Shinji Ikari
Voiced by: Megumi Ogata (Japanese); Spike Spencer (English)
Shinji Ikari (碇 シンジ Ikari Shinji) is the Third Child and the pilot of Unit 01. He is the son of Gendo and the "late" Yui Ikari. Abandoned by his father when he was a toddler, Shinji has grown up to be reclusive and withdrawn, choosing to often run away from difficult situations. He suffers from social anxiety at the beginning of the series, but is gradually freed from this as he socializes with his new classmates and fellow pilots. Shinji is emotionally hyper-sensitive and sometimes does as expected out of fear of rejection, but he has often rebelled and refused to pilot the Eva because of the extremely excruciating harm that has been done to him, or done to his friends. Over time and with encouragement from Misato, he learns to be less cowardly, more outspoken, and more confident, but his progress is nearly undone near the end of the series. At some point in the series he begins to confront his inner self, forming arguments and questions about life and reality. He becomes friends with Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida, in addition to his complicated relationships with Rei and Asuka.
Rei Ayanami
Voiced by: Megumi Hayashibara (Japanese); Amanda Winn-Lee (TV and films), Brina Palencia (Rebuild) (English)
Rei Ayanami (綾波 レイ Ayanami Rei) is the First Child, and the pilot of Unit 00. At the start of the series, she is shown to be socially withdrawn, seemingly emotionless, and remote, with her only apparent relationship being with Gendo Ikari. As the series progresses, she and Shinji grow closer. It is eventually revealed that Rei is a vessel for the soul of the Angel Lilith, and was created specifically by Gendo to be used as a tool for accomplishing instrumentality; she is a clone made from the salvaged remains of Yui and is plagued by a sense of negative self-worth stemming from the realization that she is an expendable asset. Soulless clones of her are kept hidden in the deepest levels of NERV headquarters to be used as the supposed "cores" of the Dummy Plugs and as replacement bodies for Rei if she should die.
Asuka Langley Soryu
Voiced by: Yuko Miyamura (Japanese); Tiffany Grant (English)
Asuka Langley Soryu (惣流・アスカ・ラングレー Sōryū Asuka Rangurē) is the Second Child and the pilot of Unit 02. She is of mixed German and Japanese descent. Asuka is brash, egotistical, and often verbally abusive (especially to Shinji), and has an exaggeratedly high opinion of her appearance and her skill as an Eva pilot. Her attitude, however, is a front masking deep-seated insecurities stemming from her traumatic childhood. Asuka is openly infatuated with Ryoji Kaji, but is also attracted to Shinji; however, she cannot properly express her affections. In Rebuild of Evangelion series, her name is changed to Asuka Shikinami Langley (式波) and ranked as captain of the Euro airforce.
