Dub Vs Sub

Dub or Sub?

  • Dub

    Votes: 13 76.5%

  • Sub

    Votes: 4 23.5%
  • Total voters
    17
Palamon

Palamon

Silence is Purple
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    An age old question. Do you prefer the Pokemon Anime dub or the original Japanese version? Why?
     

    Even with the radical change in voice acting, I still prefer the dub. Probably because I grew up watching it, and I'm one of those people who associates the first voice they hear a character using with that character. I can't watch both the dub and sub of a show, and I saw Pokemon dubbed first. I would be very upset about the dub change - and I was at the time, for a long time I didn't watch the anime at all - but Sinnoh was such a fantastic season that I actually got used to it; it was so good I shelved my distaste for the dub change in the face of the quality. I can count on one hand the number of times I've done that for a show. To me, that speaks volume for the quality of it.

    Plus, the original dub at least is comedy GOLD. You can't argue with that kind of writing. Team Rocket's constant witty commentary and occasional breaking the fourth wall are still hilarious. Eric Stuart lends a whole new dimension to James' crossdressing and outright flamboyance. It's just got so much more personality than the Japanese version. Even with the VA change, the dub has more personality and humour in it than the sub, in my opinion.
     
    I watched a DBZ/Pokemon mashups, and Paragus took Oak's role without voice change, does Iemasa Kayumi REALLY voiced mr. Oak in the japanese version?

    As for topic, nah i never watched a full episode of old Pokemon episodes.....except the Eevee brothers one
     
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    Tbh I prefer the original Japanese version without subs since about 95% of the time I can figure out what's happening even without understanding Japanese.
     
    Pokemon is one of the few anime where I equally like both dub and sub. English cause nostalgia but I really like the sound of the Japanese voices as well!
     
    Dub for me. That's my thing with watching anime, I always watch the first one i hear first. I watched Pokemon back then with the dubbed voices, so I continue to watch it dubbed. Same with older shows I've watched dubbed first such as DBZ, Inuyasha, and Cowboy Bebop. I'm used to the dub voices, so it sounds weird to watch those subbed.
     
    I use to prefer the English dubbed version of Pokemon. I've probably grown accustomed to it while growing up watching it in English. (same with DBZ)

    After they switched Ash's voice actor I prefer to watch it in Japanese. :)
     
    I really want to know why the script went from being charming (4Kids) to being real spiritless (Current Dub) I mean it has charm but the older episodes had such a more fun scripting. and the weird thing is it is not all new people. A few of the old dub scripters are still with the show in the new series. Though I do think it is cool I know some of the current dub actors. Just wish they kept the old style of writing.
     
    Nekaku said:
    I really want to know why the script went from being charming (4Kids) to being real spiritless (Current Dub) I mean it has charm but the older episodes had such a more fun scripting. and the weird thing is it is not all new people. A few of the old dub scripters are still with the show in the new series. Though I do think it is cool I know some of the current dub actors. Just wish they kept the old style of writing.
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    Agreed, although it could also be that we're just getting old. xD
     
    Life said:
    Agreed, although it could also be that we're just getting old. xD
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    I want my darn pudding cup! XD

    Idk the Digimon and Yugioh dubs still have charm. My issue with dubs is when they doing too close of a direct translation to the the japanese. It just comes off stiff.
     
    Nekaku said:
    My issue with dubs is when they doing too close of a direct translation to the the japanese. It just comes off stiff.
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    Wait... What? Dub should not be a whole new masterpiece, with its creators doing as they please with original work. That's what was wrong with most of English anime dubs of 1990s and early 2000s and the main reason why now, I prefer watching anime in subs. That does not mean that uncut dubs could not have their issues. Seriously, Czech dub of Digimon Frontier was uncut, but that was the only good thing about it. In those 51 episodes, they often changed characters' voices, translations of of things and so on. But that is yet another way to ruin dub. And that is yet another reason for me to watch original, since mistranlation or wrong term in subs is more easily ignorable than in dubs.

    But, on topic, Pokémon dub had it quite well actually. There were some jokes I could live without and especially some pointless paint edits in 4Kids era (what was the reason for constantly removing Pokéball from Ash's Heonn Badge case?), but overall, Pokémon dub had it quite well. The voice actors were quite well either, though there were some things I did not like, especially Ash's voices (both of them) and 4Kids' James. I also hated the fact that TPCI had so few voices for characters of the day until mid Sinnoh. I must admit however, that I only saw a few episodes of XY in dub and now only watch subs, but that's my personal preference to always see the original if possible.
     
    Horn said:
    Wait... What? Dub should not be a whole new masterpiece, with its creators doing as they please with original work. That's what was wrong with most of English anime dubs of 1990s and early 2000s and the main reason why now, I prefer watching anime in subs. That does not mean that uncut dubs could not have their issues. Seriously, Czech dub of Digimon Frontier was uncut, but that was the only good thing about it. In those 51 episodes, they often changed characters' voices, translations of of things and so on. But that is yet another way to ruin dub. And that is yet another reason for me to watch original, since mistranlation or wrong term in subs is more easily ignorable than in dubs.

    But, on topic, Pokémon dub had it quite well actually. There were some jokes I could live without and especially some pointless paint edits in 4Kids era (what was the reason for constantly removing Pokéball from Ash's Heonn Badge case?), but overall, Pokémon dub had it quite well. The voice actors were quite well either, though there were some things I did not like, especially Ash's voices (both of them) and 4Kids' James. I also hated the fact that TPCI had so few voices for characters of the day until mid Sinnoh. I must admit however, that I only saw a few episodes of XY in dub and now only watch subs, but that's my personal preference to always see the original if possible.
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    It needs to be. A direct translation is just dull and boring. Only people that want that are the "whole" purists and they are pretty much the cancer to the fanbase.
     
    Are you serious, man? Sorry, but in my opinion, the cancer of fanbase for any anime, not only Pokémon, are people like you. I don't say the translation must be too direct, that's not really possible for dub. I understand some jokes or cultural references in Japanese original are untranslatable, so why don't change them to something that target audience could understand. But adding your own jokes or even lines where there were none (that Digimon dub you praised too) is definitely unnecessary and uncalled for. Not to mention changing the whole musical score (first three and last two Pokémon movies are great example of how that could ruin the whole mood) or choosing voices that are way too different from original (4Kids James is great example of that). And I rather don't talk about changes like killing characters (Brock's mother, anyone?)
    Just today I saw subbed version of first movie and I have to say that the dull one was actually dub, not sub. The original version was about Pokémon who was mad at the whole world and decided to sweep it off of all living beings with the exception of its own clones. Though that plot line stayed in dub, it was so dumbed down, that it sometimes didn't make sense. And I rather not mention the music, which also changed the atmosphere of the movie significantly, so for me, the dull and boring version was actually the dubbed one, sorry.
     
    As much as I hate 4Kids, I enjoy the dub of the earlier seasons because I grew up with it, even if it does have its flaws (i.e. "Water is weak against fire", Americanisation such as turning rice balls into donuts or sandwiches). I also like some of the jokes (drying pan) and when Team Rocket breaks the fourth wall. An unpopular opinion of mine is that I like some of 4Kids' dub-only background music (but I still enjoy Shinji Miyazaki's compositions/arrangements a lot more).

    Ever since the dub got new voice actors, I started watching the subbed version instead. This may just be the nostalgia talking, but the English voice acting and opening themes from Battle Frontier onwards don't sound as good as they did in the first 8 seasons or in the original Japanese version. Next time I rewatch the original series, I'll watch the subbed version so I can see it uncensored.
     
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