Poll of the Day > Anime: dubbed or subbed?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I prefer dubbed,
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Dubbed. Subbed is too distracting to me.
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I prefer sub but I think it really depends on the voice actor. For some, the tone of their voice and reaction sometimes doesn't matches the character.

EDIT: Mustang for example in Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood seems to have too deep of a voice in my opinion for the character.
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I prefer sub, even for "the dub is better" anime like Cowboy Bebop it feels more natural to me. You're less likely to see any wild swings in quality, and the best english voice actors usually won't be found dubbing anime.

For Japanese video games I prefer dubs because it doesn't intrude on the gameplay as much. I can't imagine playing FE subbed for example, as I'd lose so much character dialogue during gameplay sections.
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other: it depends.

things like dbz, YYH, pokemon and hajime no ippo? dub >>>>> sub.

things like naruto, one piece and detective conan? some voices are btter subbed, some are better dubbed.

things like fairy tail and toriko? subbed >>>>> dubbed
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I used to be a subbed purist, but now I prefer dubbed. The hyperactive over-acting of Japanese voice actors that comprise 90% of anime and Japanese games nowadays annoys me to no end.
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I prefer subbed but will watched dubbed versions if I'm not devoting my full attention to the show.
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Depends entirely on the quality of the dub.
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funkyfritter posted...

Depends entirely on the quality of the dub.

This
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Dikitain posted...

I used to be a subbed purist, but now I prefer dubbed. The hyperactive over-acting of Japanese voice actors that comprise 90% of anime and Japanese games nowadays annoys me to no end.

Maybe if you watched things other than shounen, you wouldn't have that problem.

funkyfritter posted...

Depends entirely on the quality of the dub.

Reasonable post here. The only two I've seen that blow the original out of the water is Baccano! and Cowboy Bebop.

Usually subbed. Dubbing of non-child media is non-existent here, so I am very used to the idea of subtitles.
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Dubbed just because I can pay more attention to the animation.
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Generally I prefer sub, unless the original voice is something like Goku's where it's just grating beyond measure and hopefully the dub is an improvement.

Red_Frog posted...

unless the original voice is something like Goku's where it's just grating beyond measure

Always that specific example...

How peculiar, I always give that as the point of completely moving away from American dubs when possible, because of Budokai Tenkaichi 2.
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Dub for things like DBZ, YYH, BLEACH, the Studio Ghibi movies, Anime movies,

Sub for Naruto and Fairy Tale. FT has the WORST dub voices.
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Nichtcrawler X posted...

Red_Frog posted...

unless the original voice is something like Goku's where it's just grating beyond measure

Always that specific example...

How peculiar, I always give that as the point of completely moving away from American dubs when possible, because of Budokai Tenkaichi 2.

Well, I'll be the first to say it's not really a perfect example as there are some in DB where I like the original more. Just to name one, I think Shenron is better in Japanese. Not that he's terrible dubbed, but choosing what to watch isn't always clear cut.

I usually prefer dubbed but really either one is fine for me. Im actually sort of a slow reader so I cannot really keep up sometimes with the text! Also, for some anime I really have trouble distinguishing between seiy so I can get really confused as to what characters are talking when theres just some voice talking but no characters are in the scene. Unless the voice is distinctive, I cant really connect a Japanese voice to a particular character.
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It depends on the type of anime. Ones that clearly take place in Japan feel more natural with subs, whereas those in fantasy settings (such as Pokemon) work fine with dubs.
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I prefer subtitles. I find it really distracting when the audio doesn't sync up with the video. If it's even a little bit off it drives me crazy.
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Outside of anime communities Dub always wins polls.
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Action: Dubbed

Comedy/Drama: Subbed, unless the dub is very good. Also, I wish they'd do more dubs that take the piss like Shin Chan and Ghost Stories.
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If the dub is good I prefer the dub, that said most dubs are phoned in and the characters sound like they are intentionally making a cartoon voice or reading off of a sheet or both. So subbed over all.
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wow has time chaged.

i prefered dub because i'm lazy and what to look at the art or be distracted by a handheld.

if have time i would do subbed, but i feel like i'm wasting my time when just sitting there reading thing when i could be cooking or doing work.
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Subbed. I tend to hate localization.
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slacker03150 posted...

If the dub is good I prefer the dub, that said most dubs are phoned in and the characters sound like they are intentionally making a cartoon voice or reading off of a sheet or both. So subbed over all.

