Neon Genesis Evangelion as well as all Characters affiliated with the IP are copyrighted. I own nothing, except the machine I'm typing this on.

Interview – A. S. Langley

Interviewer: (bowing) We are really, really thankful for your quick and – to be honest – unexpected acceptance of our interview proposal.

Y. Miyamura: (bowing) No, I have to thank you for honouring me with your proposal.

I.: I hope we aren't keeping you too long from the set.

Y.M.: No, no, we just finished for the day.

I.: I imagine you'd rather spend your time relaxing…

Y.M.: Please, I don't want to cause you any inconveniences when you're having other appointments-

I.: NO! No, nothing we wouldn't rather postpone for you. But let's cut to the real reason for this interview: you're an actor in the by now also critically acclaimed TV show NEON GENESIS EVANGELION. No-one would describe your role's character as being superficial. Like all the Children Asuka has had a hard childhood which she is still suffering from. What is your stand on portraying and showing such thought-inducing themes to an audience that partially is still attending Junior High?

Y.M.: (thinks long on it) I believe children of my age and sometimes even younger do have the necessary maturity to deal with such motives. EVA shows the world as it is, albeit the way of displaying it happens to exaggerate it in a few parts. But I think that part is a conscious choice of the director to appeal to the consumer and owes it also partially to the medium. In the best case the children watching are encouraged to think, which I assume you will agree is always good. On the other hand they might get nightmares. For me that is a fair trade-off. In any case they're reminded of the existence of a world beyond their mecha and manga, not on the level of the fantasy my role created.

I.: (silenced by surprise) You seem to be very alike to Ms Ayanami in the sense of your personal character being vastly different to the character you are acting. Is it hard or easy to get in the right mindset for acting as Asuka?

Y.M.: (smirking slightly) I simply imagine how Zero-tan acts in real life and exaggerate on that. If I act that way I'll get Asuka spot on.

I.: Zero...tan?

Y.M.: Your first guess is probably correct.

I.: Be that as it may. You had a scene with Megumi Ogata in which you both kiss. Even though Ms Ogata is acting as Shinji there was a loud outcry in Japanese society. There are even rumours Mr Anno shot this scene only as a publicity stunt. What is your opinion on that?

Y.M.: (embarassed) I'm not very comfortable talking about this...

I.: We're interested your thoughts on the aftershock. My boss does want me to ask you on your more personal tangents to the incident but I'd rather not make you uncomfortable. Let's stick to the aftershock.

Y.M.: (relieved) Thank you, I appreciate that. So, the aftershock as you called it took us all by surprise. Mr Anno and Mr Sadamoto had written the whole story in advance and Mr Sadamoto drew the rough storyboard for all episodes months before the first shot of episode one. That is at least what they told us and I trust them on that. Nevertheless at that time the casting hadn't even begun so it was entirely unknown Shinji's role would be cast as a female. Well, it wasn't originally cast as a female but Megumi was so convincing she got the role anyway. I think we'll watch the cast tape at her birthday party... but I'm getting sidetracked. Since at the time of writing the relevant episodes it was unknown all active children would have female actors. I don't suspect Mr Anno of having dirty motives for having that kiss, I prefer to think of it in terms of characterization. But I can understand the reactions of the media as well as the sudden explosion in political commentaries and defamation. In essence we're dealing with the Japanese equivalent of Nichols and Shatner. But it is about time the Japanese people change their conservative views on society to a more tolerant point of view. They should at least accept same-sex relationships officially as well as its implications even though some may think of it as uncomfortable, disgusting or repulsive.

I.: You mentioned the Nichols-Shatner-Scandal. It is a really fitting comparison since some prefectures forbid any showing of the episode exactly like some of the federal states in the US did at their time. Do you think this could happen again?

Y.M.: I hope alike displays will keep happening. There will come a time the broadcasting companies won't have any choice but to show such scenes. It would be sad if it would take the time till it was socially accepted, but... (sighs)

I.: Pen-Pen!

Y.M.: (laughs) Thank you! That was necessary after such a serious talk.

I.: You're welcome. One last question and we'll call it a day. Ms Hayashibara is fluent in German. Did you ask for her help on the pronunciation of the few German phrases Asuka said?

Y.M.: I think you're able to tell if I had any help on that or not. She thought it more funny (following words are transcribed as said) gefa... gefakusulu..., anyways she'd rather see me stutter through an obviously wrong pronunciation. But since you now know about "Zero-tan" (smirks again) I suppose we're even.

I.: Ms Miyamura, we thank you for the interview and hope to see you well.

Y.M.: You're welcome. Have a nice day!

In this scenario Yuko Miyamura is the "actor" of Asuka Soryu Langley and a Japanese girl of 15 years.

In real life Yuko Miyamuro was the voice actor of Asuka Soryu Langley and was 23 years old during the broadcast of Neon Genesis Evangelion in Japan.