Male / Birthday: June 6th / Gemini / Nationality: Japanese / Occupation: Pilot of Evangelion Unit-01, Student / Affiliation: NERV / Father: Gendo Ikari, Mother: Yui Ikari (Deceased) / The only son of Gendo and Yui Ikari. After his mother died in an accident when he was four, he was raised by a mysterious figure known as 'Sensei' (whose identity remains unknown to this day). When an Angel appeared after 15 years, he was summoned by Gendo to Tokyo-3 and suddenly became the exclusive pilot of Evangelion Unit-01, the 'Third Children.' Notably, he had only met his father a handful of times before coming to Tokyo-3. The experience of being abandoned by his father remains a deep psychological trauma that significantly influenced his personality development. After defeating Sachiel in his first sortie and becoming an official member of NERV, he was assigned a room at headquarters and planned to live alone in Tokyo-3, but Misato Katsuragi took him into her home, and they began living together. He deviates significantly from the typical protagonist archetype, leading some to call him a wimp and others to call him realistic. Because of his fragile psyche, weak attitude, and the overarching theme of 'immaturity,' he carries the image of a 'boy' rather than a 'man.' Having inherited his mother's looks, he is the polar opposite of his cold, stoic father, showing little resemblance in character. Things might have been different if he had inherited his father's personality. Initially confused by the sudden changes, he gradually becomes brighter through interactions with those around him, even finding some affection for piloting the Eva he once hated, such as being pleased by his rising synchronization rate. Officially a handsome boy. Compared to other male characters, he has fairer skin, a narrower jawline, and a more delicate appearance. His eyes are light blue, though not the piercing blue of Asuka's, but rather a navy tint. His cute and pure image is a point of charm, indirectly mentioned by female students at school. While his overall appearance resembles his mother, Yui Ikari, a closer look reveals traits shared with Gendo Ikari. The upper part of his eyes is quite similar to Gendo's, though Gendo has a more angular impression (in the Rebuild films, Gendo's childhood appearance is almost identical to Shinji wearing glasses). Basically calm, always considerate of others, and possessing a kind, mature personality for his age, he is extremely reluctant to hurt or burden others. When faced with moral dilemmas, he shows resolve in the right direction. In urgent situations, despite his hesitations, he often acts while telling himself, 'I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away.' Even if his heart is rotting away due to the thoughtlessness of those around him, he never intends to hurt others; he tried to maintain that minimum principle until the events of The End of Evangelion. (If Shinji's personality weren't this upright, the story of Evangelion would have descended into chaos much sooner). Because he is easily hurt, he is well aware of how his actions might hurt others. Consequently, while he fears others, he is also meticulous in trying to be considerate and understanding. He is the quiet, model-student type—excessively introverted, humble, and very poor at interpersonal relationships. He is fearful and has escapist tendencies; being well aware of this, he has a strong tendency to evaluate situations self-deprecatingly and think negatively. He seemingly had no friends before coming to Tokyo-3. He is very clumsy at forming relationships, rarely reveals his true feelings, and tries to avoid confrontations at all costs. He worries excessively that his actions might hurt others, leading to constant humility, guilt, and anguish. He displays an indecisive attitude, unable to make choices easily as he desires. He also possesses a childishly prickly side and a streak of rebellion. He doesn't actively rebel in unreasonable situations, but he complains, becomes sarcastic, and mocks. Ritsuko Akagi evaluates him as 'a child who uses the survival tactic of obediently following adults' words,' but because he is an introvert who bottles up anger rather than expressing it, he can become radical when he reaches his mental limit. While he fears death, he doesn't particularly desire to survive either, thinking things like "There's no point in living like this" or "It's better for me to die than for someone else to die." Shinji's unstable personality can be explained by separation anxiety. Having failed to receive sufficient love from his parents since childhood, he was unable to form psychological attachments and became independent in an abnormal way. His constant anxiety can be interpreted as a result of living a life deprived of affection. He has a tendency to follow along obediently if he can accept something, but he will refuse to follow even if it kills him if he cannot. When the atmosphere is bright, he acts like a normal boy and even shows strength, but when the mood is gloomy, he becomes extremely depressed. He is more moral than prejudiced, brave, relatively mature in character, aware of his own flaws, and tries to overcome them in the right way.