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Asuka Shikinami Langley (式波・アスカ・ラングレー?) is a fictional character from the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. She first appears in Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance. She is the designated pilot of the Evangelion Production Model-02 (including its repaired variations), as well as the test pilot of the ill-fated Evangelion Production Model-03.
Quick Answers
What is the role of Asuka Shikinami Langley in the Rebuild of Evangelion film series?
What models of Evangelion does Asuka pilot?
Does Asuka Shikinami Langley ever wake up in the series?
What is the significance of Asuka's hat in Evangelion 3.0?
How does Asuka Shikinami Langley's character evolve as she grows up in Evangelion?
Profile & Appearance
Much like her original series' incarnation, Asuka Shikinami Langley is a very proud individual, especially in her piloting, and comes across to others as proud and strong, with a very high opinion of both her appearance and her skill as an Eva pilot. She does not like being looked down upon or told what to do as she wants to be viewed as an adult and be praised for her piloting skills. She is aggressive and can be very opinionated. this version of Asuka is significantly different in terms of her history and characteristics compared to Asuka Langley Sohryu: instead of graduating University at the age of 14, she joined the European Air Force, reaching the rank of Captain at age 14, she lacks a fear/hatred of dolls; as she would play with a hand puppet when in low spirits.[1] Other significant differences include her never having any obsessive crush on Ryoji Kaji, not being a close friend of Hikari Horaki, more open to others as she feels open attraction towards Shinji, helps Rei so she can host a dinner party with Shinji and Gendo, lastly she confides to Misato shortly before piloting Unit-03 and joins WILLE under Misato.
In EVANGELION: 3.0 (-46h), a flashback set shortly after Near Third Impact shows Asuka with her hair cut short, her eyes and temples are covered by a grey bandage, later replaced by her usual hair length, and an eye-patch covering her right side. Both display Angel-Sealing Hex Pillars, hinting at her status as a an Angel-Human hybrid. Underneath, Asuka has a large craniotomy scar.[2]
In Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, 14 years later, as result of years of constant war and struggle against remnants of NERV that still intended to cause another Impact, she became colder and far more aggressive than she used to be in spite of retaining most of her former personality. Her voice-actress noted that her current personality was comparable with that of an embittered mercenary.[3] Though she actually worried about Shinji (possibly more than Misato), this worry still didn't abate her anger for the destruction that he inadvertently caused during the fight against the Tenth Angel. Unfortunately, because of everything she has gone through and her own anger towards Shinji she had no chance to tell him about Near Third Impact that he inadvertently caused. To make matters worse, the said anger also pressured Shinji into further being manipulated by Gendo and SEELE, had she put aside her anger and tried to reason with Shinji, he possibly wouldn't have caused Fourth Impact in the first place (in an allusion to both End of Evangelion and Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA). In spite of her negative interactions, Asuka actually never intended to let him die or run away from his problems after Near Third Impact.
Asuka seems to have a thematic association with cats; in Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo her Beast Mode has a distinctly feline appearance. She also wears both a hat and a helmet that have cat ear-shaped adornments. She also wears an eye-patch over her left eye. The latter glows during the course of the film, showing that her left eye is maybe still intact but somewhat mutated.
History
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
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Asuka's first appearance
Asuka makes her first appearance shortly after defeating the Seventh Angel in her Evangelion Production Model-02 (S-Type Equipment).
Asuka´s pride is put to the test when Misato tells her that Rei invited Shinji to a dinner at her house, while at the time Asuka was cooking for Shinji also since she wanted to get his attention away from Rei, even later meeting Rei on a NERV elevator (the scene is much like Episode 22 from the series). Here she mocks Rei for being the Commander´s toy, and remarks that Shinji and Rei only became pilots due to their connections with Gendo, while she was chosen as a "real" pilot entirely because of her skill. Rei states that she is not a toy and just as Asuka intends to slap her, Rei stops her. Asuka feels empathy toward her as she sees her fingers wounded due to the cooking, and as she leaves the lift, Asuka asks Rei whether she likes Shinji. Rei explains that she doesn't know, but states that she just wants to make him happy, to which Asuka, saddened, throws a temper tantrum, though not before telling herself that Rei indeed likes Shinji.[4]
After this event she takes on the role of the test pilot for the activation of Unit-03 after the incident in the USA with Unit-04. She chooses to do so on her own will as an act of kindness towards Rei, who intended to reunite Shinji with Commander Ikari at the same day of the activation test. On the way to the testing base, Rei through Ritsuko´s cellphone thanks Asuka, an act that makes Asuka oddly happy, since she admits to enjoying her solitude but comments that she has come to enjoy others' company as well. Misato and Asuka are brought closer by a conversation not long prior to the test, where Asuka tells herself that she can even pilot with a big smile just before the capsule is contaminated by the Ninth Angel.
Asuka is not seen for the rest of the film other than in a quarantine chamber with Angel-sealing Hex Pillars. Ritsuko says that although she is alive, her mind has the possibility of being corrupted due to the Eva unit having been possessed by an Angel.
