[EVA] Eva Manga Stage 72

[M]

>> No, no, no.
>> Not only does "douka" mean literally "assimilation" or "(physical)
>> merging), but Kaworu also says that he cannot join/merge with
>> Eva-02.  (If XXX did not have a soul, we could join/merge.)
>
> nakereba -> dekiru
>
> if NOT (have a soul), I CAN (join/merge)

Only one possible interpretation, and only possible if the first  
sentence is taken out of context (i.e. without the following  
qualifying sentence).  However, the two sentences are actually one  
sentence that has been cut in half and reversed in order, which  
sounds strange from a western perspective but is -very- common in  
Japanese.  When you read Kaworu's lines as a whole (together with the  
following sentence), that interpretation is no longer possible.

"M"