Anime... subs or dubs?

[ResidentEvil4]

I am just curious of what everyone thinks.

[Roiesword]

its subs... isn't it?

[WacKostRacKo]

subs always, its fun to read the subs and listen to the audio and try to translate it yourself...

well to me anyways..:p

[requemao]

I always go for subtitled anime when possible.

Japanese seiyuu (voice talents) are great, and dubbing often results in worse voices. I enjoy Japanese voices, they are very expressive in a way different from Western dub voice actors.

Moreover, language is usually very important in anime: the personality of many characters is partially shown in the way they speak (you can sort them roughly by the word they use for "I", for example), and very often they give away extra information that is lost in translation.

And of course, since I am trying to learn Japanese, I can do with some practice

[mandolin]

Subs.

Dubs have several problems. Some are understandable, some aren't.

Most anime gets marketed for younger children than an anime may have originally been intended for. This means the US producer that bought the rights will essentially massacre the anime, chopping out bits that are inappropriate for the american audience they're planning to market to.

Then, there's the need to fit mouth movements with the sound coming out of them. A lot of times, they can get pretty close approximations of the original dialogue. Other times, it's completely bizarre. And they -will- sacrifice important info (which would result in a deeper story) for this cause. Sometimes, the info will be later introduced in "character thoughts voiceovers" that don't exist in the original (dialogue over dead space).

I hate the fact that US audiences are too short attention-spanned for companies to leave in dramatic, speechless action. Everything must have talking.

In Sailor Moon, Season 3, when Rei is having a dream about the destruction of the earth, she sees a bright light heading toward her. In the japanese, she silently quivers in fear as the sound effects set the mood for the moment. In the dubbed, she's thinking to herself the entire time. "Ugh... what is that light? I can't see... it's so bright.... what is it? It's EVIL I just KNOW IT!"

Grr.

Rant over.

Subs are better.

[Shibakoen]

It's unanymous so far it seems. Definitely subs. You don't pick up any of the language with the dubs, and totally miss out on a lot of the humor.

[Hatsu Koi]

Subs, indeinatly. My brother visits a Naruto Fan site, and he get's subbed episodes from there. He also gets the manga before it's released here. Personaily, Dubbed voices are of terrible quailty. I'm afraid to watch dubbed movies, because, if you pardon my french, I think it will suck ass. Also, Dubbs look funny. Very funny.

[Zeo]

Subs, deffently.

Can't stand the dubs. Some are ok, but often much of the humor and stuff goes away with the dubs. And though, its much more fun and you learn some of watching anime with orginall speach, japanese in this case, then watching a dub.

Well, well.. I can't stand when people talking in dubs, as Hatsu Koi said, it looks funny. Unnatrual:p

[Ongakuka]

Dubs, obviously. Because... wait did I write dubs? I meant subs

[alex_2096]

subs, as dubs are the prime source of all evil on the planet... well thats what my mum said

[draffauf]

mandolin wrote:
Most anime gets marketed for younger children than an anime may have originally been intended for. This means the US producer that bought the rights will essentially massacre the anime, chopping out bits that are inappropriate for the american audience they're planning to market to.

This is a good point. I'll take subtitles over dubs anytime.

However, the first anime I saw was Akira with the English dub. I watched it many times and got used to the American voice acting (go Leonardo!). Anyway, the thing that was weird was that the main characters, teenage gangsters, were definitely a little too cute mouthed for their m.o.. When the new English dub came out, the dialouge was much more crude, but was more accurate to the original story and characters. Sadly, growing to love the first dub makes me not like the new dub--the only one available on DVD.

There is definitely something lost in translation. I love hearing the Japanese voice actors because it seems that their are shades of attitudes and emotions that aren't emphasized in American dialouge. I don't hear as much of a sense of wonder or agitation when they are dubbed. For example, I couldn't even imagine watching FLCL with an English dub.

Somehow Royal Space Force (aka Wings of Honneamiasse) pulled off the English dub. I think it's because the production values on that one were ridiculously high considering it was all hand drawn and painted.

[Mariya]

I'll join in...SUBS. Lol. I absolutely despise dubs.

Dubs, obviously. Because... wait did I write dubs? I meant subs

Hehe

[keikanneko]

ill go with subs, for most of the reasons stated above, better voice acting, anime in the states being marketed to kids, yadda yadda.

i also like to see how they would refer to certian things in japanese i.e. in vampire hunter D, they constantly refer to vampires as aristocrats.

[Sachi]

Subs. I love trying to see how much I understand in Japanese, and you get so much out of anime more when it's not dubbed! It's good practice with added help, and gives the real full effect.

[Wasted]

Subs without a doubt... some reason it sounds like the Japanese actors know what is going on in the story and they get voices that fit with characters... the American dubs sounds like they are given a script and told to read it and not much thought of the voice fitting with the characters.

But I am being unfair really because if I had just seen the dub I would of just dealt with it. I tried watching Naruto and FMA in dub but doesn't have the same effect... and some dubs cut thing out which just annoys the hell out of me and makes it unwatchable.... might as well get the sub. Plus I like hear BAKA every so often:p