rejj I instead interpreted this as Asuka found a plausible excuse to not have to attend the party, rather than selflessly offering for Rei’s sake.
I can see why you and @2501 read it that way—it does make sense, even in the context of the dumb slideshow I’m about to go over. If you’ll indulge me I’ll explain why I interpreted it the way I did.
At around 1h04m Asuka gets a call from Rei (technically from Ritsuko) and looks like this:
Rei doesn’t say anything for a few seconds, Asuka looks suspicious, confused, expectant, impatient…
…angry…
…surprised…
…happy. Is it because she’s never been thanked by anyone and is pleased with this feeling of gratitude directed toward her? Is it because this is actually how she wanted (and expected) Rei to respond to her (Asuka’s) gesture of kindness in taking Rei’s place for Eva testing? I don’t know, I guess it’s open to interpretation, but as I watched it the first time the latter felt right to me.
Then it’s back to performative disgust for Asuka, business as usual.
Misato is smiling: is it because she knows Asuka did this purposefully for Rei, or because she’s happy Asuka has finally discovered what it’s like when others express their thanks to her? I don’t know, but again I think both interpretations are plausible.
Afterward we cut to a new scene as Asuka prepares to pilot Unit 03 and Misato calls her on the phone. The [rather poor] English subtitles [from Amazon] read as follows:
MISATO: I want to thank you again for doing this. I really appreciate it.
ASUKA: You don’t have to.
. . .
Helping the stupid masses is the duty of the elite. Besides, spending time with others has never been my thing. I’m tired of pretending to be happy to try to fit in. I can’t stand to watch others be happy either. I just wanted to pilot an Eva. I like being alone, anyway. I didn’t need friends to buddy up with. And nobody’s ever seen me for who I really am. As long as I get top scores, I should be fine at NERV. But you know, I’m learning that being with others isn’t so bad. It must sound strange coming from me.
. . .
You’re the first person I’ve ever talked to like this. I feel better somehow. Talking to people feels good, doesn’t it? I never knew.
The monologue in itself seems like it could be an honest confession of Asuka’s feelings about spending time with people, but the way she delivers it seems to me more like a means of justifying her decision—to take Rei’s place—to Misato, in order to maintain her detached persona.
I’d be curious to compare the Funimation subs (or hear from someone about the actual Japanese dialogue). The French dialogue and subs are both better than this, though it’s more an improvement to style—the substance of the conversation is the same.
Now I’m sticking my head way down into the weeds growing outside the conversation we’re even having in the first place.
And:
Hmm… I’ll be darned….