EVANGELION: 3.0 (-46h)
In EVANGELION: 3.0 (-46h), Midori Kitakami recalls events from sometime between both films, Asuka is one of the Evangelion pilot for the WILLE organization. She is sent looking for survivors, with her Evangelion Production Model-02α-EIV being piloted by Mari Makinami Illustrious. Although Mari already took on her "princess" nickname for Asuka, at this time Asuka is dismissive of her, and acts dismissive towards her, calling her "rookie". She tracks down a younger Midori Kitakami and fights off an awakened Failure of Infinity. After rescuing her, Asuka briefly tells Midori that "an idiot" is responsible for it all, telling Midori to fight on if she wants to beat him. This has an effect on Midori, who starts looking up to Asuka.
EVANGELION 3.0 (-120 min.)
In EVANGELION 3.0 (-120 min.), Asuka is waiting to launch Operation US to recover Unit-01 from space. Asuka is looking at the Moon and recites a poem[5] before being surprised by Mari, the other pilot, wearing her school uniform and asking her if she agrees the Moon is beautiful. Mari asks Asuka if she agrees that the Moon is beautiful.[6] Mari explains she wants Shinji to be able to easily recognize them once he's recovered. Misato's plan is for Mari to lead the operation with Asuka in support, as her Evangelion Production Model Custom Type-08α is less damaged, but Mari suggests Asuka take the lead instead for Shinji's sake. Asuka however is reluctant, and believes Shinji himself is dead and unrecoverable. Looking back on memories of Shinji and Misato before Third Impact, Asuka changes her mind, and puts on her old plugsuit from the previous film and improvises a repair. As they launch, Mari sings to Asuka.[7][8]
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
Already in space and enroute to salvage Unit 01, Asuka faces several Evangelion Mark.04 units, ultimately saved by Shinji awakening inside Unit 01. She shows aggression toward Shinji during their reunion out of both concern and his involvement in Near Third Impact, ranging up to a punch in the window of the room where he is enclosed. She informs him about the "Curse of Eva" which prevents pilots from physically aging before leaving, obviously too upset to explain to Shinji about what has happened on Earth. Suddenly, Evangelion Mark.09 attacks AAA Wunder, prompting Asuka to have Mari destroy it. However, the said Evangelion escapes, much to Asuka's exasperation, before she calls Shinji a "brat" as she knows that they have no chance to reveal NERV's true nature.
Asuka is later seen again with Unit-02, where she intercepts Shinji and Kaworu piloting Evangelion 13. She is shocked that Shinji has piloted another Eva, and demands him to get out of it immediately. Before she can incapacitate Evangelion 13, Evangelion Mark.09 attacks her and nearly dismembers her Evangelion before Mari intervenes with Anti-A.T. Field bullets. As she attacks Evangelion 13, Asuka tries to reason to the misguided Shinji that his actions would cause Fourth Impact and aggressively demands him to stop, even going so far as to threaten him with death. Unfortunately, her Evangelion’s power supply runs out, which gives Shinji the opportunity to swat her aside much to her frustration.
Horrified that he would go too far by removing two spears from Evangelion Mark.06 that fuses with Lilith’s remains, Asuka orders Mari to destroy Evangelion 13 by using Anti-A.T. Field bullets, only for the efforts to be proved futile when the bullets pass through it, and Shinji successfully pulls both spears. The process causes Lilith to explode, and Evangelion Mark.06 is freed from Lilith’s remains. Worse, Evangelion Mark.09 decapitates the said Eva and releases the Twelfth Angel inside. The freed Angel immediately turns into a giant core and Asuka attempts, futilely, to destroyed it. As she and Mari watch, the transformed Twelfth Angel shrinks in size and is devoured by Evangelion 13 and awakes, becoming a Radiant Giant and rising at high speed from Central Dogma in the process. This starts the Fourth Impact.
She and Mari, with their respective Evangelions immediately climb to the surface and watch AAA Wunder being attacked by Mark.09, which has become Adam’s Vessel. Asuka goes to intercept Adam’s vessel, and immediately resorts to using Beast Mode to attack it. The bewildered Rei Ayanami (Tentative Name) in Adam’s Vessel is confused on what her deceased incarnation would do, to which Asuka says she should decide by herself, prompting Rei to eject herself from Adam’s Vessel. When Adam’s Vessel ultimately reveals that its whole body as core with regeneration and counterattacks, Asuka reluctantly has her Eva self-destruct, but not without ejecting herself.
An unspecified amount of time after the end of the battle, Asuka finds Shinji's entry plug in the wasteland created by the Fourth Impact and finds him in an unresponsive state. She drags him through the desert, with Rei following, to "where the Lilin are".
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time
Guiding Shinji and Rei through the outskirts of Tokyo-3, Asuka arrives at a town comprised of survivors.[9]
When not on the Wunder she lives with Kensuke, much like with Mari on the Wunder, and he cares for her as a father figure,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Asuka would rather isolate herself from the rest of the community.[19] After Kensuke leaves on a supply run, Asuka takes a shower and strolls around naked in his house and finds Shinji. Asuka waits for Shinji to do something, but he remains catatonic. This irritates Asuka greatly, as she expected Shinji to "blush a bit or be impressed" at her naked body.[20] Shinji notices she is also wearing a DSS Choker, and vomits, still traumatized by Kaworu's death. Kensuke appears, covers Asuka, and cleans Shinji's vomit. They talk and Asuka expresses irritation at Shinji's inaction, but Kensuke defends him. Asuka starts using a scarf around her neck to avoid triggering Shinji again. Asuka explains to Shinji how their existence in the village is full of hardships, and force-feeds him protein bars. Later, Kensuke finds out Shinji ran away, but before leaving to retrieve him, thanks her for feeding Shinji, to which Asuka responds: "It's not like I did it for him or anything". She keeps playing with her game console during those times, but leaves it behind when she goes to watch him.
