Subtitles Or Dubbed?
 

I got into an argument with a friend a long time ago, that still bugs me to this day. She said she was a truer anime fan than me, becuase she only watched anime in subtitals. Basicly saying I was a lesser anime fan because I watch dubbed anime :chikasfrown:

So, my question is, does it REALLY matter? Whats your opinion?

I honestly think it doesn't ~.~ I don't like reading while watching anime. But I WILL watch it subtitaled if thats all there is.

welll.....I the answer's no......although, I love the subbed original Japanese versions...........I deteste dubs.....It ruins the show, but if you watch the dubs......you are still watching anime....so, It comes down to how much you like the anime, not how much or how you watch it!!!!

I believe that it is always best to listen to something in its original language but if you don't like to read while watching anime doesn't make you "less" a fan than any other...

It doesn't matter at all, it's just a matter of taste, and possibly what medium you see it in first.

depends, some dub change the actually description and word meaning.

That's just arrogance.

Technically all dubs involve a total script rewrite to work. You know how when you dub Asian films the words don't match the mouth movements? That's prevented in anime by rewriting the script to fit the animation in english while trying their best to preserve the original meaning. Problem is sometimes things get lost in translation.

One really notable example that comes to mind was in Evangelion, where Kaowaru tells Shinji he loves him before Shinji crushes him in 01's fist. In Japanese, the statment implied love between friends or family, but love in english means "love" unless otherwise noted. This is why to this day people think Evangelion has homosexual undertones, which it does not. With a slight understanding of Japanese, the subtitled version makes that clear, while the dub does not.

So subs are always technically more accurate, so you'll get people who wiill say they're "better". This has nothing to how much of a fan you are, it's merely preference. I wouldn't worry, nobody here has any less respect for dub watchers I would hope. I certainly don't.

In my honest opinion, I would say to get the best experience from anything foreign you should watch things subtitled. The actors were chosen by the creators for a reason as part of their vision, so to truly see a series or movie the way the director wanted you to you have to have those actors. If your fine with dubs though who am I too argue? Do what'cho do dawg. :D

I think that's rather stupid o_O

Whether it be subbed or dubbed it's basically the same thing, but then as Skyraida said, some dubbed anime don't cover everything.

Either way - I don't think watching that makes you any less of an anime fan

why have an argument about it?
you both love anime
you both like to watch it
anime is anime so just have fun watching!

The dub usually ruins the show, but thats only certain animes. personally i prefer the subs but shows like FMA had really good dubs and afro didnt lose any violence(but if it did, dear good help us all).

it depends on the anime more than the dubs and subs. The Naruto dub was pretty bad, but it wasnt too bad so that was an ok dub.

Personally i would love it if they just changed the japanese letters and voices, just left all violence and absolutly everything. but instead they take out most if the violence and swear words, which inevitably ruins the anime.

but it doesnt make you much less of an aniem fan if you only watch the dubs, but it does make you less of an anime fan IMO

i think its all a matter of preference. i personally can't watch dubbed anime that much, really only when its on tv on the background or something. i like to hear it in its native language, and i honestly don't notice i am reading subtitles anymore. your eyes just get used to reading while watching and it isn't a problem.

I prefer subbed i just think dubbed ones make it seem more childish sometimes

ok.. well to start off. no ones a "truer fan" its all about the appreciation of the art, and if you appreciate by watching, then more power to you,

personally, im a fan of both, but it thoroughly depends on how its used though.. for shows like dragon ball gt.. which i have been watching thoroughly since i got the whole series, id rather watch the subbed version because its completely reworked for the usa, and honestly, it just doesnt have the db feel to it. but in other cases, the dub worked well in pretear (which i actually wanna watch again) so it really is a question of personal taste more than whos better than who.. though this question has been answered time and time again haha

if your that worried about it, just read manga XD

It's just personal taste.

Slap your friend for me please :P

Hmm.... which one?
 

I'll say.....yeah...good point.....they can be funnie as hell when they are subbed, but, they loose all of that when they are dubbed into english, and probably other languages.......

They also make them seem retarded when they speak most of the time

Japanese is the original form, and if the sub-group has translated it properly ur getting the Japanese version of the story using their culture, history, religions, mythology, society, and ways of life! Including their jokes and daily life situations that no other countries would normally understand!

Course if you watch anime alot, and are hardcore about japanese culture you can eventually easily start to notice these and understand them well! Some
sub groups will also explain these situations along the upper part of the screen!


************************************************************


Now dubbed anime, is a whole different story! Yeah the basic story elements are still there, but everything I explained above is normally removed and replaced with american culture and other crap! Most times ruining the entire anime. Now the normal person that doesn't know anything about Japanese Culture would never notice the difference, but us hardcore Japanese/Anime Lovers do, and its quite annoying and to the point that I can barely watch dubbed anime. Very few dubbed anime retain the original japanese story, but some do!


~Too me, yes it matters alot! I try my best to only watch anime in its original japanese voiced, english subbed versions!

I wrote a college paper about this (Then published it online)

If your interested, check out my debate:

Is Anime subtitled or dubbed - Helium

well, let me clear something up... one of the reasons my friend bugged me so much was because she wasn't an anime fan at all. Some guy she liked was a fan of DBZ, and he prefered it in subtitles. So, she became a DBZ fan, and claimed she was a true anime fan because she watched it in subtitles as well. They never even saw any other anime, aside from Pokemon, and Yu-Gi-Oh, which they would go on, and on, and on, about how it MUST be much better subtitled. I really didn't like either show ~.~

Also: I tried not to argue with her, but she was the type of person who liked to argue, and push the subject further ~.~ Which is why we arent friends anymore :mtongue: not just because of the anime thing. Lots of things, lol.

