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Why is Kaworu’s love for Shinji always labeled as unrealistic? Is it because people genuinely believe every relationship must come with a ton of conflict? Kaworu does not do everything FOR Shinji, he does it WITH him. He never tells Shinji that the mistakes he’s made are OK.
The fact that people view Kaworu’s actions in 3.0 as coddling makes me wonder if they’ve ever experienced genuine care before. Kaworu shows Shinji what he did to the world, but he doesn’t judge him for it. He makes sure Shinji is with him in that Eva, even after he panics.
A healthy relationship would be one where you work together. Shinji needs a little extra help so it may appear as if Kaworu does everything for him, but it’s not coddling to be honest with someone in a kind way. Where do people get this idea that you have to be mean to be honest?
Granted, Kaworu is likely not as affected by Third Impact as someone like Misato or Asuka, so it’s easy for him to not be as judgmental. Having some judgment doesn’t make you a horrible person, it’s only when it gets to be too much that it causes problems.
I’ve seen some people say Kaworu’s purpose was to show that unconditional love is unrealistic, and that Shinji and Asuka’s relationship is the one that is meant to be simply because they don’t get along. And I just...ughhhhhh
I don’t wanna argue over ships because you know I’m not big on shipping, and that’s not what this is about. I just don’t think the message of “you’ll never truly understand someone” should be followed by “all relationships are a constant stream of conflict because of that”.
If you genuinely believe that, I feel you must be miserable. To think that the innate barrier we’ll always have forces you to settle for a relationship based in confusion and hatred? That’s very sad and not at all how relationships should work.
It’s true that any romantic relationship will have problems at some point, but Shinji and Asuka’s relationship is not any more realistic nor is it better because it has all these issues.
Both of them are trying to obtain an unrealistic love from the other because they are young and never learned what true unconditional love was. The love you get from your parents is supposed to show that and of course they didn’t have the chance to see it.
A parent who coddles can be just as damaging as a parent who neglects. Unconditional love means you will love them despite their faults, despite their mistakes, and that you do not stop loving them even when times are rough. It is not coddling.
This is how all parents should be, they should be honest with their children and make sure they own up to their actions, but at the same time never stop loving them.
Unconditional love within a romantic relationship IS easier said than done because there is no inherent familial connection, but it’s the goal. True love would be loving someone for all of who they are, not just the good parts.
Even if Shinji views Kaworu as his savior, he isn’t and he doesn’t try to be. That’s made very clear in episode 24 simply because of the way it ends, and in 3.0 through Kaworu’s actions.
I’m just tired of people in this fandom saying that Kaworu’s unconditional love is unrealistic and Asuka is better for Shinji because she judges him. That’s such a bleak way of viewing things.
Shinji and Asuka’s relationship is very complicated and if you wanted to discuss what could be (if they were able to actually love each other unconditionally) then that’s fine. But the conflict and the judgements they pass onto each other is not better. It’s worse actually.
TL;DR: Some Evangelion fans need to be loved if they want to understand the series
Also I anticipate this argument being thrown my way so I’ll put this here: Yeah Kaworu’s an Angel so someone exactly like him doesn’t exist in real life, but that has literally nothing to do with whether the love he has for Shinji is realistic. Love is still a human thing.
