Personal view: I agree that Asuka is a proud, strong individual. Her goal is to succeed. As the story goes she graduated from college/university at an early age and was excited to join the EVA project. She has tried to mature very fast, although at the age of 14 this is surely a huge strain. Her brave efforts to succeed are constantly grounded by Shinji, who unwittingly has a 'natural talent' for piloting EVA 01. However hard Asuka tries, Shinji always seems to be better then her. Eventually this drives Asuka into making a foolish attack on the fifteenth Angel Arael which in turn mentally rapes her, leaving Asuka almost comatosed.  
 Prior to this Asuka is a strong, sociable, likeable character and as with many characters in the story, you find your self sadenned by the terrible events that unfold around such promising ability. 
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