A Nerv scientist who is coerced by Misato Katsuragi into revealing the organization's hidden truths, including the Evangelion boneyard and the Dummy Plug system that operates using Rei clones.
They operate as trusted colleagues within NERV, sharing operational burdens and gradually uncovering the organization's hidden agendas together.
Ritsuko oversees Rei's technical operations and psychological conditioning, while Rei's existence gradually reveals its artificial origins tied to NERV's projects.
Ritsuko provides Shinji with critical operational knowledge and acts as a stabilizing scientific figure during his crises, though their relationship remains primarily professional.
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