Dubs or Subs?

[OverlordRuby]

English vs. Japanese

Do you usually prefer the japanese voice actors in anime or the english voice actors? Do you like a mix of them?

I'll use Soul Eater as an example:

Maka: English. The japanese voice actor sound sort of... whiny, maybe?

Soul: Japanese. I don't know why.

Death the Kid: Japanese. The English sounds less like I would imagine a god to sound. And he sounds hilarious in japanese when he's having a symmetry tantrum.

BlackStar: Japanese. He just sound better that way.

Shinigami-sama: English, totally. The japanese voice actor sound really monotone, and the other sounds really awesome and goofy.

 

[matt0044]

Re: English vs. Japanese

Ahh, the ongoing Sub VS Dub argument.

For Dragon Ball (Z), I prefer the Japanese version since the English version deviates from the original in a sometimes BAD but sometimes good way in terms of story.

But for Dragon Ball Z Kai, I prefer the English version since FUNimation NAILED it thanks to them sticking to the JPN version and improving some of the old voices like Gohan's and Frieza's.

 

[Turquoise]

Re: English vs. Japanese

I prefer the English mainly because I can understand it and i can see for myself how well the voice actors do, But I love that Japanese because it is the original form of the Anime with no Dub edits.

 

[Gligar13]

Re: English vs. Japanese

Depends, only dub if the dub doesn't suck (Evangelion).

 

[Tunahead]

Re: English vs. Japanese

I like a subtitled original version because sometimes they dub it like the watchers are little babies that can't hear "damn,crap,etc."

 

[matt0044]

Re: English vs. Japanese

I like a subtitled original version because sometimes they dub it like the watchers are little babies that can't hear "damn,crap,etc."

Actually, that's not the case for dubs that are faithful to the original. Hell, even unfaithful gag dubs like Shin Chan turn up the curse-o-meter to over 9000. So you're kinda making a dangerous assumption.

Also, the JPN language has no specific curse words but rather it depends on your tone and the context the words are used in. Besides, it takes REAL skill to write mature stories without resorting to cursing, especially if its obligatory.

 

[Ruckus Jorgee]

Re: English vs. Japanese

I now watch most of my anime in Japanese.

In the English version of Bleach, there's really no way I would want to sound like Ichigo Kurosaki with random yelling and screaming for no reason. This is really when he's in his gigai. When he's in his substitute Soul Reaper form, he really sounds like a hero. His Japanese voice is very constant so it's good.

I only remember the Shinigami's voice off of Death Note from the Japanese version and Yagami Raito and Ryuzaki who was L and they annunciate every vowel and consonant in their Japanese words so I can understand and copy and repeat every one of them. It's just difficult to understand anime females in Japanese unless you were actually feeling what they were saying at the time.

I don't remember the English but I also like watching Fooly Cooly in English because every Saturday on Adult Swim, it comes on at 10:30 PM PDT just before Cowboy Bebop and they have a lot of scenes and they don't swear a lot, or shout just like when Higuchi yelled out, "zakenna" on the phone. Now I know that it's zakenna or fuzakenna and not sakenda or sakana or any random misrepresentation of the word.

 

[make_it_worse]

Re: English vs. Japanese

I like japanese dub the most because it's original, and seiyuus' apply their whole spirit when dubbing Animé.

 

[pikachu200]

Re: English vs. Japanese

Well some voices might seem a little bit odd. But I think FMA is pretty good in the english dubbed version

 

[J J M]

Re: English vs. Japanese

The Japanese dub is the very original dub so of course it would be better than any other dub to any other language. However, since I prefer watching shows in a language I understand, I'll always watch the English dub of any anime.

 

[Haruka_Rules!]

Re: English vs. Japanese

Japanese. I always like to watch shows/movies in their original language.

 

[GoldenrodGOD]

Re: English vs. Japanese

I don't know, it depends. If it's only in Japanese, you don't really have a choice, but it's nice to watch some anime that's been dubbed into English since they have more merchandise and you can discuss their voices and if the anime's new you can usually go and meet them. However, the majority of the animes I watch have yet to be dubbed into English =(

However, there is the rarity that I chose sub over dub. Lucky Star, for example. I just don't like the English voice. Especially for Konota. It feels all wrong and not hyper and energetic enough.

 

[Ranger Jack Walker]

Re: English vs. Japanese

English. Why in the world would I watch something in a language I don't understand? Even if the voice actors are horrible, its better than hearing some random gibberish that i don't uinderstand which makes it worse than the worst dubbing has to offer.

 

[Ruckus Jorgee]

Re: English vs. Japanese

I have myself at least watched a couple episodes and a movie on Bleach in German, and Renji's voice could sound as if it was by an adult male. To me, it sounds all wrong but at the same time it's funny. It was found on Youtube since I don't own the German dub, only the English and Japanese dub of Bleach. Now you're talking about how he sounds on English, I might still remember how he sounded on that dub then. He sounded loud though.

 

[TheArsenalRisen]

Re: English vs. Japanese

So long as the voice acting is good, I don't care too much which version I watch.

