Kawoshin

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Pairing
Pairing: Kaworu Nagisa/Shinji Ikari
Alternative name(s): Shinkawo, 5/3, LKS
Gender category: yaoi
Fandom: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Canonical?: no
Prevalence: common
Archives:
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Kawoshin is the Evangelion pairing of Kaworu/Shinji.

Spoiler Warning: This article or section contains spoilers about character death in Neon Genesis Evangelion. If this bothers you, proceed with caution.

Canon

In every iteration of Neon Genesis Evangelion canon, Shinji is introduced to Kaworu after settling reluctantly into his role as a protector of humanity and mecha pilot. Kaworu immediately makes an effort to become close to Shinji, while expressing overt affection and admiration for the other boy. Shinji is usually flustered by these overtures. Frequently, the two spend time together discussing or playing music. However, Kaworu's mysterious connection with Rei and the Angels eventually force the two of them into a situation in which Shinji has no choice but to take actions that will kill Kaworu.

The relationship between them in the original show is deliberately ambiguous, as the original Japanese uses words like 好き (suki, "to like or love") that can be interpreted platonically or romantically. Their relationship is short-lived however and Kaworu is only present in Episode 24, mentioned briefly in Episode 25, and has a few short appearances in End of Evangelion. In the Rebuild films, Kaworu takes on a more significant role. He is particularly prominent in Evangelion 3.0, in which he is revealed to have written his and Shinji's names in the "Book of Life", allowing him to meet him again each time the world restarts.

Extracanonical Media

Kawoshin is one out of multiple available romantic option in most Evangelion games such as Shinji Ikari Raising Project and Girlfriend of Steel 2 (although it doesn't have an ending route). Shinji and Kaworu's relationship also features prominently in the spin-off manga, particularly the Shinji Ikari: Detective Diary spinoff manga, which centers on Shinji and Kaworu's relationship and portrays them in an ambiguously romantic light.

In 1996, Anno Hideaki did a 30-page interview with prominent Japanese BL magazine June, in which he discussed Kaworu and Shinji's relationship, among other topics.[1] [2]

Fandom

Some parts of the fandom differentiate between Kawoshin in the manga canon, the anime canon, and the movie canon, as the tone of the three relationships can be very different.

Kawoshin was fairly popular after Episode 24 was initially released along with Asushin and Reishin but quickly declined over the years, to the point it was a niche ship over most of the 2000s, dominated by Asushin and Reishin, however with the new Rebuild movies it has regained some popularity again, particularly after Evangelion 3.0, which features their relationship prominently, similarly to what happened with Reishin after Evangelion 2.0 which motivated a rise in its own popularity, but in turn also declined after 3.0.[3][4] It also has a large following among BL fans outside of the Evangelion fandom itself and is very popular with the Eva fandom on Tumblr.

In 2023, the relationship won 7th place in the first MLM Ship Bracket Tournament out of 32 entrants.

Rebuild Translation Issues

The Netflix release of Evangelion in 2019 included a English localization, directly made by Khara themselves with strict oversight over the sub and dub, unlike the older ADV dubs and subs. Some changes, like translating "好き" as "like" again like it was in the first ADV VHS subtitle, irritated Kawoshin fans who based their interpretations on the DVD translation or even fansubs. Some fans argue that Studio Khara's translations of the episodes brought them in line with the creator's initial meaning. [5] However, other fans and critics argue that the Studio Khara translation, while more exact in many areas, also misses several nuances of the original text in its dedication to preserving literal meaning. [6][7]

Common tropes

  • Reincarnation
  • High School AU
  • Idolization: Kaworu is Shinji's idealized self, according to Hideaki Anno. Because of this, Shinji is able to more easily connect to him as his defensive mechanisms are lowered.
  • I Want My Beloved To Be Happy: In Rebuild at least, Kaworu's stated primary aim is bringing Shinji happiness.
  • Interspecies Romance: Shinji is human, Kaworu is an angel.
  • Longing Look: Happens several times in the series and Rebuilds.
  • Love At First Sight: Shinji immediately blushes the first time he talks to Kaworu, and his interest in him can be seen when he decides to wait for him later after sync-tests.
  • Love Confession: Both parties say they liked the other. The new Khara translation, however, reflects the ambiguity of the original Japanese, a decision probably made deliberately by Khara themselves.
  • Self-insert(Shinji)
  • "I'm not good enough" Shinji repeats this several times in the show
  • Supernatural creature: Kaworu
  • The Power Of Love: In End Of Evangelion, Kaworu and Rei represent "the hope for people to understand each other, together the words 'I love you'" in Shinji's heart, although he rejects this as a "pretense".
  • Red String Of Fate: The earphones they share in the official 3.0 poster alludes to this.
  • Star crossed lovers: In the 3.0 poster, the stars Altair and Vega are seen above Shinji and Kaworu's heads, referencing the Tanabata Japanese folk tale. This is one of the instances symbolism present in the movies that seem to allude to many different relationships.
  • "Was It All A Lie?" Shinji asks Kaworu this when he finds out the deal-breaker.
  • "What Is This Thing You Call 'Love'?" In the manga, which features a completely different Kaworu (nicknamed "Karl" by the fandom) this is one of the questions he asks himself.

Authors who write many Kawoshin fanfics include Laryna6, Morthael, phollie, mooncatcher and lady_daedalus.

