Dubbed or Subbed

[shaggyjebus]

How do you prefer your anime, dubbed or subtitled? This can apply to watching anime on your computer or on TV, as well as watching it on DVD.

I usually prefer subtitled. Most dubs have to change things to make it understandable (or at least not have little pop-ups on the screen). These tend to be little things, such as Japanese puns or other jokes non-Japanese people wouldn't understand, but sometimes I've heard situations screwed up a little bit because actual English was spoken in the series, and it is hard to show that someone is speaking a different language when the different language is the one the series is dubbed in. Anyways, these little things still annoy me a bit.

I haven't watched the Genshiken dub, but during the sub, there were all sorts of little notes that the fansubbers put in to help explain some things, mostly references. These notes helped a lot to understand some things, and they didn't interfere with the video at all, but I can't see DVDs having notes like that. That pisses me off a bit. (That's a bit of a tangent, isn't it? Whoops.)

Back to the topic at hand, there is one series that I watched dubbed and have yet to completely watch subbed, and that series is Azumanga Daioh. I actually bought the box set of the series because I had heard it praised by critics for its dub, called it one of the best dubs ever. (I also got it because it was pretty cheap, less than $60.) The critics didn't lie - the dub is just wonderful. It is the best I have ever seen. And though I have listened a bit more to the sub (Osaka's voice is just as cute, if not cuter, in the Japanese version), I still think I prefer the dub. The voices all fit the characters so much.

So, what do you guys think? Dubbed or subbed? Why? Any series that stand apart from your preference?

[trebay57]

Meh, subbed. It's kinda the only way to truly get an understanding of what you're watching.

[MountainLionLink]

teletext all the way, since the dubbed versions that we receive is not the original content but a diet coke version.

[kruc]

i'll go for the subbed~! i dont want the dubbed version i want the original japanese dub.

[Monkey.D.Gray-man]

SUB for teh absolute win!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sushi]

This is a joke right? A joke? If so, then "Ha ha ha".

Actually some anime are better with dubs than subs, like the voices are more original and they don't censor anything. Full Metal Panic, for example, owns in dubs.

[streetbum]

Dubs, I prefer to watch my anime and read my manga. Sure there are a lot of bad dubs out there (*cough* One Piece *cough*) but most nowadays are pretty good (FullMetal Alchemist, Naruto, Bleach) so as long as you still get the basics of the anime I don't care. Blood and added in swear words don't make the anime the story does.

[Sushi]

Lol@Naruto and Bleach dubs. I hate their voices..so much..especially Rukia's. Does not fit at ALL.

[sodi]

Subbed. I prefer having the honorifics and cultural reference notes.

[MountainLionLink]

we all are forgetting the original sailor moon dub, that had all references to Japanese culture removed from the show. That fact right there makes me love the teletext releases.