# Dubs or subs?



## Draakc from State Farm (Dec 27, 2019)

Dubs


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## Skittles (Dec 27, 2019)

Subs. Simply because dubs sound fooking awful 80% of the time.


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## Draakc from State Farm (Dec 27, 2019)

Skittles said:


> Subs. Simply because dubs sound fooking awful 80% of the time.


That's gonna offend a lot of people lol


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## Draakc from State Farm (Dec 27, 2019)

Whoops I forgot to add a poll to this


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## Draakc from State Farm (Dec 27, 2019)

Skittles said:


> Subs. Simply because dubs sound fooking awful 80% of the time.


It's past midnight go to bad


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## Skittles (Dec 27, 2019)

Draäkc said:


> It's past midnight go to bad



It's 9am for me


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## HistoricalyIncorrect (Dec 27, 2019)

I have strange tastes so feel free to ignore my response.

Lector - There is something amusing about hearing this emotionless voice covering the original speech. (However, I do not even want to imagine Polish dubbed version of S.T.A.L.K.E.R games. The lector itself builds at least 60% of atmosphere in my opinion)


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## Lexiand (Dec 27, 2019)

It depends on the anime or the movie I'm watching.
Sometimes dubs will sound good/bad.


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## Draakc from State Farm (Dec 27, 2019)

Skittles said:


> It's 9am for me


Dang your WAY behind I wasn't expecting you to be that far from me considering everyone on lpw goes to bed at around the same time


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## Skittles (Dec 27, 2019)

Draäkc said:


> Dang your WAY behind I wasn't expecting you to be that far from me considering everyone on lpw goes to bed at around the same time



Behind? Europe is actually ahead of you


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## Draakc from State Farm (Dec 27, 2019)

Skittles said:


> Behind? Europe is actually ahead of you


I don't get it


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## Skittles (Dec 27, 2019)

Draäkc said:


> I don't get it


European timezones are in the future compared to you.


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## Draakc from State Farm (Dec 27, 2019)

Skittles said:


> European timezones are in the future compared to you.


Oh 9 am comes AFTER 2 am


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## Skittles (Dec 27, 2019)

Draäkc said:


> Oh 9 am comes AFTER 2 am



Yes..


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## Draakc from State Farm (Dec 27, 2019)

Wait then it's still after midnight there
@Skittles


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## Tallow_Phoenix (Dec 27, 2019)

I gotta agree with @Skittles here. With a few exceptions, a lot of dubs don't really convey the same emotional nuances present in the original dialogue. Especially if it's an older anime - dubs made before anime got really popular in the English-speaking world generally don't have a great production value.


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## Skittles (Dec 27, 2019)

Tallow_Phoenix said:


> I gotta agree with @Skittles here. With a few exceptions, a lot of dubs don't really convey the same emotional nuances present in the original dialogue. Especially if it's an older anime - dubs made before anime got really popular in the English-speaking world generally don't have a great production value.



This.


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## oappo (Dec 27, 2019)

I must concur with the others here. I like subs because:

Dubs are often terrible. I do not understand why this is the case. So many dubs sound like the voice actor just didn't care/wasn't getting paid or the voice director didn't actually hear the original. 
Subs are the original (and thus, most accurately convey the original meaning through voice, word choice, no censorship, ect)
Subs are more widely available
I like being exposed to Japanese voices. You get exposed to North American voices on a daily basis, but not so for Japanese voices. 
Japanese sounds nicer than English


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## kiroku (Dec 27, 2019)

I don't mind subs, but I actually prefer dubs so I can divert my eyes and still understand what's going on. Not arguing it's better in the context of the show, but the trade off is worth it to me for multitasking.


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## Tendo64 (Dec 27, 2019)

Subs. I honestly have never heard an english anime dub that actually sounded good to me. I just feel like the amount of syllables in English and Japanese sentences vary too wildly to not sound like something is either being stretched out or crammed into a few seconds. Or at least, it always sounds that way. I think the only English dub I can tolerate is Pokemon, simply because I grew up with it and now it just sounds weird to me with any other voices.


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## Le Chat Nécro (Dec 27, 2019)

I watch everything with closed caption on anyway, might as well do subtitles for anime.


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## Fallowfox (Dec 27, 2019)

Subs...unless the dubbing is_ fucking hilarious_. 

