Asuka Langley Soryuu

**Asuka Langley Soryuu**, also known as the **Second Child** and **Asuka Langley Shikinami**, is one of the main characters from the *Neon Genesis Evangelion* series.

## **Charactah Account**

Asuka is the Second Child, who pilots Evangelion Unit 02. She is from Germany, but with an American father and a half-German, half-Japanese mother. In the Rebuild of Evangelion series of movies, her name is changed to Asuka Langley Shikinami.

Her mother, Kyoko Zeppelin Souryuu, went insane after an Eva-related experiment and began to believe that a doll that resembled Asuka was, in fact, her daughter, to the point that she refused to acknowledge the real Asuka. Kyoko Zeppelin Souryuu committed suicide on the very day that Asuka was chosen to become an Eva pilot. On that day, Asuka promised herself that she would never cry again. This event gives her an innate hatred of dolls and all things that she perceives to be doll-like, especially Rei. Despite those feelings Asuka shows no hesitation when required to cooperate with Rei when necessary, proving her to be committed and professional regarding her duties as an Eva pilot.

Asuka's father later remarried a woman for whom Asuka feels no affection. Asuka feels the need to verbally and sometimes physically lash out at everyone around her, except to her unrequited crush, Kaji, who is Misato's ex-boyfriend and more than twice Asuka's age. On her better days, however, she can be quite cheerful and friendly. Like Shinji, Asuka also has a difficulty being close to people, except unlike Shinji, who shells himself, Asuka's coping mechanism is over-aggressiveness and so she unintentionally hurts people she likes, pushing them away and thus sinking further into loneliness and self resentment. This issue is referred to as the "hedgehog's dilemma" and is a recurring motif in the story.

## **Appearance**

### **Anime**

* Beautiful World
* Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
* Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
* Evangelion: 4.0 Rebuild of Evangelion
* Nihon Animator Mihonichi
* Neon Genesis Evangelion
* Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth
* Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion
* Petit Eva: Evangelion@School
* Rebuild of Evangelion: Hakata Angel Attack Alternative
* Schick x Evangelion

### **Manga**

* Neon Genesis Evangelion
* Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days
* Neon Genesis Evangelion: ANIMA
* Neon Genesis Evangelion: Campus Apocalypse
* Neon Genesis Evangelion: Comic Tribute
* Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project

### **Video Games**

* Dai 3-Ji Super Robot Taisen Z Jigoku-hen
* Evangelion Art
* Evangelion: Jo
* Hisshou Pachinko Kouryoku Series Vol. 1: CR Shinseiki Evangelion
* Hisshou Pachinko Pachi-Slot Kouryoku Series Vol. 5: CR Shinseiki Evangelion 2nd Impact
* Kai-ri-Sei Million Arthur
* Meitantei Evangelion
* Monster Strike
* Neon Genesis Evangelion
* Neon Genesis Evangelion: Battle Orchestra
* Puchi Eva: Evangelion @ Game
* Puyo Puyo!! Quest
* Puzzle & Dragons
* Rebuild of Evangelion Sound Impact
* Secret of Evangelion
* Shinseiki Evangelion
* Shin Seiki Evangelion: Ayanami Ikusei Keikaku with Asuka Hokan Keikaku
* Shinseiki Evangelion 2: Evangelions
* Shinseiki Evangelion Mahjong Hokan Keikaku
* Shinseiki Evangelion: Koutetsu no Girlfriend
* Shinseiki Evangelion: Typing E-Keikaku
* Super Robot Wars Alpha
* Super Robot Wars Alpha 3
* Super Robot Wars F
* Super Robot Wars F Final
* Super Robot Wars L
* Super Robot Wars MX
* The Battle Cats
* Unison League
* Valkyrie Connect

## **Trivia**

* The Shikinami is an Ayanami-class post-World War II era Japanese destroyer whose name literally means "Spreading Waves". It is pronounced, approximately, "Shkee-nami", not "Sheeky-nami". Hideaki Anno has confirmed that Asuka, like Rei and Mari, are named after Ayanami-class destroyers of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and not from the old Fubuki-class destroyers. Noteworthy as a naval curiosity is the fact that the original, Fubuki-class Shikinami was actually the first destroyer of the Fubuki Type II (Or 'Ayanami') subclass to be completed and commissioned, despite being ordered six months after the Ayanami (due to Ayanami's slow construction).
* Asuka Shikinami's name is spelt, meaning something like "ceremonial waves" or "ritual waves" while the warship's name is, meaning "spreading waves". The reason for the change isn't clear, especially since the change in Kanji makes the name somewhat nonsensical.
* Why Asuka's Japanese surname was changed from Soryu to Shikinami for the new movie adaptation remained a matter of speculation for a long time. Yuko Miyamura has stated that it is a secret. One consideration: Given that the newly introduced character Mari has the Japanese surname Maki*nami*, and the other female Eva pilot is Rei Aya*nami*, the change to Shiki*nami* establishes the three female pilots as a triad. However, it remains to be seen if this theme naming implies a more significant in-universe connection between Rei, Asuka, and Mari or not. A later interview with Hideaki Anno indicates that the 'settei' (roughly 'background') of the main characters had altered since the original series, hence the change in name. With significant new plot and character developments in Evangelion 3.0, the change in name is at least partially justified.