The Ultimate Showdown: Unveiling the Best Neon Genesis Evangelion Dub!
Comparing dubs of Neon Genesis Evangelion: Did Netflix's redub enhance the series?
The beloved Neon Genesis Evangelion series, which has become a landmark in its genre, delighted fans when it was announced that it would be arriving on Netflix in 2019. However, fans were less than thrilled to discover that the original dub would not accompany the series. Instead, a new dub with a completely different cast was recorded.
The original Evangelion dub was produced by ADV Films, a now-defunct company. It was released on VHS cassettes, with each cassette containing two episodes. While word of mouth helped spread the popularity of Evangelion, its limited release made it challenging for fans to obtain the entire series at the time. Nevertheless, the dub gained newfound fans when it was picked up by Cartoon Network's Adult Swim in 2005 and aired during late-night hours. As anime became more mainstream and streaming services gained popularity, Evangelion continued to grow in popularity, coinciding with the release of the new Rebuild of Evangelion movie series in 2007.
The original dub received praise for fearlessly tackling controversial themes, but some enthusiasts took issue with the translation. Interestingly, even Hideaki Anno's studio, Studio Khara, had reservations about the translation.
No Neon Genesis Evangelion Dub is Perfect
When Netflix acquired the series, not only did they revoice it, but they also obtained a fresh translation of the script. Studio Khara's in-house translator was responsible for this translation, and Studio Khara themselves made all of the casting decisions for the English dub. It is rumored that Anno desired the script to stay as faithful to the original as possible, which meant preserving the Japanese idioms and unconventional wording that emerged from the translation process. As a result, the new Netflix Evangelion dub had a noticeably distinct atmosphere, with many of the renowned lines from the original ADV dub notably absent. Some fans also voiced concerns that the new translation dampened the intensity of Shinji and Kaworu's relationship, which some interpreted as erasing their queer dynamic.
Neon Genesis Evangelion's Dubs are Translation Vs. Localization
When anime is brought over to the US (or any other country), it typically goes through a process known as localization. This process aims to make minor adjustments to make the content more relatable to a different culture. For instance, in the well-known hospital scene of End of Evangelion, Shinji now says, "I'm the lowest of the low," whereas in the ADV dub, he says, "I'm so f***ed up." While the phrase "the lowest of the low" may be suitable in Japanese, it fails to convey the severity of his actions and doesn't resonate with native English speakers. Studio Khara's pursuit of a perfect translation actually made the series less accessible, which is concerning considering Evangelion's inherent complexity. With the ADV dub being difficult to find nowadays, the Netflix dub becomes the primary choice for many. In that regard, it serves its purpose well; the story remains understandable, and the performances are genuinely remarkable.
The preference for the better Neon Genesis Evangelion dub ultimately comes down to personal taste: would you prefer a slightly modified version for better comprehension, or a more accurate yet less relatable adaptation? Traditionalists typically favor subtitled anime over dubbed versions, so relying on their support may not be the best decision. Ultimately, fans may need to accept and adjust to the Netflix dub of Neon Genesis Evangelion, as it seems to be the final outcome.