I came across a Chinese film a few years ago where it had been dubbed by Americans and all the bad guys had Mexican accents. I almost died laughing.


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## Simo (Dec 27, 2019)

Definitely subtitles. 

(ponders that due to liking mostly foreign films, that most films are just 'naturally' subtitled)


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## Tallow_Phoenix (Dec 27, 2019)

To be fair, I understand some dubs are really good compared to subs, like PSG and Aggretsuko. But they're the exception to the rule, I think.


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## oappo (Dec 27, 2019)

If we're talking about hilarious dubs,  the Big Green  & Speedy dubs of DBZ as well as the English version of Ghost Stories must be brought up


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## Devine The Bearkin (Dec 27, 2019)

Sub as I could feel the emotion from the voice actors English voice actors seem like they are messing around or getting into character and doing what needs to be done.


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## Minerva_Minx (Dec 27, 2019)

Dubs.





Oh, that's dubstep.  and this is anime...

Dubs, because no one can read all that.  And hilarious translations.






Subs, too, because some things are hilarious when read.

www.buzzfeed.com: 25 Times Subtitles Failed So Magnificently They Almost Won


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## CrookedCroc (Dec 28, 2019)

Depends on the show and language but I generally prefer subs and Latin American dubs, North American VA can be pretty shit sometimes and their edits can be atrocious like with Sacura Card Captor and Knights of the zodiac.
Granted, I mostly watch old anime


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## phystro (Dec 28, 2019)

90% of the time subs. 10% of the time dubs just for the hilarious ones.


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## Syrup The Fox (Jan 4, 2020)

I like subs. Usually, the dubs are awful and take the "anime" feel out of it. But sometimes the dubs are so hilarious that they just need to be heard and seen.


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## TrishaCat (Jan 6, 2020)

Whichever's available
I prefer watching shows in my native language (so dubbed), but I'll watch subbed if its the only thing available.
I just wanna watch my animu


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## Judge Spear (Jan 6, 2020)

I take dubbed because then I can focus. 
In most instances I also find subbed voice acting to be obnoxious so that's a double "no" for me.


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## TrishaCat (Jan 6, 2020)

XoPachi said:


> In most instances I also find subbed voice acting to be obnoxious so that's a double "no" for me.


[high pitched uguu kawaii anime girl screeching]


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## Judge Spear (Jan 6, 2020)

Battlechili said:


> [high pitched uguu kawaii anime girl screeching]


I'm gonna be honest. It's not even just the crummy waifus these days that bug the ever loving shit out of me.


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## Cosmic-FS (Jan 6, 2020)

I prefer dubs for all the above mentioned reasons: easier to understand, less distracting. Also I can not get over Goku sounding like an 80 year old woman.

I like seeing people mention that they like subs more and stating that it's because the Japanese voice actors are just plain better, I think that's just because you can't understand them. There are just as many bad voice actors in Japan as there are in America, so I class them as about the same. I will grant you that early English dubs are equal parts god awful and hilarious, but I also feel that in the last 10 years there has been a steady rise in quality.


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## Sir Thaikard (Jan 6, 2020)

Subs. I want to enjoy the material in their original format as much as possible.

Then again I'm the kind of guy who prefers vanilla Minecraft.


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## Nyro46 (Jan 6, 2020)

Subs, if possible. Most of the time dubs don't have the best voice actors, and I've seen it where the original VA's voice fits the character better IMO than the dub voice. (Even if that character is technically supposed to be speaking English in the canon). It has even been to the point for me where a dub became unwatchable (eg. the dub for Night on the Galactic Railroad was giving me a headache with how many times the English VA for Giovanni kept moaning when he was supposed to be silent. And if you don't know what that is, no it's not NSFW. But it would have sounded very weird without the visuals . . .)


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## Godbear999 (Jan 27, 2020)

I know this is an older thread, but I just wanted to note that I think subs are infinitely better IF you already have some knowledge of Japanese. There's a lot of cultural nuance in language that can't be translated exactly, and if you've watched anime for as long as I have you're bound to have picked up some connotations on the way! Reading subs stops being a problem by then too, subs are basically my second language now haha. 

I totally get watching dubs if you don't know a lick of JP or have problems reading quickly, though. I don't like people who are really elitist about it.

Besides that I just think JP voice acting tends to be better tbh? I'd rather have the original dialogue/acting anyways, 'cause it'll be closer to the intention of the director. Just my two cents on the topic, since people tend not to mention the translation aspect of subs!


