I like subs!

[Hatake Kakashi]

In most cases, I would definitely prefer subs. The voices done originally for many an anime character far outshine their overseas counterparts. With Naruto being licensed recently, I'm dreading to hear what will come out of the characters' "mouths."

There are exceptions, of course. All of the main characters in Cowboy Bebop were done very well, IMHO. If more translations of anime used this as their prime example, I don't think there would be nearly the distinct difference in quality between subs and dubs as there is. Unfortunately, there are a lot of studios/licensing firms who care less about a quality product as much as licensing a popular anime and hiring a couple of horrible voice actors in order to effectively get their hands on what amounts to be the ability to print their own money. Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and ESPECIALLY the early eps of DBZ show this. The theory states that if you grab somethin visually pleasing (relatively, depending on the audience you target), they don't really care what the characters sound like, or how stupid the lines are.

Not that Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh! were ever meant to be quality products so much as they were meant to market cards and toys....

But getting back to the subject, for the most part, the Japanese really do value the work put into their anime releases. Over there, yes, it's merchandising, a way to make money, but it's also an art. The audiences they reach and embrace are of almost all ages, unlike over here, where it's "edit this, edit that, target the kids and put out toys... parents can only take so much whining...." Hence why animes in general sound so much better subbed, even if we can't understand what we are hearing.

There's my two G.P. *plink plink* Leave my H.P. alone.

[Cloud Clone]

Overall, I don't have much of a problem with dubs, there have been very few occasions where the American voices where so incredibly annoying that I've had to change it to the Japanese audio. I do, however, watch anime with the subtitles on since there is often a large difference between the two, though I'm not sure why. Maybe it's so the dubbed dialogue can better match the mouths of the characters? Either way, there is alot to be gained by reading the subtitles as well as listening to the English dialogue.

[ThanosOfTitan321]

I like subs because you can get the effect that they were trying to give you in the voices of the characters better.

[Krylo]

though I'm not sure why. Maybe it's so the dubbed dialogue can better match the mouths of the characters? Either way, there is alot to be gained by reading the subtitles as well as listening to the English dialogue.

Multiple reasons. One is the voice matching, to be sure, but there are other things as well, such as altering social commentary, references, and turns of phrases to be understood by an american audience.

Think of it this way: Directly translating an american television show to japanese would make no sense to most of the japanese, because they don't understand our mannerisms of speech. A japanese person isn't going to understand "I'm all tied up at the moment" coming from someone who's busy... or "I'm in the doghouse" coming from someone in trouble with their significant other, etc. etc. The japanese have similiar phrases that are altered in dubs, but not as often in subs.

Then you have things like social commentary. Making a joke about gender roles in america is going to change vastly if you try to allow a japanese audience to understand it... or jokes about buisness... or anything else. Again, dubs tend to try to compensate for this, while subs stay more true.

So, yah, lots of reasons for the change... and lots of changes that can be either construed as positive or negative depending upon your particular view.

The audiences they reach and embrace are of almost all ages

You do realize anyone over 12 who watches anime in japan is branded an otaku and ranked on the same position in their social ladder as someone who can program in 5 different languages but works at McDonald's over here, right? It's not considered as 'cool' there as it is in America, and we only really get the good stuff over here. Over there a lot of anime is like the shit that gets ripped to shreds in editing (or worse)... before it's ever changed. They're flooded with yu-gi-ohs and anime-esque teletubbies... which is probably why it's not cool to watch it.

Also: The shift key sticks on the computer I'm currently using. Excuse any mistakes of capitalization.

[Danath]

Well no point is posting in both of the sub and dub threads cause i find advantages to both.
A posotive

Sub- you usually get a slightly better translation and it can fit better when the chara is talking

Dub- if you want to be doing something else while watching anime then you can listen to the english version and dont haveto continuasly watch the screen.

A negative

Sub- sometime it goes by way to fast and you actually have to rewind it to actually read the whole thing

dub-sometimes the voices are bad ot the voiced over it really badly for timing wise.


otherwise i will watch eather or cause well both have their ups and owns and it about equals out.

[Silly Kitty]

I like subs because I like the general voice of the character better that way. The way it was suppose to be I guess. With dubs you don't have to read as much, but none-the-less I still like subs better.

Watching a sub then watching a dub of the same anime is really weird.

[P-Sleazy]

One example is needed for this... ONE PIECE. The dub is just SOOO horrible with the voice acting and Sanji has a lollipop in it but still holds it like a cigarette. Nami sounds like a child. HELLO! is any there? she has breasts...nice ones at that too. Why should she sound like shes 10? The subs are also SOO much farther than the American Dubs are. The sub is on Episode 156 now whereas the dub is only nearing the 40 episode mark. Plus we dont have to wait during the summer for them to make new ones...the dubs keep commin no matter what season it is.

[Proto-Zack]

I think any rational person perfers subs, like myself.

Thats why so many people outside of the anime, frown upon it as childish or stupid, is cause of bad dubbing.

One of my favorite anime and manga is Yu-Gi-Oh. I won't go into showing why subs are better. Here's a link: http://www.yu-jyo.net/

[Nique]

I find subs more distracting, but I also find dubs to be strange if not done very well. Anime's not to bad, but movies like 'Crouching Tiger' feel better when subtittled, instead of dubbed over.

On that note, I need to find a transcript in english of FFVII: Last Order - My copy is Jappanesse w/ no dubbing or subbing, and although I know the story already, I would like to understand whats happening, eh?

[Larsaan]

Try watch a dubbed movie. The character on screen give us a long chirade of silenced talking but all we hear from the speakers is 'no'. It doesn't seem real. It's really annoying when screen and sound doesn't match up.