Reasons Why Fans Hate English Dubbed Anime
Lets keep it real. Elitistsdo exist in the anime community.
Theyre so obsessed with the subbed versions, they assume those who watch dubs are losers, stupid, naïve or dont know any better.
This is a sad fact about the anime community. A large portion of people convince themselves that theyre better than you, because they watch the original version.
Whatever that means
Best Anime Streaming Service Faq
- What is anime? Its literally the Japanese term for animation, and refers to a wide range of Japanese-made cartoon series and films, for a range of ages.
- What are the best anime series? Weve listed some of the most popular anime shows in the description for each platform.;
- What does subbed mean? Subbed, or subtitled, means youre hearing the original Japanese voice acting, with English translations rolling across the screen throughout.
- What does dubbed mean? Dubbed anime features a new voice cast in languages other than Japanese, for people who dont like reading words while theyre watching.
- Are these sites legal? Theres a lot of pirated anime to stream online, but even the free sites below are perfectly legal.
I: Why Subs I Dont Even Know The Language
Theres not much to consider when youre watching an anime in subs, because you subconsciously know that this is the original intent on how its supposed to sound. Not only that, but a lot of Japanese voice actors have a range of voices they can do for the different characters theyre asked to voice. If, for example, a woman voices a male character, shell also voice the younger version of himself as well as an older version, thus, showing the flexibility that most English actors cant execute.
A lot of the time, when you decide to start watching new anime, the voices of the characters suit them incredibly well. It might just be the fact that the script written in Japanese sounds smoother and more in-character than if it was, for example, an English script. Theres multitudes of reasons as to why an anime sounds better in Japanese than in English despite a large number of anime-watchers being English speakers, but one of the main reasons is because Japanese voice acting is so much more natural!
Instead of heightening the emotion in a particular scene and making it sound overdramatic, Japanese voice actors have a kind of intricacy that is laced with the emotions theyre trying to convey.
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Better Dubbed: Cowboy Bebop
Last, but certainly not least, we have Cowboy Bebop, an anime that is much more popular in American than in Japan. Because of this popularity, the dub is a much more fitting way to watch the show, but if you need more convincing, there are plenty of other reasons to watch the English version.
For one thing, the Quality of the dub is top notch, despite it being produced before our current golden age of dubbing techniques and the like. Second, there is just absolutely no beating Steve Blum’s cool-as-ice portrayal of Spike Spiegel.
Better Subbed: Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball was more adventures and comedy-focused than Dragon Ball Z, thus, it wouldn’t be that farfetched to assume that the Japanese VA’s were cast with the intent of filling those comedic adventurer roles. Regardless if this is the case, the Japanese cast of Dragon Ball seems much more fitting to the early comedy-adventure days of the series.
This is why we recommend watching the original Dragon Ball series in Japanese, though both versions are great. Another reason to watch the subs is to get some variety in watching entries in the franchise, since we recommend watching DBZ dubbed.
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Subs Vs Dubs: Sentence
In Japanese, the particles that end the sentence can usually make or break any given sentence. For example, letâs say Naruto was to be having a conversation about how pretty Hinata is. If Naruto were to say, âHinata san kirei desu yo,â it would translate to âHinata is pretty!â The âyo ending implies some sort of emphasis. If he were to say, âHinata san kirei desu ne,â it would translate into, âHinata is pretty. Isnât she?â The -ne ending suggests that the speaker is looking for some kind of confirmation from the other person. Yes, I know that you may be thinking that the particles can easily be translated into English; and therefore, none of the meaning is lost, right?
The Wild Wild West: For Once Youll Relate Ft Fullmetal Alchemist
Out of all incredibly soul-crushing anime, Fullmetal Alchemist is definitely one of the most emotionally crippling ones. Like most anime, it has its highs and lows, but instead of slowly luring you in with the plot, this anime seems to allow plot points to appear when you least expect it. Because of the setting of Fullmetal Alchemist as well as the ethnic backgrounds of the characters, its easy to forget that this is originally a Japanese series.
What draws people in to this anime is that the protagonists arent Japanese or of Asian ethnicity at all. Although it sounds a little strange, the fact that the protagonists come from a background that is predominantly European automatically makes audience members outside of Japan able to identify more with the characters. Because theyre not of Asian descent, people generally become more interested in the prospect of the story, more so because the plot itself is atypical compared to what Japanese mangakas normally write about.
Its incredible because while everyone knows of Naruto, everyone also knows of Fullmetal Alchemist specifically because of the fact that people generally dont assume that its Japanese. Watching this anime in subs is not that different from watching it in dubs, in terms of translation as well as character portrayal. Theres a reason that its known to be one of the better dubbed anime out there its because the actors identify more with the culture that has been layered onto the story by the writer.
