Subs vs Dubs
- Thread starter Kimono dragon
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Subs usually, but if its a good dub (so far only Cowboy bebop, FMA and DBZ (This dub wins because of goku's japanese voice)) I'll watch it.
You have nothing to apologize for. I was trying to be sarcastic, and I failed, and came off as rude.Kimono dragon said:
What you're saying is true, but often times, on the DVD's I have bought, I'll go back and forth between the english and the Japanese with translation subtitles done by the companies that released the show itself, and what they are talking about will be totally different. For example, in the final episode of "s-CRY-ed," the conversation in the English version is mostly just grunts and insults that aren't really insults, while in the Japanese version the entire battle is filled with back-handed compliments and dialogue of grim acceptance (that they are probably going to die in that battle). It creates a very different feel.
It is for this reason that I prefer subtitles, because even though I am getting what the people doing the subs think it is, it tends to be still more faithful to the tone, even if Engrish does occur occasionally. What I also enjoy in subs is that sometimes, instead of replacing some reference to Japanese culture that we wouldn't get unless we're deep into Japanese culture, the subbers simply put a small explanation on the screen. It may be annoying, but I prefer that over just removing the reference. That's why I like how they did "Muramasa: The Demon Blade" so much. It's a gramatically correct but still literal translation of the game, still voiced in Japanese, with references that we may not get, but that the game expects us to. I don't mind having to look up some esoteric reference's to some obscure Japanese mythology. I actually kinda like it, because then I get certain aspects of many anime and of Japanese culture just a little better.
Again, I aplogize for my unintentionally rude first comment. It was not my intent to be so rude.
I was a firm Sub believer until Cowboy Bebop and Full Metal Alchemist and yes, Studio Ghibli's things rarely disappoint.
And this is just under the banner of anime knowledge. Actors often aren't given the sufficiant information to dub their character well, and I don't think that helps things much. Sub's also on the plus side can either tell you 'exactly' what is being said and thus give you the knowledge of what is going on much more indepth than the dub are able to provide, or come at you in broken mars-speak, cutting it worse than even the most horrific dubs.
It's hard to call. Both have merits.
For those that just harp on the 'Japanese is better' Are probably refering to shows like Yu-gi-oh, and Sonic X and those shows like that, that actually WERE missing enormous chunks of subplot and scenes, crafted at the monkey hands of 4kids. Those shows. Have an excuse. And yes the Japanese versions are infinately more interesting.
Anything that comes out of say... Funimation these days, is as close to the Japanese as the mouth movements allow... It varies from Director to Director, but you can't expect 100% accuracy, thats just ludicrously unfair. And undermines geniune effort.
They took One peice off 4kids when they probably realised they couldn't cut the show anymore without skipping ridiculous amounts. So for that they always get a free pass.
And this is just under the banner of anime knowledge. Actors often aren't given the sufficiant information to dub their character well, and I don't think that helps things much. Sub's also on the plus side can either tell you 'exactly' what is being said and thus give you the knowledge of what is going on much more indepth than the dub are able to provide, or come at you in broken mars-speak, cutting it worse than even the most horrific dubs.
It's hard to call. Both have merits.
For those that just harp on the 'Japanese is better' Are probably refering to shows like Yu-gi-oh, and Sonic X and those shows like that, that actually WERE missing enormous chunks of subplot and scenes, crafted at the monkey hands of 4kids. Those shows. Have an excuse. And yes the Japanese versions are infinately more interesting.
Anything that comes out of say... Funimation these days, is as close to the Japanese as the mouth movements allow... It varies from Director to Director, but you can't expect 100% accuracy, thats just ludicrously unfair. And undermines geniune effort.
They took One peice off 4kids when they probably realised they couldn't cut the show anymore without skipping ridiculous amounts. So for that they always get a free pass.
I agree completely. I just finished watching Fullmetal Alchemist (dub version) and I would have hated to hear it in Japanese (I lived in Tokyo for a while, so I actually know some Japanese). In FMA's case, the characters are largely supposed to be European seeming, so hearing it in English, even if some of the voices were a little odd, was far better than Japanese with subtitles.MaxTheReaper said:
With live action films, on the other hand, I usually prefer subs unless the dubbing is good with really nice voice actors. I tried watching Kung Fu Hustle with the dubbing on and it made me cry. In the case of live action it's better to hear the natural voice and inflections, even if I can't understand the language.
Depends. I usually prefer subtitles for movies, because unlike about 95% of people out there, it seems, I have no problem flicking between image and text (and I've actually started to pick up on a few words here and there because of this). In addition, most of what gets lost in dubbings, besides the actual meanings of the words, they also lose a good part of the actors' performance. I'll give "The Host" as a perfect example: the dubbing in that movie strips the dialogue of most of its context, and then adds in incredibly annoying "actors" on top of that to make the characters sound like they're frat-party cavemen (even doing this to an American actor who spoke English lines, curiously). Song Kang-ho with his voice alone brings a sad cluelessness to his character that dogs his very real fatherly concern, making him a very tragic-comic character, whereas the actor that voiced his lines in the dubbed version makes him out to be Shaggy from Scooby-Doo.
Not all dubs are this bad (there are some really good anime film dubs), but I think it's far more annoying to listen to tone deaf Americans badly garbling a dumbed down version of a script than it is to read what's actually being said, in context, and take in the words how they were meant to sound.
