On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 02:28:04 +0100,
   Ryan Holmes <ryan@holmes367282.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

> Rei is bland, dull and maybe even boring. For most of the show she
> just sits/stands there saying and doing nothing. It's like she's
> just part of the scenery or something.

For a large number of men (wether they admit it or not) the ideal
women is a human doll that does what she is told to. This is falsely
termed chauvinism but the correct term would be laziness.

> She is short, pale, skinny, has mousy features, looks like she
> never brushes her hair (which it looks like she cuts herself) and
> flat-chested. We only see her wearing that plain turquoise dress,
> which does nothing to make her look attractive at all. She makes no
> attempt to look sexy. I also think that her eyes look really
> creepy.

Recent Scientific American had an nice article about the
evolution of the color of skin that proposes an interesting view on
the color of skin as a trade-off of skin protection and vitamin D
production. A dark skin is an effective ultraviolet light blocker.
The danger of that radiation is that it damages tissue and increases
the probability of cancer. On the other hand the same radiation is
necessary for vitamin D production. That production is necessary
unless you have eating habits like an Inuit. During pregnancy and
lactation period women need an increased amount of vitamin D. So it
is not surprising that women have a paler skin than men. On the other
hand this seems to have an impact on men as well.

In other words: Women risk their health for their children. So a pale
skin suggests that a women will be a good mother (while a darker skin
suggests other qualities ;-)

Her hair suggests that she does have other properties than looking
good that did make her genes survive. The most probable one is that
she is a mother who's children survive.

The eyes suggest that she has very unique genes. So having childrens
with her has good chances of resulting in children with a large
diversity of genetic properties - with high probability that at least
one child will survive.

About the clothes she wears: One aspect is that there is quite a lot
of people who have a fetish for that kind of uniforms. On the other
hand the specific unifom gives her a look of a mother (just remember
that scene where Rei is cleaning the floor).

> Yet for some reason, some of the people here think that Rei is some
> sort of sex fiend, would be absolutely fantastic in bed or would be
> great at giving blowjobs. I just don't get it.

That is very simple: All of her habit suggests that she does not care
for herself. She does what others expect her to do. What would that
behavior mean when having sex? The does not care wether she does have
any joy - she only tries to please her partner. Precisely this is
what most men name 'she is good at bed'. It is not surprising that
people assume she will be good at giving blowjobs - a blowjob is not
much fun for women. You don't believe that? Just imagine a women asks
you to knee in front of her and use your tongue to bring *her* joy.
Would you do that? And if not: Why not?

> I don't even think that she would be interested in sex.

NGE Manga vol. 8 (I don't know if the English edition is out, the
German one is) suggests that she at is in (romantic) love with
Shinji. Then there is a scene with Shinji and Rei where they are
holding hands that suggests that there Rei (unconciously) feels
sexual attraction to Shinji, too.

Just to point that out: The contact of hands is a recurring image of
sexual intercourse. Just remember those scenes in Startrek where the
contact of hand actually actuall *is* the sexual intercourse.

> maybe even that blonde nurse (sorry I don't watch enough Evangelion
> to know her name),

Ritsuko. She's a doctor but not a doctor of medicine. Nevertheless
you are right: She is wearing clothes that suggest she *is* a nurse
and also does sometimes do a nurses's job.

> There are so many hot women to choose from in this show, so why go
> for the dullest chick of the lot?

Hmm, actually I don't find her sexually attractive but IMHO she is
the most interesting character of NGE because in the beginning she is
essentially a doll but while the story evolves she more and more
becomes a human being. In my opinion this process is one of the most
interesting aspects of NGE.

Josef 'Jupp' Schugt