Neon Genesis Evangelion is a series that is as famous for its complex characters and intricate narrative as it is for its heart-wrenching tragedies. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Evangelion explores the psychological struggles of its young protagonists while pitting them against monstrous threats known as Angels. Throughout the series, many characters face untimely deaths, some of which are sudden, others slow and painful, and all of them are tinged with profound emotional weight.
From the deaths of the main characters to secondary and background figures, the show’s willingness to tackle themes of loss, isolation, and sacrifice gives it a unique emotional depth. Below is a look at the 20 most tragic deaths in Neon Genesis Evangelion, ranked by their emotional impact and narrative significance.
1. Kaworu Nagisa
Kaworu’s death is arguably the most tragic in Neon Genesis Evangelion. Introduced late in the series as the Fifth Children, Kaworu forms a close bond with Shinji, who grows attached to him in a way he never has with anyone else. When Kaworu reveals that he is the 17th Angel and his true mission is to merge with Adam and initiate the Human Instrumentality Project, Shinji is forced to make a heartbreaking decision. Kaworu chooses to die at Shinji’s hands, encouraging him to live on and find his own path. His death is tragic not only because of the emotional connection he and Shinji formed but because Kaworu’s kindness and understanding stand in stark contrast to the world of pain Shinji inhabits.
2. Shinji Ikari (in Alternate Timelines)
While Shinji technically survives the events of Evangelion, there are multiple instances throughout the series and its alternate continuities where his death feels inevitable or tragically avoided. In The End of Evangelion, Shinji’s confrontation with his own psyche during the Instrumentality is a metaphorical death, where his individuality and sense of self are obliterated. In the timeline of the Rebuild of Evangelion films, Shinji also faces moments of near-death, and the character’s struggle with self-worth and isolation gives every near-death moment extra gravity. Shinji’s entire journey is filled with emotional death, making his final survival bittersweet.
3. Misato Katsuragi
Misato’s death in The End of Evangelion is one of the most iconic and tragic moments in the entire series. After a series of emotional and physical challenges, she makes the ultimate sacrifice to protect Shinji during the final battle of the Human Instrumentality Project. As the world crumbles around her, Misato’s final moments are filled with conflicting emotions—she confesses her love for Kaji, offers her dying words to Shinji, and expresses the hope that people can change. Her death is tragic because, throughout the series, she is a figure of strength, leadership, and maternal love, and to see her fall at the moment when humanity is teetering on the brink is a devastating blow.
4. Katsuichi (Katsu) and the Other Eva Pilots
In the episode “The End of the World,” Katsuichi, one of the other Eva pilots, and a few others are killed as part of a larger tragedy to showcase the harsh reality of the Eva program. These deaths, while not as personally significant as others in the main cast, show the brutal cost of war and the toll the secret program has taken on the lives of ordinary individuals.
5. Ryoji Kaji
Kaji’s death is particularly tragic because he’s one of the few characters who understands the complex web of secrets surrounding NERV, SEELE, and the fate of humanity. Throughout the series, Kaji is portrayed as a morally conflicted figure who tries to walk a line between love, espionage, and survival. He genuinely cares for Misato and seems to be searching for some kind of redemption or peace, but in his final moments, he is killed by an unknown assailant, and his death is left ambiguous. Kaji’s death symbolizes the futility of trying to escape the larger forces at play, and it leaves Misato, who never truly got closure with him, in deep mourning.
6. Gendo Ikari
Gendo’s death, while not unexpected, is a tragic culmination of his own inner conflict. As a man obsessed with controlling everything, especially the fate of his deceased wife, Gendo orchestrates much of the story’s central events, leading to his own downfall. In The End of Evangelion, Gendo tries to fuse with Rei, who is the physical manifestation of Yui Ikari’s soul, but he is ultimately killed in an attempt to seize god-like power. His death is tragic not because of sympathy for his character, but because it is the result of his deeply flawed relationships and inability to ever truly connect with others, especially his son, Shinji.
7. Toji Suzuhara
Toji’s death in the TV series and his tragic fate in The End of Evangelion mark him as one of the most tragic secondary characters. Initially a classmate of Shinji, Toji becomes a symbol of the personal costs of the Eva program. After piloting the Eva Unit-03, which becomes possessed by an Angel, Toji is critically injured. Though not an immediate death, Toji’s physical and emotional scars define his character, and in the alternate universe of The End of Evangelion, his death is rendered all the more tragic as a direct consequence of Shinji’s actions.