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Connecting Through Borrowed Words
Im sure that at some point weve all heard garaigo or borrowed words used in a series. This is when Japanese takes a word from another language and confirms it to Japanese phonology and phonotactics.
It feels cool to be able to hear a word or phrase and realize that its something pertaining to our western culture. Sometimes, they dont have a word in their own language so they have to use one that was borrowed from another language. But other times, you recognize that Japanese people generally use some of our words in the same way that we use theirs. Its cool for them to throw around some English words similar to how we like to flaunt some cool looking kanji. It makes us feel connected to another culture that is on the opposite side of the world.
You ever see people that have kanji for water, strength, or love tattooed on themselves? Its strange for to a native person to see a single, everyday word etched on someones skin. But, if its written in another language it somehow carries a bit of extra meaning and intrigue.
Some examples of these borrowed words are apparent, such as: hamburger or end of the world. But, a lot of the time these words are missed because the pronunciation is drastically different from what were used to.
The Use Of Honorifics
We hear them all the time when weare watching anime,-san,-chan,-kun. All of these honorifics have different meanings and could tell a lot about how a character feels about another character based on the honorific that they use. For example, letas say Naruto uses-kun suffix, which he usually uses when speaking to Sasuke, with Kakashi. This would imply some form of disrespect because Kakashi is older and supposed to be Narutoas teacher. We encounter this problem in English sometimes as well. Use of first names is extremely informal and can be taken as disrespect. In Japanese, same nuance is applied when using honorifics.
* Please keep in mind that all text is machine-generated, we do not bear any responsibility, and you should always get advice from professionals before taking any actions.
* Please keep in mind that all text is machine-generated, we do not bear any responsibility, and you should always get advice from professionals before taking any actions
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Subs Vs Dubs: The Best Translation
Every language has words that mean something different based on the context, dialect, phrase, or style of speaking. For example, take the word âdubâ which is being used throughout this article. In this context, we know that I am referring to dubbed anime, but the word itself has several different meanings depending on where you are. For some people, it can mean that something is lame, i.e. this party is a dub. In other cases, it could mean $20 worth of marijuana, i.e. swing me $20 so I could get this dub. Japanese works the same way. For example, Naruto is known for the phrase, âDattebayoâ, which we would always translate into âBelieve it!â But âDattebayoâ does not necessarily translate into âBelieve it.â Naruto uses it as a sort of affirmation â more in the sense of âya know.â After a while, the dubbed version stopped including the phrase altogether, which took away from Naruto as a character. More on this idea later.
The Great Anime Debate: Dub Or Sub
Every now and again in my beloved Blerd anime corner of Twitter, Ill see the discourse begin to rage on about subs watchers vs dub watchers of anime. Most of it being that sub watchers can be kind of elitist against dub watchers and it is annoying. Well, as an annoying sub watcher, Id like to plead my case!
For those outside of the anime community, dub and sub, despite sounding like BDSM terms, refer to watching anime with subtitles in English versus watching it dubbed over with English voice actors.
Like many anime fans who grew up in the 90s, I got into anime by watching dubbed anime on television:;Dragon Ball Z, YuYu Hakusho, Sailor Moon, Inuyasha, Full Metal Alchemist, Yu-Gi-Oh!, etc. A lot of my animes, even if I have watched them subbed since, I hear them in the voices of their English dub actors.
There are a lot of talented voice actors in the industry who have worked to bring character to life, so I want to make it clear that my preference for sub has nothing to do with a lack of quality on that end. My issue with dubs is that historically and presently to a degree, they have erased queer aspects from certain animes and will either Americanize whole parts of the show or change core messages for the sake of more Western-leaning ideas.
Thankfully, now there is much less pretending that rice balls are donuts and infusing of random New York/Jersey accents to make the characters sound more American, but sadly it does still happen.
This bugs me.
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Better Subbed: Food Wars
Food Wars! was the sleeper hit of the last few Anime seasons, coming out from under the radar to become one of the best series of all time. How should you watch this cooking-based Shonen series? We recommend the sub over the dub.
For one thing, the descriptions of and reactions to the foodwhich is a major comedic element of the serieswork better in Japanese, and second, the acting in general seems to be a bit better in the sub, hitting all the right comedic and dramatic beats.
What Do Subbed And Dubbed Mean
Anyone whos new to anime might not know the difference between subbed and dubbed, so well start with the basics. You also might want to refer to the essential anime glossary for newcomers if anime lingo has got you totally lost.
