[EVA] Just saw 0:11...

[Micah Potasnik]

Gareth Ortiz wrote:
> 
>  "Ryan Tyrrell" Wrote:
> 
> >Hey, a minute can seem like an eternity, especially with the laconic Rei
> >and Asuka, who at that point was just looking for a reason to snap at her.
> 
> Not at Rei in particular; at anybody.  Rei was just the "perfect" target
> since she represents everything Asuka hates about herself. (At least from
> Asuka's POV, she does.)  And at the moment, Asuka's inherent feelings of
> self-loathing are starting to leak out.  So in a vain effort to avoid
> sinking into a deep depression and self-pity, (which happens anyway) she
> attempts to transfer her negative feelings about herself onto others.

Shifting the blame, in other words.  Humans are remarkably good at that,
for obvious reasons.  

> >They probably could have cut one or two, but I think its meant to annoy.
> >Annoying for us, agonizing for her.
> 
> hmm, I don't see how her agony can be annoying... :(

I think it's called overdoing it a little.  

> 
> >I enjoyed watching the tape with my friend who lived in Germany for a year,
> >and seeing him go "huh?" "what?" and shaking his head. :)
> 
> yeah, yeah, I know.  Why do people need to make fun of Yuko for her poor
> German skills?  Do you know how vast the gulf is between German and
> Japanese as languages?

Quite vast.  I know someone from Germany and who can speak german, and
let me tell you, the gulf is *quite* vast between the two.  Nearly on
the opposite ends of the spectrum, almost.  

<MegaSnip>
> What he noticed that was different wasn't between the two of them, but
> rather, how different she seemed while she spoke another language on the
> phone.  The Asuka he saw there, (the act she put up to deal with her
> step-mother) isn't the same Asuka he "knows."  Note the fact that Shinji
> basically buys into her facade lock, stock, and barrel.  That's why he
> can't understand what's really wrong with her at the end of the episode.
> Shinji has no idea just how similar the two of them really are.  They both
> suffer from the exact same problem, and the each "chose" to deal with it
> in a different way.  In the end, they both fell as they were still the
> same.  At any rate, that's no excuse for standing there for a long time
> watching her... ^_^;;

To sides of the same coin, to put it simply.  They really would be good
for each other, if they could only get past the barrier that separates
them.  It's actually crossing the barrier between them that they have a
problem with.  

> 
> The problem is "simple."  It can be summed up like this:  Shinji and Asuka
> desperately need to be loved.  The problem lies in that each wants the
> love of one specific individual from whom they can't get it.  Shinji
> wants his father's love.  Well, good luck there...  

heh.  Good point.

Asuka wants her
> mother's love, but she's "dead."  So what does Asuka do?  She transfers
> her desire to be loved from her mother to the entire world.  Of course, no
> one can get the world to love them...

Of course.  

> 
> I've decided to try something new.  I've said so much of this before, that
> I've decided to abuse the ML archives and dredge up my "Wisdom from the
> Past!!" (TM)  So now, in a display of blatant egotism, I will proceed with
> quoting myself.
> 
> Here's a selection of relevant "Garethisms" from the past:
> 
> *On Shinji's desire for acceptance:
> 
> "Shinji's personality is extremely passive.  Unlike Asuka who is
> agressive, Shinji does not actively seek acceptance, but rather, he wants
> it to come to him.  His passivity also displays itself in how he withdraws
> from the world rather than confronting it."
> 
> *On Asuka's desire for acceptance:
> 
> "It is important to note though, that she does not consciously realize
> this.  As far as she is concerned, she doesn't need other people.  Of
> course, subconsciously, she is reaching out to them and seeking
> acceptance."

I agree totally.  Two opposites of the same coin, as I said earlier.  


> *On why Shinji and Asuka pilot Eva and the end result:
> 
> "Shinji and Asuka have essentially the same problem.  Each thinks he
> (sorry again) is worthless due to traumatic childhood events.  Shinji
> actually does love his father (sadly) and is living for his approval.
> Asuka seeks her dead mother's approval, but since that is impossible, she
> has displaced her feelings onto people in general.  She seeks everyone's
> approval.  They each found a purpose in piloting Eva.  Shinji was doing
> something for his father.  Asuka was doing something for the world.  Both
> of them failed.  They tried to find a stopgap solution to a much larger
> problem, and it backfired on them.  When they lost Eva, they lost the
> false sense of accomplishment and pride they had gained, and regressed
> into self-loathing and depression.  Due to what was done to them during
> their youth, the kids think that they are worthless, and they hate
> themsleves.  Like I said before, Rei said it best in ep. 26 when she said,
> 'Those who hate themselves cannot bring themselves to love or trust
> others.'"

Yow.  Not much else that can be said after *that*, you pretty much
covered everything, Gareth.  

-- 
-Micah D. Potasnik                             potas at i-55.com
-http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/6195/

-Humble Defender of the God of Evangelion, Shinji Ikari
-Follower of the Goddesses of Evangelion and NERV, Rei Ayanami, 
Asuka Langley Sohryu, Misato Katsuragi, Ritsuko Akagi, and Maya Ibuki.

"The quiet ones are the ones that change the Universe, Luc Deradi.  
The loud ones only take the credit."
-Londo Mollari from "In the Beginning".

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!" 
-JMS

"Did you know that Babylon 5 comes on in 37 minutes?"
"You know, I've officially got the highest IQ on the planet and I
still don't understand that show."
-Renata and Donovan, from X-O Manowar #17

"To Mess with people's minds is natural.  To really screw their 
minds over... Well, that requires JMS or Anno Hideaki..."