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Sub or Dub? Which do you prefer?

iTorchwoodi

Waiting for the right Doctor
33
Posts
10
Years
  • Although the original series i watched in dub i have to say with the Best Wishes it has to be subbed.
    At least Ash in this doesnt sound so horse.
    And the episode against gym leader Skyla the evolution of tranquill was absolutely beast and the Japanese sounds for pokemon are far better. I do get tired of hearing pokemon use their english cries Tranquil never says its name in japanese but in english it kind of screeches it. Its far to painful
     
    293
    Posts
    17
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  • Dubbed hands down. I'm an American, I don't speak Japanese and I don't listen to it if I don't have to. There are a handful of exceptions though. (Naruto and Fairy Tail for example and that's only because their English dubs are too slow)

    Most of the time, Pokemon subbed is really boring to me.
     

    Satoshi Ookami

    Memento Mori
    14,254
    Posts
    15
    Years
  • I like sub WAY better. no questions asked.
    the voices sound better than the English ones and I like to guess what they are saying.
    Guess? You... can't understand what they are saying? Even though Pokemon has such a simple Japanese? Can you enjoy it that way?

    It has to be dubbed for me because I can not find the subbed one anymore.
    Huh? PMs are only like 5 episodes behind...
     
    460
    Posts
    10
    Years
    • Seen Feb 8, 2016
    If there is a dubbed version of the newer episodes available quick, I'll watch that. If not, subbed. Not to bothered.
     

    Palamon

    Silence is Purple
    8,157
    Posts
    15
    Years
  • Well, I grew up watching the dub, so I know mostly the dub. I tried to watch the sub, it's better in content, while the dub is better with voices for me. So, I prefer both, honestly! I can't turn away from either.
     

    Elaitenstile

    I am legend
    1,908
    Posts
    11
    Years
    • Seen Feb 27, 2015
    I've been watching dub until now (since that was the one generally available bar internet) and I've just watched a Pokémon Origins special in subs. I can tell it was much more exciting (though I had to glance at the bottom for quite some time, I found it easy after the first few dialogues) and the Japanese voice actors may just be preferable for a more Japanese theme, plus I do think I've a soft spot for all things Asian so I should say I'm going to start preferring subs from now on. (Perhaps Ash's voice could be easy to get used to XD)
     

    InMooseWeTrust

    Jack of All Trades
    803
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • First of all, I don't like the squeaky Japanese girl voice, nor the overly obsessive kawaii-ness in the Japanese voices.

    I usually prefer dubs over subs, but I just find a lot of dubs to be horrible. Like Cardcaptor Sakura. Remember how bad that was? For those horrible dubs, I'll watch subbed. But there are a lot of dubs that are actually pretty good, and I don't mind the child-friendly censoring most of the time. Dragonball, Pokémon, Digimon, Excel Saga, Yu-Gi-Oh! and many others had very good dubs. I like how they try to Americanize some things with cultural references and puns and jokes that only make sense in English.

    If they just tried to do a raw translation like a lot of fans want, it would sound really awkward and formal (because the jokes and songs don't translate well) like the way educated Japanese people talk in English.

    However, I do have one general rule that I always follow:
    If I can find it in French, I'll definitely watch it in French because everything sounds better in French.
     

    ZetaZaku

    AEUG Pilot
    580
    Posts
    11
    Years
  • I don't really mind dubs that much, unless they are 4kids dubs or DBZ dub. Pokemon dub is in that tier of dubs, so it's kinda bad to me. I watched the Entei movie the other day, and had the "luck" to watch it with dub titles (the subtitles showed what they were saying in the dub). You could quickly tell how different the script was. Like, no wonder people say that the Entei movie is garbage. The dub lines are way too simplified with captain obvious lines and bad puns/breaking 4th wall. Dub: Something like: Oak: "That Ash, he had to go in there." Girl: "Yes, he went to save his mother." While she only said something like "Um...." or "Yeah..." in the Japanese script. It's nothing big, but the writing is bad. Sure, the movie was still bad, but not THAT awful.

