Kaworu is an erudite boy with an easy-going, straightforward and honest personality, particularly with Shinji Ikari. Right from the start, he shows great interest in the Third Child, the first person with whom he comes into contact after arriving in Tokyo-3. Shinji is feeling great isolation and need after the death, departure, or alienation of all his peers. However, his esoteric way of communicating confounds Shinji. Kaworu also shows great interest in humanity. He describes the music, particularly the "Ode to Joy", as the highest achievement of human culture and reflects on the fragility and nature of humans. He is very direct in his interactions and seemingly has no interest in, or knowledge of, social conventions. He shows sympathy for Rei, who shares his hybrid nature. Kaworu seeks active contact with Shinji as a friend. Talking with Shinji, Kaworu says he thinks was "born to meet him". Although Shinji is inclined to maintain a certain emotional distance from other people, the Fifth Child can make him express his feelings openly. Kaworu shows he feels spontaneous sympathy and affection towards Shinji, irrespective of his goal as the seventeenth Angel. After they meet, Shinji accepts the friendly and unreserved nature of his actions and lets him approach. The Fifth Child captivates Shinji with his charm. Despite the short time spent together, Kaworu and Shinji became interested in each other and build a relationship based on mutual appreciation. He is the first person to tell Shinji he likes him and the first person that Shinji opens his heart to. When Kaworu takes over Eva-02, Shinji expresses disbelief in him not revealing his Angelic nature and says Kaworu has betrayed him, "just like my father". After his sudden death, the Third Child falls back into a state of profound affliction. Shortly before dying, Kaworu maintains his feelings of affection for his colleague, saying that meeting him made him happy. After his death, Misato fails to console Shinji.
