“It is very important that the travel humor”: doubled in almost 40 languages and transmitted in 190 countries in Netflix, Alain Chabat’s animated series drawn from Asterix required “a great” translation work, in collaboration with the Albert René editions.
Arabic, Korean, Croatian, Hebrew or Mandarin … 38 versions are offered in around 300 million subscribers of the platform, where this Wednesday, April 30 arrives this Wednesday, Asterix and Obelix: The Chiefs struggleInspired by the homonym album.
Netflix has “done a great job” so as not to lose humor for translation “and adapt the word games and the inseparable references to the saga, said Céleste Surugue, the general director of Albert René editions, who has the rights of albums.
Reading again and validated scripts
The transmission giant has been significantly based on the existing translations of original work, which are not missing: with 120 languages and dialects on the clock, Asterix is the most translated comic in the world.
“We work hand in hand, either in the names of the characters (…) certain famous sentences”, the editor with the scripts of “rereading and validating” with a specialized associated company and given access to their translators “when there were questions, difficulties,” according to Céleste Surugue.
In Germany, the second market in Asterix behind France and where the expression “Die Spinnen, Die Römer!” (“These Romans are crazy!”) It has passed in everyday language, the readers of Leader I should navigate like this.
Similarly, in English, Idéfix is always called Dogmatix, as is baptized by the historical historical translator of Asterix Anthea Bell, as well as Abraracourcixe maintains the vitalstatistix name.
Jokes imposing
What about Alain Chabat’s additions, known for his ultra-references humor? In “a certain number of places”, the director and screenwriter “is very faithful, even very close in the dialogues to what we have in the album” released in 1966, she underlines Céleste Surugue.
For new characters, “names that operate in many countries”, such as metadata, Patus (abbreviation of “president of the United States) or Fastannfurious have often chosen. As for” local cultural references “, translators” were responsible for trying to find equivalent every time. “
However, some jokes seem impossible to transpose, as an allusion to the French duo Omar and Fred (Omar Sy and Fred Testot) that involve … lobster and strawberries. A “problem” common to albums, is Célesté Surugue, citing the example of the Romans “Terminals in motion” in Asterix and Transitalics.
Unknown in the United States
Known worldwide, with more than 400 million copies sold, Asterix “is particularly strong in continental Europe” and, in English, especially appreciated in “Commonwealth countries” such as South Africa, New Zealand, Australia or India, according to Céleste Surugue.
However, its adaptation in Netflix should allow it to present it to a broader audience than movies dedicated to cinema, especially in the United States and England, where its adventures are generally limited to art rooms and rehearsals, in the original version, according to Céleste Surugue.
To seduce the Anglo -Saxon public, Alain Chabat, therefore, designed the first episode of the series as an introduction to the universe of Uderzo and Goscinny. After a very colorful introduction, shape Spider-Man: Through the spider to see yourselfpaying tribute to the spirit of the original comic, the episode traces to the youth of Asterix and Obelix.
Emotional depth
An malignant way to introduce the origin of the superhuman force of the Gauls. The episode shows Panoramix discovering the recipe for the magical potion (adding strawberries, a lobster and a clover in eighty!). We also see the famous moment when Obelix falls into the pot that contains the beautiful patent.
For the sake of consistency with the rest of the plot, the main antagonist of the LeaderAplabégalix, also presents itself as the opponent from the childhood of Asterix and Obelix. Several scenes show it in the process of harassing the two heroes. Which provides an unprecedented emotional depth to paper heroes.
“As Asterix and Obelix are really central to this story, we wanted to anchor them very deeply and emotionally in their childhood,” Chabat told Franceinfo. “We wanted to understand her unwavering friendship because, in this adventure, she is challenged, in danger of extinction.” What to seduce a new audience.
Source: BFM TV