    So yeah, I prefer the Japanese version, mostly because of the well known and high profile cast. Most gym leaders and guest characters are voiced by popular and respected VAs, like Arti being voiced by Toru Furuya (Tuxedo Mask, Amuro, Yamcha), which really made me love Arti. And Dent was basically Miyano Mamoru (Tamaki, Light) being himself in a way. Dent really doesn't work in English. He might come out quite annoying with his lines, while the Japanese version gives him that funny fabulous feel. Just hearing Miyano Mamoru's "It's tasting time!" and other Enrish lines makes me smile. And Team Rocket is more likeable and less annoying in the Japanese version. But then again, James is voiced by Miki Shinichiro (Urahara, Roy Mustang) and Jessie is voiced by Megumi Hayashibara (Rei from NGE, Faye from Cowboy Bebop).
     

    Satoshi Ookami

    Memento Mori
    14,254
    Posts
    15
    Years
  • So yeah, I prefer the Japanese version, mostly because of the well known and high profile cast. Most gym leaders and guest characters are voiced by popular and respected VAs, like Arti being voiced by Toru Furuya (Tuxedo Mask, Amuro, Yamcha), which really made me love Arti. And Dent was basically Miyano Mamoru (Tamaki, Light) being himself in a way. Dent really doesn't work in English. He might come out quite annoying with his lines, while the Japanese version gives him that funny fabulous feel. Just hearing Miyano Mamoru's "It's tasting time!" and other Enrish lines makes me smile. And Team Rocket is more likeable and less annoying in the Japanese version. But then again, James is voiced by Miki Shinichiro (Urahara, Roy Mustang) and Jessie is voiced by Megumi Hayashibara (Rei from NGE, Faye from Cowboy Bebop).
    You forgot Aoi Yuuki (Madoka) voicing Iris, Miyuki Sawashiro and Yui Horie voicing some random CotD =D And... not to forget Yuuki Kaji (Eren Jaëger) voicing Clemont. But I agree with you, this shows how Pokemon anime is important since prominent seiyuus don't decline offers to voice Pokemon characters =)

    Now I only want HanaKana and anime would be perfect.
     
    188
    Posts
    10
    Years
  • I used to always watched dubbed until I watched the first pokemon movie in origional japanese they took alot out of the intro for the american release.
     

    Venitardus

    Breeder
    1,003
    Posts
    11
    Years
    • Seen Apr 9, 2018
    I prefer subbed version of Pokémon. But most anime I prefer the subbed over the dubbed
     

    Rainflower

    분홍신
    441
    Posts
    15
    Years
  • I always prefer Japanese dub (with English sub) to the English dub. My native language isn't English or Japanese either but hearing them speak in their original language simply sounds better to me.

    It's hard to find the subbed videos with original Japanese dub here though, which makes me sad : (
     
    41,346
    Posts
    17
    Years
  • I'm in the sub boat. I prefer a lot of the voices they pick for the Japanese cast and have yet to get used to Ash's "new" voice that they brought in many years ago. That probably won't ever change.
     

    Guy

    just a guy
    7,128
    Posts
    15
    Years
  • Dubbed. I've been watched the dubbed version since the anime first started in America, and when I learned about the subbed version years later I just couldn't be bothered. In general though, I tend to watch more of the dubbed version of an anime (if they're available) than with subtitles. I just prefer focusing on the main action and the subtle things in the background or character expressions than reading what's at the bottom (or top!) of the screen.
     

    RoreyG

    Lizardon Man
    428
    Posts
    11
    Years
  • I would say the subbed version, but most of the subs I get are poorly translated to the point where its just barely coherent.

    Because of easier access, I would say the dubbed version.
     
    60
    Posts
    10
    Years
  • Sub.
    I can't stand some voice actors in dubs. But some dubs are good, like Castle in the Sky. The dub for that is pretty good. The sub version sounds weird to me.
     
    153
    Posts
    10
    Years
    • Seen Dec 16, 2013
    I think a lot of the English voice actors for the Pokemon sound a bit silly, I also think too many of the female characters sound too similar, not nessecarily the same voice actress but they seem either coached to do a soft but preppy girly tone or a raspy voice.
    And did any of you hear Bonnie/Eureka in English? She sounds way, way to old.

    Still, I prefer the dubbed version because I don't like subtitled blocking that small part of the picture.
     
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