Sub vs Dub

[WeebTrash he/him]

I'm trying to settle a debate between me and my friends about which way of watching anime is better. Subbed or Dubbed.

[+Ark1002]

SUBBED ANIME IS BETTER! I BLAME YOU FOR MY OPINION AS YOU MAKE ME WAtCH ALL OF MY ANIME, DON'T KILL ME DUBBED PEOPLE!

[Ammanas]

I think you get a more accurate translation with subbed, but sometimes dubbed is just so much easier to consume when you just want to unwind.

[+ILuvHats he/him]

Quote

I think you get a more accurate translation with subbed, but sometimes dubbed is just so much easier to consume when you just want to unwind.

That's why I put dubbed (looks like I'm in the minority ).  But really it depends on the show.

[Orlion Blight he/him]

Especially recently, I would say dub. A lot of times, we got not only got great voice actors... we have BETTER voice actors. Compare King Kai from Dragonball subbed vs dubbed: the original has little to no personality and is unrecognizable. Dubbed has a distinct, recognizable voice 

Subbed becomes the better option if you want to watch an anime that just came out immediately. So though I prefer dubbed (I mean, Cowboy Bebop dubbed is perfect!) There's a place for subbed.

[Briar King]

Just learn Japanese..

[+Sorana she/her]

For me it depends on the voice actors. If the dubbed version has great voice actors and a more or less accurate translation, then I prefer a dubbed anime. Sadly the less known an anime is, the worse the dubbed versions tend to get, and then I definitly prefer a subbed one.

[Niteshado he/him]

Sub anime all the way. 

English voice actors tend to..suck. There are a few who are awesome, like travis willingham, matt mercer, laura baily, Johnny Yong Bosch. But in general, most english VA dont display the same..emotion, that japanese manage. 

Inuyasha, FMA, Dragon Ball Z, Fruit Baskets, Code Geass, Bleach, Outlaw Star.   Bout the only anime i can watch in english. 

[Subvisual Haze]

Neither is perfect, both disrupt the originally designed immersive multi-sensory experience, so I mostly just dislike anyone who thinks their opinion on this matter somehow makes them superior to anyone else.  Dubs cause an audio/image disconnect and lose original voice acting flavor, however subs disrupt the synchronization of language delivery across a scene and temporarily distract your focus from visual details (if you think this is not the case, see how well people drive when texting).

On the whole I think I personally prefer dubs, assuming they are made with quality.  Cheap dubs are awful, but high quality dubs can get really close to the original language experience though.  That and I enjoy being able to change the laundry, answer the door, feed the cat, get a snack, do some exercise etc. without necessarily needing to pause.  I worry that subs are so demanding on your attention that they kind of encourage an inactive lifestyle.  Especially if you're binge watching a show!

[goody153]

I prefer sub most of the time. The only times i would enjoy dub more than sub when the theme/setting of the anime is more western than anything else(like Cowboy Bebop for instance).

It just feels like emotional portrayal matches more with the japanese voice actors/actresses more than the foreign ones.

[Onslaught he/him]

I hate watching dubbed with subtitles because the words don't match up. I've watched Steins;gate twice subbed and twice dubbed. The subbed helped me remember names better and it enhanced one character's personality but the dubbed was well done. The delivery of the humour drew me in which was lacking with the subbed version.

[Dunkum he/him]

Not that i've watched too much recently, but overall I'd have to say Subbed tends to be the better, but like others mentioned it is definitely not a set-in-stone rule.  It also sometimes matters a little bit which version I saw first - I practically can't watch DBZ or Kenshin in Japanese because the character voices don't match what I am used to from the English (both Kenshin and Goku have drastically higher pitched voices in Japanese than English to the point that it gets distracting).