Not all dubs are this bad (there are some really good anime film dubs), but I think it's far more annoying to listen to tone deaf Americans badly garbling a dumbed down version of a script than it is to read what's actually being said, in context, and take in the words how they were meant to sound.
Well I'd glady watch a really great dub as much as a good sub. Subs get the edge for me, as there are some things even a dub cant convey, such as Tomo in AzuDai calling Yukari 'Yukari-chan' instead of the usual '-sensei' In the dub everyone says Ms. Yukari. Also it sounds really weird with people calling sakaki 'ms. sakaki' intead of sakaki-san.
The main problem why most dubs suck is that dubbing companies aren't huge and dont get a wide variety of well-known actors to do them. They get famous singers/actors in japan, here we get mostly 2nd rates who aren't known outside the dubbing community. It's not as profitable to import anime vs making/distributing in japan, so there usually aren't fat stacks of cash sitting around for hiring awesome people. Also the actors record their lines seperately instead of in a room together so it can sound disconnected. And I doubt they always get to watch the scene in its original language to get the tone and emotions of the original seiyuu.
I also prefer to watch in jap. because it furthers my knowledge of the language, hearing a word and seeing the sub for it, it's like an inefficient dictionary, but a dictionary nonetheless. I doubt I'd know enough japanese to make some friends on XBL if I NEVER watched subs.
That said, I do enjoy trigun and bebop dubs. david green and johnny yong bosch are some of my favorites. Ive been re-watching getbackers, and I like Ban and Ginji's dubs but they've gotsomeAlot of questionable people in that show as well.
That said Im not some elitist that thinks dub<sub for everything PERIOD.
I've also developed an inhumane reading speed due to subs. However, my awesome TVIX m4100sh media player connectd to my tv can move the subs around so I can put the subs about 2/3's from the bottom instead of the last 1 inch of the screen like normal. good for action shows where you can read the sub and still se the action right behind it instead of way above it.
The main problem why most dubs suck is that dubbing companies aren't huge and dont get a wide variety of well-known actors to do them. They get famous singers/actors in japan, here we get mostly 2nd rates who aren't known outside the dubbing community. It's not as profitable to import anime vs making/distributing in japan, so there usually aren't fat stacks of cash sitting around for hiring awesome people. Also the actors record their lines seperately instead of in a room together so it can sound disconnected. And I doubt they always get to watch the scene in its original language to get the tone and emotions of the original seiyuu.
I also prefer to watch in jap. because it furthers my knowledge of the language, hearing a word and seeing the sub for it, it's like an inefficient dictionary, but a dictionary nonetheless. I doubt I'd know enough japanese to make some friends on XBL if I NEVER watched subs.
That said, I do enjoy trigun and bebop dubs. david green and johnny yong bosch are some of my favorites. Ive been re-watching getbackers, and I like Ban and Ginji's dubs but they've got
That said Im not some elitist that thinks dub<sub for everything PERIOD.
I've also developed an inhumane reading speed due to subs. However, my awesome TVIX m4100sh media player connectd to my tv can move the subs around so I can put the subs about 2/3's from the bottom instead of the last 1 inch of the screen like normal. good for action shows where you can read the sub and still se the action right behind it instead of way above it.
I've been lucky enough that my favorite series' have had good dubs. It is kind of cool hearing the Japanese voice actors, who ususally sound pretty into their roles. But dubs are more convenient and more accurate depending on the setting of the story.
But I just can't stand these "purist" otakus who completely ignore dubs like they were the plague. Recently I let a friend of mine from work borrow my volumes of Hellsing Ultimate, which has some of the best and accurate English dubs I've ever heard. But then she gives them back to me saying that her boyfriend downloaded the series, and when I asked if it was at least the English dub, she said how the guy hated dubs and got the subbed versions instead.
To quote comedian Jim Norton, "I wanted to bite his nose off, and spit it back in his face."
But I just can't stand these "purist" otakus who completely ignore dubs like they were the plague. Recently I let a friend of mine from work borrow my volumes of Hellsing Ultimate, which has some of the best and accurate English dubs I've ever heard. But then she gives them back to me saying that her boyfriend downloaded the series, and when I asked if it was at least the English dub, she said how the guy hated dubs and got the subbed versions instead.
To quote comedian Jim Norton, "I wanted to bite his nose off, and spit it back in his face."
i always prefer programs in their original language even if i dont speak it. your coming from the premise that subs are worse translated than dubs but that i dont agree to. i speak some english and whenever i watch a english speaking show or movie i notice some mistakes but that doesnt mean dubs dont have them we just cant compare what they are saying to what they were saying originaly unless i have seen the show before and remember what they said, wich has happend too.
Amelie (French)
La vita e bella (Italian)
Dois perdidos numa notie suja (Portuguese)
Saint seiya (Japanese, duh)
are some of the examples that wouldnt be the same with dubs
Amelie (French)
La vita e bella (Italian)
Dois perdidos numa notie suja (Portuguese)
Saint seiya (Japanese, duh)
are some of the examples that wouldnt be the same with dubs
Maybe this is just me, but when I watch a sub I shut the voices out because they are just noise to someone who doesn't know the language. This makes it very difficult to enjoy the atmosphere created by the voice actor's tone. For example, in Gurren Lagann the amazing speeches have a much greater effect on me in the dub the the sub.