Neon Genesis Evangelion is an exceptionally dark anime series; its Japanese title is a literal translation of "New Century Gospel," due to its complex elaboration of religious (specifically Abrahamic) doctrines. For instance, the progenitor Angels are referred to as Adam and Lilith, and the mecha units invented to keep them at bay are known as Evangelions (or Eve-Angels).
Neon Genesis Evangelion has had an unparalleled impact on the climate of anime worldwide, and is credited as one of the seminal works that sparked the development of otaku culture in the US. The show's characters are equally legendary, being some of the most cosplayed of all time. Given their popularity, we have created a list that aligns the most important characters with the Zodiac signs that fit their psyches.
Rei Ayanami - Aries
Rei Ayanami is one of the child pilots obligated to fight the invading Angels (she has been practically brainwashed by NERV commander, Gendo Ikari.) Nevertheless, as an Aries, she is the first to lead the way, showing Shinji that courage is of the utmost importance when it comes to guiding an Evangelion to victory.
Rei is one of the few characters in the series to express a genuine sense of integrity, to her mission as well as Gendo Ikari. Even though she prefers to live a spartan life, she is no stranger to complexity, considering her capacity to perform elaborate stunts with her unit.
Misato Katsuragi - Taurus
Misato Katsuragi is a classic Taurus, being the most committed to each operation under her command (although this might also be a hint towards her mixed feelings for Shinji and her desire to keep him safe.) While she is mostly found in a drunken home at home, she takes being a Captain seriously: this is reflected in the decision made by her superiors to promote her to Major.
Being a Taurus, Misato sometimes places her personal opinions over those made by Headquarters, such as when she initiates a self-destruct program to destroy NERV along with the 17th Angel, Kaworu Nagisa."
Ritsuko Akagi - Gemini
The Gemini sign shines strongly through Ritsuko, a computer genius who handles the highly intricate triple system known as the Magi. She is incredible smart and energetic, given her ability to make split-second decisions while protecting NERV against Ireul, a viral Angel that was eating into their code.
Ritsuko exhibits the elemental trait of Gemini, in her capacity to live in two different internal worlds at the same time. For instance, even though she happens to be an extremely logical person when it comes to her skills et, she is emotionally vulnerable to Gendo Ikari.
Maya Ibuki- Cancer
Maya Ibuki is a pleasant person; she has an obedient, yet gullible, nature, as she rarely comprehends the deeper implications of the Angels arrival. As a Cancer, she can be sensitive to extreme violence, as seen when she is physically unable to watch the destruction wrought by the Angels and Evangelions.
Maya, like most cancers, is an incredibly devoted person, however, her allegiance is not to any person or organization, but the marvels of science itself. This is shown when she reacts to the beautiful city of Tokyo-3 with a dreamy exhilaration, saying, "It's really an era where science reigns supreme."
Asuka Langley - Leo
Asuka Langley embodies the Leo, right from her flowing red mane to her combustible yearning for battle. Although her talents and heroism are undeniable, she is often arrogant about her own accomplishments. This results in an overcompensatory outcome — instead of accepting her own mistakes as they happened, Asuka prefers to lay the blame on literally anyone else.
People born under the Leo sign display an unbreakable sense of self-esteem; however, in Asuka's case, this is magnified into aggressive tendencies.
Toji Suzuhara - Virgo
Toji Suzuhara is first portrayed as a bully who takes out his anger on Shinji for hurting his sister (via collateral damage) during the first battle of the series. Nevertheless, his Virgo nature begins to emerge soon enough, revealing him as a shy, modest character.
This can be seen through his "romance" with the class head, Horaki, in which he meekly tolerates her domineering personality, only to find out that she likes him back. Toji has shown his trust in Shinji's abilities on several occasions; he is always there to cheer his friend on during his battles.
Kaworu Nagisa - Libra
Kaworu Nagisa is the final Angel, powerful enough to take human form and trick everyone at NERV into giving him access to Terminal Dogma. However, before he unveils the reason for his being there, he exhibits a typically Libran tenderness, directing his warmth and affection towards Shinji.
This is seen when he openly admits his love for him while both of them are in the bathhouse together. Kaworu is able to perceive that reality has multiple sides, that viewing the world from a single aspect, whatever it may be, is a gross disservice.
Gendo Ikari - Scorpio
As a Scorpio, Gendo has an intimidating and combative personality, which is patently obvious from the way he emotionally manipulates people (especially his son.) There are very few lives that he hasn't ruined — his affair with Ritsuko as well as her mother, Naoko, was later revealed to be an act of exploitation.
The fact that he places his desire to reunite with his life, Yui, placing everyone at risk in his attempts to do so, are examples of the Scorpio tendencies towards self-preservation. Gendo even clones his wife to make Rei, hoping that she will be able to help him with his mission.
Ryoji Kaji - Sagittarius
Ryoji Kaji is a highly mysterious special agent, working for NERV, SEELE as well as the Japanese government. His Sagittarius nature compels him to go off the beaten path, trusting in his own judgement rather than others'. Kaji talks about how much he wants to "find the truth", but he doesn't just talk the talk.
In fact, he chooses to save Fuyutsuki, a man he was ordered to kidnap and interrogate, which ends in him being assassinated for treason. Being Sagittarius, Kaji is benevolent towards Shinji, who considers him the father he never had.
Kouzou Fuyutsuki - Capricorn
Kouzou Fuyutsuki is Gendo's second-in-command, overseeing the global work that NERV is involved in. He is a typical Capricorn, considering his penchant for hierarchy and a strict adherence to protocol (without which humanity has almost no chance of survival against the Angels.)
However, he can also be unsure of his own decisions, like his uncertainty of Yui Ikari's fate; he believes that she was murdered by her husband, Gendo, but lacks the means to confirm his suspicions.
Yui Ikari - Aquarius
Those blessed by the Aquarius sign are, for lack of a more comprehensive term, extraordinary. Yui Ikari is one of them — her maternal instincts are transcendent, given that she was willing to incorporate her consciousness into an Eva, thereby always being present to save her son, Shinji.
As is emblematic of Aquarius, Yui knows that she is just one fragment in an incredibly complex world, with an unwavering conviction that humanity must be protected at any cost, even if it means she spends the rest of eternity alone (inside Unit-01).
Shinji Ikari - Pisces
Shinji is largely indifferent to the dangers posed by the Angels, as well as the inevitable consequences if nobody was able to stop them. He displays the key Pisces features: sensitivity and a yearning for justice, which is shown in his willingness to battle the Angels, even though he is terrified every single time.
Even though Shinji is deeply cognizant of all his shortcomings, he manages to fight through them; he encourages himself by repeating the line, "I mustn't run away!" over and over in his mind.