Misato Katsuragi

Misato Katsuragi is the deuteragonist of the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. She is the operations director at NERV. In Rebuild 3 and in the first half of Rebuild 3+1, she is presented as the hardened, anti-heroic leader of WILLE.
She is voiced by Kotono Mitsuishi in the original Japanese version, Alison Keith in the original English dub by ADV Films, and Carrie Keranen in the newer English dub on Netflix.
==Biography==
At the beginning of the series, Misato first brings Shinji Ikari to NERV and is able to convince him to pilot the EVA Unit-01. She then chooses to have Shinji move in with her rather than live alone, and later takes in Asuka Langley Soryu. As the series progresses, through her lover Ryoji Kaji, she learns the truth behind the Human Instrumentality Project and the depths of deception that NERV and SEELE have gone to keep the Project secret, even from her.
==Personality & Traits==
===In the original series and Rebuild 1 & 2===
Misato is a study in contrasts. When she's on the job, she's a force to be reckoned with—tough, smart, cunning, hard-nosed, determined, ultra-competent in strategy and tactics, and an all-around go-getter. Likewise, she is quite cheerful, optimistic, ditzy, and hedonistic.
As the series progresses, it is revealed that these contrasts in personality are two halves of a facade. Despite her age, Misato, like Shinji, is a broken-hearted child, striving to live up to crushing responsibilities, yearning for love and acceptance, and trying desperately to hide deep sadness, loneliness and fear (by episode 21, after Ryōji Kaji dies, the mask cracks). Despite her lighter side, her insecurities cause her to be childish, touchy and short-tempered; for instance, she hates being teased, yet loves to tease people, especially Shinji. Most of her problems come from conflicting feelings toward her father, who neglected her and her mother in favor of his work but sacrificed his life to save hers during Second Impact.
Misato loathes the Angels, blaming them for her father's death and her own near-fatal injuries in the cataclysm of 2000, and that hatred drives her to amazing feats of cunning to defeat them. Unfortunately, it also causes her to misinterpret the reasons why Shinji acts the way he does when he pilots Unit-01, and drives her to say the worst possible things at the worst possible moment to Shinji near the end of episode 24, in the aftermath of Tabris' attack on NERV, traumatizing him even further and pushing him into his final slide toward a nervous breakdown.
She and Shinji become very close, perhaps even coming to love one another, as the series goes on, though not in any openly romantic way. She even kisses him just before her own heartbreaking heroic death, questioning in her final moments if she did the right thing. It is very sad to watch as the series goes on, as whenever Shinji is in the most pain and needs Misato the most, she's either wallowing in drunken self-pity, angry that he doesn't share her rage, or her efforts are misguided and inappropriate. And whenever Misato is in the most pain and needs Shinji the most, he can't handle seeing her in pain and tries to ignore her—not because he doesn't care, but because he doesn't know what to say or do and fears he'll only hurt her more if he tries.
===Rebuild 3 & 3+1===
As leader of WILLE, most of her better traits had disappeared, becoming cold and distant to Shinji. Her now Gendo-like behavior is, in fact, a measure to use him as a scapegoat for escaping responsibility for her role in the events that led to the Near Third Impact. Midway through Rebuild 3+1, however, she finally learns to forgive Shinji, and accepts full responsibility for failing him by sacrificing her life to deliver Shinji the Spear of Gaius to restore the world to a pre-Second Impact state.
==Trivia==
*Misato's design was based on the "adult version" of Usagi Tsukino, the protagonist of Sailor Moon.
*Her Japanese voice actress, Kotono Mitsuishi, also voiced Usagi Tsukino in Sailor Moon, Boa Hancock in One Piece, Mai Shiranui in Fatal Fury 2: The New Battle and Fatal Fury: The Motion Pictures, Mireille Bouquet in Noir, Hummy in Suite Pretty Cure, Peko Pekoyama in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Kagura Sohma in Fruits Basket (2001), Cammy White in Street Fighter II, Mei Mei in Jujutsu Kaisen, and Jean in Claymore.
*Her English voice actress, Carrie Keranen, also voiced Rena Rouge in Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, Casca in Berserk, Mahiru Koizumi in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Yamraiha in Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Ling Xiaoyu in Tekken: Blood Savage, Vert in Hyperdimension Neptunia, Mami Tomoe in Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Satsuki Kiryūin in Kill la Kill, Rom in Hyperdimension Neptunia Mk2, Sara Valestein in The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, and Mitsuki in Kappa Mikey.
*Elements of Misato's character such as her appearance and relationship with a troubled 14-year old boy were inspirations for the anti-heroine Minene Uryuu from Future Diary.
==Navigation==
Category:Mature
Category:Female
Category:Anime Heroes
Category:Manga Heroes
Category:TV Show Heroes
Category:Military
Category:Doujin Soft Heroes
Category:Neutral Good
Category:Strategists
Category:Tragic
Category:Nurturers
Category:Good Vs. Good
Category:Anti-Heroes
Category:Leaders
Category:Parents
Category:Revived
Category:Status Dependent on Version
Category:In Love
Category:Optimists
Category:Animal Kindness
Category:Disciplinarians
Category:Protectors
Category:Global Protection
Category:Addicts
Category:Deceased
Category:Amazons
Category:Warriors
Category:Determinators
Category:Strong-Willed
Category:Mentally Ill
Category:Failure-Intolerant
Category:Lethal
Category:Tricksters
Category:Suicidal
Category:Big Good
Category:Liars
Category:Charismatic
Category:One-Man Army
Category:Genius
Category:Misguided
Category:Vengeful
Category:Honorable
Category:Pragmatists
Category:Voice of Reason
Category:Insecure
Category:Science Fiction Heroes
Category:Action Heroes
Category:Wrathful
Category:Rescuers
Category:Hope Bringers
Category:Love Rivals
Category:Mentors
Category:Officials
Category:Localized Protection
Category:Fighters
Category:Envious
Category:Successful
Category:Obsessed
Category:Bond Creators
Category:Martyr
Category:Guardians
Category:Loyal
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Sympathetic
Category:Selfless
Category:Victims
Category:Stalkers
Category:Pawn of the Villain