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## goldcatmask (Feb 12, 2020)

For me it fully depends on whether or not i want to bother reading my anime while i watch and eat. But more often than not i stick to subs because i use the classic Crunchyroll + adblock combo


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## Toasty9399 (Feb 13, 2020)

titties


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## SundayBest (Feb 13, 2020)

For me, it depends on what version I'm exposed to first. Most of the time, it's subs. Dubs are nice when I don't want to pay attention to the screen and do something else. I get through a lot of series just by having them on off to the side when I'm working on other projects. 

Now, if you're watching with someone else, dubs are the way to go. Much easier to make fun of over dinner, imo.


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## Mr-Rose-Lizard (Feb 16, 2020)

I have a DVD collection of the complete Ultraman series, with subbed and dubbed versions.  I prefer to watch the subbed version because the dialogue more closely follows the original script.


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## Noodles (Feb 23, 2020)

subs unless the dub is hilarious


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## Fallowfox (Feb 23, 2020)

When I visit my parents, who have netflix, they prefer dubbing- I prefer subtitles but I appreciate their eyes are a little older than mine are and that dubbing makes it easier for them. 

I noticed though, subtitles on netflix are very unreliable. Sometimes they freeze while the rest of the show carries on, or slowly drift out of sync.


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## Borophagus Metropolis (Feb 23, 2020)




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## MauEvigEternalCat (Feb 24, 2020)

I watch the dubs, especially since I want to watch the anime and not read it. Of course some dubbed is bad, but not all. I like Dragon Ball's dubbed voices.


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## Arix (Feb 24, 2020)

...for this reason, dubs.


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## Morisith (Feb 24, 2020)

Subs. English is not my native language so I grew up watching animal planets and the like with subs - meaning that It's so ingrained into me that I don't notice much. (And it's also the reason why I am a quick reader lol). I watch a lot of anime nowadays and I feel a lot of the language would be lost if it was to be translated into english. The biggest one I can think of it the monogatari series who rely very heavily on puns and language-slapstick. Then the pun is explained in brackets on the top of the screen and the translation on the bottom - this means I gotta pause it for a few seconds yes, but I feel a lot more included than if everything should just be dumbed down into english - and then the next time they use that pun I already know what it means so it's funnier. 

I also watch K-drama, and I did watch J-drama for a while too, and since the languages are so different I appreciate being able to hear them as it makes the immersion that much better. 

Non English-speaking movies/series/etc often use English phrases, either as slang, for comedic effect, or just to show it does not all exist contained in one place - and by dubbing it into English, then that is also lost as why would it be funny if someone suddenly speak poor English or it would be odd if there is a "lost in translation" joke, if everyone speak the same language in the dub. 

I will never claim subs are "superiour" because I know some prefer dubs and feel more immersed in it that way. But for me Subs is preferred, and to a large degree, not even noticeable for me.
The only time Dubs would be better for me is if I do something and need some "background" noise, as I can't read the subs, watch the show AND draw at the same time - but for that scenario I just put on one of the English or Norwegian shows or podcasts and save the Japanese and Korean shows for when do not multitask.


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## WitherSDL (Feb 27, 2020)

Dubs for me.  I don't so much watch anime as I listen to it and glance over when the talking tells me something is happening (I multitask).

That said though, I think subs are better over all if you want to see the truest form of the anime.


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## Existenceinanutshell (Feb 27, 2020)

Depends you have something like Cowboy Bebop which is the most legendary Dub ever which makes the sub feel out of place especially since it's a western science fiction so the English Dub just works for the setting a lot more as well.

But than you have stuff like, I don't know Steins;Gate where the dub sounds so far off thanks to the personality the sub had.

It's a case by case. Neither is good or bad. It comes down to personal taste so whatever makes the viewer happy is what matters.


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## FurOnTheSide (Feb 28, 2020)

I try to watch everything in its original language. Doesn't matter if it's a french movie, or an animated Japanese feature. This is because (usually) the original will have the steady hand of a director guiding the actors, so the delivery will always be the way they envisioned (which usually brings out the best in actors). Many dubs don't have this luxury, and have rather poor direction, leading to flat, stifled delivery.

