Others

Naoko Akagi was Ritsuko’s mother. She was the creator of the MAGI system and the former GEHIRN head technician. The MAGI computers were built on three opposing principles of the life of its creator: Naoko as a scientist (Melchior), Naoko as a mother (Balthasar), and Naoko as a woman (Casper). Moreover, her personality (”divided” into these three principles) has been implanted into the MAGI’s organic computer, so that the system can think like a human being. These three aspects are in constant conflict, and together they delegate to formulate decisions and judgments on behalf of NERV and the government of New Tokyo-3.Naoko was involved in a romantic relationship with the recently-widowed Gendo Ikari while working at GEHIRN.

However, after Rei I called her an “old hag” and said that Gendo himself called Naoko that frequently, she realized that he had merely been using her affections to ensure her performance for him. In a fit of rage, to death and then either committed suicide or was murdered by an unknown assailant. Soon afterward, GEHIRN was disbanded and the organization NERV was formed in its place.

In vol. 10 of the manga, Naoko is shown to commit suicide after killing Rei I. Ritsuko witnesses both Rei’s murder and Naoko’s suicide.

Age
Unspecified

Sex
Female

Blood Type
Unknown

Birthday
Unknown

Relations
Daughter: Ritsuko Akagi

Japanese seiyuu
Mika Doi

English voice actor
Laura Chapman

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Yui’s background is not covered in the series, but according to the “Neon Genesis Evangelion 2″ PS2 game, her father was a powerful member of SEELE, which explains why she had the backing of this powerful organization. She was a student of genetic engineering at Kyoto University, where she met her future husband Gendo and her mentor and trusted friend Kouzou Fuyutsuki. Afterwards, she joined UN Artificial Evolution Laboratory (future GEHIRN) in Hakone, Japan, and played an integral role in Project E.

Despite Fuyutsuki’s misgivings, Yui served as the test subject for the Contact Experiment of EVA-01 in 2004, saying that “everything happens as it must.” She invited her son Shinji to GEHIRN to watch what would be her final moments: Yui “disappeared” during testing — leaving no body behind — and was proclaimed dead that same year after efforts to recover her failed. Although GEHIRN considered it an accident, it is arguably clear that what happened was Yui’s intention. Living on within the Eva, she continues to ensure a “bright future” for Shinji and the rest of humanity, seeing to it personally that SEELE’s scenario is never entirely fulfilled.

While Yui is not exactly an important character on her own, it is her relationships with those around her that make her key to the entire series.

Gendo’s love for her is his entire motivation for going through with SEELE’s Instrumentality Project. He misses her so longingly that he goes through with SEELE’s plan in the hopes that, after being implemented, he would be able to be one with Yui again.

Shinji is equally affected by his mother. Her absence and Gendo’s subsequent abandonment of Shinji is the reason behind his anti-social, non-confrontational nature. At the same time, her maternal protectiveness of Shinji as the soul of his Unit 01 is solely responsible for EVA-01’s being the formidable fighter it is. Also, it can be argued that Shinji’s relationship to his Eva is a physical manifestation of the Freudian Oedipus Complex: he longs for contact with his mother to the point that he wants to be inside her, however this is contradicted by how at times it seems he has some disdain for Unit 01, as a weapon, and most of his resentment towards his father is based on other aspects of their relationship. Nonetheless, it has been proven through The End of Evangelion and by Gainax itself that the only reason Shinji and Gendo acted the way they did is because they wanted to be with Yui again.

Age
27 (at the time of her disappearance)

Sex
Female

Blood Type
Unknown

Birthday
1977 (day/month unknown)

Relations
Son: Shinji Ikari
Husband: Gendo Ikari
Genetic: Rei Ayanami (possibly)
Associated Eva: Unit 01

Japanese seiyuu
Megumi Hayashibara

English voice actor
Kim Sevier (series)
Amanda Winn-Lee (movies)

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Kyoko Zeppelin Sorhyu, Asuka’s mother, was a key scientist in the German division of GEHIRN (what would later become NERV’s Third Branch) and the development of Unit 02, the first Production Type (the second and third of which were later produced by the two American branches of NERV). After participating in Unit 02’s contact experiment, she became mentally unstable, believing that one of Asuka’s dolls was her daughter rather than Asuka, who she referred to as “that girl over there.” She was admitted to a mental institution shortly after the experiment. Her husband entered an affair with Kyoko’s own doctor, which eventually prompted Kyoko’s suicide in 2005; by the time of Kyoko’s funeral, the doctor had already become Asuka’s stepmother.

The TV series gives no direct indication of how Kyoko was able to survive the contact experiment with Unit 02. However, the PS2 game Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 revealed that only the maternal aspect of her soul was absorbed into Unit 02, explaining why she survived but was no longer able to recognize Asuka as her daughter. Also, in The End of Evangelion, Asuka connects with Unit 02 and recognizes the presence in the Eva as her mother.

In the manga, Kyoko and her husband divorced after they were unable to conceive a child and he had an affair. He re-married and had a daughter, while Kyoko visited a sperm bank and was impregnated. She tried to poison Asuka against her ex-husband’s daughter, referring to her as “that girl,” but after the contact experiment this dissociation was transferred to Asuka’s doll. At one point, Kyoko tried to strangle Asuka.

