Neon Genesis Evangelion character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto drew Shinji in an ordinary summer school uniform with a white shirt, making him 'an average character'. Original sketch of Shinji by Sadamoto, altered for the anime series Merchandise based on the character, including action figures and perfumes, has been marketed. Shinji has placed highly in popularity polls and has been the subject of scholarly study. Shinji's characterization in the spin-offs and the Rebuild of Evangelion films, however, received more positive comments for his more courageous and self-confident personality, especially in the second instalment of the saga, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance. Although his complexity was praised and generally considered realistic, he was criticized for his insecurity and weakness. The character has had a mixed response from anime and manga publications. Shinji is voiced by Megumi Ogata in Japanese, and by Spike Spencer and Casey Mongillo in English. Anno used psychoanalytical theories for his characterization, including the Freudian psychosexual development model. Shinji's insecurity and torment are explored through streams of consciousness and inner monologues, with episodes focusing on his introspection. Shinji appears in the franchise's animated feature films and related media, video games, the original net animation Petit Eva: the Rebuild of Evangelion films, and the manga adaptation by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto.ĭirector Hideaki Anno conceived Shinji as a representation of himself, reflecting his four-year depression after the airing of his previous work, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water. In the anime series of the same name, Shinji is a young man who was abandoned by his father Gendo, who asks him to pilot a mecha called Evangelion Unit 01 to protect the city of Tokyo-3 from creatures which threaten to destroy humanity named Angels.

He is the franchise's poster boy and protagonist.

Shinji Ikari ( Japanese: 碇シンジ, Hepburn: Ikari Shinji) is a fictional character in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise created by Gainax.

Spike Spencer ( ADV Films dub / Rebuild).

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