Poll: Anime: Original Japanese or English Dub?

[Mike Laserbeam]

It goes on a per anime basis, for instance mostly the original cast is the best, however there is stuff like Full Metal Alchemist where the voice just better in english.

Whoa. Do you mean Brotherhood or the original...? I'm not sure about Brotherhood (having not seen it) but I totally disagree with that statement if you mean the original FMA series. FullMetal should not be aimed at children, it is an adult series in my opinion. They deal with some pretty heavy stuff, and yet in the English dub every character sounds like they belong in Pokemon.
Sorry for the difference in opinion but I just cannot take any form of media seriously when the voices involved sound so much like a joke
:/

 

[Murais]

Depends. I prefer dubs when the voice actors aren't awful. But when you get stuff like the American dubbed One Piece, I'd rather read subtitles in order to save my ear drums from horrible oblivion.

 

[JezebelinHell]

With any foreign film/movie/show I prefer original language with English subs. Some of the dubbed voices have really bothered me because they don't seem to go with the characters most of the time or the quality is just lacking. I also like having the original language because I can infer emotion from what is being said even if I cannot understand a word of it.

 

[Ekim Takusan]

I mostly lean towards english dubs, I like subs and all, but sometimes I just gotta hear english. Some anime just sort of comes alive better for me in english, Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi) for example. I can't see Edward Elric and not hear Vic Mignogna's voice. Other times I just have an easier time keeping up with english, take Excel Saga for example. The dialogue moves WAY to fast to keep up with in japanese, hell I can barely keep up with it in english half the time. Just my opinions though.

 

[Duruznik]

Dubs, thank you. I don't like reading subtitles when I'm trying to watch my anime. It's distracting from what's happening on the rest of the screen.

 

[US Trooper]

I go both ways! XD

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

I prefer Japanese as often waiting for English duibs takes far too long.

But I also like it for 2 other reasons;

1: Because English and Japanese are not directly translateable. Concepts and ideas that would require less or more cultural retranslation time then the amount of time a person is speaking for on screen can often create jarring rifts between concentration on the show's plots & characters and the natural process of introspective analysis that detracts from it.

2: Because lingual skills are lost when there is a lack of using them. Whilst the best way to absorb lingual skills is through active use of the language when attempting to formulate effective conveyance of individual thoughts and feelings, you can still maintain a decent lingual ability from exposing yourself to a language in the form of a tv show or merely listening to people.

Given that I'm not in Japan, nor converse regularly with Japanese emigres, listening to anime in Japanese helps maintain what lingual skills I have.

 

[razer17]

Watching Bleach in the English dubs makes me want to stick needles in my ears to make it stop. I don't know who they got to voice that show, but if I ever meet them I'm going to have to remove their tongues.

I always tend to watch it in Japanese, because I like to watch it in its original form. Some dubs are pretty good though, like Cowboy Bebop.

 

[InsanityBaronOfAtrocity]

I've never watched anime in my life and never will. It just makes me feel very violent both towards the fans and the people involved in the production. OT: I'd rather watch the english dub if I was forced to. I have a debilitating fear of all things japanese.

 

[Blank Kold]

Japanese with english subs.

Finding a good dub is like finding a diamond in the rough: great when you do and a waste of time otherwise.

 

[Palademon]

The best Anime ever made is Naruto.

*facepalm*
must resist urge to kill with fire...

 

[Palademon]

I have a debilitating fear of all things japanese.

So I'm guessing you've never played Mario?

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

Subbed, almost exclusively. Dubs, more often than not, lack any kind of emotion behind the voices, and often loses information when simplified. Perhaps it's just because the language is unfamiliar, so I don't pick up on as many unnatural tones, but the Japanese versions always seem more believable.

Of course, there are exceptions. Fullmetal Alchemist, for example, is one I watched to completion in English my first time, so I expected to do the same with Brotherhood. Another is Digimon, but I expect I'll give subs a try at some point.

Frankly, I don't think it's worth WAITING for an anime to be dubbed. I knew a guy at uni that was a big fan of Soul Eater, got all excited about part 3 coming out. I was surprised to hear they were continuing it, so I looked it up, turned out I saw everything a month or two earlier; he just avoids subbed. My point being that dubs are often far behind the subs, so if you want variety or to watch something early (or uncensored), subs is the way to go.

 

[Caliostro]

Subs, always. Dubs are pretty much content rape.

Dubs are nice for small children, the visually or the cognitively impaired. If you're above 8 years old and don't suffer a serious visual of mental handicap, there's no reason to watch dubs.

This, off course, is only relevant to people who are appreciating a good series. Naruto fillers are bad in any language, and if you're only watching for "the pretty drawrings!" then you could be watching with no sound for all it matters.

 

[bladeofdarkness]

i much prefer the subs.
the Japanese voice actors actually take their job seriously.

 

[bean burrito]

I watch dubs, only because most of the time I'm playing a game or studying simultaneously so I can't just read as I'm watching.
If I were to sit down and focus completely on the anime, I'd definitely go for subs.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

The best Anime ever made is Naruto.

Intresting.

Now, can you tell us what you think, dub or sub, rather than anime in general?

OT: I always watch the dub, no matter how bad.

 

[Shock and Awe]

Dub, the men damn near always sound like women to me in the original Japanese. Though I do not watch that much anime, so maybe I just found the ones where the English voice actors sound better. Or maybe its a cultural thing, I just always found the Japanese voice acting slightly cringe worthy.