Improved Subtitles For 1.0

[RockManBalls]

Subtitles for 1.01:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=N1VSOL6D

Subtitles for 1.11:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QTMK8C90

Subtitles for 1.11 (timed for AnimeBD rip):

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0Y4NWLQI

[Oedipusfoot]

Awesome, thanks for taking the time to put this up.

[ZapX]

Honorifics are also intact.

You disgust me.

[Dr. Nick]

Honorifics are also intact.

You disgust me.

Now now, maintaining some of the more common honorifics can be acceptable, if the translation strategy is internally consistent. It's not a similar rule of thumb like "no TL notes on-screen, ever". Of course, doing it correctly takes some conscious effort and self-restraint, which many weeaboo subbers unfortunately lack.

[PuppetChaos]

I'll go into detail if anyone wants to know what specifically, but mainly status read-outs, nearly every major conversation, and... everything.

Honorifics are also intact.

which many weeaboo subbers unfortunately lack.

That's the most awesomely bad weaboo translation ever. (Even worse than "Just According to Keikaku (Kekikaku means plan)")

I've never seen the Nyoro~n release, and I suppose it's sort of impossible to get now, but I imagine their script was fairly accurate (subtitling is what they do, right?). So outside their release, I would wager this to be your best bet in terms of accuracy.

I remember a member of Nyoro~n saying on /m/ that they used the physical transcript/script/whateveritwas that came with the super-secret-special-edition of 1.0(number), so yeah, I believe it'd be pretty accurate. It's a shame I can't find their version :\

[ZapX]

which many weeaboo subbers unfortunately lack.

Haha. My gripes with today's fansubs are well documented in IRCland. I'm sure RMB knows I'm overreacting for effect.

[Dr. Nick]

That's the most awesomely bad weaboo translation ever. (Even worse than "Just According to Keikaku (Kekikaku means plan)")

Oh no, not by a long shot. I suggest you take a tour through this gallery. It's not a particularly well-organized collection, though, because it's a mix of fansubs, troll subs, Hong Kong bootleg subs, ODEX subs (the "yellow car" one, IIRC), funny out-of-context lines and just plain funny lines. In other words, the contents fluctuate from absolutely hilarious to absolutely sad.

[Gamer_2k4]

I've never seen the Nyoro~n release, and I suppose it's sort of impossible to get now, but I imagine their script was fairly accurate (subtitling is what they do, right?). So outside their release, I would wager this to be your best bet in terms of accuracy.

I remember a member of Nyoro~n saying on /m/ that they used the physical transcript/script/whateveritwas that came with the super-secret-special-edition of 1.0(number), so yeah, I believe it'd be pretty accurate. It's a shame I can't find their version :\

I have it. Is it okay to post a download link here, or should that be done in PM?

[Axell]

nick that was hilarious

[RockManBalls]

I only left in honorifics because when Misato is clearly yelling "Shinji-kun," it seems a little weird to just put "Shinji" because I do have functioning ears. He's basically the only one with an honorific anyhow.

As for a super-secret script, I used a transcript of the movie from here for reference: http://wiki.livedoor.jp/shingekijouban/d/%a5%bb%a5%ea%a5%d5%a4%bd%a4%ce%a3%b1

And "Just according to Keikaku?" What the what? That's about the most meaningless thing to omit ever. Thanks for that site btw. Pretty hilarious.

[PuppetChaos]

Oh no, not by a long shot. I suggest you take a tour through this gallery. It's not a particularly well-organized collection, though, because it's a mix of fansubs, troll subs, Hong Kong bootleg subs, ODEX subs (the "yellow car" one, IIRC), funny out-of-context lines and just plain funny lines. In other words, the contents fluctuate from absolutely hilarious to absolutely sad.

BOOKMARK'D

That made my evening, and that's certainly welcome on an evening I have to prep for finals and write papers

[Dr. Nick]

I only left in honorifics because when Misato is clearly yelling "Shinji-kun," it seems a little weird to just put "Shinji" because I do have functioning ears. He's basically the only one with an honorific anyhow.

While I'm not questioning your choice to maintain the honorific, I must point out that "I have functioning ears" is not really a valid guideline, because it can easily become a slippery slope. The above example of a hideous weeaboo sub is quite probably based on similar thinking: "No, we can't simply use 'your majesty' because they actually mention the person's real name. That would be incongruous!"

Sometimes such incongruousness cannot be avoided no matter what, so there's no point worrying about it. Sometimes you can produce a fluent translation by sticking quite close to the original spoken dialogue, and sometimes you can't. It's not wrong to maintain harmony between the audio and the text - it's quite the contrary, really - but it has low priority. If there are pressing reasons to do so, a translator should be able to switch off that harmony without batting an eye.

