Anime fans often argue whether anime is best viewed in its original Japanese, with English subtitles, or dubbed over by English-speaking voice actors. Hardcore anime fans, or purists, tend to prefer to watch anime in its original form with the original Japanese voice acting preserved, even if they do not understand the Japanese language.
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On the other hand, arguments that watching anime in Japanese with English subtitles preserves the intended message of the show and honors the hard work that Japanese voice actors put into their craft. So, who is right and who is wrong?
One type of anime isn’t 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.
Still, many purists prefer the original Japanese versions of anime series because they don’t want to miss out on these original Japanese cultural references. Many anime fans also claim that the voice acting is almost always better in the original Japanese version.
They feel that having to read the subtitles distracts them from the action, so they prefer watching a less-distracting version of the anime show in their native language. Another good reason why dubbing is the preferred way to watch anime is that some have access to the dubbed version of an anime show first.
Dubbed anime allows a wider audience to enjoy an anime series without being required to read subtitles. Some anime fans always prefer to watch anime subbed, while others prefer dubbed anime when it is available.
TL;DR: Yes. It is safe but with a catch. Streaming services that have a license to broadcast content within Japan such as Niconico are ideal. Streaming services meant to distribute anime abroad such as Crunchyroll and Hulu are also legal to view in Japan.
But what makes a dub bad? The main reason why most people hate dubbed anime is because the voice actors are trash. When watching anime subbed most voices sound as if that character would sound like that. The voices fit, but in dubs that's not the case.
10 Best Dubs in Anime History, Ranked8 Ghost Stories (ADV Dub)7 Samurai Pizza Cats.6 Dragon Ball Z (Funimation)5 Yu Yu Hakusho.4 Baccano.3 Cowboy Bebop.2 Hellsing Ultimate.1 Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.More items...•
Anime fans know there are two ways to watch any show: dubs or through subs. "Subs" is shot for subtitles, which pretty much everyone is familiar with, but what about "dubs"? The word, short for "dubbing" refers to the process of recording a new vocal track in a different language and replacing the original.
Anime Top 10Top 10 Best Rated (bayesian estimate) (Top 50)#titlerating1Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (TV)9.082Steins;Gate (TV)9.043Clannad After Story (TV)9.028 more rows
Responses were gathered from 1,041 Line-using high school students (520 boys and 521 girls) who were asked, “How often do you watch anime?” When the results were tallied, the majority, 54 percent, said they watch anime at least once a week, and nearly one in four said they watch anime at least four times a week.
Anime seen on the Cartoon Network (or other channels that show children's cartoons) before 9pm is probably safe for most children younger than 13. If it is on after 9pm, then you know it isn't appropriate for children younger than 13.
Due to the lack of Japan-made movies and dramas, TV networks were forced to air foreign shows, and that raised demand for voice actors. The boom in the anime world market, which produced a wave of young talents who wanted to become voice actors rather than actors.
Many times it's hard for one language to look like another. So watching someone speak while their mouth doesn't match up with the words can be distracting. Dubs are also voice-overs which can be easier to tolerate when watching something like an anime, but when watching live people talk, it can come off as unnatural.
A part of them prefers to watch their show dubbed, in their native tongue, because subtitles divert their attention to the bottom of the screens, and that makes them miss the action.
Subbing (Subtitling) means that the original language of the show is preserved and a written translation is placed at the bottom of the screen. This way, the audience can read and understand what the characters are saying while all the action occurs.
To begin with, subtitling allows accurate translations to happen and this includes mannerisms and peculiarities of a character that may add to the story’s plot. A clear example of this is Naruto’s catchphrase “Dattebayo”.
The added benefit of subtitles is that they don’t detract from the original emotional tone or emphasis that the actor (or voice actor) used during the original take. This is imperative for visual media as the sound, level and tone of persons voice does a lot to indicate their emotions at the time of delivery.
Naruto uses this word at the end of a sentence because the creators added this to his unique style of speech.
To refer to them, the Japanese use honorifics such as -sama, -san, -chan, and -kun.
A clear example of this is Naruto’s catchphrase “Dattebayo”. In the English dubbed version, it is translated as “believe it,” however, it doesn’t necessarily translate like that. Even in Japanese “Dattebayo” doesn’t have an exact meaning, it could be translated as “well” or “ya know.”. Naruto uses this word at the end of a sentence because ...
Dubbed anime allows a wider audience to enjoy an anime series without being required to read subtitles. Some anime fans always prefer to watch anime subbed, while others prefer dubbed anime when it is available. Both sides have different reasons behind their preferences, and this debate often turns into a heated argument amongst anime fans.
Some anime fans also prefer subbed anime simply because there are more series available subbed than dubbed. Many anime series are never dubbed into English. Even those that are may take a long time for the English dub to be released. Many fans are simply too impatient to wait for the dubbed version. Otaku.
In terms of anime, a “sub” is an anime series that is shown with it’s original Japanese voice acting with subtitles along the bottom of the screen in another language (usually English for viewers in the United States). Subbed anime is often preferred by purists who feel that an anime series should not be changed in any way from the original version.
Anime fans often first got into the fandom through watching English dubs of shows like Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, Pokémon, or Naruto on television. Some of these fans eventually switch to preferring subbed versions of their favorite anime series, while others retain a soft spot for the versions that they grew up with.
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.
A “dub,” on the other hand, is an anime series that has been released with a new re-scripted voice track that has been translated to English, or another language depending upon the country where it has been licensed and re-recorded by new voice actors.
Otaku is a Japanese term for a person who has obsessive interests, usually relating to the anime and manga fandom. Dubbed anime is often easier for American audiences to comprehend.
It is not only great on its own, but it has proven itself better than the subtitled version for several reasons. The Japanese version is a little dry, but the English voice actors made it way more fun. It was not like Ghost Stories, though, as they did stick to the characters' personalities and source material.
Some fans still prefer the dub though because they are uncomfortable with Kenshin being voice acted by a woman, but that is actually very common with men in anime.
Watching anime with English subtitles versus English dubbing has been a longstanding debate between anime fans. Those who love subtitles argue that since it was made in Japan, that it is meant to be in Japanese. Also, a lot can get lost in subtitle translation. However, those who love dub versions love them because that is what they are used to.
The truth is that whether the dub is good or not depends on the show . Here are five anime with fantastic dubs, as well as five that you should watch with subtitles because the dub is really bad.
With how popular One Piece is, hatred for its dub version gets talked about a lot by its fandom. There are actually multiple dubbed versions, but the one that is hated the most is the first version that was made by 4Kids Dub. Certain voices rubbed fans the wrong way such as Sanji's and Robin's. The worst part, though, was the edits and censorship. Guns were replaced by weird objects, Sanji's cigarette was replaced with a lolipop, and Smokers cigars were completely cut out.
Dubbed anime cannot be talked about without bringing up Ghost Stories. This anime is very unique, as the dub version plays itself like a total comedy instead of what the original went for. The voice actors for the dub just winged it and said whatever they wanted the characters to say. They got away with this because the show was expected to be a total flop. Due to their rumor and creativity though, the dub version is a cult classic.
As anime has gotten more popular, dubs have been getting better, and looking back on this shows' dub is a big wake up call to that fact. A lot of characters either sound bored or completely overact.