Aisha and Nex’s Love Got Watered Down in Winx Club Comics’ Translation of “La Prova di Nex”

I’ve been avoiding Tumblr, but I popped in to read Winx Club Comics’ translation of “La Prova di Nex” (Nex’s Test). A couple lines stood out to me — and not for a good reason. Aisha talks about her and Nex’s feelings for each other a lot in this comic, but the translation downplays those feelings sometimes.

More Than Good Enough

In this scene, Aisha tries to convince Nex to decline her father’s test because it’s too dangerous. Here’s how Winx Club Comics translated her plea:

What we have is good enough! That’s the only thing that counts!

“What we have is good enough?” ? That feels so…soulless. It also sounds awkward with the next sentence (which they translated fine).

Here’s the original Italian page, taken from the same source Winx Club Comics used:

Aisha’s original line is:

Noi ci vogliamo bene! È questa l’unica cosa che conta!

“Noi ci vogliamo bene” is a form of a phrase you might see a lot in Italy: “Ti voglio bene”. To be fair, we don’t have a true English equivalent. According to Italy Magazine, “ti voglio bene” literally means “I wish you good things”, but the most common translation is “I love you“.

“Italians often say ‘ti voglio bene’ to friends, parents, and other relatives, but it is used between lovers as well,” the magazine explains. “Some say that it expresses a philosophical joining of souls.”

It’s often abbreviated as “TVB” for a quick way to express your affection. You’re telling the person you care deeply about their well-being and happiness.

The literal way to say “I love you” is “ti amo”. Aisha uses a form of it a couple pages earlier when her father asks if Nex can protect her:

Nex non è la mia guardia del corpo! Noi…ci amiamo!

Translation (via DeepL Translator):

Nex is not my bodyguard! We…love each other!

But normally, when talking about love, Italians use a form of “volere bene” (to love [someone]) instead. Rainbow recently used it in the couples spread in Winx Mag #179.

Under “Type of Couple” (tipo di coppia) for Musa and Riven, it says:

Si vogliono bene, ma ogni tanto bisticciano.

Translation (via DeepL Translator):

They love each other, but sometimes they quarrel.

Given that couple’s history, “they love each other, but…” is the best translation. It sums up their whole relationship! ?

Anyway, back to Aisha and Nex. Let’s break this down:

• Aisha says, “Noi ci vogliamo bene!” Since “noi” means “we” and “ci” means “us”, we know she’s talking to Nex about themselves.
• We’ve established that “vogliamo bene” is a form of “volere bene”, which roughly means “to love [someone]”.

So here’s a better translation of her line, with the second sentence added:

We love each other! That’s the only thing that counts!

Doesn’t that sound more natural — and more romantic? She’s saying he doesn’t have to prove anything because their love for each other is all that matters. That’s beautiful. ❤️ Why was it translated to something so empty?

Something to Prove

Nex decides to accept the test anyway because he wants to earn King Teredor’s trust. But by the next morning, the Paladin (or former Paladin) hasn’t returned to the palace. Aisha is, of course, worried about him. Her father apologizes for being too hard on Nex, but she says understands the king’s intentions.

Here’s where the second problem line is. In Winx Club Comics‘ translation, Aisha says, “I know you wanted to put him to the test…

…But Nex is willing to prove himself to you at the risk of his own life…”

It’s not wrong, per se, but it leaves out something important. Aisha says something else about Nex that didn’t get translated.

Here’s the original page:

Her full line is:

…Ma Nex tiene davvero a me ed è pronto a dimostrarlo, anche a rischio della vita…

If we run that first part — “Ma Nex tiene davvero a me” — through DeepL Translator, we get:

But Nex really cares about me…

That changes the meaning of Aisha’s line more than you think. The word “dimostrarlo” means “to show it” or “to prove it”. (“Lo” means “him” or “it”.) What is “it”, in this case? The fact that Nex really cares about her.

Winx Club Comics‘ translation makes it sound like he’s risking his life for his own glory (i.e., “to prove himself”), but he really wants to prove his love for Aisha to her parents. That’s the point of the story! Why leave it out?

Final Thoughts

The Winx fandom trusts Winx Club Comics‘ translations as if they’re official. “La Prova di Nex” is Aisha and Nex’s only couple comic. It’s sad that some of its most romantic dialogue got softened or omitted. ?

Credits:

• Winx Club Comics
• Issuu: Winx Magazine 131 by WinxPocketNews
• Martina971’s Winx Mag #179 Review