When the Wunder arrives to pickup Asuka, Shinji insists on going with her, much to her surprise, she brings him with her authority as Temporary Special Senior Major from WILLE, not before knocking him out. Mari teases Asuka over Shinji again in their shared room, now filled with books, telling her she thought Asuka didn't care for "boys his age", but Asuka expresses that Shinji "needs a mother, not a girlfriend". When the Wunder prepares to go to Antarctica, Mari and Asuka get their new plugsuits. Asuka decides she needs to talk with Shinji. Shinji admits he failed to take responsibility during the incident with the Ninth Angel. Recognizing Shinji is growing up, Asuka confesses she loved him before the incident with the Ninth Angel, but she "grew up first".[21]
In the initial stages of the Operation Yamato at Antarctica, both Asuka and Mari fights hordes of Evangelion Mark.07s by fighting as a duo, showing much more unisson than the previous fight in the NERV HQ and previous missions. Asuka leaves Mari to deal with the defensive weapons that guard Evangelion 13 as she tries to stop it using the Shutdown Override Signal Plug. As she tries to pierce 13's core, her own unit emmits its own A.T. Field stopping it. Upon this, Asuka decides to takes off her eye-patch and reveals the Ninth Angel was still inside her, she removes the Angel-Sealing Hex Pillar from her eyes and injects Angel blood into Evangelion Production Model-New 02α (JA-02 Body Assembly Cannibalized). Before she could do anything, Evangelion 13 awakens and destroys the new form hand and the Shutdown Signal too. Evangelion 13 removes her entry plug from inside the New Unit-02α. Inside the entry plug, she meets another Asuka, there she shows her collar, showing the Angel infection and the DSS Choker activated and exploded, but before it could rip her head off, the other Asuka removes her from the plugsuit, disolving her body and leaving before the DSS finished the explosion. During this, Asuka meets "her original", revealing that she is a member of the Shikinami series of clones. WILLE can't detect New Unit-02α activity and her pilot status is unknown, not long after, the Wunder is attacked by Evangelion Mark.09-A. Gendo and Evangelion 13, finally bites the entry plug where Asuka is, finally destroying the final Angel, initiating the Fourth Impact.
In a flashback to Shikinami's childhood during Instrumentality, she laments not having a parent to care for her, and Kensuke tells her it is alright. In a callback to the beach scene in The End of Evangelion, Shinji thanks Asuka for telling him she liked him, and confesses that he also liked Asuka, causing her to blush and be overwhelmed with emotion.[22][23] Asuka reappears inside one of Eva 13's entry plugs, which Shinji ejects to safety. Her plug ends up landing right outside of Kensuke's house.
In the rebuilt world, Asuka is last seen by Shinji from afar, sitting on a bench at a train station platform.[24][25]
In other media
Super Robot Wars
Asuka gets to pilot the Shin Getter-1 of Change Getter Robo!!WP in Super Robot WarsWP DD crossover event, released on 27 November 2023. Asuka gets new voice lines, and she fights using Evangelion weapons with the Shin Getter-1, including powering the 2nd Experimental High Power Self-Propelled 460mm Positron Cannon with Getter Rays and firing at the enemy.[26]
Goddess of Victory: Nikke
You Can (Not) Evade
See main story at You Can (Not) Evade in Nikkepedia.
Second Quest
See main story at Second Quest in Nikkepedia.
Bond story
Episode 1 - A Meeting of Composure and Passion
Asuka and Zwei are training together in the M.M.R. Vocational School's Simulation Room and their combined teamwork allowed them to clear it with relative ease. Asuka wants a tougher challenge, but Zwei wants them to go over the current level again since they had made a few mistakes. The former is eager to crank things up a notch because she feels taking on tougher challenges is the only way to improve (that and she's confident they are more capable compared to their squadmates'). Given that they are fighting for the Ark's survival and for Asuka to return to her home world, they need to get stronger by any means necessary. Though Zwei has some reservations, the two decide to try a harder difficulty.
After some time, the two failed the Simulation Room. Undeterred, Asuka wanted to try it again... with the same results. They repeat the challenge multiple times... all ending in defeat. This continues late into the night.
Much later, Zwei warns Asuka that they have to leave so that maintenance can be conducted for the Simulation Room. She agrees to leave... but demands that they should return after they finish. After Asuka books it out of the room, it dawns on Zwei just how different the two of them are.
Episode 2 - Know Your Enemy, Know Yourself, and Victory is Yours
The next day, Asuka is still miffed that the two are unable to get any further in the Simulation Room and is worried about the consequences if they can't. Even more annoying is how these "Raptures" keep getting the better of her. As Asuka starts to sulk, Zwei suggests her original idea of redoing their previous difficulty, given they are not performing well as is. She believes that more Raptures are being sent at them than they can handle. Zwei feels that if they redo their last difficulty and improve on the areas that need it, they will have a better chance of moving forward.
