Finally someone says the proper way to "un-emo" people! I've pointed this out elsewhere and I just get chastised as an "emo" myself. People think that abusing the "emos" will make the "emos toughen up", when it more often makes them worse. Kamina kicked Simon's ass but he never mocked Simon, he always encouraged him. Even in his dying moments, Kamina kept motivating Simon to the very end. Later on, in her own way, Nia took on that role as well.
This is where the producer's comment of "Simon=Shinji" makes sense. Simon is Shinji, except that Simon throughout his "emo phase" had someone there for him who motivated him and made him stronger and a better person, and helped him move beyond his emoness. Shinji never had that. Perhaps if Misato, Asuka, Toji, or someone else wasn't messed up like everyone else one of them could have been his Kamina or Nia and as a result the entire population of Earth wouldn't have become pea soup.
I am annoyed that "emo" has become a synonym for anything that doesn't fit in cliques in particular. It's become such a feared word that it makes people conform to things they don't want to do and be with people they don't want to hang around with.
