[NEWS] Neon Genesis Evangelion coming to Netflix Spring 2019

[robersora]

I don't think there even are HD masters for the non-apostrophe version of Episodes 21-24, since they only appear on the Archives on Evangelion. I don't think they'll produce an HD version just for the purpose of having incomplete versions on Netflix. So yeah, I'm pretty sure they'll use the "director's cuts".

[robersora]

Do we really need a separate thread to discuss this issue?

I'll happily repeat my stance, though. It's complex.
The original English dub fails on using the correct sound design (Eva's roar), fails in using different VAs in the mind-rape scene and made a caricature cringe-fest out of End of Evangelion.
It's an embarrassment on a technical level.
The wort offender is the American cast, because they didn't understand that the Japanese cast used a naturalistic approach, that greatly supports the grounding of the rather out there setting. Sure, it's still an Anime, but Eva is not FLCL or the Looney Tunes and thus needs a different treatment.
This problem partly extents to the German version. While the cast overall actually delivers a solid performance and EoE is leagues above the embarrassment of English EoE, they've used American sound design (with all the fuck-ups that entails) and pretty obviously translated it from the US script, instead of from the Japanese version.
Also, Voice Talent throughout series, apostropheEpisodes and movie is wildly inconsistent.

I'm sorry to be so harsh, but Amanda Win-Lee cares not a single bit about Eva, she never did. She only wants those hot connections to Netflix/a good paycheck and uses nostalgia-deafened people to leverage marketing for her. I know that's a pretty hefty accusation, but from what I've seen from her so far, I'm certain that's what's going on.

I think the old cast should have the opportunity to show their acting chops in a casting, though - as I believe a capable director might be able to salvage their performances.

Let's talk Netflix. When it comes to dubbing Anime, they have a very mediocre track record. While they made little improvements, they are still sorely lacking to deliver real quality.
My hope is that the huge splash the announcement made on social media will make them decide to give Eva a proper premium treatment. (They've already paid a shit-ton for the license, so why not go all the way, I say). Also, I think there might be a Weeb our age sitting somewhere in a position of power in Netflix, considering the amount of nostalgia-bait they've cast, lol. So there might be hope.


Still, redub it. For EoEs sake. It can't get any worse. This movie is a masterpiece and deserves some love.

[fnikhall]

I don't think there even are HD masters for the non-apostrophe version of Episodes 21-24, since they only appear on the Archives on Evangelion. I don't think they'll produce an HD version just for the purpose of having incomplete versions on Netflix. So yeah, I'm pretty sure they'll use the "director's cuts".

Are there not HD masters of the OA versions of 21-24 in the Japanese Blu-ray Set?

[robersora]

Are there not HD masters of the OA versions of 21-24 in the Japanese Blu-ray Set?

I'm too lazy to pop mine in now, but I'm 90% sure the OA versions are only on Archives...

One 5 second google search also turned up this

[fnikhall]

I'm too lazy to pop mine in now, but I'm 90% sure the OA versions are only on Archives...

One 5 second google search also turned up this

Ah, I see that you are correct. My mistake. The Blu Ray set doesn't have the real original OA versions of the episodes. Only the Archives DVD set does. So as far as I understand it, the non apostrophe versions on the BluRay are just the DC episodes but with the DC content edited out to make them "the same" as the OA versions even though they aren't really the OA versions. Is that correct?

[robersora]

^
I would need to check for myself. Problem is that I've just returned home from a hell work week and don't really wanna move from my bed.

[pwhodges]

The Bluray box has the "Renewal"-type OA episodes, and the Archive DVD box has the real original episodes (hence their not being released in higher resolution). So all the main different versions are included somewhere (with the notable exception of the Reiquarium images from the pre-Renewal DC).

[C.A.P.]

Coming back from the dead to say this: this is insanely good news all around.

In regards for the dub: I think there's interesting implications that'll keep the Evangelion discussions alive in a matter that we don't realize now, but in retrospect, would mean a lot for the fanbase. I say the future of the franchise is more important than the past; comparing the old dub to the new dub is going to be painful, but a necessary steeping stone for all of us. I can only hope there's a way for people to listen to it. If there isn't, hoo boy.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

Just so long as the new dub is good, I really don't care. I'm not even gonna watch it, but I still think it's important that Eva is presented as pristinely as possible to all potential audiences.

Also, I agree with robersora on the technical quality of the English dub. It's more than just a replacement of the dialogue track, and therefore sonically misleading. ADV even adds in new sound effects to the NGE TV show. It's not just the Eva roars either. (From what I remember from ADV commentaries and such, those were a part of the Japanese dialogue tracks themselves, so removing the Japanese dialogue also removed the Eva roars. So I can understand the technical reasons for their replacement.) But ADV (not just Manga Ent.) would add sound effects to suggest off-screen characters doing other things or added dialogue that had no source from the Japanese dialogue. (If you don't remember the part in Episode 18 where Asuka physically assaults Shinji in the classroom off-screen, then congratulations! You didn't watch the English dub!)

