Gotta watch that dubbed!

Started by derozio November 24th, 2015 1:50 AM
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derozio

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I'm gonna start Black Lagoon soon. I have the dual-audio version and I've heard that the dub makes it a little more authentic-feeling and immersive experience. So I'm thinking of going with the dub for this one.

Which gave me the idea about the thread - what anime, in your opinion, have such excellent dubs that you'd rather suggest people watch them dubbed rather than subbed? Also, if you're here anyway, answer if I should stick to dub for Black Lagoon or watch it subbed. Plis. :3

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Ghost Stories is hands down the best english dub in all existence

I still haven't seen Black Lagoon so I can't answer xD

I think a lot of the anime I have seen in English and that I prefer English would be nostalgia based like Digimon, Cardcaptor Sakura and Shaman King - that doesn't mean they're going to be amazing of course. I will say Digimon is one of the few anime which can watch both sub and dub, because if I watch it in dub I usually can't watch it subbed.

I really loved Ouran High School Host Club's dub probably because it was the first anime I knew was an anime, but I still enjoy and love the whole anime more in English. Haven't finished it, but Full Metal Alchemist in dub was also nice

I was told to watch Steins;Gate in English and I really loved it's dub, and also as a suggestion told to watch Baccano! in dub. Just started it and I'm really loving the accents in it - defs would have preferred to watch it in English if I had known prior.

Since they've started releasing dubs faster now with a lot of the newer anime, I'm going to try a bit of a taster to what some of the newer stuff tastes like.


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machomuu

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Yu Yu Hakusho is easily one of my favorite dubs on the basis that the voice cast is fantastic and the script is altered, but nothing is lost in the transition. Specifically, the English dub does a much better job of highlighting the personalities of the characters than the original, and one particular way it does this is by adding color to otherwise generic lines. Did I mention that the voice cast is fantastic? Yusuke's performance in particular blows me away.

One I was watching recently is Orphen. Apart from the main cast putting far more into their roles than most other anime I'd seen at the time, this anime does change things in its script. For instance, Cleao has basically become something of a sassy snarker. This is used to humorous effect as sometimes the lines added will be "off-screen voices" or they won't match the characters' facial expressions. This one's a bit of a harder sell for that reason, but it's really entertaining and had me laughing out loud where I imagine I would have just been reading mostly colorless lines in the original. The main difference between this and Yu Yu Hakusho, though, is that Yu Yu Hakusho doesn't really change any of its characters- it's pretty faithful, it just supplements their personalities. Here, though, they have personality traits added on. Purists should stay away, but if you're looking for a fun little faithful-yet-liberal dub with a good cast, check Orphen out.

Now let's get talking about Garzey's Wing. So,

Baccano!'s already been mentioned, and I definitely agree there. Ouran's was fun, too, as was FMA.

Steins;Gate, though...I dunno. I suppose the main reasons the dub doesn't grab me is first because Kana Hanazawa nails the Mayuri role in this, and the shift in the tone of her voice is kind of off-putting in the dub...but probably only as a result (so you probably wouldn't mind if you hadn't heard it, basically). Also Okabe. Though I'm a bit curious as to how they went about translating some things. I was under that the "I am mad scientist!" bit when Okabe's trying to the foreigner just wouldn't work in the dub. Looked up that scene dubbed. "Sorry, I don't speak jive" had me and my friends burst out laughing, so I can't be too quick to write it off.

I'll give more. I watch a lot of dubs and have many suggestions...but right now I'm pressed for time.

Daydream

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Generally I'll do a bit of research between dubbed and subbed. It depends on whether plot/character elements have been altered.

I watched Cardcaptor Sakura when I was younger and found the dub fine, but recently I've started watching the sub and the voice acting is superior. And it's nice to have the altered plot elements as they were originally intended.

Puella magi madoka magica has a solid dub in my opinion, and it depends on characters as to who I prefer. Madoka's voice in the sub is more fitting, but I prefer Sayeka's dubbed voice. And I've only seen Sword Art Online's first season, but for that one I also flip flopped between voices for certain characters. Generally the performances in the sub were better, but the dub wasn't unwatchable.

Can't say about Black Lagoon. Haven't watched that.
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Obviously, Space Dandy was perfect in dubbed form - I watched both seasons of it for the first time ever in my history of watching anime. I think Kill la Kill's dub s all right too having seeing like 4 episodes of it dubbed. Ryuko's voice is very fitting in particular.

