One of the greatest animes to come out of the 2oth century is Neon Genesis Evangelion. This mecha anime is about humanity being on the brink of destruction due to mysterious entities called "Angels" wreaking havoc upon the Earth. The only effective measure in stopping these Angels are the Evangelion bio mechas, which can only be piloted by a selected group of teenagers run by the organization NERV.
It is not the epic mech battles nor the deep existential themes that make this anime great. Instead, it is the explorations into the psychology of the characters that make people adore this show. Throughout the anime, the audience sees a distinct depth between these characters that many other anime don't engage in. However, that does not mean every character is likable or relatable.
9 Worst: Ritsuko Akagi
The cool and collected Head Scientist of NERV, Ritsuko Akagi, is often the person who gives exposition regarding the Angels and Evangelions. She has a close relationship with Misato, yet the two are often opposites of each other. Most of her life mirrors the life of her mother, as Ritsuko ended up following in her mother's footsteps to a tee. She even had a relationship with Gendo, just like her mother did. There is nothing inherently wrong with her as a character, but there are certainly more interesting characters in comparison to her.
8 Best: Kaji Ryoji
Kaji is a special inspector who is first introduced when he accompanies Asuka to NERV. He has an on and off again relationship with Misato and often flirts nonchalantly with her. While he works for NERV as an investigator, he is much more interested in uncovering what is really going on with SEELE. What makes him such an interesting character is his calm and philosophical attitude throughout the course of the show. Even after he uncovers the Human Instrumentality Project and gets killed for it, he is still at peace.
7 Worst: The Angels
Typically antagonists in stories have interesting backgrounds and motives, which lead them to what they do. This is something missing in the Angels. While the Angels' uncanny designs and movements fit the tone of the story well, they are not really the most personalized characters in the show. Their goals are vague, but it is implied that they are trying to receive, the First Angel, Adam. Overall, they are a fine fit for the show, but not the most interesting characters due to their expressionless attitudes.
6 Best: Kaworu Nagisa
As one of the only Angels with a distinct personality, Kaworu is certainly an intriguing character. Kaworu is the final angel sent to trigger the third impact, but he is also the first angel as his body is a vessel for Adam. While Kaworu has the potential to be an incredibly impactful character, he seems to be somewhat apathetic towards completing those goals and is instead more interested in forming a relationship with Shinji. Unlike the other Angels, Kaworu appears human and can enter Evangelions like the other main characters.
What makes him interesting is that his calming and peaceful attitude is a breath of fresh air in comparison to the many grim and insecure characters throughout the show. Additionally, his aloofness towards his own goals, despite his competence, is compelling. While he is an enemy to Shinji and humanity, he still has a fondness for them and attempts to connect with Shinji in particular.
5 Worst: Shinji Ikari
The protagonist, Shinji, is a relatable and flawed character. Throughout the whole series, he is depressed and insecure about himself. Despite this, he manages to still fight off the Angels though he does so reluctantly. A lot of his issues stem from his neglectful father who never gave him the love he needed. While it is easy to understand where Shinji is coming from, he often wallows in his own despair too often which occasionally lets people down. There is also that uncomfortable scene with Asuka at the hospital at The End Of Evangelion...
Best: Rei Ayanami
As an Evangelion pilot, Rei is a central character to the plot. It is implied that she is a clone of Gendo's wife, Yui Ikari, but she also harbors the soul of the Second Angel, Lilith.
She is certainly one of the more mysterious characters throughout the series, and this is partly what makes her character so great. She is typically quiet, emotionless, and dutiful, yet she still has a better understanding of everything going on than anybody else.
4 Worst: SEELE
While SEELE is not specifically one character, basically all of its members compose into being one individual. SEELE is a shadowy organization that is secretly controlling the world governments in Neon Genesis Evangelion. Their goal is to complete the Human Instrumentality Project, which would unite all human beings into one singularity. The group is behind most of the events which unfold in the series, as they are manipulating both the humans and the angels to get what they want.
The issue with the group is that they are pretty complicated throughout the series. Their goal is already complex enough, but their own intentions are never really unfolded that well.
3 Best: Asuka Langley Soryu
The competitive, outgoing, and energetic Asuka is basically the rival of Shinji. Like the other Evangelion pilots, she fights against the Angels, but unlike the others, she is the only one who actually seems interested in being a pilot.
Though she often displays confidence, she secretly carries a lot of self-doubt which puts her in a precarious situation by the end of the series. However, she manages to overcome it and ends up making a phenomenal final stand against SEELE.
2 Worst: Gendo Ikari
Though Gendo plays the incredibly important role of leading the construction of the Evangelions as well as the Human Instrumentality Project, he is not a very likable character. He is also the father of Shinji and is utterly cold towards his son. His goal throughout the series is to complete the Human Instrumentality Project so he can reunite with his wife.
His abandonment of his son left Shinji to feel insecure and isolated from the rest of the world. Additionally, he constantly used other people for further his own interests.
1 Best: Misato Katsuragi
Misato is the operations director of NERV and is the one who commands the Evangelion Pilots. Additionally, she is the caretaker to Shinji and Asuka. There is a lot to like about Misato. Though she is often lackadaisical and messy, she is also kind and competent. She's risked her life countless times to save other people and often gives smart advice and guidance to the pilots.
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