I like dubs!

Mashirosen · 11-20-2003, 01:27 AM

Okay, those of you who were around for the TWC forums know the drill: keep all discussions about the superiority of dubbing to this thread only. Anyone who tries to start an argument by posting that dubs suck in this thread will be banned, and so will anyone who tries to start an argument by posting that subs suck in that thread.

So! What shows do you think are best dubbed? Who are some of your favorite voice actors? Hash it all out in here.

Bezo · 11-20-2003, 02:01 AM

I don't think dubs are superior, but I prefer them to subs mainly because I don't watch TV to read.

I think one of the best dubs is Slayers (which very few people agree with) and my favourite voice actor is probably Frank Welker. As for dubbie voice actors, Eric Stuart and Crispin Freeman kick much bottom.

11-20-2003, 02:06 AM

Agreed. While you do lose meaning in the translation, there's nothing more annoying when fourteen lines of text flash on the screen, right when you're trying follow the big fight scene unfolding. Then you have to read the text, and you invariably miss what was happening while you were reading....big pain. I'll take the minor inaccuracies in the dialog, if it means a more immersive viewing experiance.

11-20-2003, 06:38 AM

I usually like subs better since due to the longstanding tradition of Voice Acting actually being a profession in Japan (whereas it's really a relatively new field in America) I think they do a good job on conveying emotion (especially on a lot of the earlier anime which came to America...much of it has absolutely ear-grating dubs).

However, I'm perfectly open to quality dubs. Fruits Basket, for instance, I think has a great dub. And Saiyuki...I wouldn't ever be able to watch that show subtitled. The English VAs are hilarious in that dub. Disney, of course, as far as I've seen always produces fabulously high quality dubs (such as Kiki's Delivery Service (Phil Hartman as Gigi is priceless), Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away). I almost always try sampling the dub of whatever I'm watching, and if I enjoy it, then whether I watch it subbed or dubbed depends mostly on my mood. If I'm trying to pay a lot of attention to the graphics, I'll watch it dubbed for awhile. If I want to see what the Japanese (or Korean, or whoever) script writers originally wrote (assuming the show has a good translation job for the subtitles, which sometimes they don't) then I'll watch subs.

I would, in all actuality, love to try out Voice Acting myself some day. Telling stories outloud is one of my favorite things to do. The likelihood of this ever happening is extremely low, since I tend to be rather busy, but it's fun to think about. And I think, as more people in America start to see Voice Acting as an actual profession, then the quality of dubs in general will become better and better (I think this process is already well on its way).

Oh yeah, and I couldn't stand the Slayers dub. But at least I'm not an all-out all-dubs-suck-because-all-things-Japanese-are-ten-times-cooler-than-anything-in-America sort of person.

11-20-2003, 06:53 AM

I like dubs better whenever they're actual good dubs... In Rurouni Kenshin for instance... The English voice acting is fantabulous, and since I watched about half the series dubbed, I am actually not continuing to watch it because I can't get my hands on any high-quality dubbed episodes... Quite a bummer really. But whenever the dubbing isn't outstanding, I rather use subs because I have this fantasy of learning Japanese and I'm stupid enough to think that watching subs will help me learn. =P

11-20-2003, 09:20 AM

Mashirosen says: whoops! Someone's got a little reading comprehension problem. Work on that before you come back from being BANLEETED.

11-20-2003, 01:11 PM

MBB, no anti-dub flaming here.

Anyway, the Cowboy Bebop and Rurouni Kenshin dubs are far superior to the original. But that's about it, I think.

GatoFiero · 11-20-2003, 01:30 PM

I prefer subs, but I can't refute that some dubs are very well done. In order for a dub to be well done it must be made by people who really like and care about the series. Another thing that helps dubs is if you haven�t heard the sub before hearing the dub. Once you see the first three or four episodes of a series then you have the character voices stuck in your mind and it's very difficult to change them and like it. Examples of good dubs are Rurouni Kenshin, Cowboy Bebop, Excel Saga (except that they changed the voice actress for Excel halfway through the series and the second one wasn't as good), Hyper Police, X (the movie), Rune Soldier's dub is pretty good too.

11-20-2003, 03:18 PM

I was actually wondering about the Excel Saga dub. I've got the whole series downloaded as a fansub, but I can only stomach the original voice track for a couple of episodes at a time. I'm just waiting for them to release the series as a complete boxset, and I'll end up picking it up regardless.

In general, I don't necessarily have a preference over sub/dub... I'm quite new to the whole anime thing to begin with, so I've been able to enjoy the luxury of watching my series' in both languages. I always try both versions and go with whichever works for me the best. However, for anyone that was around in the VHS era, I can kind of understand developing a single preference when a series was split into 12 or so volumes, at $35 a pop (One of the initial things that kept me away all those years ago when I saw a few movies at my friend's house).

For example, the dub in Eva didn't bother me that much, so I stuck with it the first time thru. I'll probably end up watching it subbed the next time around, though. RahXephon, on the other hand... I watched the dub for the first episode and I had to switch it over. The english voice-over was just painful.