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Ghost Stories is hands down the best english dub in all existence
Truest post ever made in this forum.



I don't like dubbed shows, sorry. I don't think these are worse or better, I just prefer Japanese :)

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Although personally I liked the Japanese version better, I thought the Samurai Champloo dubbed version was pretty good.

& of course, Dragonball Z. I'll never watch that in Japanese.
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Obviously, Space Dandy was perfect in dubbed form -
Space Dandy => HanaKana in cast => dub cannot possibly be perfect.
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machomuu

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Speaking of Kana Hanazawa, Durarara!. It's dub isn't as good as Baccano!'s (but that's a hard act to follow). Save for three particular roles, the cast for this show is absolutely fantastic. One of the aforementioned roles in particular works as a red herring that makes a certain reveal and its subsequent seasons all that much sweeter. Also, the accents are really fun. Simon in particular stands out for just having so much fun with his role. Won't knock the Japanese, but the dub is definitely a lot of fun.

Also, all of the Ghibli movies that aren't Arrietty. For dubs sanctioned by Disney, they're mostly all dubbed pretty damn well. More, do to regulations set by Miyazaki, they're pretty faithful. It's rare that you'll find a voice that doesn't fit its character or a role that seems off. Whoever's in charge of ADR and Direction for these movies deserves more than they're getting paid.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann also has a really on-point dub, due in part by the fact that do to various things about the show, a lot of care had to go in making the dub. This dub's pretty highly regarded, and with good reason. Pretty much the only role that people are divided over is Kamina's being dubbed by Kyle Hebert (Dragon Ball Z's narrator and also Adult Gohan, for popular reference). The reason for this is that Kyle's performance is slightly hammier than the original. This leads to a performance that's different but lends itself just as much to Kamina's character for thematic reasons (and makes the reactions from others all the more justified). However, despite this deviation, one episode in particular sells the role bone-chillingly well, and his synergy with Yuri Lowenthal (who absolutely sells his role as Simon) make this dub a pretty easy...sell. *cough* The dub was clearly important to those involved, and I'd recommend it. Probably moreso because the movies haven't been dubbed yet, so I see little reason not to watch the show dubbed and the movies subbed. In no particular order.

Also, Summer Wars. I've mentioned that this is my favorite movie- because it is- but part of this comes from the fact that the dub of this movie is ****ING AMAZING. It's seriously ****ING AMAZING. I don't think I can talk enough about how ****ING AMAZING this dub is. The direction's amazing, it's varied as hell, there are renowned voice actors around every corner. I love it so goddamn much.

*Ahem*
The only way to watch Hellsing Ultimate is dubbed. If you've got an anime set in England, you HAVE to have proper British voice acting, and Hellsing is one of those rare shows where you have American voice actors not completely ****ing up British accents...or ****ing them up so spectacularly that it's glorious. Every cast member fits their role perfectly; it makes the Japanese version look downright bland by comparison. How the hell Katherine Gray nails Seras so perfectly is beyond me, and Victoria Harwood was a fantastic choice for Integra...in this cast of craziness, there's ONE dignified individual at least. xD

Then you've got the stereotypical German voice acting, the Scottish craziness with Alexander Anderson...even Yuri Lowenthal, who I loathe, does a good job with Pip Bernadotte with a pseudo-French accent. Don't even get me started on whoever voices Yan Valentine. Then you've got Crispin Freeman as Alucard. Crispin Freeman has what is easily the silkiest, creepiest, downright sexiest voice in the business, and it fits Alucard to a tee.

So, yes, Hellsing Ultimate. The only anime set in and around England that gets the voice acting right, or so wrong that it's so beautifully right. If you watch it in Japanese, you're watching the inferior version. For the full experience, you NEED those ridiculous regional accents.

I'd never watch Unbreakable Machine Doll subbed either. It's not as high quality as Hellsing, but it's still hilariously spectacular. It really needs a second season, as by itself the first season is mediocre at best in plot, but the voice acting made it worth the watch.