Related: Anime glossary for newbies who dont know the lingo
A subbed anime is one that hasnt been modified, and features the original Japanese voice actors. English subtitles appear at the bottom of the screen as the characters speak. In other words, youll have to read along in order to understand the anime.
A dubbed anime is one that doesnt have the original Japanese voice acting. Instead of reading subtitles, you can watch the anime in the language of your choice with a cast of completely different voice actors.
Keep in mind that theres no right way to watch animeits all about whatever you feel most comfortable with. Dubs and subs both have their advantages and disadvantages, but theres nothing wrong with preferring either one.
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Crunchyroll Vs Funimation: Anime Streaming Subs Or Dubs
Anime fans know that there’s an epic battle being fought between two anime streaming services: Crunchyrolls vast army of subs and Funimations elite dubs. We’ve reviewed both, and now we compare them side by side to help you decide where to spend your anime dollar.
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| The Bottom Line |
Crunchyroll’s massive library and strong simulcast support will make its niche, anime-streaming audience forgive its rough edges. |
| Web Store |
Theres never been a better time to be an international anime fan. While weird underground video stores have their appeal, sometimes you just want to watch these stylish Japanese cartoons from the comfort of your own laptop or phone with a video streaming service. This niche category has a surprisingly high number of contenders, but Crunchyroll and Funimation stand out by staking clear sides in the ongoing war of subs versus dubs. Which one best serves your inner otaku?
Better Subbed: Dragon Ball Super
Dragon Ball Z was pretty serious, but when Dragon Ball Super came around, comedy made a return to the franchise. As such, the original Japanese VAs felt right at home in the newest Dragon Ball Series, but that’s not the only reason why we recommend the sub of Super.
For one thing, the series is finished in Japan; you can go watch it all now instead of waiting for the dub, which has only just begun the final saga. Another reason to watch the sub is to see just how dramatic Goku’s Japanese voice, Masako Nozawa, can get in the role.
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Better Subbed: One Piece
When discussing Fairy Tail earlier, we said that the dub was better for new viewers, since it was the best way to bing watch the series, which has an impressive episode count. Naturally, that would mean that One Piece, which has way more episodes, would also be better as a dub, right?
Well, yes and no. The dub is a bit more accessible for those trying to get into the series, but it’s also inconsistent. By this we mean that after 4Kids stopped dubbing the series, new VAs were brought in, so if you want consistency, the sub is for you.
A Question Of Authenticity And Accessibility
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Because translating one language to another in any format is fraught, some fans suggest the only truly authentic way to experience anime is to watch it raw, exactly the way that a Japanese person would. Even the very act of reading an animated program, which was designed to be experienced through art and sound, strikes some people as suspect. However, the people who know enough Japanese to watch the raw footage generally dont need subtitles in the first place.
Fate/Stay Night.Pokemon
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So Which Is Better Dubs Or Subs
Ultimately, it is up to the individual fan to decide which they prefer. One type of anime isnt inherently better than the other. If you are someone who prefers to see an anime series in its original form and are worried about changes being made to the script or censorship, you will likely generally prefer to watch subbed versions of anime. If you just want to watch an entertaining series and not have to read subtitles, dubbed anime is the way to go. You may even prefer to watch your favorite anime series in both their subbed and dubbed versions to decide for yourself which you like better. You will likely find that you prefer to watch certain series in their original subbed form, while others you will find that you prefer the dubbed version. There is no right or wrong way to enjoy your anime hobby!
Purists And The Case For Subtitled Anime
Anime fans who exclusively watch the subtitled versions of anime, even when a dub is available, are often referred to as purists. Purists are usually diehard anime fans, or otaku. One of the main reasons that purists give for preferring subs is that subtitles allow them to experience the anime the way the creators meant for it to be seen. These fans view anime as an artform, and do not believe that it should be altered in any way. Some anime is censored or otherwise changed for the English release.
Many anime series, particularly older series, were censored for the English dub. American licensors often deemed certain types of content to be inappropriate for western audiences, so they changed certain things for the English dub. A classic example of this can be seen in the original English dub of Sailor Moon. In the first English dub of this series, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune were portrayed as cousins, while in the original Japanese version, these two characters were lesbian lovers. This was corrected in the more recent redub of the original Sailor Moon.
Many anime fans also claim that the voice acting is almost always better in the original Japanese version. This is debatable, as many of the people who make this claim do not actually understand Japanese. Many fans of dubbed anime claim that studios have been doing a better job at casting voice actors in recent years, however.
Otaku
Dubbed anime is often easier for American audiences to comprehend.
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