I think that was true of older dubs, but nowadays most dubs are at least above-average.

On-topic, if the dub is as good or better than the original, I'll watch that just so I don't have to read. But I don't really mind reading subtitles so if there's a character I don't like the voice for in the dub or if the over all translations aren't great, I'll watch the sub.
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I prefer dub, but I usually end up moving onto sub just to get ahead a couple episodes. However, I can't stand the unnatural high-pitched voices that many female Japanese voice actors aim for. If a charcter with that kind of voice appears, I'll mute it until they go away.
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Metalsonic66 posted...

I think that was true of older dubs, but nowadays most dubs are at least above-average.

The dubs are not as bad as they used to be, but I find most dubs are still pretty bad.
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Because I get the bulk of my anime from services like Crunchyroll, these days, I lean towards subs, but I will happily go back and watch a dub if one is available, since the VAs tend to be the same ones voicing my video games. And yes, I prefer the dub for DBZ because I am not feeling Grandma Goku (... setting aside that she can likely "FUS-RO-DAH!" me to death in real life despite being in her 80s).
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ernieforss posted...

wow has time changed.

Mainly because the quality of the work in question has changed.

Decades ago, "dubbed" was basically synonymous with hack-job translations, poor localization, and abysmal voice-acting to the point that it was an almost entirely different (bad) experience to watch a dubbed anime versus a subtitled anime that preserved most of the original intent. So it made perfect sense for people who liked anime to prefer subbed over dubbed.

Nowadays voice-acting is generally vastly improved and localization much, much better (except in cartoons specifically aimed at young children), to the point where dubbed is usually on par with subbed, if not improved by better localization of unfamiliar idioms and cultural idiosyncrasies and dialogue spoken in the listener's native tongue.

It's sort of why the stereotype of the obsessive anime-fan ranting about how subs are always superior or who tries to explain the deeper meaning of Japanese idioms or double entendre jokes has sort of become shorthand for the sort of pretentious chucklefuck who is desperately trying to justify how much better they are than everyone else, but coming across like a sad pathetic weasel that no one respects.


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I think sometimes the dub is better like Cowboy Bebop and dare I say I prefer the dubs to Outlaw Star and Dragon Ball Z/S/GT honestly.

I think the majority of times I prefer it subbed. I have no real hate between the two I guess I should say.

Whatever. Sometime the sub is better than the dub, sometimes the dub is better than the sub, sometimes you have no choice but to watch one or the other. Being picky about it is stupid.
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Generally dubbed. The Case Closed/Detective Conan dub was so great that I would kinda hear the character's voices while reading the manga; granted, Moore had a terrific VA in both versions.

Since I'm using watching anime while doing other stuff, I find subs distracting nowadays.

ParanoidObsessive posted...

Nowadays voice-acting is generally vastly improved and localization much, much better (except in cartoons specifically aimed at young children), to the point where dubbed is usually on par with subbed, if not improved by better localization of unfamiliar idioms and cultural idiosyncrasies and dialogue spoken in the listener's native tongue.

This, tbh.
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For me, it really depends on a lot. Like the anime and the VAs. But I generally prefer dubbed.
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I knew PotD was full of plebs, but I never knew there were this many.

Subbed. I don't even trust people that watch dubs.
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Dubbed always no expectations. Dubs are always better than random jibberish that I cant understand
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With dubbed, I can do other things. Like work on something else. Or play a game. Or clean. Or iron. Or whatever. And reading can sometimes distract from actually watching. Not much. But I can sometimes miss little things. Or have trouble reading when a character is talking fast. Or whatever.

I also don't like when people try to convince other to only listen to whatever in Japanese... it's a little annoying.

Also, I definitely agree with @Zeus about Case Closed/Detective Conan. Loved the dubbed. I just like it in general. But it's might be one of my favorite dubs. Haha.

I also agree about it being harder to distinguish Japanese Voices for the characters, mainly because I don't know much Japanese...
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Detective Conan

Every time I see that name I think of Conan the Barbarian as a detective. I don't know why I keep doing so, though, when I know full-well it's not.
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Dubbed as often as it's actually good. Sometimes it's terrible though, and Japanese voices never fail to do a great job. Probably because I can't actually tell if they're doing a bad job anyway.
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Dont like anime but if Im gonna watch it I want it to be dubbed
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Mostly subbed, but a listen to a LOT of dubs.

At this point im mostly conditioned to listen to subs
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Subbed.