8. Rei Ayanami (multiple deaths)
Rei’s character is marked by the theme of death and rebirth. While she dies multiple times throughout the series, each of her deaths serves a greater purpose in the story. Rei’s gradual self-awareness, especially when she learns of her true origins as a clone and her connection to Lilith, marks a major turning point in her character arc. Her death symbolizes the loss of innocence, but it also represents sacrifice for a higher purpose, as she eventually allows herself to be used to end the Instrumentality Project.
9. Soryu Asuka Langley (Final Rebirth)
Asuka’s death is tragic for many reasons. Throughout the series, she is one of the most emotionally complex and difficult characters, constantly struggling with feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, and emotional trauma. Her mental breakdown at the end of The End of Evangelion is a heartbreaking moment, where she is unable to cope with the emotional weight of the world. She is later killed during the final scene of the series, where her death signifies the culmination of all her emotional turmoil. Asuka’s death is poignant because she is the embodiment of the emotional scars that result from the Eva program, symbolizing the deeper psychological wounds the characters carry.
10. Ikari Yui (Shinji’s Mother)
Though Yui’s death happens before the events of Evangelion, it has a profound impact on the story and the emotional development of Shinji. Yui’s death is shrouded in mystery, but it is revealed that she sacrificed herself to fuse with Unit-01, leaving behind a void that Shinji struggles to fill throughout the series. Her death represents the constant tension between life and death in the world of Evangelion and serves as the catalyst for Shinji’s complicated relationship with his father, Gendo.
11. Sadamoto’s Rei (Alternate Universe)
In the Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth alternate universe, the death of Rei is handled differently than in the main storyline. In this continuity, Rei’s death is more poignant, as it directly impacts the fate of the world and brings Shinji closer to the emotional and philosophical conclusions of the series.
12. Maya Ibuki
Maya’s death occurs during the events of the End of Evangelion movie, when she is killed along with several other NERV staff members. Although Maya is more of a background character, her death is tragic because she is part of the larger story of people who sacrificed their lives without ever truly understanding the greater forces at play. Her death underscores the theme of how ordinary people are caught in the crossfire of larger existential battles.
13. Ritsuko Akagi
Ritsuko’s death comes at the hands of her own mother’s creation, and the circumstances surrounding it make it deeply tragic. Having spent much of her life trying to uncover the truth about NERV and her mother’s past, Ritsuko’s death represents the tragic consequences of her relationship with her mother and her inability to escape the destructive cycle of the Evangelion program.
14. Shigeru Aoba
Aoba, another member of the NERV operations team, dies during the chaos of the final battle. His death, while brief and not as emotionally charged as others, underscores the sense of futility and loss felt by those who were part of the secretive organization.
15. Kaworu Nagisa’s Alternate Fate
While Kaworu’s death in the main series is tragic, alternate timelines (such as the manga version) suggest different fates for him. In one timeline, he is allowed to live, only to become a tragic figure whose influence on Shinji creates a bittersweet future.
16. The Evangelion Pilots (The Other Children)
Other Eva pilots throughout the franchise meet tragic ends. The choices they make and the internal battles they wage often result in untimely and deeply emotional deaths, adding layers of complexity to the overarching narrative.
17. The Mass Suicide Scene
The mass suicides in The End of Evangelion have a haunting and tragic quality, as individuals, seemingly unaware of the larger implications of their actions, end their lives as part of the larger theme of the breakdown of human will.
18. Ayanami’s Clones
Throughout the series, Rei Ayanami is revealed to be a clone, and each version of her comes with its own tragic end, adding layers to the emotional weight of the series.
19. Gendo’s Acolytes
The group of acolytes in the series that worship Gendo ultimately suffer tragic fates, underscoring the theme of blind faith and sacrifice.
20. The Ghosts of the Evangelions
The final imagery in the series, where the ghosts of fallen soldiers and heroes appear, suggests that their deaths were ultimately futile in a world that failed them. This final blow adds to the overwhelming sense of loss that permeates the series.
Conclusion
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a deeply philosophical and emotionally complex series, and its tragic deaths are integral to its exploration of identity, sacrifice, and the human condition. Each character’s death is more than just an event in the narrative; it is a moment of profound reflection on the consequences of their choices and the cost of the world they inhabit.
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