First Try

In spite of their initial disagreement, both Asuka and Shinji earned some respect for each other at the end of the training. Living with Asuka allowed Shinji to discover a new side of her personality. Until then Asuka usually yelled at him or beaten him. After she decides to resume her training, Shinji notes her determination. Asuka appreciates Shinji because he caught up with her, after she ran away from the apartment. Back home they both work harder than they did at the beginning.

The night before the final battle, Misato has to work so Asuka and Shinji are home alone. Thanks to the newly gained respect for Shinji, Asuka decides to “test” him, to see if he is good enough for her. Due to a combination of proudness and fear of being rejected, it is however Shinji who has to make the first move. Asuka tries to tempt him coming out of the bathroom, she states they are home alone and winks at him, smiling.

When Shinji doesn’t pick Asuka’s hint, her mood swiftly changes: nothing happened and that bothers her. Still, she tries once again before going to sleep. Asuka moves her futon from Shinji’s bedroom into Misato’s. Firstly she warns him not to enter her room, almost alluding to the fact that Shinji might do something bad to her. Then she compares the room’s door to the Wall of Jericho i and finally calls him a child. Yet, Jericho’s wall is famous only for falling and, while speaking, Asuka gives Shinji a view of her cleavage down her nightshirt. A view that leaves Shinji rather stupefied.

During the night, Shinji is awake listening to his SDAT player. At a certain point, he hears that Asuka has woken up and pretends to be asleep. After her bathroom trip, Asuka doesn’t go back into her room, instead she ends up in Shinji’s futon. At first Shinji is visibly embarrassed, especially because of the sight of Asuka’s half-exposed breasts. After the initial hesitation, he moves toward Asuka and tries to kiss her, but stops when she utters “Mama, mama”. He then moves his bed and, quite discouraged, mutters she is a child as well. Shinji seems a bit upset to notice that Asuka, in spite of her “I’m an adult” attitude, proves to be a child, just like him.

This is a clear example of Shinji’s change after Asuka’s arrival. Since the very first episode he is a timid, passive boy. Here instead he takes the initiative. Had she not called her mother, Shinji would have certainly kissed her. Without a doubt, this is the highest degree of commitment with Asuka. Even more than the true kiss.

At the end of the battle, Unit 01 falls on Unit 02…in a rather compromising way. An angry Asuka begins to quarrel with Shinji for damaging her precious 02. The discussion quickly escalates to the point in which Shinji confesses the near-kiss of the night before. Asuka promptly calls Shinji a pervert again and Shinji, unlike the previous occasions, cannot say it was an accident.

If Asuka is shocked to hear what Shinji tried to do, she also realises that maybe, he isn’t a lost cause and doesn’t give up. Shinji instead, in the light of Asuka’s reaction, thinks he has gone a bit to far. Fearing to have compromised a blooming friendship, he decides to take a step back. From now on he will try not to rise to the bait (no matter how hard Asuka will tease him) and gain her respect becoming a better pilot. Save a few lapses (episode 10, at the poolside; episode 11, in the air ducts), he manages to stick to his plan.