There's a simple reason for this which is not often discussed and that is that whenever you're dubbing a cartoon or movie or even a video game cutscene, you face the difficult task of not only translating the work accurately (which can be hit or miss) but also trying to match the tempo and cadence of the translated work to the original.

Things can take much longer to say in one language than another, which means that either the dub voice actors may have to say a line unnaturally quickly or else introduce awkward pauses in the middle of their lines in order to match up to the animation.

And this is all without touching on "untranslatable" things. To use an obvious example, Japanese suffixes will immediately tell you about the relationship between two characters but they are all almost completely untranslatable into English. Likewise with idioms, double-speak, deliberate ambiguity, etc. My Japanese still isn't to the point where I can watch anime in Japanese without subtitles, but I can usually pick up enough to add context to what the subtitles fail to capture.
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Subs are for pretentious nerds. If you don't understand Japanese, you won't understand the full context of what they're saying even with subtitles. You simply won't gather everything because you won't understand the different voice inflections and what not

OhhhJa posted...

Subs are for pretentious nerds. If you don't understand Japanese, you won't understand the full context of what they're saying even with subtitles. You simply won't gather everything because you won't understand the different voice inflections and what not

A lot of people who prefer subs do so because the dubs are often terrible.

I personally prefer subs when a game/movie takes place in a foreign language setting, and dubs when the game is set in an english or non-specific setting.

Prefer dubbed. I like watching stuff in a language I understand.
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It really depends on my mood at the time of picking something to watch. I generally prefer dubs for Anime that I have watched in the past, but prefer subs when I watch Anime that I never have watched. But, I go back and forth for some anime that I have watched with both formats.
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Silver Shadow X posted...

Dubbed as often as it's actually good. Sometimes it's terrible though, and Japanese voices never fail to do a great job. Probably because I can't actually tell if they're doing a bad job anyway.

I agree wth this, too. People always say they do a great job. But it's much harder for me to tell when I don't understand the language...
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I prefer subs, but I don't dislike dubs. It's just that sometimes the dub can be awkward when trying to match lip flaps.

That and it's easier to notice bad voice acting in a language I understand.

I watched a bit of the My Hero dub recently and everybody was good to okay accept Midoriya. Maybe he got better, but the few episodes I saw, his VA was noticeably worse than whoever else was in the scene.

OhhhJa posted...

Subs are for pretentious nerds. If you don't understand Japanese, you won't understand the full context of what they're saying even with subtitles. You simply won't gather everything because you won't understand the different voice inflections and what not

Does that make all of the Dutch over 10 or so pretentious nerds? As nothing foreign aimed at people over that age is dubbed here. NCIS? English with Dutch sub. Kommisar Rex? German with Dutch subs. Crybaby, FMA, Berserk etc, all on Dutch Netflix, none with a Dutch dub, all with Dutch subs. And then I haven't even mentioned the Scandinavian, French etc stuff that is also all only available subbed here.
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DocDelicious posted...

Subbed. I don't even trust people that watch dubs.

They warned us we'd face that kind of discrimination!

LinkPizza posted...

Also, I definitely agree with @Zeus about Case Closed/Detective Conan. Loved the dubbed. I just like it in general. But it's might be one of my favorite dubs. Haha.

Didn't require a mention, @LinkPizza >_>

Unbridled9 posted...

Detective Conan

Every time I see that name I think of Conan the Barbarian as a detective. I don't know why I keep doing so, though, when I know full-well it's not.

Yeah, the title is problematic in the West for that reason. However, I've gotten so used to it that I use the two interchangeably.

Silver Shadow X posted...

Japanese voices never fail to do a great job. Probably because I can't actually tell if they're doing a bad job anyway.

Kek. Yeah, it's harder to be sure about quality when you're not versed in a language, although the subs for some lesser-known shows have sounded kinda amateurish.

Mead posted...

Dont like anime

Man, if Mead was here, he'd post some snarky remark about a poster not liking something!

Nichtcrawler X posted...

Does that make all of the Dutch over 10 or so pretentious nerds? As nothing foreign aimed at people over that age is dubbed here. NCIS? English with Dutch sub. Kommisar Rex? German with Dutch subs. Crybaby, FMA, Berserk etc, all on Dutch Netflix, none with a Dutch dub, all with Dutch subs. And then I haven't even mentioned the Scandinavian, French etc stuff that is also all only available subbed here.

Sounds like that's a costs-issue with the market. It's far cheaper to sub than dub.
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