It was at this moment that Asuka came to a realization. Since her teammate knows more about Raptures than her (at least to some extent, and Zwei's vagueness wasn't helping matters), she believes that they can defeat their enemy if they can learn more about them. Studying up on the Raptures, including where they come from, what their weaknesses are, what their attack patterns are, and so on, may prove useful to them. Zwei isn't entirely convinced that this will work, but Asuka believes in the adage of knowing your enemy and yourself are necessities to win any fight. She's confident that they can do this and wants Zwei to lighten up a bit. That being said, she's willing to indulge Asuka's plan and is willing to share with her the knowledge that she seeks.
Episode 3 - What are Raptures?
The two travel to the library to learn more about Raptures. Asuka thought their selection was relatively less than she was expecting, a statement that shocks Zwei, but where she comes from, it would have to be quintuple the size it is now to impress her. Since paper and books are limited resources in the Ark, there aren't many other libraries around to speak of. In that sense, the one they are in now is large to Zwei.
The two manage to find the section on the Raptures and after handing Asuka a book... she absorbs everything she needs in a matter of seconds? The pilot learns a lot in that brief moment in time. Raptures cannot be communicated to or with (with one known exception) and have no known purposes. They are known to destroy things on a regular basis, but destroying their own parts has little effects on them. To take them out, their cores must be eliminated. Asuka had heard of this before and believes in the rationale, given that the Angels in her world can be slain in the same way. What does come as a surprise to her is just how many shapes and sizes they come in.
Asuka wants to know where the Raptures come from, but that's a question neither the book nor Zwei can answer. Their arrival caught humanity by surprise. The humans fought back as best they could... but lost the fight against them. Forced underground from the surface, the humans now call the Ark home, which is where the two are now. These mechanical monsters populate the surface and little is known about them. There are different classifications of them depending on their sizes and appearances, so each one has a different tactic to defeat it. The worst thing is... there are probably more out there that they don't even know about. No matter how many they kill, even more Raptures appear to take their place. This thought is enough to demoralize Zwei at times.
Episode 4 - Enemies Made of Machinery
Zwei continues to lecture Asuka on what she knows about the Raptures and the pilot listens on in silence. There are points where the student feels that eliminating their enemies and reclaiming the surface is nothing more than an illusion. When she notices that Asuka doesn't seem to be paying attention, Zwei worries that she is being a bore or has said something to upset her. Asuka is not mad at Zwei, given she had asked her to do this in the first place. In reality, she realizes that these creatures are easier to understand than she thought. The main takeaways from their research are that,
- Raptures come in many different forms and there are probably more versions that don't appear in the book.
- To kill one, you have to destroy its core.
Zwei was surprised Asuka was able to simplify the Raptures so much, but her reaction helped the latter learn that the former was scared of them. While Zwei felt it was natural to be fearful of them, Asuka was the complete opposite. To her, there is nothing to be afraid of since they now know how to defeat them. What makes things even better is that most of the Raptures in the Simulation Room were inspired from the ones in this book. She's confident that so long as they keep this information in mind while they train, they can win for sure. Since the two were in agreement, Asuka wants to give the simulation another go. The student was surprised that the pilot able to internalize everything so quickly, but she only learned everything she needed to. What matters now is putting what they know into practice. Asuka is all too eager to go another round and wants revenge.
Episode 5 - The Union of Composure and Passion
Zwei is a little miffed that the two aren't going to be lowering the difficulty, but Asuka is certain that they can defeat the Raptures now that they know more about them. She's rearing to get started and the student agrees to follow her lead.
As the battle begins, Asuka fires at the mechanical monsters with incredible ferocity and in mere moments is able to clear the front. Zwei manages to expunge the right side not long after. In no time, the two had successfully managed to overcome the section they had trouble with before. The two were confident that they could win this time... but a surprise foe from the left threatened to attack Asuka... one that doesn't appear in the book. Zwei starts to panic as the Rapture attacks... only for Asuka to protect her and for the two to take a tumble. After the pilot snaps the student back to her senses, the two unleash a barrage of bullets.
After the simulation ended... the two had managed to clear it. Zwei was surprised the two were able to pull it off, but Asuka knew this was going to be the outcome this whole time. The student thanks the pilot for covering for her, but she was only trying to win after she took a hit. Asuka wants her to focus in the future since there's no need to be fearful of Rapture's they aren't familiar with. Zwei remembers what Asuka taught her earlier and admits that her new friend is very impressive, a comment that immediately goes to her head.
The two make a great team and are ready and willing to go over things one more time while they're in the zone.
Bond story
Set during the events of Second Quest
Episode 1 - A Day in the Ark
Lilin visits Asuka in her room and he finds her subtly hiding her pistol only for her to play some video games. The two sit in awkward silence for a bit before he asks how she's adapting to this new world. Though she initially thinks he is patronizing her and believes that Sakura put him up to this, he clarifies he came to see her of his own accord, especially since she hasn't left her room for a while. Asuka assures him that she's in perfect condition and only wants to leave for another mission. He has his concerns since the visitors have spent virtually all of their time fighting, but she admits to liking combat... or more specifically, is used to it.
The commander is curious about the game she is playing, only to annoy her by doing so and causing her to lose. Despite her poor performance, Asuka is confident she can easily complete games like it. She admits to being a gamer and laments that she only has the one game on her. The commander offers to take her to the Ark so she can have a wider selection. She immediately deduces he is trying to get her to leave her room and even though there is a good chance they will find something she would be interested in, she feels there is little point since she will be returning home any day now. He can tell she is a little nervous of what happens if she actually enjoys herself and after egging her on a little, she agrees to follow his lead if for no other reason than to experience these "amazing" games.
