Neon Genesis Evangelion Wasted Its Most Underexposed Character (And It’s a Shame)

Neon Genesis Evangelion is among the most lauded anime series of all time. Released in 1995, it is one of the earliest examples of prestige anime, blending popular elements from the action and sci-fi genres with an intricate and mind-bending plot, and a deep exploration of its characters’ psyches. But, despite all the praise the series receives from fans, many will attest that it is a flawed masterpiece. Much of the criticism is levelled at the show’s controversial ending, which is fixed in the 1997 film, The End of Evangelion. But, there is another issue with the series, and it’s one of the most disappointing aspects of the show.

Neon Genesis Evangelion follows Shinji Ikari, a teenager who is selected to pilot a giant mech, known as an Eva, to save the world from the mysterious entities known as Angels. For the most part, NGE has some of the best character writing in all of anime, with Shini, Asuka, and Rei all receiving complex and fleshed-out character arcs. But in terms of Evangelion‘s supporting characters, sometimes the series didn’t know what to do with them, and it wasted some amazing storytelling opportunities because of this.

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Neon Genesis Evangelion Wasted One of Its Most Interesting Characters

The following contains spoilers for the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series. When he’s not piloting EVA-01 or having a mental breakdown, Shinji can be found at school. When he first started, he had no friends and sat alone, but he quickly befriended Kensuke Aida and Toji Suzuhara, who became mainstays in the series throughout the first 19 episodes. Their friendship acted as a salvation and saving grace for Shinji as he struggled to reconcile his personal feelings with his responsibilities as an EVA pilot.

Neither Toji nor Kensuke were given sprawling backstories, but their dynamic with Shinji and their fawning over Misato made them endearing characters in their own right. Then Neon Genesis Evangelion pulled one of its best twists. There was a lot of build-up as to who would pilot EVA-03 in Episodes 17 and 18. Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all thought that a new pilot would be brought in from abroad. But, it was then revealed that all of the students at Shinji’s high school were potential candidates to be EVA pilots.

This twist is brought to a head when Toji is revealed to be the new pilot, with everyone except Shinji knowing. When Toji lost control of his EVA, Shinji was sent in to contain the threat, but his father, Gendo Ikari, ordered the destruction of the new EVA (and, as a result, its pilot). The shot of Shinji reacting in pure horror as Toji’s body is pulled from the EVA’s entry plug is one of the show’s most harrowing moments. But, the series did little with it.

Evangelion Could Have Done More with Toji

With EVA-03’s demise and Toji’s critical injuries acting as the cliffhanger at the end of Episode 18, the series had set up even more layers to Shinji’s fractured psyche moving forward. However, very little is done with the big reveal in Episode 19. After it is revealed that Toji is alive (albeit missing a leg) and Shinji visits him at the hospital, the moment is barely mentioned again. What’s more, just a few episodes later, it is revealed that all of Shinji’s classmates, including Toji, have been evacuated out of town and are never seen again in the show.

There’s a hot debate among the fandom about whether the anime should have killed off Toji. Whether you feel that way or not, the series still wasted a massive opportunity by not diving into the aftermath of the EVA-03 incident. Given Shinji’s already fractured mental state leading up to the fight, Toji’s near-death could have pushed him over the edge to finally quit the EVA program. Additionally, more scenes involving Shinji, Toji, and Kensuke following the incident would have added many more layers to their friendship.

Over its 26 episodes, there’s so much that NGE gets right that makes it a phenomenal series. But, there are also countless missed opportunities that, in the decades following its release, make fans grateful for the movie reboots and sequels. Unfortunately, even in those, Toji is still underutilized as a character.