Neverwhere · 11-20-2003, 04:36 PM

some things i prefer subs (hellsing, neon-genesis, inuyasha, etc), but things like DBZ/GT need dubs, as their japanese sounds are just atrocious. So, it really depends on how the anime sounds subbed, and how it sounds dubbed, then ill make my decision. I can watch either though

11-20-2003, 01:27 AM	#1
Mashirosen Watch closely! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Imaginary tomorrowland Posts: 1,855	I like dubs! Okay, those of you who were around for the TWC forums know the drill: keep all discussions about the superiority of dubbing to this thread only. Anyone who tries to start an argument by posting that dubs suck in this thread will be banned, and so will anyone who tries to start an argument by posting that subs suck in that thread. So! What shows do you think are best dubbed? Who are some of your favorite voice actors? Hash it all out in here. __________________ "Remember how we all thought the Jedi were, well, Space Knights of the Round Table? Well, as it turns out, they're a bunch of self-righteous virgins who kidnap kids to replenish their numbers."

11-20-2003, 02:01 AM	#2
Bezo Shinobu Maehara Fanboy Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 357	I don't think dubs are superior, but I prefer them to subs mainly because I don't watch TV to read. I think one of the best dubs is Slayers (which very few people agree with) and my favourite voice actor is probably Frank Welker. As for dubbie voice actors, Eric Stuart and Crispin Freeman kick much bottom. __________________ Random Cool Quote: "Only one who renounces everything possesses the strength to transcend anything." Trema, Final Fantasy X-2 Not So Random Link: Come Check Out My Deviant Art

11-20-2003, 04:36 PM	#10
Neverwhere Bound by Repression Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Deep within my Mind Posts: 507	some things i prefer subs (hellsing, neon-genesis, inuyasha, etc), but things like DBZ/GT need dubs, as their japanese sounds are just atrocious. So, it really depends on how the anime sounds subbed, and how it sounds dubbed, then ill make my decision. I can watch either though __________________ Infidel Defilers! They shall all drown in the lakes of blood. Now they will know why they are afraid of the dark. Now they will learn why they fear the night.

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11-20-2003, 02:06 AM	#3
Sakae Guest Posts: n/a	Agreed. While you do lose meaning in the translation, there's nothing more annoying when fourteen lines of text flash on the screen, right when you're trying follow the big fight scene unfolding. Then you have to read the text, and you invariably miss what was happening while you were reading....big pain. I'll take the minor inaccuracies in the dialog, if it means a more immersive viewing experiance.

11-20-2003, 06:38 AM	#4
krazyk Guest Posts: n/a	I usually like subs better since due to the longstanding tradition of Voice Acting actually being a profession in Japan (whereas it's really a relatively new field in America) I think they do a good job on conveying emotion (especially on a lot of the earlier anime which came to America...much of it has absolutely ear-grating dubs). However, I'm perfectly open to quality dubs. Fruits Basket, for instance, I think has a great dub. And Saiyuki...I wouldn't ever be able to watch that show subtitled. The English VAs are hilarious in that dub. Disney, of course, as far as I've seen always produces fabulously high quality dubs (such as Kiki's Delivery Service (Phil Hartman as Gigi is priceless), Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away). I almost always try sampling the dub of whatever I'm watching, and if I enjoy it, then whether I watch it subbed or dubbed depends mostly on my mood. If I'm trying to pay a lot of attention to the graphics, I'll watch it dubbed for awhile. If I want to see what the Japanese (or Korean, or whoever) script writers originally wrote (assuming the show has a good translation job for the subtitles, which sometimes they don't) then I'll watch subs. I would, in all actuality, love to try out Voice Acting myself some day. Telling stories outloud is one of my favorite things to do. The likelihood of this ever happening is extremely low, since I tend to be rather busy, but it's fun to think about. And I think, as more people in America start to see Voice Acting as an actual profession, then the quality of dubs in general will become better and better (I think this process is already well on its way). Oh yeah, and I couldn't stand the Slayers dub. But at least I'm not an all-out all-dubs-suck-because-all-things-Japanese-are-ten-times-cooler-than-anything-in-America sort of person.

11-20-2003, 06:53 AM	#5
Blasphemous Guest Posts: n/a	I like dubs better whenever they're actual good dubs... In Rurouni Kenshin for instance... The English voice acting is fantabulous, and since I watched about half the series dubbed, I am actually not continuing to watch it because I can't get my hands on any high-quality dubbed episodes... Quite a bummer really. But whenever the dubbing isn't outstanding, I rather use subs because I have this fantasy of learning Japanese and I'm stupid enough to think that watching subs will help me learn. =P

11-20-2003, 09:20 AM	#6
Master_Black_Belt Guest Posts: n/a	Mashirosen says: whoops! Someone's got a little reading comprehension problem. Work on that before you come back from being BANLEETED.

11-20-2003, 01:11 PM	#7
transcend Guest Posts: n/a	MBB, no anti-dub flaming here. Anyway, the Cowboy Bebop and Rurouni Kenshin dubs are far superior to the original. But that's about it, I think.

11-20-2003, 03:18 PM	#9
In Hindsight Guest Posts: n/a	I was actually wondering about the Excel Saga dub. I've got the whole series downloaded as a fansub, but I can only stomach the original voice track for a couple of episodes at a time. I'm just waiting for them to release the series as a complete boxset, and I'll end up picking it up regardless. In general, I don't necessarily have a preference over sub/dub... I'm quite new to the whole anime thing to begin with, so I've been able to enjoy the luxury of watching my series' in both languages. I always try both versions and go with whichever works for me the best. However, for anyone that was around in the VHS era, I can kind of understand developing a single preference when a series was split into 12 or so volumes, at $35 a pop (One of the initial things that kept me away all those years ago when I saw a few movies at my friend's house). For example, the dub in Eva didn't bother me that much, so I stuck with it the first time thru. I'll probably end up watching it subbed the next time around, though. RahXephon, on the other hand... I watched the dub for the first episode and I had to switch it over. The english voice-over was just painful.