Subbing or Dubbing? (Anime Related)

[The_Blue_Rider]

So I was listening to some music from the Gurren Lagann series on youtube yesterday when a guy posted something about how the english dub for Gurren Lagann sucks and how the original Japanese voice actors are much better. I disagreed, saying that I found the dub of Gurren Lagann to be amazing, especially with Kamina and adult Simons voice actors, I then added that its harder to pick up emotion in the sub, due to me not understanding the language.
The guy then said i was mentally retarded if I couldnt pick up the emotion in the voices of the amazing seiyus. (Note, i do think this guy is an asshole)

That kind of prompted me to make a thread about it, do you prefer anime dubbing? Or Anime subbing? Me, I wholeheartedly prefer dubs as its easier for me enjoy a show when i can understand it, subtitles ruin the effect somethimes, although I will watch a sub if the dub is horrendous.

What do you think?

Edit: Yes I am aware that I should use the search option more, seriously, I get it, shut up.

 

[thesmurf45]

I prefer subbed as I always seem to find the dubbed voices getting on my nerves

 

[Jonluw]

Again?
Really?
Dude. Use the bloody search function. We have this thread every week it seems.

Also, I prefer subs. Dubs are for children and other people who for some reason cannot read at an adequate speed. i.e. dyslectics are excused.

(Oh, and by the way: I found the Gurren lagann dub horrible. I mean, it was better than most other dubs, but it felt horribly artificial, and the way they pronounce names and the forced way they adress the other characters... *shiver*)

Spoiler: Uuurgh

Subs also have the benefit of being a medium in which the translators can explain otherwise untranslatable jokes, and write lines that don't have to fit the character animations, which in dubs renders the dialogue forced and uncanny.

Also: There's the fact that I find the general sound of the Japanese language more appealing than English, and it's harder to spot bad voice acting in a foreign language, so in the case of bad acting you have a dampener on it.

To the credit of animated works though. At least their dubs aren't as bad as those of live action series/movies.
Not that that is an accomplishment of any kind.

 

[Colour Scientist]

Sorry but I'm fairly sure there has been a boatload of these threads in the last week or so. Maybe I'm mistaken though, I generally ignored them.

*Takes cover from impending posts about the search bar*

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

Again?
Really?
Dude. Use the bloody search function. We have this thread every week it seems.

Also, I prefer subs. Dubs are for children and other people who for some reason cannot read at an adequate speed. i.e. dyslectics are excused.

Well shit, your right, I might delete this thread then, how would i do that?

 

[Sonicron]

Your opinion mirrors my own, OP. Not only is constantly having to focus on the bottom edge of the screen a pain in the neck, but I'm also not all that fond of Japanese as a language (phonetically speaking); besides, a lot of the voice actors in English dubs do absolutely amazing work.

 

[loc978]

check this out:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/global/search/?q=sub+or+dub&cx=005672590579257297818%3Amkmrjhvsnwa&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&sa.x=0&sa.y=0&sa=Search

Damn, I'm good.

Also, depends on the show. I can read subtitles just fine, and I can even follow direct-translation subtitles while listening to an English dub, noting differences as I go... but I don't have a hard-and-fast rule when it comes to such things.
Some English dubs are terrible... but then, some Japanese voice-acting is terrible too.

 

[Ruwrak]

Original languages makes a whole lot more sense, even though you don't understand it.
For one I hate the dubbed voices. Always so high pitched and out of character for some odd reason.

You probably know the feeling that somehow something is off. . .
I don't understand Japanese, but you pick up a few words after a while. And I just really don't like English anime. It just.. sounds off

 

[Jonluw]

Again?
Really?
Dude. Use the bloody search function. We have this thread every week it seems.

Also, I prefer subs. Dubs are for children and other people who for some reason cannot read at an adequate speed. i.e. dyslectics are excused.

Well shit, your right, I might delete this thread then, how would i do that?

No way to do that other than asking a mod to close it; but it's not like there's any need to close the thread.
I mean, it's superfluous, but it doesn't pose a problem.

