Sub vs Dub

[Altairis]

Ah yes, the classic anime argument :) Do you prefer watching anime in original Japanese with language of choice subtitles, or with voiceovers from your language of choice (no Japanese)? Keep in mind I'm really only asking when there is an OPTION for both, for example, not when something is airing in Japan and you prefer sub so you don't have to wait. I'm talking about stuff like Fairy Tail, would you rather watch it in English or Japanese?

I've seen this topic go downhill on several other forums so please try to remain civilized (who would have guessed this would be a provoking topic!) ;~;

Ok, I might as well state my opinion. I actually prefer sub, only because a lot of English dubs sound really stated and odd to me. I know that the Japanese probably does too to someone who speaks native Japanese, but I obviously can't tell as much so the Japanese sounds more "natural" and less odd to me. For example, the English voices for the characters of Fairy Tail and Madoka Magica just sound so odd to me. There's this one scene in Madoka Magica where a character confronts two people on a bus and asks them "Hey, is this world even worth protecting? What have I been fighting for all this time?" The kid in Japanese got really upset and started talking really fast but for some reason in the English version she's talking in a really monotone voice and really slowly? It just seemed to convey the wrong emotion for me, haha, even though it might sound odd to a Japanese person. I'm not entirely opposed to watching anime in English though; like I watched an Evangelion movie or two in English and Summer Wars and they were both fine dubs :) Probably a couple others but I don't really remember haha.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

Dub? What is that?

I might use this comparison...
I can recognize maybe Laura Bailey from English voice cast.
On the other hand... I can pretty much identify about 25 female and 10 male seiyuus.
Why would I want to watch something with voices I don't recognize?

The kid in Japanese

Kid? Yuuki Aoi was 18-19 at the time she was voicing Madoka =)
Not really someone you would call kid =)

got really upset and started talking really fast but for some reason in the English version she's talking in a really monotone voice and really slowly?

English monotone voice is pretty much reason for all the dub hate.
For English voice cast, it's just another job.
For seiyuus, it's fun.

 

[Outlier]

Yeah most english dubs are of poor quality. Cowboy Bebop, Death Note, Dragonball & DBZ are the only exceptions to the rule in my opinion.

 

[Altairis]

Whoops, I meant to ask you guys what YOU preferred watching in, since some people have preferences. Sorry if it wasn't clear :X

 

[derozio]

I'm actually okay with both. I avoided dubs for quite a while because I thought they were bad most of the time and not worth it. But I've seen few series as of late where I enjoyed dubs as much as subs. Yu yu hakusho's and haruhi's english dubs are excellent, for example. On the other hand, series like dbz I wouldn't prefer sub. Ever. Because english goku > japanese voice. So much better. Otherwise yeah, subs mostly because you're right in saying those guys actually manage to convey the character's feelings more efficiently.

 

[Seki]

Subs and my job here is done.

 

[Sheep]

Sub is my personal preference as well; it's what I'm used to, that and I prefer the original adaptations. I've started watching subs in 2002 or '03 with the original FMA so it was hard to switch away by then, haha.

There are some dubs I absolutely adore, though, like Durarara!! and Soul Eater.

 

[donavannj]

English dubs, because it's my native language and it's easier to catch the animation subtleties without the subs in the foreground. Some dialog subtleties can be lost in translation, though, and some voice actors feel quite unenthusiastic about their roles, as though they've been recording for days and want to get home and sleep. I've noticed that a lot with main characters, but it's really gotten better over the few years.

 

[Austin]

I used to watch dubs a lot, but I switched to subs a few years ago. The main reason I like subs more is because they force you to pay attention. You can't really look away for more than a few seconds unless you're moderately proficient in Japanese. I get more absorbed in anime when I'm forced to pay attention.

 

[Nick]

I don't watch a lot of anime, so I don't really get the whole dub is better than sub argument.

When I'm watching something, I don't want to have to pause because I can't read fast enough. I don't want to put forth any effort other than watching and listening and being entertained.

 

[Arc]

I'm fine with either or.

The quality of anime dubbing has risen over the past years, so I'm perfectly fine with watching with dubs. However, I do prefer watching with subs due to the fact that the voices better match the characters of the anime, most of the time.

 

[BadPokemon]

I prefer watching it in English. I don't mind watching it with subs, though.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

There are some dubs I absolutely adore, though, like Durarara!

Hanazawa Kana + Yuuki Aoi + Sawashiro Miyuki + Fukuyama Jun + Kamiya Hiroshi. There's NO way some dub can be better =D

 

[DavidtheDeadPhilosopher]

It's really a situational thing.

Alot of anime's that have multinational characters, I tend to like the dubbed over the subbed because they tend to feel more immersible that way (Baccano). I sometimes watch series both ways eventually, just because it's interesting to see the comparison. As a standard though, unless the dub is particularly good, I watch sub.

 

[LilyAnn]

I like subs a lot. But when I don't feel like reading them, I just watch the dub. Dubs have been sooooo bad xD idk how I can stand it. lol

 

[«Chuckles»]

I used to watch sub because it kept me engaged and they sounded more natural. When it comes to dub, the va's don't win me over and I will go as far too say the people who make abridge series do it better because they are having fun. I eventually want to get into voice acting but in dubs of anime not that Ben 10 stuff. Now I watch sub because I have to, I have seen all the anime I want and the ones I'm watching aren't localised yet, censored to hell or aren't popular enough to be localised. I did Japanese for one year, I can't speak it but I understand heaps of words so I don't have to be engaged anymore and can go to the fridge for snacks. I have to say sub, but dub could win me over, maybe if they didn't put 12 year olds in the role of 17 year olds, Alibaba!

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

I like subs a lot. But when I don't feel like reading them

If you don't feel like reading them, watch RAW =D

 

[Orogenes]

I think it's a question of what you're exposed to first - at least I tend to "cement" the first voices I hear with the characters and everything else will feel "wrong" afterwards. That being said, I prefer the subbed version. In all earnestness, I haven't watched a dub in ages so I can't really comment on their quality - I generally do believe however that the Japanese voice actors do a great job. I know some people say that they can't stand subtitles because they distract them from focusing on the actual animation, but from someone who grew up in a non English speaking country, I'm used having to read subtitles and hardly ever give it a thought.

 

[Raine]

Definitely prefer sub over dub any day :P Although there have been a couple good series that dubbed was tolerable. Inuyasha is a good example, in my opinion, back when I first watched it. Now that I look back, it's okay...Personally I feel Japanese voice actors have more expression in their voices than English ones. The character feels more alive.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

Personally I feel Japanese voice actors have more expression in their voices than English ones. The character feels more alive.

Exactly this ;) Unfortunately many people feel (because of this fact) that their voices are too high pitched and annoying. I always laugh when they put Kugimiya Rie as an example just because they heard her tsundere roles (in which she's absolutely perfect =D)... these people should seriously hear her voicing Rise from Persona 4.