And anyway, I see everyones point :P I like more than the anime. I like learning new things from it ^.^

well. that just makes more sense from your point in this situation.. i can definetely back you up on your decision.. ^_^.. but nonetheless a good thread to start, lots of fun things said honestly

Wrong, naiive.

And to the original poster she is right.

Watching anime subbed is better, the original voices are picked to suit the character, Japanese voices sound better and the worst thing I can think of is hearing some of my favourite anime chars. speak in an american accent.

There isn't even a debate here. Subbed wins coz it's original.

but in essence the culture of japanese: Perfection

if you listen to the music, or watch the shows.. theres always the strive to be perfect, to be a step above. ive seen a lot of japanese art forms that are just way ahead of everyone else.. so others simply try to.. imitate, so they make it into their own, trying to make it the best way they can. well.. some do at least

Very true, not only everything discussed thus far, but american dubbing takes place over many-many single sessions of 1 voice actor a time, then they add everything together by scene! This turns out to be choppy and doesn't sound like a real conversation!

Japanese however, the entire cast gets together by episode and they voice it all straight through in the same room all at one time! Its sounds so much better this way. This way is all clean and pure, and you can really feel a voice's emotions when they're speaking together with the other voice actors!

Exactly.

No offence to BlueToshiya, but what you said just looks like you treat anime as a cartoon.

Subbed wins.

Original jokes, puns, and whatnot are kept. There's also some free **** in it.

Just joking.

I like subs....they are more true to the story...the voices are better......there is swearing and inuendoes which would fly by the heads of any child, which adds a maturity level to them......I just can't, literally can't watch a dub......

The meaning of this thread is whether or not you are less of a fan for watching dubbed.

I do not only watch dubbed. What I mean is, if I see a show on TV, I don't have much of a choice of it being dubbed. I get used to it in english, and I don't usually feel a need to watch it again in japanese. But I have seen shows in japanese! Just not as many as some of you.

On another note. I have come to realize alot of people havent read the manga to some of these great shows. Like Fruits Basket and Love Hina for example. The anime, compared to the manga, is lame. Both Love Hina, and Fruits Basket have their endings cut out. Love Hina ran out of money, and had to cut the ending to Love Hina short. They cut things out of the anime that was crucial to the story.

animes like Naruto, Shamen King, One Piece, and Yu-Gi-Oh were seriously dumbed down in the dubbed, I know this is true. It bothers me, just as much as it bothers others. (can I also say that the manga's to these are much better as well?)

Also... my sister doesn't like it when I watch an anime subtitled :mtongue: she was incredibly annoyed when I was watching Fruits Basket again in subtitles.

Well Manga should be better than the Anime. Same as with Novels/Books being better than their Movie counterpart!

although I like watching sub anime, movie rather than dubbed but It does not really matter. Its up to your preference. Some prefer dubbed because they want to concentrate watching rather than reading the subs. But it does not make them less of a fan.

Thats why you need to learn to be a "Speed Reader" **raises hand** ~Well thats something I've just been good at since I started reading, then u can pay attention to the anime and don't have to focus on the subs! hehe :rolleyes: :p

Yeah there we go.....Kakashi said it right!!! :cool:

first just let me say, im ok with watching anime subtitled i mean i never once complained about that (c'mon yen...)

But anyways heh..

Its weird that anyone would point thier finger and say im a bigger anime fan then you! We've (yen n me) have seen tons of anime and i've never once claimed to love anime anymore then the next person :p so watch your anime how you like because for one if you care who's a bigger fan because you watch anime a different way (i dont care if you think your a bigger fan cuz u watch it upside down >.<) then you really need to grow up :/

no offence to anyone n.n

as i said, its up to the persons preference. Your preference does not necessarily mean its good for others, so we should learn to respect it. If he or she enjoys watching anime that way, who are you to hinder that. :vsign:

Lol @ Naruto xD

I hate how they dub Naruto though, they get the pronounciation so wrong!
Example; Sasuke is pronounced Sasookee

I can't read fast. If someone speaks fast I read subs fast, if thy speak slow I read them slow =__= bad habbit....so I look at both screen and subs at the same time! It's hard but now I have a valuable skill for life! I can now keep my eye on the giant spider and grab a near by book/shoe without losing sight of it! Whoa off topic >.>

I'll say this, Anime subbed is still Anime, Anime dubbed is a cartoon.

Btw what they did to One Piece sickens me lol

All anime is a cartoon ~.~ hentai is a cartoon too. Its just aimed at a more mature group of people. And not all dubbs change the anime completely. Only the ones that appear on WB, Cartoon Networks Toonami, and the such. I have watched Inuyasha subbed, and it wasn't that different. Same with Full Metal Panic, Full Metal Alchemist, Loveless, blah, blah blah, the ones that didn't appear on channels for kids.

dubbed or subtitle
 

I hate dubbed movies.its never the original dialogue and its just terrible.with subtitles,its easier to follow along with the original story line.

i like subs more than dubs, but that depends on the anime. There are some where the dubbing is terrible and some where they are alright.