 

[PatrickXD]

If I have the DVD and am sitting comfortably on the other side of the room to the screen, I'll go for dubbed. Simply because I'm rather short sighted and struggle to read the text.
Otherwise I'll go subbed. Except for Death Note, which has spectacular English voice actors.

 

[ZehMadScientist]

First of all, you made the mistake of making a serious, well thought out comment on a youtube video. There is no greater wasted effort.

OT: I prefer subs for... no reason really. I started watching anime with subs, and I tend to stick to what I know am comfortable with. The only series that I have seen and preferred the dubbed versions were Cowboy Bebob, Baccano! and Desert Punk.

It also has to do with the fact that some (great)anime will never get dubs.

 

[SckizoBoy]

What do you think?

Aside from the obligatory 'use the search button' comment?

Not much, because I watch raws for the most part, so it's either in Japanese or in English... I'll stick with the Japanese, thanks...

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

check this out:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/global/search/?q=sub+or+dub&cx=005672590579257297818%3Amkmrjhvsnwa&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&sa.x=0&sa.y=0&sa=Search

Damn, I'm good.

For your information mister smarty pants i did check that after I posted the thread, I odnt usually make my own threads so Im sorry for wasting your time

 

[Thaius]

I prefer subs genrally. There have been a few good dubs, but more often than not they're just not as good. There's a variety of reasons, ranging from the Naruto variety (the actors are just ear-bleedingly awful and everything else is wrong about it too) to the Clannad variety (the acting isn't bad, but they pronounce Japanese names as though they're English, and "Oh-ka-ZA-ki" sounds stupid). I'm not vehemently against dubs, but I generally go for subtitles. I'm a fast enough reader that they don't get in the way of my ability to enjoy the show.

EDIT: As a side note, Clannad. Watch it. I have to recommend this anime in every anime thread I go to, because I cannot stress to you the degree to which this show will break you and bring the tears. I don't care if you've never cried in your life, watch this show and you will.

 

[Xariat]

sub, alway. the dubbed voices sounds like shit IMO

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

If I have the DVD and am sitting comfortably on the other side of the room to the screen, I'll go for dubbed. Simply because I'm rather short sighted and struggle to read the text.
Otherwise I'll go subbed. Except for Death Note, which has spectacular English voice actors.

really? i think i'll have to dub that then, i was about to start watching it after a friend keeps pestering me about it, she says its her favorite anime ever.


OT: usually both? i'm FINALLY starting to "appreciate" decent original language, but it's so much easier to just have both dubb'd and subb'd, honestly i'm not that hard to please for voice actors so they don't bug me in the slightest. (after enduring resident evil 1 and 2 as a child, i'm pretty sure my standards can't get much lower.)

 

[AlbinoFlareon]

As far as I'm concerned, it depends on the particular work. For example, I decided to go with the dub of Outlaw Star, yet found the subs of Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu far favorable over the English track. (Probably because of God Knows, but still.) The cultural gap may be too big for some to recognize the emoting of a language originating on the other side of the world from them, while some works may just be so Japanese that the English dub just doesn't work. As I said, depends on the work, as well as your opinions.

 

[Ovoon]

Subs, although there are a few cases where the dub was actually BETTER. And those are:

Eden of The East
Baccano!
Cowboy Bebop
The Place Promised in Our Early Days (I liked this dub)
Studio Ghibli dubs are usually my preference as well.

But the Gurren Lagann dub? Terrible. Leeron is an exception, because his character was improved in the dub, and because of Steve Blum doing the voice. But everyone else was either below average or just plain bad, with a terrible script.

And then you don't get the over the top moments to the full effect in the dub.

"GEEEEEEEEEEEGAAAAAAAA!!! DWIIILUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!! BREAKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

 

[GideonB]

Subbing

Except Persona 4 because it makes the game even more light-hearted
and that game is light-hearted enough about murder lol

 

[lucky_sharm]

Depends. Usually dubbed if Funimation is the one doing the dubbing. I don't get all of the flak that English dubs still get. Yeah, dubs were pretty bad back then but nowadays we have more experienced voice actors and better translation.