Even apart from Spencer, Grant, etc., the English dub is just bad. It misrepresents the diegetic events of the show itself. It should no longer be the default English dub for an English-speaking audience who simply wants to watch and (try to) understand Eva without reading subtitles. I would just be happy with even an English dub that approaches Eva similarly to the English dub of the "Rebuilds." At least those didn't add extra-textual events to the shows themselves.

[Joseki]

Coming back from the dead to say this: this is insanely good news all around.

Not if the Netflix deal is at the expense of a BD release.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

^ From everything I've gathered so far, Khara didn't sign away international disc licenses of NGE in this Netflix streaming deal. If Khara still doesn't provide international Blu-ray/DVD of the show in the near future, it's based on their own business decisions, not Netflix's.

[fnikhall]

The Bluray box has the "Renewal"-type OA episodes, and the Archive DVD box has the real original episodes (hence their not being released in higher resolution). So all the main different versions are included somewhere (with the notable exception of the Reiquarium images from the pre-Renewal DC).

Aha. Thanks for clarifying. Forgive my ignorance though, but what are the Reiquarium images from the pre-Renewal DC?

EDIT: Nevermind, found a page showing the differences. So the only way to see the original Director's Cut of episode 23 in its entirety is on the Pre-Renewal release?

[robersora]

It's not just the Eva roars either. ... (If you don't remember the part in Episode 18 where Asuka physically assaults Shinji in the classroom off-screen, then congratulations! You didn't watch the English dub!)

Oh yeah, that also happened, lol.

EDIT: Nevermind, found a page showing the differences. So the only way to see the original Director's Cut of episode 23 in its entirety is on the Pre-Renewal release?

I see you've found out about google, lol. At present, it seems that way, yes. At least as far as I know.

Not if the Netflix deal is at the expense of a BD release.

I think it's more important to have the show legally available somewhere. Also, for hardcore enthusiasts like myself, there already is a BD release.
If until now no BD-release happened then this Netflix deal might show BD publisher that there is still strong demand for the show.

[KRandMJ]

I'm italian, I know pretty well what neo- means.
And Akira Ishida is a 51 years old man dubbing a 14 years old kid. Miyamura is 45 years old and she dubs a 14 years old kid, and so on with all the cast.

Granted women can make child-voices aka Terra Strong. Granted Ishida can do the job; but most men cant.

[pwhodges]

So the only way to see the original Director's Cut of episode 23 in its entirety is on the Pre-Renewal release?

Exactly so, which is why I have that DVD ("Resurrection") alongside the other things. I guess they decided quickly that the added images interfered with the Reiquarium too much, and so removed them.

[Chuckman]

At the risk of being taken for someone on the side of the "sub" side of the great sub vs dub war, which I am not (I was elected to lead, not to read) I'd like to see a new dub, too. I don't have anything against Tiffany Grant personally, but I'd like to see the series dubbed such that Asuka doesn't sound like a forty five year old chain smoker with a cattle prod up her ass.

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

^ lol! Being a "Hard Subber" would mean arguing just for the Japanese language tracks with subs and no English dub of any kind for Netflix, which I don't think anyone is actually supporting a stance like that here. Even as someone who prefers subs to dubs in most all cases (certain Godzilla movies get a pass from me for English dubs for some weird reason that I'm not even fully aware of yet), I would just want an English dub that doesn't take as many liberties as with ADV or Manga Ent. did with the series. Even though I watch subs, someone's going to watch it dubbed instead, and I don't want that to lead to the series being anymore misunderstood than it probably would be anyway.

[Chuckman]

There's always going to be a compromise in watching a film in a language you don't understand. If there's subtitles, the eye is being drawn to an addition that wasn't intended by the director, away from the visuals. If there's a dub, the acting will be fundamentally different.

The original Eva dub is 90's as fuck. A new one would be great, but I'm not holding my breath.

[DarkBluePhoenix]

^ From everything I've gathered so far, Khara didn't sign away international disc licenses of NGE in this Netflix streaming deal. If Khara still doesn't provide international Blu-ray/DVD of the show in the near future, it's based on their own business decisions, not Netflix's.

I would have to agree. Streaming is one thing, but putting up capital to release BD sales may not be in Khara's best interests. So... if the interest in the show is high enough, maybe we'll get a release by watching it on Netflix, regardless of what they do with redubbing or not.

[robersora]

^
Thing is, Netflix never, ever shares streaming numbers with the public. So possible BD distributors could at best guess the popularity by how long NGE stays available.
Tbh, all of that wouldn't be a problem, if Khara would have just included subtitles on the BD release, since nobone else but collectors who are willing to fork out the high price buys Blu-Rays in this day and age anyway.
I guess they wanted to keep their options open for a possible non-JP release.

colored passage is edited in for clarity's sake.