On top of this you also have the issue of talent when it comes to dub voice actors. There's tons of great voice actors out there who get paid a boat load... most of them aren't doing dubbing, they're performing in original shows which have a healthy amount of funding. There's another issue, funding. Dubs don't get much of a budget, so they usually stick to the same talent pool. This is more of an anime issue, but you'll find a lot of VA's re-appearing in dubs of anime for this reason. They can only really afford to play it safe, so you get the same actors again and again. Whereas (again, for anime) the Japanese VA industry is booming, and they're paid like celebrities (because that's how the public see them).

There's a lot of reasons why dubs aren't really an ideal situation. Not to say dubs can't be good, they can, but they need money, and time, two things the industry doesn't have in spades, so it's safer to stick to the OG.

Though if you enjoy dubs, more power to you!


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## Kwalla T Koala (Mar 21, 2020)

90% of the time I'd vote subs


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## Koriekraiz13 (Jun 22, 2020)

Subs cause i want to learn the language its spoken in.


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## Azeleon (Jun 22, 2020)

I don't care how good or bad voice acting is in a show to be honest.
I usually prefer sub because they usually have more episodes released in a show than a dub, and I also have subtitles on anything _anyway_ because I can read better than I can listen.
Some anime I watched as a kid like Pokémon or Dragon Ball Z would have to be in dub though due to nostalgia.


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## Punkedsolar (Jun 22, 2020)

Dubs because I tend to draw while the TV is on.


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## Lucidic (Jun 22, 2020)

Sub, all the way. I just feel like keeping the show in its original language keeps the experience more raw and authentic.
But if I'm drawing: Dub, obviously. If I find myself liking the dub of that series, I'll stick with that dub. Happened with Saiki K.


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## Rouge166 (Jun 22, 2020)

I'll watch dubs if they're good dubs like FMA:B but japanese godzilla movies subs and pokemon


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## TyraWadman (Jun 22, 2020)

Subs for anime because english VA's tend to be annoying in my opinion. It's probably due to the fact that they are trying to do as little editing as possible and stretch things out but I still can't put up with it. 

Dubs for foreign films is fine with me.


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## Draakc from State Farm (Jun 23, 2020)

Can you watch a sub without looking at a screen? No? Well enough said


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## Toasty9399 (Jun 23, 2020)

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE


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## Stray Cat Terry (Jun 23, 2020)

I favor both.

The Subs, you can hear original voices and get the atmosphere close to 100%. The downside is that when the translator messes up. Even if I can't hear what they say, sometimes it gives me the feeling that the subtitles are typing Andromedan.

The Dubs, on the other hand, of course you can hear the whole stuff on certain language you prefer. The downside is when the company hires the wrong men on certain characters. In this case, I usually end up discovering the atmosphere I got from the Dubs wasn't the original when I find out the original later.

Both are good with downsides, it's all up to who brings it to the viewers.

But according to personal experience... Dubs I saw were pretty much screwed up, especially those made before... maybe 2010s. The background musics and sound effects are ducked or even muted when they speak, and/or the voice actor has no soul in acting certain characters.

Oh and subs at those old times are screwed up too! They usually pop out at the wrong moment (too early or too late), same texts staying for ages until the next speech is heard, or even those looong texts ruining the focus and expectations. (like mentioned already by others)


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## Gemi42 (Jul 5, 2020)

Honestly, Subs. I was never a much a fan of dubs until much later on but by that point, I had grown so used to it.
That an also sometimes the dub voices would just seem so off to me, personally.

Unless we are talking about hilarious dubs like The Ghost Stories Anime.
An anime where they gave the person handling the dub absolutely no restrictions! Some of the jokes can be a bit insensitive but I generally found it hilarious!


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## Kuroserama (Jul 5, 2020)

The correct answer is to watch everything at least twice, once dubbed, once subbed. 

But seriously, I feel that there are good dubbings -- I like most all of the Funimation dubbing I've seen, many are some of my favorite anime. (I actually lived down the road from the Funimation HQ where they do the dubbing. Never did get to go there, though... *regrets* 
I've also experienced wretched dubbing that made me wonder what the people in charge were thinking. 

Generally though, I watch subbed. Actually, I have subs on my English shows, too. I read quickly so it's just become second nature. But I absolutely love the Japanese language and make my small attempts to learn it. 

All that being said, I've never watched subbed anime and gone "Wow, that sounds really mismatched and awful."


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