WHO IS REI?

Rei Ayanami is a main character in the 1995 anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.

From her Wikipedia page: "In the anime series, Rei is an introverted girl chosen as the enigmatic pilot of Evangelion Unit-00, one of a series of giant mechas called Evangelions. She is called the First Child among the Evangelion pilots. At the beginning of the series, Rei is a mysterious figure whose unusual behavior astonishes her peers."

Rei has pale skin, light sky-blue hair, and red eyes. Her distinct and somewhat unnatural appearance marks her visually as an outsider from the rest of the cast. Rei is physically 14 years old; however, given that she is actually a clone of another character, it can be implied that her growth has been manipulated by NERV (the organization responsible for creating the EVAs as well as Rei).

Again from her Wikipedia page, "[Rei] is introverted, uncomplaining, socially detached, and laconic." She has many qualities of the Yamato Nadeshiko archetype; that is, a woman who embodies characteristics "considered desirable" in an especially traditionally-minded part of Japanese society. Some of these virtues include "loyalty, domestic ability, wisdom, maturity, and humility."

Rei seems to embody these, with her serene and calm demeanor, her loyalty to Gendo (and then to Shinji), her willingness to sacrifice herself without a second thought. Series creator Hideaki Anno believed her popularity with the Japanese audience stemmed from a "Japanese society [that] wanted girls who behaved quietly and avoided complaining." But she is really a deconstruction of this archetype; her serene nature belies an unnerving emptiness. Something under the surface that even she cannot fully recognize.

Rei is not just quiet, not just a loner who keeps to herself and her books--she is isolated from her peers completely. She lacks a support system, and a sense of true individuality. She rejects the friendship of another central character (Asuka) and at first seems to dislike Shinji. She is defensive on behalf of Gendo, her only human connection at the start of the series.

BIO

WHY REI/THEMES

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MY ART

TRIVIA

OFFICIAL ART

Rei is contemplative and philosophical. She is seen at one point during the series reading a German book about genetics, theorized by fans to be a hint at her status as a clone, or possibly referencing a genuine interest in the topic as it may pertain to her unusual health. In her monologue she refers to "a woman who never bleeds," which some interpret as Rei not being able to menstruate due to her unique physiology, something that may further separate her, at least symbolically, from other humans.

WHY REI?

You might be wondering why I love Rei Ayanami as a character so much.

It’s true that I see a lot of myself in her, probably to the point of projection. It’s been a topic of fandom/creative conversation for years now that many fans and creatives can trace a through-line between their favorite characters, revealing a pattern of traits they are drawn to. The implication is perhaps, in doing so, they reveal something about their psyche as well.

Obviously, it’s not always that deep; you like what you like and you don’t always need to over-analyze aspects of yourself or the content you enjoy. That being said, over-analyzing media has always been a love of mine.

I love Rei because of her quiet resilience. I love Rei because she veers so far into loyalty, subservience, and lack of self that it comes across as uncanny and unnerving. I love Rei because she doesn’t know how to live, how to be a person, and I want to see her get that chance desperately. I love Rei because there is something ancient and unknowable inside of her. I love Rei because she is blunt and comes across to others as rude. I love Rei because despite her initial difficulties seeing herself as an individual, her arc culminates in her betraying her (manipulative, abusive, and negligent) father figure and encouraging her most important person (Shinji) to reject Instrumentality and value his own personhood.

that aside, a large part of my attachment to Rei is probably due to timing; I, like many, experienced Neon Genesis Evangelion at a very tender stage of my teenage development. There have been other characters since Rei who share similar traits or backstories, but none that so heavily mirror my brushes with dissociation and fractured identity. And none that give me as much hope as she does.

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THEMES