[RockManBalls]

Explaining translation theory to someone who translated an entire Japanese movie

I imagine most fans of anime have some understanding of the three most basic honorifics, "san," "kun," and "chan." Back in the 90's I saw them all the time. I also imagine most people here know that last names are generally said first in Japanese speech, so it would be pointless to put "Rei" when someone is clearly saying "Ayanami." Both things, I thought, were best to leave in because if there were some confusion, the viewer could easily google it and gain a better understanding of the characters' relationships to one another. Now, if it came down to sama and dono and heika and onee-san and so on, well, I would've drawn a line.

And if I worked for an American or otherwise distribution company, I think it would be prudent to change these things for a wider audience. But this was something that I took the time out of my life to contribute to this forum as a generosity--a habit I'm beginning to reconsider.

[Reichu]

But this was something that I took the time out of my life to contribute to this forum as a generosity--a habit I'm beginning to reconsider.

Are people coming across as "ungrateful" or something? I'm genuinely curious.

[Sailor Star Dust]

Well, I noticed Dr. Nick and Zap were being somewhat critical of the subs (personally I don't think honorifics as long as it's done right (eg: no "my neko-chans are so kawaii" or silliness like that) are that big of a deal, but to each their own), but just so you know, RMB, I appreciate what you did, as well as all the other translations you've done so far.

Thank you!

[ZapX]

I'm overreacting for effect.

I didn't see anything indicating anyone was "ungrateful" though.

[Mr. Tines]

Complaining about honorifics and kennings as used in Japanese is really a form of inverted weeabooism (as in inverted snobbery) in itself.

The fact is that Japanese people will tend to use honorifics in their English language communications anyway : just the other day I had to give the basic run-down on honorifics to one of my colleagues when she asked "What does the translator mean when he calls me Jagruti-san in this e-mail?"

[Dr. Nick]

@ RockManBalls: Often when someone (usually some industrious individuals on 4chan's /m/) makes a thread announcing they've subbed something, I always "test the waters" to make sure I won't end up downloading kisamasubs. You seem to know your stuff, and I apologize for any redundant posts. Since this is teh internets, I had no way of knowing beforehand what kind of subber you are.

And if I worked for an American or otherwise distribution company, I think it would be prudent to change these things for a wider audience. But this was something that I took the time out of my life to contribute to this forum as a generosity--a habit I'm beginning to reconsider.

That would depend on company rules, really. Your honorifics strategy looks pretty solid, so I could imagine a company like MediaBlasters letting you keep it the way it is if you worked for them.

Complaining about honorifics and kennings as used in Japanese is really a form of inverted weeabooism (as in inverted snobbery) in itself.

Only if you're complaining about all of them without making any distinctions. There's not a slightest bit of elitism in saying the above ojou-samas example is bad translating. One just needs to avoid extreme stances and complain about things worth complaining for. After all, translating is a toolbox skill, and that means there can be execptions to almost any rules. For example, animated text effects are pretty much the ultimate perversion in subtitling, but still, there are rare situations where I could imagine them being used without violating all of the basic decency norms of the trade: consider Hakaba Kitaro's opening, which is an example of... well, what should this be called, manga-in-anime? (Of course, the technical skills required for that is another thing altogether.)

[Sceleris]

Had there been a "thank you" function like on some forums, I'd have used it.

I've never seen the Nyoro~n release, and I suppose it's sort of impossible to get now, but I imagine their script was fairly accurate (subtitling is what they do, right?). So outside their release, I would wager this to be your best bet in terms of accuracy.

I haven't really watched their stuff, but from what I've read they don't seem too good. (Examples: 1, 2.) If you're curious, here are their subs.

[Sailor Star Dust]

Something of a copy/paste from another discussion, but I am curious: For convenience's sake, does anybody know how many different 'subs for 1.0 (crappy camrip and DVD version) there were total?

The NF version fansub of the 1.01 DVD (the copy I have currently) says this when Shinji is introduced to Pen Pen: "I've had him for 15 years. That's a long time... His name's Pen Pen." (Sidenote, Misato's infamous line of "Starting today, this is your home, so you can take advantage of everything here." is translated as "Since this is your home now, you have to act like it". (A case of the translators "not wanting to go there"?)

I'm not sure what the other fansubs for the DVD release says, but I know it was somewhat different... So are IS NF=Nyoro~n?? Or is it another group?