Also, any anime that has Christopher R. Sabat voicing the role of a large ham makes the dubbed version infinitely superior to the subbed...with the notable exception of Sengoku Basara, where not even the mighty Toyotomi Hideyoshi's hamminess can offset the awesomeness that is Date Masamune's Engrish or the manly showdowns between Yukimura and Shingen...the dub of Basara tries hard, but it just can't capture that essence of over-the-top insanity the original Japanese version has. But otherwise, Chris Sabat makes every anime he's in pure gold. His voice has been passed down through the Armstrong family line for GENERATIONS, after all.

donavannj

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The only way to watch Hellsing Ultimate is dubbed. If you've got an anime set in England, you HAVE to have proper British voice acting, and Hellsing is one of those rare shows where you have American voice actors not completely ****ing up British accents...or ****ing them up so spectacularly that it's glorious. Every cast member fits their role perfectly; it makes the Japanese version look downright bland by comparison. How the hell Katherine Gray nails Seras so perfectly is beyond me, and Victoria Harwood was a fantastic choice for Integra...in this cast of craziness, there's ONE dignified individual at least. xD

Then you've got the stereotypical German voice acting, the Scottish craziness with Alexander Anderson...even Yuri Lowenthal, who I loathe, does a good job with Pip Bernadotte with a pseudo-French accent. Don't even get me started on whoever voices Yan Valentine. Then you've got Crispin Freeman as Alucard. Crispin Freeman has what is easily the silkiest, creepiest, downright sexiest voice in the business, and it fits Alucard to a tee.

So, yes, Hellsing Ultimate. The only anime set in and around England that gets the voice acting right, or so wrong that it's so beautifully right. If you watch it in Japanese, you're watching the inferior version. For the full experience, you NEED those ridiculous regional accents.
Anyone who hasn't seen Hellsing Ultimate dubbed needs to see it dubbed. YES, EVEN YOU, SATOSHI. It is just so ridiculous. And kinda fun, even with the absurd amounts of blood and gore.

And then you need to go watch Hellsing Ultimate Abridged as your follow up to it.
whoops
Oh, I forgot to mention - it has Kari Wahlgren singing OPERA. If that doesn't make you at least smile, then you have no soul. Of course, what follows that sours the moment a bit, but...well...eh.

90s dubbed anime is also in a class by itself, in my opinion. The stuff I grew up watching - Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Digimon, Cardcaptors, etc - I could NEVER watch subbed, because the voices defined the show for me back then. The quality might not be spectacular, but it's more the memories they carry with them. When I hear Moonlight Densetsu, I sing the English lyrics, not the Japanese ones. I call the characters by their dub names. Cardcaptor Sakura doesn't exist to me; there is only the Nelvana dub of Cardcaptors, which had the most fantastic theme song ever. And as for Pokemon and Digimon...well, the humour makes the dub worth watching all by itself. They don't break the fourth wall in the Japanese version quite so blatantly or so frequently. People often bash older dubbed anime for not sticking to the original dialogue or whatever else, but for me that element of improvisation is what makes them so damn good. I don't give a damn what the original Japanese version is like, all I care about is watching the show and enjoying it.

I'm also going to voice my support for Ghibli dubs - freakin' Patrick Stewart voices Yupa in Nausicaa, it doesn't get any better than that.

machomuu

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People often bash older dubbed anime for not sticking to the original dialogue or whatever else, but for me that element of improvisation is what makes them so damn good. I don't give a damn what the original Japanese version is like, all I care about is watching the show and enjoying it.
I'm two ways about this, but essentially I agree. Way I see it, watching a Woolseyised dub easily gives you the best rewatch value you could ever expect out of an anime because it sets up two completely different experiences. In the case of Cardcaptors, for instance, the show is pretty much wholely different from Cardcaptor Sakura- they're almost different shows. And because of this, you're given the choice between the hammy, 90s-as-hell, catch the monster of the week Cardcaptors, or the more Drama-focused Sakura. And really, that's pretty damn cool.

Those Who Hunt Elves, for instance, was absolutely hilarious dubbed. It had cultural references, snappier dialogue and one liners, and all the writing definitely gave whoever wrote it a good time. The original, on the other hand, has a lot more plain, laid out dialogue. It wasn't nearly as fun. I dare say that the dub was better because it was liberal, and I can understand why there might be backlash, since it's completely fair that someone would want a dub that retains the intentions of the original script (or show, in the case of dubs where content is changed) but this was at a time where writing lines that were both faithful and colorful and also fit with lip-syncing didn't really happen.

And I'm not going to say that was always the case, there were a bunch of dubs that did a lot less for the show than they did good, but yeah, it's all about the consumer's experience, and a number of my favorite dubs are either Woolseyised or just plain liberal in a way that made an otherwise bland script (or show) really enjoyable.

