The
Marduk Institute featured in
Neon Genesis Evangelion is yet another instance of the creators
seeding their work with references to
mythology. This organization is mentioned as early as
Evangelion Episode 01 and is "
responsible" for selecting the
Evangelion pilots. During
Evangelion Episode 15 Ryoji Kaji is talking to his contact in the
Japanese Government, he says
"I know most of the names. Marduk Institute, a consultative firm established directly under The Human Instrumentality Committee in order to select the pilots of Evangelion." The names shown on the
charter during that episode are as follows:
It is discovered that the
Marduk Institute is just a front, there is no real Institute, Gendou and company are pulling all the strings. During
Evangelion Episode 17,
Toji Suzuhara is chosen as the
Fourth Children.
Misato asks why he was chosen, and
Ritsuko says
"We had no choice. The candidates have been gathered in one place, and are being protected.", later in that episode
Kaji tells
Misato that the Marduk Institute doesn't exist and that she should investigate "
Code 707",
Shinji's school.
From this it is clear that the Marduk
Institute is just a front, that
NERV grouped all potential
pilots together in Shinji's
class, and then selects the ones it needs from that group.