 

[jda95]

Re: English vs. Japanese

Japanese. The original language is always going to be the definitive version of any text.

 

[Arc Blader]

Re: English vs. Japanese

English. Why in the world would I watch something in a language I don't understand? Even if the voice actors are horrible, its better than hearing some random gibberish that i don't uinderstand which makes it worse than the worst dubbing has to offer.

Subtitles?

It really depends for me. If I'm going to be watching it with my full attention, I usually prefer subtitles; if I want to have it on in the background while I'm soing something, I tend to like it dubbed (although there are exceptions to each scenario). This is mainly why I haven't watched Tatami Galaxy in a while: it moves too quickly for me to follow if I'm doing something else at the same time.
In terms of quality, though, I'm going to go with the original nine times out of ten. I want to experience the show as it was originally intended.

 

[Sailor Tay]

Re: English vs. Japanese

English, as it's the language I speak.

 

[Yamato-san]

Re: English vs. Japanese

Japanese. I enjoy watching it in its original language, plus over the years, I've come to love the language in itself. By this point in time, I'm finding it harder to picture anime in any language outside of its native one.

 

[wildweathel]

Re: English vs. Japanese

Japanese is a very direct (unless you're being super polite), socially aware, and concise language. English is easily inane, sarcastic, and verbose--at least by comparison. Let me give you an example, from the very beginning of Digimon Tamers ep09.

You can find the original with official subs on Hulu and probably find the dub online somewhere *wink*.

Original / quick and dirty translation

<no music, sound effects: traffic noise, sirens, etc>
Takato:
boku ga kangaeta dejimon na no ni / Even though he's the Digimon I invented,
yatto shinka dekita no ni / even though he finally evolved [like I wanted],
kowai / I'm scared

Guraumon:
Ta-ka-to
<cue music: "heavy" piano version of "Biggest Dreamer">

Takato:
Guraumon...
gomen ne / forgive me, okay?
kowagattari shite / for being such a coward and so on

Guraumon:
tatakau graumon sonna ni kowakatta? / was the fighting me so scary?

Takato:
un / yeah
<music ends, more quiet>

Guraumon:
guraumon, takato ni mata kowagararen no ga iya da kara / I'd hate to frighten you again, so
girumon ni modoritai / I want to go back to being Girumon

Takato:
sou da ne, / yeah, that's right
sore ni kono karada ja / besides, with this body
girumon hoomu ni mo haireru ka dou ka / whether or not you can get into your "home"...

Dub:

<EPIC SCARY MUSIC>
Takato:
I know I wanted him to digivolve, but now he's so scary. I probably look like an appetizer to him. Why didn't I draw him smaller?
<Growlmon, uh, growls.>
I'm just a big jalapeño popper with legs! At least maybe I'll give him indigestion.

Growlmon:
Don't--be--afraid.

Takato:
uh, uh, eh, (etc.)
I'm so sorry. I'm not afraid of you.

Growlmon:
Was I really that scary? I mean, when I was fighting.
(flashback: grah! dragon slash!)

Takato (to himself):
Only if you find huge, scary things scary.

Growlmon:
Takatomon, I want to go back to Guilmon so you don't have to be afraid of me anymore, 'kay?

Takato:
That's a good idea. Let's go back to the park, relax, and figure out what to do. It shouldn't be that hard. Right?

Note that for the 20% where it's actually translating, the dub does a decent job. The rest is just moronic filler and unnecessary jokes. The entire series is like this.

This is considered a good dub, by the way.

I think a good translation, sub or dub, should first be "functionally" equivalent: words do things, and they should do as much as possible the same in translation as the original. That accomplished, the translator should preserve the imagery evoked by the dialog, and even the rhythm and feel--this is much harder.

Takato's first three lines don't sound natural in my translation above. That's because we don't directly say "I'm scared" in English and "even though" or "despite" is too formal for the situation.

Maybe something like this works:

He's the Digimon I made up,
I wanted him to evolve, but
now I wanna scream.

Ta-ka-to

Glaumon,
I'm sorry,
I was such a coward.

Am I really so scary when I fight?

Yeah.

I don't wanna to scare you again.
I just wanna be Gilmon.

Sounds good.
Besides, in this shape,
you might not fit in your house.

Certainly not as literal, but I hope it's better.

And, here's the official sub on Hulu:

<first line missing>
And it was finally able to digivolve to Growlmon
I'm scared.

Ta- Ka- To.

Growmon,
I'm sorry that I was scared.

Was the fighting Growmon that scary?

Yeah.

Growmon doesn't want to scare Takato again, so I want to return to being Guilmon.

You're right. On top of that, I don't know if you'd fit in "Guilmon Home" like this.

I hope you can see that it's all about trade-offs. Heck, even I like "Guilmon Home" in the official subs. My own take on the whole thing:
Literal is bad. Making stuff up is worse. There is a golden mean.
Dubs give the translator dangerous freedom to make stuff up.
Sub are horribly distracting. Ideally, just learn Japanese.
If not, you have to decide which is the lesser evil.
And support good translation.