Asuka Langley Soryu (惣流・アスカ・ラングレー, Sōryū Asuka Rangurē, IPA: [soːɾʲɯː asɯ̥ka ɾaŋɡɯɾeː]) is a fictional character in the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. Within the series, she is designated as the Second Child and the pilot of the Evangelion Unit 02. Her surname is romanized as Soryu in the English manga and Sohryu in the English version of the TV series, the English version of the film, and on Gainax's website. Asuka is voiced by Yūko Miyamura in Japanese in all animated appearances and merchandise. In English, Asuka is voiced by Tiffany Grant in the ADV Films dub and by Stephanie McKeon in the Netflix dub. In the Rebuild of Evangelion films, her Japanese surname is changed to Shikinami (式波). In a Newtype poll from March 2010, Asuka was voted as the third most popular female anime character from the 1990s.
Asuka Langley Sōryū was born on December 4, 2001. She is the daughter of Dr. Sōryū Kyōko Zeppelin, an employee of a research center named Gehirn. She has German and Japanese blood and US citizenship. In 2005, her mother participated in a contact experiment with Unit-02, but due to an accident, suffered a severe mental breakdown, becoming permanently hospitalized. The mental injuries incurred during the failed experiment also render her unable to recognize her own child. Asuka is deeply hurt by her mother's behavior, who speaks to a doll believing it to be her daughter. A while later, Asuka is chosen as the Second Child and Unit-02's official pilot. Hoping that her selection could cause her mother to recognize her again, she excitedly runs to her room to announce the news, only to find her corpse hanging from the ceiling. Shocked and traumatized by her mother's suicide, Asuka adopts her self-affirmation as the only reason to be, participating in countless training sessions in order to become a pilot and meet other people's expectations.