English - Sub or Dub?

[kidpunk]

If it isn't a fan dub, rather a professional one, I choose dub. There are some really good dubs and I try to give any a chance.
Except Pokemon. I've hated it since the beginning of Battle Frontier when all the good voice actors left.

 

[Taemin]

The days of "oh my god dubs are awful" are past, because plenty of dubs have some awesome voice actors, so for me it depends on the series. With certain ones, I prefer the dub if I'm a fan of the English voice actors, with others I heard the Japanese first, and it works just fine for me.

Like a couple of others have said, fansubs tend to bother me when I watch subs. I know a fair bit of Japanese, and sometimes fansubs add in multiple words, or a whole sentence that's not supposed to be there. It's like they think we're stupid, and need to have a bit more explaining done via the subtitles. >_>

For example "I like spending time with you"
becomes, "I like spending with you, <insert name here>, because we have so much in common, of course!"

It's like.. what. They did not just say hardly any of that. xD;

"Lol we can translate Japanese, so we're going to over kill it yaaaay". :/

Granted, some fansubs are just fine, but I prefer official subs when I'm watching subbed anime. IF said anime has official subs by that point. Sadly, most of the time that isn't the case, because I tend to watch things before they get official USA releases.

 

[Alley Cat]

I prefer dubs, because my attention isn't always focused directly on the screen to be reading the subtitles.

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

I'm used to watching foreign films with subtitles enough so that if I do ever watch anime (which has been rare apart from the last few months) it'll normally be subbed. However, a good dub can go a long way, and most of the Ghibli films I have on DVD I've only seen subbed. Of course, when you have John Lasseter overseeing the development of the US-voice actors, you expect quality. Other dubs might not be so fortunate in their Americanized cast.

 

[West the Hardcore Nerd]

That varies from series to series for me. Gurren Lagann, for example, I watched with subs. I didn't even know a dub existed at first, and when I did check it out, I just wasn't as impressed. I really like a lot of the actors they used for it, but it just didn't live up to the sheer, screamin' levels of GAR that the original had. I don't know, maybe the Japanese voices are just the "right" ones in my head simply because I heard them first, but whatever the case, I usually go with subs. Exceptions include Kureyon Shin Chan, which was essentially totally rewritten for the English version. FLCL, too, which frankly does have better English voice actors, not to mention that it everything's much easier to follow when you aren't having to keep reading subtitles, something that is absolutely vital to this series. I also watched (or, rather, am currently watching) the English dub of Lucky☆Star, simply because I didn't really care either way, and comedy anime usually make more sense when put in one's own language. That, and I quite like a lot of the voices, especially that "balsamic vinegar!" guy. That is the freakin' weirdest/coolest voice ever. Unless, of course, a dub doesn't exist, like with Panty & Stocking. Still, though, even when the (recently announced) English dub is released, it will never have all of the gratuitous Engrish the original has; thus, no "GO CHACK GO".

Tl;dr, I really have no preference, I just choose whichever is generally held in a higher regard.

 

[Professor]

It depends on the series but i usually prefer dubs. Unless i come upon a bad dub then i will switch to subs but for the most part dubs are more suited for me.

 

[teddybeargun]

Depends.

Some shows are better dubbed and a lot are better in Japanese. Things tend to be better in their native language since that was the language it was intended to be in. Some things just don't translate over. The Japanese language is really indirect and sometimes it just sounds weird translating over to English which is a more forward language. Like all the different ways to say "I" and "you" and the intensity of the insult "idiot" as compared to in the US and how Japanese people really love to beat around the bush in their conversations and yet somehow understand what the other is saying. Seriously, It's like a battle of who can be the most indirect. Another thing is people tend to like the first one they hear, since it's like the "original" one they watched.

But shows like Dragonball? I would watch dubbed over subbed anyday. I cringe at Goku's voice. In the Japanese version his voice(and all the other saiyans) have voices that just don't suit big, muscular men like them. I understand that Goku is suppose to be all innocent and stuff but don't give him a girl voice T.T It detracts from the show.

I feel the reason a lot of people don't like dubbing is because a lot of dubbing voice actors just sound like they don't care in the anime but that's probably because of the process it takes to become a voice actor in the US as compared to in Japan. In Japan they pretty much have to give up their dreams to go to Seiyuu school and train really hard so of course they'll put more effort. Whereas in the US you could pretty much just audition one day and become a voice actor.

But there should also be an option for raws, subs vs dubs vs raws haha. Personally I prefer watching anime in Japanese because you can take in the full meaning of what everyone is saying in the original language. Watching anime on tv is the best though, even better if its in a movie theater!

tl;dr Some are better in Japanese and some are better dubbed; Overall watching anime on tv is better.

 

[Ephemeral Euphoria]

I prefer subs most of the time, I'll watch a dub though like Samurai Jack or Big O for example.

 

[tokyodrift]

For me, it all leads up to to the quality of the Sub. Also, I usually like to watch the English subs because the Japanese voices gives the show some originality. Although sometimes I'll watch the English Dubs, that's if 4Kids hasn't completely ruined it.

 

[Snivi]

Sub. I like to watch the original version.

 

[mameshiba]

the dubs are so unrealistic. for example, in hikaru no go, hikarus is in sixth grade and sounded like a boy in the originial, however, in the dub he sounded like he was 15! WHat the

 

[keoni]

Subs. I've found only one good dub that stayed close to the original sounds, and that was Soul Eater... I can't stand the rest.

 

[psyanic]

Mostly subs. The voice acting just tends to be more of a bit higher quality and the dub usually changes a few lines here and there.

 

[Musanim]

Subs because you can see more Anime, but you have to have reading skills... :) :( >.>

 

[Weeaboo Name]

Everyone go watch Ghost Stories dubbed now, hilarious.

 

[Yoshikko]

Hmmm most of the time I prefer subbed, but it really depends. Sometimes the dub is executed so badly that I just can't listen to it, but there are other times where it sounds pretty good and where it's accurate, because there are also some of which the dub isn't at all accurate, and says way different things than the original.