Example Fanworks

Fanfiction

  • Irasshaimase (Welcome) by Shella, Archived version - "[A/U, characterplot] Kaworu Nagisa arrives in Tokyo-3 as a regular student instead of a pilot. As he connects with the Children he learns what it means to be human, and his allegiance comes into question. (Begins shortly after the 7th Angel attacks.)" - AU, complete, posted 2014-2022
  • Changeling Child by Katharos - "In another universe, a woman who died in the Second Impact did not. As a result, many things changed. For one, Kaworu and Shinji met much earlier." - AU, complete, posted 2005
  • Maybe by TGP, Archived version - "Tabris is the angel of free will. He thinks maybe it's time to use it." - Reincarnation fic, AU, posted 2011-2012
  • Book of Revels by Layrna6, Archived version - "Fuyutsuki listens to his conscience after Yui is absorbed and reveals the truth about Second Impact, the angels and SEELE's crimes. Shinji grows up among people who know his parents are monsters and Tabris grows up among people, period. With the other angels defeated and SEELE overthrown by their own pawn, can the world overcome the hatred left behind by Second Impact?" - AU, complete, posted 2012-2013
  • Welter by Budinca, Archived version - "One day, Shinji inadvertently finds himself in a coffee shop. Then the next day too. Then the next. Then the next. He's probably doing some work along the way, but that hardly makes a difference. Featuring: sweater enthusiasts, big cats, 367 date ideas, macaroni & cheese, Christmas Spirit, 3 days of sun per year, a disconcerting amount of tea for a coffee shop, and existential crises." - coffeeshop AU, posted 2014-2015
  • The Works of Man by anonangelicarmageddon, Archived version - "After his battle with a gigantic monster known as an 'Angel', Ikari Shinji's life is thrown into chaos. Being drafted into the military organisation called NERV run by his distant father and forced to pilot a giant robot, his one comfort is the mysterious Nagisa Kaworu, who he met in the hospital. However, this boy is a lot more than he lets on...Kaworu struggles with his unavoidable destiny, but meeting Ikari Shinji brings him ever closer to the people he was born to destroy. As their relationship grows, Kaworu fights to protect his friends and the world he's come to love. But as the conspiracy grows deeper, Kaworu knows that he must defy fate to save the one he loves. But fate has been defied before, and changing history is never that easy. A.K.A: What if Kaworu was there from the beginning?" - AU, incest, mental health issues, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, posted 2022

Fanart

  • a colored pencil drawing of chibi versions of Shinji and Kaworu. Kaworu has a halo and wings, and both are wearing their school uniforms. "Shinji & Kaoru" is written below the image.

    Shinji and Kaoru by EveryBodysFool (2004)

  • a colored image of Shinji kissing a flustered Kaworu.

    I'll show you my true feelings by へこたれ (2008)

  • a colored image of Shinji and Kaworu kissing in the style of the original anime. Both wear their civilian outfits, and the background appears to be the interior of NERV.

    Shinji Kaworu Kiss by reith-iv (2010)

  • a color image of Kaworu and Shinji in their plugsuits, connected to each other and something overhead by red ribbons. Text overlaid over the image says "Evangelion We are [not] together 'We will meet again.'"

    Relationship by Quyen Pham (2015)

  • Kaworu holding Shinji aloft above an Impact-reddened Earth, while stabbing him through the chest with the Spear of Longinus

    Rebirth by dedecoris (2019)

  • a comic portraying Shinji greeting Kaworu at the door of his apartment, wearing a sleeveless shirt and short shorts while saying "Hey I didn't think you'd get here so early" and in smaller type "Sure is hot today." In the second panel, Kaworu smiles at him, while images in the background show Kaworu's reaction to Shinji's outfit, including him blushing, crying, and curling up on the ground.

    poker face by cheeseproducts (2023)

Cosplay

  • two cosplayers dressed as Kaworu and Shinji in their civilian clothes laying on the ground, with the Kaworu cosplayer upside down and to the right as compared to the Shinji cosplayer. Their heads are touching, and an overlay of text next to them reads "Neon Genesis Evangelion Ikari Shinji Nagisa Kaworu"

    Kaworu x Shinji by Hikari-Kanda (2010)

  • wo cosplayers dressed as Kaworu and Shinji. They both wear casual clothing and flower crowns. Shinji wears a black face mask, and Kaworu's neck is ringed by painted red stitches.

    SoftGrunge!Kaworu by Skell Cosplay (2015)

  • two cosplayers dressed as Kaworu and Shinji in their civilian clothes. Both have slightly bewildered expressions and are looking at the camera.

    TFW when your friendship is as old as the characters you're cosplaying. by kirindensetsu (2019)

  • two cosplayers dressed as Kaworu and Shinji, with Kaworu dressed in civilian clothes and hanging over Shinji's shoulders, while Shinji wears his plugsuit.

    more kawoshins!! by Neg Cosplays (2019)

  • two cosplayers dressed as Kaworu and Shinji, with Kaworu dressed in a stereotypical vampire costume, while Shinji is dressed as a jiangshi. They are back to back and hold their hands up in loose claws.

    Happy Halloween by jimujin (2021)

Fanvids

Meta

Notes

  1. ^ Evamonkey: "Eight Books of Evangelion" by Carl Horn
  2. ^ Gwern.net: "Neon Genesis Evangelion source anthology"
  3. ^ Eva Store's Character Popularity Poll Yields Surprising Results
  4. ^ This 2020 NHK poll has Asuka, Kaworu, Rei, Shinji, Misato and Mari as the most popular characters.
  5. ^ EvaGeeks Wiki: "Kaworu's Lines in Episode 24"
  6. ^ Anime News Network: "Japanese Fans, Official Translator Weigh in on Netflix Evangelion English Subtitle Debate" by Kim Morissey, 2019
  7. ^ Vox: "Netflix’s re-translation of Neon Genesis Evangelion is drawing backlash for queer erasure" by Aja Romano, 2019
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