Is Shinji Ikari Gay? Or Bi? A Queer Analysis of Evangelion

A queer analysis of the character of Shinji Ikari in Hideaki Anno's Neon Genesis Evangelion and Evangelion rebuild series, specifically episodes 24 and Evangelion 3.0. I decide whether or not Shinji Ikari is in the LGBTQ community.

[Katiakatia]

Shinji and Kaworu are so sweet i wish gay people were real

[absurdturk]

I think the main reason Shinji shows attraction to Kaworu but not other guys is the same reason why he mainly shows attractions to females he seems to be well acquainted with. Simply put: Shinji is more attracted to people he has SOME emotional connection with at the very least, even if they're kind of toxic like Asuka.

[tylerleach]

After watching all of Evangelion, both the original and Rebuild…Kaworu easily has the most actual romantic chemistry with Shinji than any other character he’s been shipped with.

[kuro.mp]

Shinji isn't bi, straight or gay.
He's shinji

[jbstarkiller]

This video is one of the better discussions about Shinji’s sexuality in relation too Kawrou tbh, He’s definitely NOT homosexual since it’s pretty obvious that he likes women and the hospital scene is only one of the times where he’s shown to like girls. Him being bisexual is definitely more within the realm of possibility

[numbxers_]

i think he's bi, he felt that someone loved him for once but if he didn't like men he would've just been glad but not develop any feelings for Kaworu, he's even deeply heartbroken after his death and even says 'he loved me' to Misato.. a part from that, we can see the analogy of Kaworu being Adan and symbolizing manhood, father, manly figure, which makes sense since he's been neglected by his own father.. there's a moment where Shinji felt a subtle love gesture from his father when he said to him good job. It's kind of cliché but not having a father(nor mother figure) present marks deeply someone's soul.. that doesn't mean he is bi because of that, but it adds more to how he feels towards men as a whole. You can even tell he blushed when Kaji pranked on kissing him.. And lastly, he sees the gigant ghost of Kaworu and Rei morphing together, they both represent the mix between lilith and adam and it's to me a representation of men and women and two people who have shown appreciation, caring (Rei is literally his mother) and love and admiration (Kaworu), and Asuka is sadly a sexual desire.. they both gravitate together through hate, they fight and can't seem to get to a middle ground for more than just a minute. They are polar opposites and it's only after the complementation ends that she understands Shinji's feelings and caresses him to show him for once love, but what shinji feels is embarrasment because she now knows how he feels neglected by everyone and he's scarred of how she'll react in a negative way bareting him.. but gladly she does not

[mamoon]

In Japan, draft 1 of episode 24 is known as the scene where Shinji tries to confess to Kaworu.
Shinji tells Ritsuko that he has never been in love. He is excited when he meets Kaworu, and tries to confess his feelings to him.
Almost certainly is followed by "好き".
In other words, his first love is Kaworu.
He despairs because Kaworu refuses to confess, but the translation only says "I…" so I don't think the meaning is conveyed.
This is a draft but I feel he is bi.

[Niniane]

As somebody who only recently got into Evangelion...yeah to me there is no question about Shinji's bisexuality. If anything this is one of the very few things the story was straightforward about.

[tintinisyfe]

You can't look at someone the way shinji looks at kaworu and still be straight

[Hypersceneskeet]

I belive shinji is bisexual(specifically bi romantic), shinji in my eyes represents humanity as a whole, and humanity has learned that love is love and love can take many forms, the unconditional love from kaworu opens his eyes, he lust for asuka and the love for rei is really the need of a mother, kaworu shows shinji unconditional true love, shinji has shown no sexual attraction to kaworu (at least from all the nge media I’ve seen)

[KeoCar]

We don’t talk about the manga with Kaworu and Shinji…👀👀👀

[ahumanoidtroodon]

Abolish labels. Shinji is just so desperate for any sort of affection he’d take literally anything.

[charlisangel]

Kaworu literally kissed Shinji in the manga

[FIREWALKER]

finally the analysis of evangelion that we needed

[KiwiiiiiiiiSwsscheez]

I agree with this video but when you were talking about the part where shinji had to kill kaworu, I think even if he didn't have a crsuh on him he would still hesitate because kaworu embodys a human with real feelings.

[bubblegumlie]

With the other “official” media in mind Shinji is very clearly into Kaworu and I think that’s a pretty queer. He could obviously be bi with a preference towards women tho, that’s what I think he is

[soulcorp]

the war is over we can finally live in peace

[YoniYoniRD]

Unironically Shinji is NOT gay he loves Kaworu so much because he was the only one who had given him unconditional love. He doesnt remember his mom he doesnt know how being loved or love himself thats why it meant so much for him. And lets not forget that in Japan is even weirder to see people being open with their feelings so to shinji Kaworu is nothing as minuscule as a love interest he was so much more because he was the one who showed shinji he was lovable.

[TeaTae]

Nah as i remember he often blushed when having physical touch or being put in an embarrassed situation with girls then leading to some romantic stuff, they are also the most closed pp to him, i mean, we don't have a chance to see Shinji in the same condition with boys. Maybe it will reveal sth more?
There is a scene that Kaji nearly kissed Shinji which made him blushed
Ashhh i don't like fan service at all👺

[maxohara]

hes heterosexual and pansexual, hes attracted to kaworu, not because hes a guy, but that hes a person shinji can truly trust, and who will always care about shinji unconditionally. but hes straight because hes sexually attracted to girls, this is the most in depth explanation i could come up with.