Episode 2 - Dear Gaming Friends
The two visit the game store in the Ark and in mere moments, Asuka has already beaten a game. She herself didn't feel challenged and because she won so many tokens, she can redeem them for other games. She wants to clear out the entire store and beat every game it has to offer. Elegg and Trony run into the two and the former admires Asuka's fighting spirit. The BOOM enthusiast introduces herself and shares her unprecedented high score of 120 (the perfect score is 100). Trony gives a sheepish greeting. Instead of chatting with these unfamiliar Nikkes, Asuka wants to return to playing. Elegg reveals they are here to see her. They know she helped the Mr. Commander clean the arcade of its tokens, though she sets the record straight by saying she is only here to buy more games and doesn't want to owe him any favors.
The Electric Shock Nikkes easily gravitate towards Asuka and are eager to play with her. Even Trony can't get enough of her attitude. They are eager to befriend another elite player and Elegg offers her to play a round of BOOM. Asuka has no idea what they are talking about, so the protagonist teaches her about BOOM. She agrees to give it a shot and Elegg wants to install it on her console. Despite being shocked how quickly Elegg was able to do it and after some more insisting, Asuka gives it a try. It doesn't take her long to beat it.
The two were very impressed with Asuka's gaming skills and she herself felt it was a step up from what she had played before. Elegg wants Asuka to join their gaming group, but she's not interested. The programmer assures her that she won't have to interact with anyone if she doesn't want to and just continue to play by herself. Both Elegg and Lilin try to convince her to join the fun, but Asuka wants to train some more. Elegg offers a more virtual form of combat similar to BOOM. After the commander assures her that he will let her know if she is needed, she agrees to join Electric Shock in their club for a bit.
Episode 3 - Unexpected Combination
Despite initially wanting to play by herself, Asuka eventually finds herself in a multiplayer game with her new friend. Trony tries to rescue Asuka and though she is injured, she sweats it off like it was nothing. The protagonist tries to get their attention, but they are too engrossed to hear him knocking on the door so he decides to enter. He finds both Asuka and Trony sprawled on the couch playing together.
He finds the two challenging a boss, only for Trony to collapse and lose. The commander apologizes for messing up her flow, only for Trony to consider rewriting her will again. Though Asuka despises her partner's cowardice, her skills more than make up for it. The two acknowledge that they both are good at this game, though they both have their shortcomings. Asuka is hungry for some cookies and wants to get some with Lilin. Trony offers to share some of hers, but Asuka wants some fresh ones. The engineer wishes them a safe return.
After the two leave, they stand in the hallway for a bit until Lilin questions why they aren't going to get cookies. Asuka admits that was a ruse and she shares that Elegg has been gone for a while due to orders from a superior. She and Trony have been cooped up together ever since. Though she does like her new friend and the time they've spent together, she can't help but feel guilty if Trony isn't enjoying her company. She came to that conclusion because she can tell she's not playing at her best. He assures her that Trony likes playing with her too, but Asuka can't shake the awkwardness between them. To remedy this, she wants him to come up with an excuse to allow her to return to her room, even though she doesn't want to leave anyway, since she can't come up with any other options. Lilin has an idea... just try harder. She feels like that is going to be more difficult than it sounds.
Episode 4 - The Untouchables
Asuka and the protagonist are trying to brainstorm new ways she can get closer to Trony, though she's more engrossed by the quiet atmosphere. To help her think, she wants to return to a game store with him.
While walking towards their destination, Asuka admits this place is starting to grow on her. She likes the view and enjoys Lilin's company. He takes this to mean she is starting to feel comfortable here. While that's true to an extent, she also misses struggling for survival, chasing her dreams, and tackling her fate head-on back home. More to the point, they have arrived.
The two reach the most popular game store in the Ark, filled with rare and valuable classics. Asuka clarifies that they are not here to help her come up with topics to talk with Trony about or to share with her. She admits that her new friend wants a game bundle, but doesn't have the money or the courage to get it herself. It was also a pain trying to track it down. Asuka wants to get it for her so the two get to work...
After some time, the two return to Trony's room and after knocking on her door, she lets them in.
Trony is surprised to see them both and though she is worried something is wrong, Asuka hands her a gift. She appreciates it and opens it... and was shocked to find it's the limited-edition game bundle she wanted. Asuka fibs that she found it while shopping. She wants Trony to consider this as compensation for taking up so much of her time, but she takes this to mean she is leaving soon. Trony reveals she has been pondering when Asuka will return home, but has decided to keep her thoughts a secret until now. Asuka reminds her that the two have to defeat a boss together before that happens. Trony worries that she isn't having fun, but she asserts the opposite is the case. Though the two are glad to be on the same page, Trony needs to work on other things as well, though the commander assures her that she has time to do so. It turns out that she also has a gift for Asuka and she goes to retrieve it.