Age
31

Sex
Female

Blood Type
Unknown

Birthday
1974 (day/month unknown)

Relations
Daughter: Asuka Langley Sohryu
Husband: “Papa”
Associated Eva: Unit 02

Japanese seiyuu
Maria Kawamura

English voice actor
Kimberly Yates

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In both the series and the manga, Keel Lorenz is the leader of SEELE, represented as SEELE 01 in the monoliths. Among his most defining characteristics are his ancient appearance and the futuristic visor that he wears throughout the series. Little is revealed about him in the series, but he is believed to hold great political power in the UN. He is revealed to be a cyborg when he reduces into LCL during The End of Evangelion. Little else is known about him.

Some fans believe him to be the character from the anti-Semitic legend of The Wandering Jew, but there is no evidence in the series or from any other source to support this claim. News clippings with Lorenz’s picture dating 20 years prior to the story show him visibly younger.

The inspiration for his name originates from Konrad Lorenz, a zoologist known especially for his research on animal psychology who also, notably, was once affiliated with the Nazi party.

In the manga, his name is given as Lorenz Kiel.

Age
Unspecified

Sex
Male

Blood Type
Unknown

Birthday
Unknown

Relations
Unknown

Japanese seiyuu
Mugihito

English voice actor
Richard Peeples (series)
Tom Booker (movies)

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Kensuke Aida is an otaku, a military buff, Toji’s best friend, and one of the “Other Children,” Eva pilot candidates in the same class as Shinji, Toji, Rei, Asuka, and Hikari. His hobbies include camping in the mountains surrounding Tokyo-3 and playing at simulated war reenacting - by himself. Kensuke solidifies his friendship with Shinji after Shinji saves him and Toji during the fight against the fourth Angel, Shamshel. Kensuke dreams of becoming an Eva pilot and ceaselessly begs Shinji to pull strings in NERV so he can be selected as a pilot, despite Shinji telling him that he has no say in the matter. He also seems oblivious to the intense physical and psychological duress endured by Eva pilots. Nevertheless, Kensuke enjoys the privileges of being the friend of an Eva pilot; he and Toji accompany Shinji on the excursion to the UN combined naval fleet during the transportation of Unit 02. Like presumably every one of Shinji’s classmates, Kensuke’s mother is deceased. Like Toji, Kensuke has a crush on Misato Katsuragi. He is rarely seen without his camcorder at hand.

Kensuke is named after a main character in the novel The Fascism of Love and Fantasies (Ai to Gensou no Fascism) by Ryu Murakami. He is also similar in appearance to the character Jean, from Hideaki Anno’s earlier anime Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water.

Age
14

Sex
Male

Blood Type
A

Birthday
September 12, 2001

Relations
Father (unnamed) (works for NERV, unknown division)

Japanese seiyuu
Tetsuya Iwanaga

English voice actor
Kurt Stoll

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Hikari Horaki is the class representative of the class that Shinji and the other Eva pilots attend. Like all of her classmates, she is an unknowing Eva pilot candidate. She has a by-the-book demeanor and takes her responsibilities as “class rep” seriously. Although she frequently bickers with Toji, she reveals to Asuka that she has an enormous crush on Toji but is unable to openly express her feelings to him. She also appears to be Asuka’s only friend. After the battle with Arael, Asuka seeks out Hikari and stays with her for an unspecified time. During a late evening she reveals her inner insecurities to Hikari, a testament to their friendship; however, Hikari appears saddened by the hateful words Asuka uses.

Hikari is an accomplished cook who appears to take care of her two sisters. Like presumably every one of Shinji’s classmates, Hikari’s mother is deceased. No references are made as to whether her father is either.

Like Kensuke, Hikari is named after a character in the novel The Fascism of Love and Fantasies (Ai to Gensou no Fascism) by Ryu Murakami. Her name, and that of her unseen younger sister, Nozomi, and elder sister, Kodama, is also in reference to the names of the trains of the Tokaido Shinkansen line.

Age
14

Sex
Female

Blood Type
AB

Birthday
February 18, 2001

Relations
Sisters: Kodama, Nozomi

Japanese seiyuu
Junko Iwao

English voice actor
Carol Amerson (series)

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Pen Pen, or Pen² is a warm-water Erect-crested Penguin with a relatively high degree of intelligence. He lives in a custom refrigerator in Misato’s apartment, enjoys taking warm baths, eating whatever food he can get his hands (or wings) on, and going to hot springs. It is implied that the genetic experiments that were performed on him drastically increased his intelligence, as he is also shown watching TV and reading newspapers. Pen Pen is the series’ mascot and key source of comic relief.

According to the manga, he is the result of a genetics experiment at Misato’s former workplace, and she adopted him after the experiment’s conclusion rather than let him be euthanised.

Age
Unspecified

Sex
Male

Blood Type
Unknown

Birthday
Unknown

Relations
Owner: Misato Katsuragi

Japanese seiyuu
Megumi Hayashibara

English voice actor
Amanda Winn Lee (series and movies)
Mandy Clark (”Director’s Cut” episodes)

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Credits: List of characters in Neon Genesis Evangelion

Webmaster’s note: The information here is a mix of different definitions from wikipedia editors.