Do you have any other Asuka thoughts? I rewatched the anime recently and got so fucking sad bc she really has noone looking out for her at all. On rewatching I really noticed how Misato really doesn't even have a real conversation with her that's just them that's not all about piloting. :(
Your observation about Misato and Asuka is so true. Misato really only cares for Shinji...the only time her and Asuka actually talk is in episode 10 at the hot springs, when Misato says she knows all about Asuka's traumatic early childhood because it's a part of her job. The fact that Misato knows this and still neglects Asuka as she does is very telling, in my opinion. The only adult Asuka had who was truly looking out for her was Kaji, and even then I think that was more circumstantial than genuine, sadly. I mean, after episode 9 he pretty quickly takes the opportunity to exit the stage when it comes to Asuka's life. From then on, he repeatedly rejects her (sometimes understandably and correctly, other times not so much). This also doesn't seem to cause him much grief.
Asuka, despite her personality and skill, is expendable and irrelevant. Shinji is not intimidated by her, only a bit agitated until eoe, when that agitation turns into full-blown misogynistic rage. Shinji's feeling that Asuka is obligated to provide him niceness and sex is strange when you consider that it's Asuka, not Shinji, who went into their first meeting expecting some type of romance to develop. The night before Asuka and Shinji met, Kaji told her that the pilot of Unit 01 is a boy to softly reject her. Throughout the first few episodes after she's introduced, Asuka seems thoroughly disappointed with Shinji due to her expectations being shattered. However, she handles this pretty gracefully compared to Shinji and keeps her disappointment to herself for the most part until he provokes her in eoe. That's why I find it so strange when people claim that Asuka was the abusive party or that there was "mutual abuse." Because at the end of the day...Asuka has no power over him. She has nobody on her side with any power, compared with Shinji who had Misato in his corner enabling his worst traits throughout the whole show. Even Kaji slowly begins spending more time with Shinji towards the end of the show, at Asuka's expense.
Regarding Misato and Asuka specifically, the scene where Asuka is having a complete breakdown in the bathroom and the very next cut goes to Misato staring at the door looking aggravated is the one that I feel sums up their dynamic pretty succinctly.
