A lot of concepts and idea don't translate well into English. Also I don't like english voice actors as much, especially Richard Cox cause everything he does sounds like InuYasha
Why is it always subs over dubs?
- Thread starter Durxom
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I can't stand watching shows where the voice is out of time with the mouth movements. It's just something that really annoys me. Subs don't have that problem!
With films and anime, I want to experience it in the langauge for it which it was originially envisioned. There's nothing wrong with that, as far I can see. It isn't pretentious and it isn't an 'insult' to people who prefer dubs, which is the way many people act.Durxom said:
I don't really understand why this topic is constantly being re-run, though. This is how I look at it:
The creative team for an anime spend a lot of time, energy and consideration choosing their actors for each character. After chooding them, changes are usually made to reference those actors, or suit those actors. For me, that is very important to experience.
I don't find reading subs any less 'immersive' than not. In fact, there are many times when English dubs clash with the setting and are detrimental to immersion. I also hate the whole 'but you can'T understand the voices so you don't know the feeling' argument that is common. I am not sure how much empathy those people lack, but I have no problem detecting the emotional range of what I hear.
I am sure that there are some amazing dubs out there, I just don't want to listen to them, and I shouldn't have to. Dubs are usually made by 3rd parties, detached from the true creative processes of the film, and I want to see the thing as close to how it was envisioned as possible.
That sounds pretty narrow-minded and elitist more than anything, but that's just me.Adzma said:
On-topic: I prefer to listen to both versions anime. Whether it's subbed or dubbed, whatever.
I don't get why people have to argue and fight over whether or not the dubbed or subbed version is better. Or why people tell other people how a certain anime "should" be heard. That's just plain judgemental. Besides, arguing over subbed and dubbed animes isn't that important of a topic to fight over unless your lives are really, really that shallow.
See, I've never heard "Dilly-dally-shilly-shally." Ever. In my life. And a search online yielded no examples or meanings beyond those that are defined by the context of Advent Children. Seriously, every single place I looked at held either guesses as to what it meant or people figuring out based on the etymology of the original Japanese translation. I suppose you may be able to figure it out in context, but there's a difference between writing nuanced dialogue and writing nonsensical dialogue.Kagim said:
The subtitles simply translate it as "drag." Which makes a heck of a lot more sense, and is an actual word on top of that.
and i disagree with youAenir said:
i found elrics voice in japanese SUPER annoying. his dubbed voice was 100X better in my head
I've only watched the Dubs of the original FMA, but I'm watching the subs of FMA: Brotherhood and I have to say I'm much preferring the subs. Granted this may only be because Brotherhood is sooooo much better than the first series.Aenir said:
Anyway it really depends on the Dub. There are some horribly atrocious dubs and there are some series where the Dub will actually be more watchable than the Sub of the same series. It's really personal opinion, there's something to be said for watching it your own language as well as some of the things that can be lost in translation from the original script to the english acting.
How condescending. Don't make too much of an effort to understand your fellow human!Souplex said:
The 'average anime fan' rightly worries about what will be lost in translation. It is usual practice to localise a script for a dub. Cultural references are very often reduced or even removed, and of course, dialoge is changed to suit the mouth movements of the image. This often requires a loss of information or added information.
Sub scripts are often 'literal' unless they are cheap 'dubscripts', in which case they are worthless. I have seen countless foreign films and anime which have been mutilated by poor translation, inserted Americanism, and tonal changes that affect the characterisation and even the outcome of events in the film.
As for 'quality', Japanese voice actors ARE, in my mind, of a standard higher than English ones, on average. There are some very good actors out there in English but, they are so often disappointing to me. They can come off as deadpan or unreasonably hammy. They can often be very miscast and quite different to the original character.
REgardless, quality is not the reason I choose subs. Read my explanation above.
Is it somehow stupid of my to seek to avoid such problems? It is just my irrational fear of 'impurity' due to 'whitey'? You have no idea what you are talking about. That is the only explanation for your attitude. I don't insult anybody for selecting dubs. If that's what they are most comfortable with, then they are free to choose it. I don't think they are stupid or illiterate. I personally wouldn't bother with a dub though.
It depends. Sometimes when it's dubbed over the actors suck and make it all sound like shit.
I'd actually say that that's often the case.
Other times the original voice acting is too damn good and removing it compromises the show.
And some people just like to hear the original language.
I'd actually say that that's often the case.
Other times the original voice acting is too damn good and removing it compromises the show.
And some people just like to hear the original language.
You have misunderstood. The artists 'vision' being talked about is not their vision for the viewers. It is their vision for the characters and tone of the film. Weighing things up, reading the subs while being emmersed in the original language and all that that evokes, is far closer to what was 'intended' then listening to what some 3rd party produced on a shoestring budget with very little regard or appreciation of how the original was created.Airsoftslayer93 said:
Alot of time and thought is expended in choosing a voice actor, and the characters designs and script are often designed to reflect those choices. Later done dubbing can't retroactively integrate itself into the creative fabric of the film. It will always lie on top, as something alien. That's my feeling on the subject. Reading subs is a small price to pay, and one I have no trouble paying. I have been reading avidly since a small boy and I have no problems reading most subs in a couple of glances, or in my peripheral vision.
If poeple prefer dubs, then I don't care at all. I don't like that I have to justify why I will almost always watch with subs.
I usually prefer the dubs, but it is the minority. I understand the language so its often easier to get emotionally involved. There are a few examples, like Soul Eater in which I watched the sub first and found the dub to not have nearly the amount of energy as the Japanese language version.
All the Japanese cartoons I've really loved (Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Cowboy Bebop) have had reasonable to awesome voice acting, so I've had no reason to go to subs.
Quite often, dialogue has to be changed in order to make sure that the new dubbed track matches the mouth animations. I watch subs so I know the intended dialogue as it was meant to be, and when.
Trust me, it's not that subtitles are easier. Sometimes I watch poorly subbed anime/foreign films where they give me about two seconds to read three paragraphs of text.
But yeah, I just have this thing about experiencing the story in its purest, intended, original form.
Trust me, it's not that subtitles are easier. Sometimes I watch poorly subbed anime/foreign films where they give me about two seconds to read three paragraphs of text.
But yeah, I just have this thing about experiencing the story in its purest, intended, original form.
But there is a big difference between mistranslations and mistakes. Akward phrasing is always a problem that comes from skill in the language. Skilled translators must also be skilled writers/speakers. There are plenty of monolingual people that produce atrocious grammar and word choice.Blair Bennett said:
It depends. Generally speaking, if the show was aimed for a younger audience, it'll probably be censored and changed. If it's meant for an adult audience, I'd rather watch it dubbed. Bleach is better subbed, Hellsing Ultimate I'd rather watch dubbed.
