You cannot discuss the original dub without mentioning the ending. Every episode of the ADV release closed with Claire Littley’s ethereal cover of “Fly Me to the Moon.” It provided a melancholic, jazzy comedown after the psychological horror. Netflix stripped this (due to licensing), and the absence is felt. The original dub lives and dies by that 60-second outro.
Two decades later, with the Netflix redub (and subsequent re-redub of the redub) dominating conversation, how does the original “Dubaji” hold up? Is it pure nostalgia, or is there still a current running through it? Neon Genesis Evangelion -Dub-
Let’s not pretend it’s perfect. The ADV dub is loose . Localizers in the 90s took wild liberties. Kaworu’s famous “I love you” to Shinji becomes “I like you,” subtly changing the romantic subtext to platonic ambiguity. The translators also consistently missed the nuance of “Ikari” (anger/fury) as a surname. You cannot discuss the original dub without mentioning
If you want precision and fidelity , watch the Japanese with subtitles or the newer VSI/Netflix dub (which is cleaner but sterile). The original dub lives and dies by that 60-second outro
Do you prefer the ADV dub or the Netflix redub? Sound off in the comments below. Get in the discussion.
Yes and no.
B+ (Cult Classic Status) Final Grade for Nostalgia: A