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I watched Attack on Titan dubbed, but I want to re-watch it subbed so I can compare.

I just watched the first episode of RWBY, but its made in the West in English, so I do not think that counts. It was recommended by a friend who does not watch anime, and the voice acting was not exactly great. Maybe it will improve.

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Persona 4: The Animation. Then again, I played P3 and P4 in glorious English Dub so yeah.

I just tried re-watching P4Anime in JP+Subs and for some reason i just couldn't handle the Japanese voice acting so i just closed it and watched again in English Dub.

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Anyone who hasn't seen Hellsing Ultimate dubbed needs to see it dubbed. YES, EVEN YOU, SATOSHI. It is just so ridiculous. And kinda fun, even with the absurd amounts of blood and gore.
2 words.
Norio Wakamoto.

And then you need to go watch Hellsing Ultimate Abridged as your follow up to it.
I guess I'm a bit backwards with this but I see literally NO reason and NO fun in watching anything Abridged, much less Hellsing I don't even like that much.
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It's funny someone brought up Abridged series, as those are pretty much the only English anime I have any interest in watching nowadays. I love listening to the Japanese language so much, that ever since I got into streaming seasonal Anime, I can't go back to watching English dubs.

However, going back to Abridged series, can we just all agree that the voice acting done by Team Four Star is absolutely hilarious and well done at the same time? We've all seen DBZ Abridged, and then there's the hour long Attack on Titan episode they did before being slapped with copyright infringement. Both were done extremely well, and I found them to be much more enjoyable than the English dub of both :0 Especially since you do get all the important details. They're good about not mincing what's important to the story :)

machomuu

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However, going back to Abridged series, can we just all agree that the voice acting done by Team Four Star is absolutely hilarious and well done at the same time? We've all seen DBZ Abridged, and then there's the hour long Attack on Titan episode they did before being slapped with copyright infringement. Both were done extremely well, and I found them to be much more enjoyable than the English dub of both :0 Especially since you do get all the important details. They're good about not mincing what's important to the story :)
At least as far as AoT's concerned, it's the only way to watch the show, subbed or otherwise. Hell, I substituted the abridged episode for the first couple of episodes and just followed the manga from there. And Dragon Ball Z Abridged is what Kai should have been.

Problem is, now when I DO read the manga I can only hear their abridged voices when they talk. Not sure if it makes the serious moments (which is literally anything past the beginning) more hilarious or oddly endearing. Probably both.

Skip Class

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I was one of those people who just could never get into YGO Abridged...?

But I absolutely loved Abridgimon which was done by created by ShadyVox, xthedarkone, LittleKuriboh, and MasakoX. I couldn't watch the original digimon the same way ever again after I watched their abridged version of it xD

Digimon Tamers Abridged and 50% OFF (Free! Abridged) also love them sooooo so much.


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Dragon Ball/Z because Christopher Sabat is a god! I also think Sean Schemmel's dopey surfer voice suits Goku to a tee. I'm excluding Kai because Gohan's and 18's dub VA's were atrocious.

Hellsing Ultimate is another great anime to watch dubbed. You get to hear each character speak in their native accent and the entire dub sounds like it was handled with extreme care unlike most dubs where it sounds like half of the VA's didn't even have to audition. Alucard's dub VA probably has the most seductive yet menacing voice in all of anime.

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Gunslinger Girl is actually better dubbed even though some of the characters do have rather subpar voice acting mainly since not only is GSG set in Europe, the fact that I didn't have to manage subs made the immersion and suspension of self-belief even deeper than i originally watched the series years ago. The feels went even deeper knowing that I have less microseconds reading subs and i have more time and microseconds to actually see and feel what's happening as well as listening to dialogue, along with the sad and melodramatic music that often comes along with the show... the feels...

Saragraph

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I haven't seen that much dubbed, but I consider the following anime to have an English dub so good that you can easily replace the Japanese dub with it and have an equal, if not better experience:
Fate/zero
Haruhi
Panty and stocking
Black Lagoon
Ghost Stories
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Haruhi
Wait, Haruhi? o.O No, Sugita, you can't replace Sugita, you just can't.
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Wait, Haruhi? o.O No, Sugita, you can't replace Sugita, you just can't.
Sugita may be Sugita, Crispin Freeman did a very good job, on par with Sugita's in my opinion.
What if you could rid the world of war? What if hatred could be conquered?
Whose side will you choose? Which path would you take?