[EVA][fanfic] I Mustn't Run Away (also in response to

[Widya Santoso]

On Tue, 4 Nov 1997, Patrick Yip wrote:

     PY @ TOKYO


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>> BTW, I find a problem with writing EVA romance in
>> general...IMO, very little evidence is there to suggest a
>> emotional attachment between any of the Special Children.
>> That, and the barriers all of them have.  What's your take
>> on this.

> Nonsense.  There's a very real Asuka-Shinji thread
> underlying quite a bit of the series.  Shinji is afraid of
> rejection, so he doesn't pursue it, and Asuka won't let
> herself act on it.

I'm a big fan of the Asuka/Shinji relationship.  I think
it's fun to watch them sparring, taking one step forward
and two steps back.  The best line is where Asuka and
Shinji are arguing, and Touji compares it to the
quarrelling of a married couple (17).  Of course, Asuka and
Shinji disagree most empahtically.  Also, the alternate
reality Shinji experiences in 26.

## I *absolutely* agree!  Do not expect western-style
## passionate shouting of "Oh I love you!".  Things are
## really subtle here.  Perhaps those who have seen
## anime/manga like "Touch" should know.  Perhaps it's the
## reason why "Touch" does not receive the same popularity in
## western countries as in Japan/East-Asia:  everything is so
## subtle that the fans don't understand (and no mecha, of
## course, even though it has lots of baseball)

A darn fine example of this is the relationship between
Ritsuko and Kaji.  You just know that Ritsuko is in love
with Kaji, but can't proceed with declaring it.  This is
partly because of her relationship with Misato (20),
partly because of her relationship with Gendou (24), but
mainly because she is so inhibited and scarred by her
relationship between her and her mother.  

Kaji also knows of her attraction, but he has a sense of
responsibility to Misato.  We can see how this works out
in 15, where Ritsuko and Kaji share a chat in the bar.
It's obvious that there's an attraction, but their
professional duties also separate them.

Widya Santoso  widya at macquarie.matra.com.au  +61 2 6288 0405
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