite sex. Asuka's mother wasn't loved by her father. I thought that Asuka, bearing that as well, could be born without a man['s involvement]. However, as somewhere in her heart she wants a father or someone masculine, she acts dependently towards Kaji, and even towards Shinji, there is a part of her that rejects him, and a feeling beyond her control where she gradually comes to like him. I thought it would be good if I could depict [things] in this way.
The original text アスカの母は男に愛されなかった。 only said her mother was not loved by any man. It is not about one particular man, but men in general.
And the translation of "I thought that Asuka, bearing that as well, could be born without a man['s involvement]." is not correct.
アスカの母は男に愛されなかった。彼女もそれを引きずって、男なんていなくても生きていけると思っている。
Asuka's mother did not receive the love of a man. [Asuka] was strongly influenced by that and thought that she can just live without any man in her life.
貞本 シンジにとって、アスカがあこがれの異性の象徴だとすると、レイは“母性”だと思っています。シンジの母親の遺伝子をもっているみたいだし。僕自身が、アスカやレイどっちが好きかと言うと、たぶんレイで、どこか母性的なものをもっていて、シンジがくじけそうになったら優しく“けなして”くれるわけです。レイはシンジに「また、逃げるのね」って、結構、トドメを指すようなきついことを言うんですが、友達が言ったら絶好になってしまうようなことばなのに、なぜかそうならない。それは母親は絶対に子供を見放さないからなんです。シンジにとって、レイはそんな存在なのかなと。
Sadamoto: I think, if you take Asuka as being, for Shinji, a symbol of the longed-for opposite sex, Rei is "maternal." It seems like she has the genetic material of Shinji's mother. If I were to say myself who I like [?] between Asuka and Rei, probably with Rei, she has somewhere within her something motherly, and she "speaks harshly" to Shinji in a kind manner when it seems that he will fall apart. Rei asks Shinji, "Are you running away again?" [i]She uses harsh words towards him that will put a stop to it. It would be ideal if a friend of his would say it, but for some reason that doesn't happen. That [action of Rei's] is because a mother will absolutely not abandon her child. I think that, for Shinji, Rei is that sort of motherly existence.
> If I were to say myself who I like [?] between Asuka and Rei
I guess the translation is correct. I may translate it as "For myself, if I am asked who between Asuka and Rei I like more"
I may also add "For one," in front of " It seems like she has the genetic material of Shinji's mother." to convey the subtle expression of だし.
くじけそうになったら becoming "will fall apart" seems a bit too strong. くじける is more like "feeling down" "getting dispirited". I get くじける once in a while but I never feel like falling apart.
I also think けなして can simply be translated as "scolding" which may be better than "speaks harshly".
たぶんレイで、どこか母性的なものをもっていて、シンジがくじけそうになったら優しく“けなして”くれるわけです
It is probably because somewhere in Rei there is something motherly, and when Shinji looks hisheartened she "scolds" him ever so softly.
トドメを指す is a proverb that means "straight to the point" (or "deliver the final blow" which does not apply here), so a literal translation may not be best:
結構、トドメを指すようなきついことを言うんですが、
Quite often she says harsh things that really get down to the point.
From a 1996 Pafu interview:
http://johakyu.net/lib/2007/07/2007-07-30-000585.php
Quote:
レイはおかげさまで評判がいいんですけど、僕としては自分の中の恥ずかしい、ドロドロした部分、S願望みたいなもの、を取りだして作ったキャラなんです。今までに描いたことのなかったタイプだったので、あれやこれや悩みながら作りました。アスカは、そういう意味では僕の中のM願望の部分が出たキャラです。
Sadamoto: I have become popular thanks to Rei, but for me, she is a character I created by drawing on an embarassing, messy part, something sadist-like, within myself. She's a type of character I've never drawn before now, and I had all sorts of worries while creating her. Asuka, in this sense, is a character where the masochistic part of me emerges.
S願望 is more like "Sadist-wannabe" (or as you translated later "sadistic desire") but I guess just saying "sadist" is also fine. Same with M願望 for masochistic.
Perhaps the part "I had all sorts of worries while creating her" got interpreted that he does not understand Asuka's character?? But that would be way out of context and off the mark (such worries and struggles in character design is very common for writers).
A related comment by Anno, probably under the influence of Sadamoto (and after a few drinks ^__^):
http://johakyu.net/lib/2007/07/2007-07-27-000535.php
Quote:
庵野「S（サディスト）の人は、間違いなくレイにいきますよね、S願望で。M（マゾヒスト）の人はアスカにいくと思うんですけどね。で、同世代の年代の女の人と、精神的に子どもの人はミサトにいく傾向がある。」
Anno: Sadists, without question, go to Rei, because of their sadistic desires. I believe that masochists go to Asuka. And, there is a tendency for women of the same generation and people who are children mentally to go to Misato.
Actually I think there is a lot of truth in it. Perhaps you get the feeling that he said it after a few drinks because it sounded so nakedly true? :) For me, I really have a certain self-awareness of something of a masochist in me that I will be most happy to be abused by a lovely and intelligent girl like Asuka
Finally, a fairly blunt comment from Sadamoto at a recent speaking appearance, according to someone who was in attendance:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/gc4332/archives/51631942.html
Quote:
「よく、綾波レイ派かアスカ派かと聞かれるけど、どっちでもないです。あんな暗い子やはっちゃけた子はいやです笑。案外、女の子の趣味は普通なので…」
「キャラクターでは、おじさんキャラが好きですね。エヴァでいうと、ゲンドウとか冬月とか」
I'm often asked if I am a Rei fan or an Asuka fan, but I'm neither one. I dislike such gloomy or frivolous girls. (laughs) Surprisingly, I have an ordinary taste in girls...
「よく、綾波レイ派かアスカ派かと聞かれるけど、どっちでもないです。あんな暗い子やはっちゃけた子はいやです笑。案外、女の子の趣味は普通なので…」
「キャラクターでは、おじさんキャラが好きですね。エヴァでいうと、ゲンドウとか冬月とか」
I'm often asked if I am a Rei fan or an Asuka fan, but I'm neither one. I dislike such gloomy or frivolous girls. (laughs) Surprisingly, I have an ordinary taste in girls...
The characters I like are the older males. In Eva, Gendo and Fuyutsuki.
He is just being honest :) The blogger also noted that a writer being able to draw appealing female characters does not necessarily mean that he must like women :) And then he proceeded to write that it is ANNO himself who likes women
(one reason he quoted is in his first draft of Eva every character is female and apparently once said he just wanted to make a "robot version" of "Sailor Moon"
) He also mentioned how he can fully understand the travails of Shinji and can identify himself with him, a character who was forced to fight but did not want to. Also another piece of evidence of how many in the west failed to grasp why there is so little hate and dislike towards Shinji in Japan.
There are also other interesting things from the Sadamoto's talk, like the brainstorming to come up with various things is Eva was never much of a struggle and most of the things just came out naturally from chatting. Sadamoto loved to read things about secret history and things like
the Lost Continent MU so he came up with the Seele thing. They also raised the idea of getting Nazi involved, but dropped because they knew it would not be accepted in the industry. Another interesting thing was why the manga came before the anime -- Sadamoto said it was a strategy to make sure Eva copyrights would really go to Gainax (apparently the anime production studio did not always get the full copyrights). Finally Sadamoto touched upon the idea of "SF evolution" when he drew Eva but on Eva there was not much else.
At the end there was mini-live by Yoko Takahashi, who sang two songs - Cruel Angels' Thesis and Soul's Refrain.
and free to brag about herself all she wishes, while the prior takes all the glory.