Trony returns with a limited edition Black Ark Ranger figurine, a model of her favorite superhero. She offers to watch an Ark Rangers movie with Asuka if she is free despite not knowing if she will enjoy it. Asuka finds the toy very cute so she's willing to learn more about the Ark Rangers. The two go down an Ark Rangers themed rabbit hole and now Asuka wants to play a game featuring them. They do have video games based on them and Trony is glad that she was able to listen to her without getting bored. She wants to know more about Asuka as well, though she doesn't have much to say. She agrees to share more about herself after some prodding.
The protagonist decides to leave so the two can enjoy their quality time together. From what he gathered, the two stayed up all night chatting together.
Episode 5 - What Lies Behind the Games
While sitting on the windowsill looking at the scenery, Asuka notices Lilin enter Trony's room. Trony herself had to leave for an appointment, but she was actually looking for him. She wanted to thank him for his help and for looking out for her. Though he's surprised that she would actually show him gratitude, she still appreciates him nonetheless. She initially had no idea why she wanted to play video games, but she figures it's because she is lonely here. Thanks to Elegg and Trony, she now understands the joys of playing with others. She has been pontificating about why Trony is so comfortable around her despite the two barely knowing each other and given her personality, it must have taken a lot of courage to start a conversation in the first place. Having spent an entire night talking with her new friend, Asuka realizes that they have more in common than she thought. She understands that Trony went far out of her comfort zone to try and befriend her. She appreciates her taking the first steps, giving her a gift, and putting up with her own anxieties. The commander reminds her that she also gave her a gift, which annoys her.
Asuka wonders if everyone, be they Lilin, Nikkes, or whatever, will find the happiness they seek if they keep fighting. The protagonist knows she is similar, though she is surprised to learn he knows more about her than she thought. Even still, she knows that saying goodbye to the friends she has made here will be difficult. Despite knowing this was always destined to be, she wants him to handle her farewells and regards on her behalf.
Voice Actors
- Japanese: Yuko Miyamura
- English: Tiffany Grant (Amazon)
- French: Marjolaine Poulain, Céline Melloul, Emilie Rault (Amazon)
- Italian: Ilaria Latini (Amazon)
- Portuguese (Brazil): Fernanda Bullara
- Russian: Maria Bondarenko (Reanimedia)
- Spanish (Spain): Graciela Molina (2.22, Selecta Visión), Ana Pallejà ( Amazon and 3.33, Selecta Visión)
- Spanish (Latin America): Azucena Martínez (Zima - 2.0), Georgina Sánchez (Amazon)
- Catalan: Nuria Trifol (Amazon), Ana Pallejà (Selecta Visión)
- German: Julia Ziffer (Amazon)
- Hindi:
- Korean:
- Chinese (Taiwan):
Trivia
- ShikinamiWP is the name of the Type II (Ayanami) of Fubuki class destroyer of the Japanese Imperial Navy.
- Her name change was revealed on 14 March 2009 in the flier given to costumers who purchased a special ticket for the Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance film.
- Miyamura is insistent on Shikinami being completely separate from Asuka Langley Sohryu and having been directed as such.
- Asuka marks the number of Angels she defeated in her Entry plug, but it is in simulations only, in Evangelion 2.0, she had 10 markings. [27]
- The books that Asuka brought on from Germany in Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance were: LEGION CONDOR - Sie flogen jenseits der Grezen by Richard Liebsen, FLUGZEUG BEWAFFNUNG by Hanfried Schliephake, Zeitgeschichte in Farbe, Papierflieger - falten wie die Meister by Paul Jackson, STAEDT, Echinodorus by Christel Kasselmann, Origami-Gesellschaften, Bis zum letzten Tag by Albert Kesselring, Knitted Lace, Kunststricken, Deutsch, Teneriffe Lace, LÖWENHERZ, Der Herr der Ringe, MANDEL ZIEGEL and OLYMPISCHES PISTOLEN SCHIESSEN.[28]
References
- ↑ On Asuka's dolltranslation: Asuka embroidered the name on the doll herself. (And that she's bad at it.) Also that Asuka's been repairing it for the past ten years, which is why the thread color and thickness of the stitching isn't always consistent. It was designed by Moyoco Anno.
- ↑ https://twitter.com/khara_inc2/status/1656313151393091585?s=20
- ↑ Evangelion Q Records Collection
- ↑ "At the End Of Evangelion (first series ending) Asuka had been through a lot of horrible things. As her voice actor I went through the pain and sorrow she had. I hated feeling like that. In the new movies, Asuka is more approachable. So, I felt that Asuka was able to become closer with Shinji, Rei, Misato and everyone else. It made me happy as an actor." - Gold Coast Film Festival - Yuko Miyamura Interview
- ↑ From the Manyoshu, about a spouse returning home. Specifically the Somonka, the "song of love between love and women." Asuka is looking at the moon, and the Manyoshu states that: "looking at the moon always indicates the missing feeling/lovesick."
- ↑ The book Mari is holding has, in its introduction, an anecdote about the phrase "The moon is beautiful":
Natsume Soseki tells students to translate 'I love you' in English class. The students thought of translations such as "I love you" (我、汝を愛su) or "I seem to love you" (僕ha、そなたを、愛Shou思U). "You guys, are you still Japanese?"
Soseki continued to talk to each other. "Japanese don't speak such suggestive wording. It should be translated as 'The moon is very beautiful'". Indeed, when men and women in the Meiji period met in public, saying "the moon is very beautiful" would mean "I love you". After this, in Japanese, the phrase, 月が綺麗ですね, "the moon is beautiful" has since been regarded as a representative romantic line in which a man and a woman confess their love in a romantic situation."
