Ritsuko Akagi

赤木リツコ

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Appearances: 1anime
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Ritsuko Akagi serves as Nerv's head scientist, overseeing repairs to Tokyo-3's defenses and continuing the work her late mother, Naoko, began on both the Evangelion units and the Magi supercomputer system that runs the entire organization. Ritsuko clearly admires her mother's genius, but she also resents living in her shadow, a tension that shapes much of her buried frustration throughout the story.

She comes across as cool, intelligent, and endlessly dedicated to her work, often playing the rational counterpart to the more hot-tempered Misato Katsuragi during tense moments in the command center, with their back-and-forth jabs providing some of the series' rare lighter moments. Away from the lab, she keeps a soft spot for cats and smokes heavily, small habits that hint at a more fragile person underneath her disciplined exterior.

Her most consequential relationship, though, is a secret one with Gendo Ikari, Shinji's father, whom she quietly supports with both her scientific skill and a romance she keeps hidden from almost everyone. When she realizes just how thoroughly he has used her, jealousy and betrayal push her toward a reckless act of revenge against him. Her old college friendship with Misato, once close enough that the two of them lived through the same formative years together, ultimately falls apart as Ritsuko gets pulled deeper into Nerv's darkest secrets.

On screen

Appears in

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion

Supporting Role1997Movie1 episode8.60

DramaActionPsychologicalSci-Fi

The End of Evangelion is a 1997 anime film and one of the most famous anime movies ever made. It came out in Japan on July 19, 1997, and runs about 87 minutes. Hideaki Anno, the creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion, wrote it and served as chief director. Kazuya Tsurumaki directed the first half, and Anno directed the second. Studios Gainax and Production I.G made the film, and Toei released it in theaters. To understand why this movie exists, you need to know about the TV show. Neon Genesis Evangelion aired in 1995 and 1996. Its last two episodes were very unusual. They took place mostly inside the characters' minds and did not show what happened in the outside world. Many fans were confused or upset, and they wanted a clearer ending. The End of Evangelion answers that call. It retells the story of the final two episodes, this time showing the events in the real world. The film is split into two parts, called "Air" and "Sincerely Yours," which are treated like new versions of episodes 25 and 26. The story is set in a future Japan after a huge disaster. A group called NERV uses giant robots, called Evangelions or Evas, to fight strange creatures known as Angels. Teenagers pilot the Evas. Now the Angels are gone, but a new danger has arrived. SEELE, a secret group that has been controlling NERV from the shadows, turns on it and sends soldiers to attack its base. SEELE wants to carry out its own plan, called the Human Instrumentality Project, which would change the fate of all people. The young pilots are in no shape to fight. Shinji Ikari, the main character, is lost in fear and sadness and can barely act. Asuka Langley Soryu, a proud and talented pilot, has fallen into a coma after a breakdown. Rei Ayanami, a quiet and mysterious girl, has close ties to Shinji's cold father, Gendo, the head of NERV. Misato Katsuragi, the NERV officer who looks after Shinji, races through the base to find him and get him into his Eva before it is too late. This is not an easy film to watch. It is violent, sad, and often very strange, with dream-like scenes and lots of religious images. It deals with loneliness, fear of other people, and the pain of growing up. It is best for adult viewers who have already seen the TV series. Shiro Sagisu wrote the music, and the film also uses pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, plus the famous song "Komm, susser Tod," sung by Arianne. The movie was a big success in Japan and earned about 2.47 billion yen. Critics praised its direction, editing, and emotional power, though some found its symbols hard to understand. It won the Animage Anime Grand Prix in 1997, and today it is often listed among the greatest animated films of all time.

Cast