Poll: Subs or dubs?

[honestdiscussioner]

Not having the words match the mouth really takes you out of the experience. I know you said you weren't talking about anime, but still, in that case the mouth matching isn't quite so obvious. It really depends on what anime though. For FullMetal Alchemist I felt the english actors were far superior, for Naruto . . . not so much. Japenese were far better (though not all of the english actors were terrible [Kakashi]).

 

[spartan231490]

Depends on the specific thing in question. Generally, I actually prefer dubs, but sometimes I prefer subs.

 

[vivalahelvig]

Subs, definetly. I could go for a good sub sandvich right now. With hard salami and pepperoni and chedda.....oh, you mean anime? I hate anime. And now I'm hungry.

 

[IlikeLolis]

Subs.

Much more information can be supplied and the Original voices/emotion that the director intended can be heard.

Dubs should only be used for the blind.

 

[Sandernista]

It really depends.

Some dubs are just amazing and I hate the originals.

Some dubs are horrible.

 

[Tonz of Fun]

I vastly prefer subtitles on most of my anime, but I do enjoy watching FLCL the Hellsing in english from time to time.

 

[GamerKT]

Depends. For the most part, subs. For Cowboy Bebop, FMA, DB/Z/KAI/GT, IGPX, etc., dubs.
Case by case basis.

 

[PureIrony]

Depends on the quality of the dubs.

If its good, then yes, but I don't have a huge problem with subs, if its appropriate.

 

[yman15]

Live action subs every time. Anime depends but I'm more likely to watch subbed but I'll usually give the dub a shot or sometimes I'll watch both like with Bleach & Fma brotherhood because they're on Adult swim and I've already watched them subbed.

 

[thePyro_13]

By rule of thumb, I go subs. Dubs are usually done cheaply, or don't have a good range of voice actors. This is even worse when it comes to anime.

Oddly enough I love the voices in Kung Fu Hustle. The voices being out of sync with the visuals just adds to the movies quirkiness.

 

[Hiken no Ace]

Subs. Reason being, while there are some good English Voice overs, like Steve Blum, Jim Cummings, and Crispin Freeman, there are WAYYYYYY more awesome Japanese voice overs. But what do you expect from the country that produces 60% of the worlds cartoons?

 

[Dense_Electric]

Dubs, all the way. Television/film is both a visual and audible medium, and I prefer to experience it as it was intended rather than having to read a text crawl at the bottom of the screen.

To clarify: I'm talking specifically about anime being dubbed over into English. I generally don't watch live-action films in different languages, but if I did I imagine I'd go with subs (you can get away with the lips being out of sync in animation, not so much in live-action).

 

[Scars Unseen]

Dubs on anime, subs on foreign movies. Watch an anime, the mouths move up and down, they don't form different characters, so technically any language could fit. Just a matter of getting a good voice actor.

Not really. It's not just a matter matching up the mouth with a sound (which, as you said is rarely necessary in animation); Japanese and English have completely different cadences. It is impossible to have an accurate translation fit the lips in a way that is comfortable to hear in English, so you always get one of two situations: either the dub flows unnaturally and grates on the ears, or the actual dialogue is changed so that the dub is comfortable to hear, but the original meaning of the script is lost in places. Here's something fun to do for amusement. Try watching the dub with subtitles and make note of the dub's inaccuracies. They vary from anime to anime, but the tendency is for better sounding dubs to have some rather jarring translation problems.

There are downsides to sub and dubs, but at least the disadvantages of subtitles can be adapted to (i.e. learn to read faster). I don't even notice the subs anymore; my eyes just quickly scan them as a reflex.

 

[Shadowstar38]

Usually dubs. I like having the ability to look away from the screen in all dialog scenes and multitask some shit.

I've heard people say the voice actors in the original are always better but if its not in the same language as my own its inconsiquental. ( Why the heck does the Riddler have a country acsent in Young Justice?)

The one rare exception is Sonic X. Watch the japanese version. 4Kids destroyed that show.

 

[Rems]

For anime i prefer dubs as often i can't stand the Japanese voices. That and you can get away with a bit on non in sync mouth movement that you can't in life action film. For any other form of media i prefer subtitles.

 

[quantumsoul]

A really good dub can be great but a bad one can ruin what you're watching very easily. Sometimes it make a movie or whatever unintentionally hilarious.

Learning the actually language, while impractical, is the best option.

I don't mind reading subs and I actually try to learn a word here and there. If I'm really tired or the dub is really good I tend to go for dubbing.

 

[Tiamattt]

For animes(and some videogames actually) subs. Voices usually sound a lot better and more natural, especially in the emotions department. There are exceptions to this of course but most of the time subs > dubs for me.

As for the whole reading thing, I dunno I never found it a problem or missed anything because I'm reading it, guess I just got used to it over the years.

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

I like my animes dubbed, my live-action subbed. When I watched Troll Hunter, I turned on the english dubbing for the first time in a long while, then *quickly* turned it off and brought back the subs; that was absolute s**t.

 

[Sprinal]

Subtitles cuz then I can then still hear the emotion in peoples voices

 

[Project_Xii]

Where's the "either" option? Cause I find some of it to be media dependant. Some time I find the foreign voice actors/actors voices or accents to be off putting, so I actually prefer the English dub. Other times the English voice over is so terrible I can only watch it with subs. Other times the subject is so involved or heavy, I don't fully understand it unless I watch it in English.

Honestly I'm happy with either. Whichever makes the viewing experience the best.