-- Enrique Conty

SETTING

Second Impact
The first Angel attack, codenamed "Second Impact," happened at a UN research base in Antartica in the year 2000. The Angel self-destructed, and the ensuing meltdown of the southern polar cap region disrupted global weather patterns for well over a decade. Many coastal cities are now underwater, and entire ecologies were obliterated.

Shitou/Angel
Giant alien biomechanical war machines. Originally humanoid in form, Angels are incubated in a high-temperature environment (for instance, in the heart of a volcano) until they reach their "adult" form. An adult Angel can have any form programmed by its creators. Angels can only be destroyed by disrupting their power source, which is normally a large round sphere of rubbery material near its center. It has been discovered that the genetic code of Angels is 99.89% similar to that of humans, although the component chemicals are different. The world at large is not aware of the existence of Angels, as the Second Impact was officially blamed on a meteorite impact. (Note that the Japanese word "shitou" actually means "apostle," not the same as "Angel".)

AT Field
Energy shields created by Angels for self-defense, they're impervious to projectile shells, energy or particle beams. AT fields can be disrupted by continued physical pressure (like an Evangelion's claws trying to rip it open). Thus far, NERV has not been able to duplicate the effect of the AT Field.

Evangelion
A giant humanoid bioweapon, designed by NERV after the Angel responsible for the Second Impact. EVAs are piloted by a combination of thought and mechanical control and feedback systems. It takes a very special kind of individual to synchronize with and pilot an EVA unit. EVAs are self-repairing and extremely agile and powerful. However, their operational range is very limited: their on-board batteries can only run for five minutes at regular power or one minute at peak. For longer missions, EVAs are plugged in to an external power supply via a massive extension cord.

Children
The pilots of the EVA units. They're all 14 years old, an intriguing fact considering that the first Angel attack happened 15 years ago at the start of the show. The Magii have only found three children with the right qualifications to become EVA pilots: Ayanami Rei, Ikari Shinji, and Asuka Langley.

Tokyo-3
A "new" Tokyo built after the Second Impact, located to the southeast of the old capital. Tokyo-3 serves as cover for the NERV HQ, and its governing council simply puts into action the policies dictated by the Magii. Most of the "skyscrapers" in Tokyo-3 are actually shafts for a clever elevator system designed to bring the Evangelions and supporting hardware to the surface from NERV HQ. Said skyscrapers can be lowered underground for protection and repairs.

NERV
Most of humanity are only aware of NERV as some sort of UN strike force. In reality, NERV (German for "nerve") is charged with stopping the attacks of the Angels. Their location is a geofront (underground city) built under Tokyo-3.

Magii
In the Bible, Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar were the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to Jesus when he was born. In the show, these are the names of the three counseling supercomputers that help run NERV and Tokyo-3.

CAST

Ikari Shinji
Third Child, 14 years old. Pilot of EVA-01. A rather meek and shy boy. Son of NERV chief Gendou Ikari.

Ayanami Rei
First Child, 14 years old. Pilot of EVA-00. A very laconic person, Rei seems to be resigned to a destiny in which she dies a quick death in the near future. As a result, she does not open herself to others, an exception being NERV chief Gendou Ikari.

Soryuu Asuka Langley
Second Child, 14 years old. Pilot of EVA-02. If Rei doesn't seem to have any "spirit" left, Asuka has enough for both of them. An impulsive Japanese/German/American, Asuka is self-confident to the point of egotistical arrogance, the kind who would rather be a bad leader than a follower. She has a crush on Ryouji Kaji, and thinks all boys are just trying to take advantage of her.

Ikari Gendou
NERV Director in Chief. He has dedicated body and soul to the mission, which has turned him into a ruthless person by necessity. If he has any feelings for his son Shinji, he does a good job of keeping them hidden. He is more open towards First Child Rei Ayanami.

Misato Katsuragi
NERV Chief of Operations. Shinji and Asuka stay at her place. She's a rather carefree person with a flippant sense of humor, to the point that she would seem irresponsible to someone who hasn't seen her in action. Misato has a scar on her chest, a reminder of the events of the Second Impact (she lived with her father in Antartica at the time).

Akagi Ritsuko
NERV R&D Director. She and Misato are good friends, despite her dislike of Misato's loose attitude.

Fuyutsuki Kouzou
Gendou's second-in-command, a quiet older man.

Ryouji Kaji
NERV researcher. A handsome bastard of a ladies' man. Misato and Kaji were in a relationship years ago, and as a result Misato alternates between having fond feelings for him and hating his guts. Kaji was in Germany as trainer and mentor of Second Child Asuka Langley.

Maya, Makoto, Shigeru
Operations personnel, they work under Misato on EVA sorties. Maya handles EVA tech, Makoto is Misato's second-in-command, and Shigeru is communications.

Touji Suzuhara
One of Shinji's classmates. Touji's fiery temper makes him a hard person to like at first, but he's a good friend once you've gained his trust. He does not like Asuka Langley. He and Kensuke have a teenage crush on Misato.

Kensuke Aida
Another of Shinji's classmates. A video and military otaku, he always seems to carry a vidcam wherever he goes.

Pen-Pen
Misato's housepet, a warm-water penguin. Pen-pen has a limited amount of sentience, and serves as the show's comic relief. The metallic "backpack" he wears is a cooling unit.

NOTE

Rumor has it that many of the last names of the Eva cast of characters are taken from World War II Imperial Japanese Navy battleships. To wit:

Katsuragi Misato      Unryu Class Aircraft Carrier Katsuragi
Ayanami Rei           Fubuki Class Destroyer Ayanami
Soryuu Asuka          Soryuu Class Aircraft Carrier Soryu
Akagi Ritsuko         Akagi Class Aircraft Carrier Akagi
Fuyutsuki Kouzou      Akizuki Class Destroyer Fuyutsuki