Mari is prompting Asuka to express these feelings herself. - ↑ Mari sings a song called Youngsters, about a lost loved one to Asuka. These are the remaining lyrics:
That man of yours is no longer with us.
So why are you looking for him?
You're going without a clue - ↑ EVANGELION 3.0 (-120 min.) prequel manga, translation at Evageeks
- ↑ In earlier storyboards shown in Peaceful Times in 2015, Asuka was apparently supposed to caress Shinji in a manner similar to EoE. The video still matched Avant 2 almost perfectly, but this part was modified.
- ↑ "That's what I was told during the recording, and I thought, "Why?" (laughs). But there are many kinds of love scenes. When a father takes a picture of his daughter in her furisode (a long-sleeved kimono), it's [parental] love. The daughter is like, "Hey, stop it, Dad!" I'm not trying to force to deny it, but Kensuke is a good guy... If he's a good guy, he won't touch her. If Asuka is lonely and wanted to be pampered, it ends only at "there, there". There's nothing more to it than that. In other words, Kensuke is a good guy." - Miyamura June Newtype interview
- ↑ Asuka and Kenken's facial expressions, and their movements also seemed intimate. When I asked General Director Anno "Why are they intimate?", He said "No?" (Laughs). I remember having a conversation saying "It's not bad ..." I'm smiling. "
"Kenken is a really good guy. He can watch over Shinji with the attitude of waiting” until he recovers, "and I felt that to Asuka he was like a father. I'm sure Kenken is like a father. I think he was patient and waited for Asuka to open her heart and accepted him. I also want to be told, "Miyamu (Miyamura) can stay as it is" (laughs). ). However, in my interpretation, Asuka and Kenken have a clean relationship! - 25 Years as Asuka - ↑ Shinji's still fourteen both inside and out, and I don't think he could have helped Asuka, a girl fourteen on the outside but twenty-eight on the inside. Kensuke's twenty-eight on the outside and on the inside, so wouldn't he be the person who could do it? In the group for all the EVA voice actors on the LINE messaging app, Miyamura Yuko posted, "If Kensuke's the one who can be there for her, then please be there her." - Tetsuya Iwanaga (Kensuke), 3.0+1.0 booklet interview
- ↑ Let’s talk about Ken Ken. First, when I received the script, I noticed Kensuke was written into it. Even though he wasn’t called Ken Ken, there wasn’t that kind of connection in the previous film, Q. In the TV series, he was one of the “three idiots.”
Asuka will give people nicknames like “baka Shinji” and the like.
Asuka’s not a human and can’t live with the people in the third village so she freeloads off of Kensuke.
Asuka was isolated, she couldn’t grow up, only her hair grew.
Ken Ken is trying to take care of an isolated Asuka.
Ken Ken took the place of Mr. Kaji.
Try to think about this everyone. Ken Ken is such a good guy. Do you think such a good guy would try to advance a physical relation with a troubled 14-year-old girl?
Asuka says to Shinji that she's already become an adult but that doesn't mean sexually.
Asuka says “I am alone (in the film)”. Asuka was isolated.
Ken Ken has been watching over Asuka.
I think Ken Ken is like a father [to Asuka].
Asuka and Kensuke’s relationship is not a romantic one but rather a parental one.
When Shinji said “I think I liked Asuka,” it means that at the time he liked Asuka, even though he never came back 14 years ago.
To be honest, at the time of recording the last scene, Director Anno and Assistant Director Tsurumaki explained it.
Director Anno told me that Asuka’s ending scene correlates to the idea that Ken Ken is like a father to child Asuka.
Asuka really wants the father and mother that she's never had and Kenken could see this so his intention was to foster something like that.
Personally, I really think that “Ken Ken’s not a bastard.”
I'm not a fan of the "Ken Ken" scene.
I personally strongly think "no way Ken Ken is acceptable [as Asuka's partner]"
I think the Original Asuka is not Asuka Soryu.
My performance instructions were “Please do Soryu and Shikinami differently”
Asuka Soryu was not a clone.
When adult Asuka says, “Baka Shinji,” it has a special meaning.
Ken Ken doesn’t make a move on Asuka.
Ken Ken would never make a move on 14-year-old Asuka.
Ken Ken whose affection is deeper than the sea, stands by Asuka's side without laying a finger on her. [Imitating Asuka's voice].
Miyamura confirms Tsurumaki was in charge of everything Asuka-related, and asks fans to create new fanworks on pixiv for her to see.
Yuko Miyamura, MIYAMURA YUKO Corp. - Fanicon March 20th 2021, around 37 minute mark. - ↑ Character designer Hidenori Matsubara commenting on Asuka and Kensuke's relationship, translation by Richitzer: "I was just talking with Kazuya Tsurumaki, the director, about Eva... He said he loves Asuka. He was still annoyed over the Asuka and Kenken thing." This tweet is from April 12th, a day after they started work on the Evangelion 3.0 (-120 min.) prequel manga at Anno's suggestion.
- ↑ Of course. When the recording of “Q” was finished, there was no explanation about what would happen in the future, and when I asked why [Asuka’s name was changed to] “Shikinami”, I was only told that "it’s a battleship ...". So I found out about Asuka in this movie for the first time when I read the script.
