Genesis

For the record, I don’t actually like Neon Genesis Evangelion. Yeah, I know it’s a classic and all that, and Shinji refusing to get in the Eva is a totally normal reaction to trauma, but…

Well, Asuka was originally intended to be the main character, but someone thought that a female character couldn’t be at the center of a story like this one. But she just shines - she’s too funny, too sharp, too damaged not to draw you in and make you love her. Not everyone loves the Rebuild series, but I appreciated that Asuka had a lot more to do, both in terms of screen time and agency as a character. And her speech at the end of 3.0+1 - “Look at me! Love me!” - made me feel like someone had pulled my heart from my chest to show to the world.

Photos by Afrodyte Charlotte; @afrodyte87 on Instagram