Misato is my top favorite anime character of all time. She starts off in the first Eva episode as carefree and somewhat immature. As the show progresses you find that her childish behaviour is just a mask to hide her emotional weakness. She holds the title Major in Nerv (she was promoted during the series) and is the organization's chief of operations and head tactician. During battle with the Angels, she becomes incredibly mature and focused. She is also rather resourceful (who else would think of using a shuttle for the Eva 00's shield?!) and will do anything to insure the safety of the pilots.
Misato eventually becomes both Shinji and Asuka's, guardian, who stay with her and her pet penguin PenPen in her apartment. I may adore Misato, but I'd NEVER want to stay in her apartment! The place is lost amist empty food containers and beer bottles. Misato is an alcoholic but I'd have to say, she handles her liquor quite well, seeing as how I've only seen her drunk twice. I don't think Misato knows how too cook as Shinji always handles that job... but maybe it's just she's rather attached to takeout and microwavable meals.
Misato's best friend is Akagi Ritsuko, Nerv's chief scientist. The two have been close ever since university. Later in the series they clash because Ritsuko doesn't disclose a good deal of information to Misato about the Eva units and NERV in general. Misato is always concerned with what's best for the Eva pilots and Ritsuko's cold manner in her work sometimes bothers Misato. Misato and Ritsuko are almost magnetic opposites, but they are good friends despite that.
Another person in Misato's life is Kaji, her ex-boyfriend and Nerv coworker whom she hadn't seen for years until he was transfered from the German branch of Nerv with Asuka. Although when she first sees him again you get the impression that she hates him, it's just a show and she is still in love with him. Kaji's flirtatious nature nausiates most viewers (including myself)at first and his intentions towards Misato aren't very clear. Later on he serves as her only source of truth at Nerv and the source of chaos in her love life. She still loves him, but doesn't want to risk getting hurt. Kaji was Misato's first serious relationship and also holds the "honour" of being the first and only man she has ever slept with. She loved him deeply, but got scared and then left him with a fictional story about having someone else, never to see him again until eight years later. They rekindle their romance (provides some... um... "interesting' scenes... if you've seen the ep, you know what I mean) and remain partners in love as well as in finding the truth out about NERV until Kaji's demise. The loss of him affects Misato deeply. She lost her father, almost lost Shinji multiple times, lost Kaji, only to find and lose him again.
Misato's emotional fragility stems from being orphaned at fifteen. She was the only survivor at the Second Impact site. Rescued by Nerv, she spent years in an autistic state. in a conversation with Ritsuko, she says that the reason she talks so much is to make up for those lost years. She has trouble being serious because by being immature she can make people, and maybe even herself, believe she truly is happy. She tries desperatly to care for Shiji properly, and is likely the only thing that saved him when he was enveloped by the Eva 01. She does give a positive influence, but her own personal demons as well as his get in the way of their closeness. She is a highly emotional person and desperatly cares for the people she feels close to.
Misato is probably my favorite character because she has three completly different sides to her personality: the happy go lucky side, the cold tactician, and then her emotionally scarred side. I can understand her and her motives more then anyone else on the show and completly empathise with her. Although it may end up being wrong, Misato always tries to do the right thing to aviod having people hurt in the same way she has been.
A note in defence. Misato is constantly berated and called an irresponsible goof. I've heard her called idiotic and even stupid. I might agree that Misato is immature to a point, but I would never define her as that or ever insult her intellegence. She got into the same university as Ritsuko for goodness sake! The entrance exam to get into a school that braniac Ritsuko would choose must have been a killer that not mental idiot could pass. Yes, she has maturity problems, but most of it is just a front. Misato wants to project so much of a feeling of her own happiness that maybe she can fool herself into beliving it too. She's making up for her lost years. The childish behavour is a coping mechanism, as is her drinking. Also, Misato knows when that sort of behaviour isn't appropriate. At work she is professional and gifted at what she does. If she acted like a goof off throughout the whole series I could understand the complaints, but she doesn't and Gainax is very careful to show that this is just an act... it isn't her true personality.
Katusragi Misato is voiced by the ever talented and adorible Mitsuishi Kotono. Mitsuishi San has done many other roles that you might know. Her most famous would be Tsukino Usagi AKA; Sailor Moon. She's also done roles such as Arisugawa Juri from "Shoujo Kakumei Utena", Mink from "Dragon Half", female Maze from "Maze Bakunetsu Jikuu" and Yatouji Satsuki from "X". Mitsuishi San has this ability to be completly wacky and then shift into somber and serious. While in most of her roles she either did one or the other, Evagelion was really the first show in which she could show her full range as a voice actress in one character. While making a character as human and deep as the writing of Evangelon required might have been difficult for another voice actress, Mitsuishi San handled it flawlessly.