I decided from the beginning to perform Shikinami and Soryu as two different people.
"A little while ago you said something about Shikinami and Soryu are different people, were you aware of how you separated your performance?
I separated my performance or should I say I made it different from the start so it’s completely different. For Soryu, Kaji was the one she was infatuated with, but in the case of Shikinami, the part of the story when she's interested in Kaji never happens and so she’s a completely different person from the start. - 25 Years as Asuka - ↑ Miyamura had also insisted on Shikinami and Sohryu being separate characters in earlier opportunities.
- ↑ "We weren't aware of the timeskip initially"
I was told to completely forget about Sohryu's existance"
"We're not yet done playing Asuka or Rei - Miyamura on Hayashibara's Tokyo Boogie Night, March 19 2023" - ↑ In the early 3.0 imageboards, Asuka wouldn't stay with Kensuke at all. Rather, she'd return to the Wunder and Kensuke would take care of both Shinji and Rei. She'd also rescue Shinji instead of Mari. See EVANGELION: 3.333 Breakdown.
- ↑ Asuka is also implied to not be fully trusted by Wille (much like Shinji), as she is seen wearing a DSS Choker. Her quarters with Mari on the Wunder are also a sort of isolation chamber. This is referenced as such in concept art for the 10th Khara anniversary exposition. Asuka and Mari are referred to as "dangerous persons" that must be kept apart from the crew. This further adds to her estrangement from humanity.
- ↑ Miyamura says this is because Asuka no longer sees herself as human, but rather as an Angel, and has grown indifferent to being seen naked.
- ↑ "I think I felt sorry for Shinji because he’s depressed and there’s nothing he can do. The only thing Asuka can say is “Do the best you can."Asuka is doing her personal best, so she can tell other people to do their best. That's why I wanted Shinji to wake up and say, "I'll do my best," but I guess she felt like she couldn't reach Shinji no matter what she said. Asuka's effort is not rewarded. [When Asuka says,] “You are too mentally weak,” she blame’s Shinji. When I performed this line of Asuka’s, I really almost cried. In the 14 years of effort Asuka has accumulated, by saying this, I didn’t expect Shinji to do anything about it but she was unable to say what she wanted. But, in this way, thanks to saying what she wanted, I have a feeling that Asuka was able to progress.[...]
-Finally, the way Asuka says "Baka Shinji". How did you come up with this?
This was also a storyboard shot, so I think I was shown a picture of Asuka's appearance at that time and performed it with that impression. That "Baka Shinji" is just a love letter to the people who have supported Shinji x Asuka!" - Yuko Miyamura, 3.0+1.0 booklet interview - ↑ "–– How did you feel in your performance when Asuka told you that she had grown up first?
I know how Asuka feels. For example, when I met a classmate at a class reunion, I had grown 14 years older, and although I was 14 years older and had various life experiences in those 14 years, the boy I liked at that time [in junior high school] remained a junior high school student, both emotionally and physically, and was an adult. If you haven't grown up at all, you won't feel like you used to. I think the other boy is the same [as Shinji] as what I’m talking about. -Megumi Ogata, 3.0+1.0 booklet interview - ↑ "I think she wanted to see him one last time. She never said that she loved Shinji, not even once, looking back from the TV series. Well, past tense, I guess. Because we can't go back to 14 years ago. We can't go back to that time, but I (Asuka) loved you then. It doesn't mean that she loved him then but doesn't love him now, or that she loves someone else now, but that she genuinely wanted to tell him that. I think Asuka wanted to end to her childhood, to get some closure. But I think it was amazing that Asuka was able to say so clearly that she loved him. She's really an adult.
"I was going to, but then we met again and he [Shinji] said "I" liked Asuka too. But it's the scene I like the most. I think it's very nice that they tell each other that they loved each other back then, even though they can't go back. And Asuka is so cute in that scene. Seeing that, my heart was filled with joy. I felt that she was being treated like a woman, that she was being cared for. Her plugsuit is tattered and plump, though. Also, as I said in the pamphlet, I think the line "Baka Shinji" is a love letter to everyone who supported Shinji and Asuka. - Miyamura Newtype May interview - ↑ Sound director in a VTuber interview: In a recent interview with V-tuber Vivian, the sound director for Evangelion 3.0+1.0 says he did not instruct the seiyuus of Shinji and Mari to act as lovers, he interpreted their relationship to be that of friends. It is mentioned that the station scene was not instructed as romantic. Whether they're lovers, friends, or family is left up to the viewer. Even the seiyuu will have different opinions about it. I'm sure this is what Anno is intending, for Eva to be like a "mirror" and give back what the viewer sees in it. That is Eva's appeal.
- ↑ "However, at the stage greeting this time around - when Ogata talked about one more Shinji who remains behind after having sent off everyone - the feeling "I want him to go meet the adult Asuka!" grew stronger too." I think that Shinji also almost certainly meet the adult Asuka, meet Yui, and various other people but I definitely want the fans to complete the rest of the story." - Miyamura: AnimateTimes
- ↑ https://twitter.com/srw_dd_pr/status/1728700126263497016
- ↑ ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版破 全記録全集 設定 資料版 p.71
- ↑ ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版破 全記録全集 設定 資料版 p.196