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Ryoji Kaji
Neon Genesis Evangelion character
Created by	Hideaki Anno (series creator) Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (character designer)
Voiced by	Kōichi Yamadera (Japanese) Aaron Krohn (English)
Profile
Age	30
Date of birth	June 17, 1985
Known relatives	Former Guardian of: Asuka Langley Soryu

Ryoji Kaji (加持 リョウジ, Kaji Ryōji^?) is a fictional character from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion and The End of Evangelion movie. He is employed by NERV as a special inspector. He is instantly recognizable by his ponytail and 5-o'clock-shadow, and is always referred to by his surname. His given name is romanized as Ryoji in the English manga, English version and original, untranslated version of the TV Series, Ryouji on Madman Entertainment's website, and as Ryohji in the English version of the movie and on Gainax's English Evangelion website.

Kaji appears to be a triple agent, working as a special inspector for NERV, while secretly investigating the organization for the Japanese government, and at times seemingly acting as a cat's-paw both for and against Gendo Ikari and SEELE. In addition, he seems to maintain personal motivations beyond loyalty to any organization; he speaks frequently of his desire to "find the truth". Kaji can be said to have a green thumb, as he cultivates a watermelon patch close to NERV HQ. (This is only seen in the anime; he is watering the watermelons while Zeruel is attacking the GeoFront.)

Kaji and Misato Katsuragi were lovers during college, but they had long broken up and do not see each other again until she flies out to the UN fleet ferrying Unit 02, along with Asuka Langley Soryu (who has a huge crush on him), to Japan. After he returns to NERV headquarters, Kaji and Misato flirt and fight, Kaji teasing Misato, and Misato constantly calling him "stupid." However, they rekindle their romance after Misato confesses that she broke up with him because Kaji reminded her too much of her father.

Easygoing and jovial, Kaji gives Shinji Ikari some fatherly advice, and handles Asuka's crush on him smoothly. He is also friendly with Ritsuko Akagi, and jokingly flirts with her. However, he can be a sorrowless womanizer and an extremely melancholic and joyless person who describes himself as incapable of true love.

Kaji is eventually shot and killed by an unknown assailant. In the anime, Kaji remarks to his killer, "You're a little late, aren't you?" which has led to debate among Evangelion fans as to the identity of the killer, who is described in the episode Film-book as "a third party working either for SEELE or for NERV's Intelligence Division."^{[citation needed]} Kaji knows that his assignment to kidnap Deputy Commander Kōzō Fuyutsuki may be his last, as he remarks that his NERV I.D. card was the color of blood; also, during their last meeting, Kaji gives Misato a small capsule which contains the information for the Human Instrumentality Project, then says "This may be the last gift I give you." He then leaves Misato a farewell phone message, indicating that he knew he would likely be dead when she heard it. Fuyutsuki even remarks that his actions will cost him his life.

In Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's manga of the series, Kaji is given a back story which was not given in the anime and which relates to his behavior. In the aftermath of the Second Impact, Kaji and his brother were orphans and members of a group of children who united in order to survive the chaos. One day while stealing food from a JSDF facility, he was caught by soldiers, who threatened to kill him if he did not reveal the location of the gang's hideout. Kaji chose to betray his brother and his only friends, who were killed by the guards, and he has been plagued by guilt ever since. His role in the story is identical to that given in the anime, but there are a number of differences. He talks with Shinji and helps him to remember his mother's disappearance, and tells Shinji of his past to motivate Shinji to return to NERV after the fight against Bardiel (this takes place in a hidden supplies cellar rather than a watermelon patch). Also, although he and Misato rekindle their romance, they do not become lovers again as they do in the anime. As in the anime, Kaji is shot and killed by an unknown assailant; however, in the manga it takes two shots, and Kaji chides the murderer for his poor aim. As he is dying, he sees the shadowy figures of his brother and friends and greets them.

"Kaji" means "rudder" in Japanese. "Ryoji" was the name of a hero in Minako Narita's manga Aitsu.^[1]

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