Anime= Eng Dub vs Eng Sub

[obsidian1200]

The other downside is a mistranslation or jokes that get missed/do not make sense due to different cultures. If you watch the Japanese subs, it usually has a "Translator's note" explaining the joke or reference. Then, once you become familiar with them, you don't need that anymore and it is like an inside joke for you. I like that.

The only time such things truly make it over to dubs is when it is story relevant and even then, it does not always make it in the poorer quality dubs.

Yeah, but really, do subs really correct that issue? I'd say no, especially if it requires a translator's note to explain why it's funny. Slice of life shows like Azumanga Daioh and Lucky Star are fantastic examples of this, where cultural references can still fall quite flat outside of it's original audience.

 

A good localization team would find a way to convey the humor in a joke, even if it meant changing things around a bit to suit the destination language (Princess Tutu did this a couple of times, just as an example). I agree poorer dubs fall flat on this, but they also use straight translations, or "international dubs," whereas a higher quality dub would take the context of the Japanese script and shape it into a way that the new audience (be it American, British, Portuguese, etc) would still have a similar experience in their native language. The fact that we can criticize a voice actor's performance is something that depends on our ability to judge vocal tones and other nuances, which vary from language to language, and deem them as being an accurate portrayal of a specific emotion. That's a big part as to why I don't believe that subs have the same power as dubs, regardless of whether the dub is good or not.

 

I can actually name a few general pieces, not anime specifically, where the dub, in many ways, surpasses the quality of the original. These pieces, again, combine benign and other edits, in addition to great localization and a decent cast of voice actors. Anime dubs, from the select shows/movies I've watched, usually match the original in terms of quality, but never surpass it because studios won't go through the trouble of doing those extra edits.

 

And this is also coming from someone who can watch a Japanese show/movie and follow along without subtitles for everything except text. Even then, context usually explains what's written.

[MeltyMoon]

95% of the time I can't stand English dubs in anime. However 1 or two series come to mind when I think about acceptable English dubs;

 

Kaze no Stigma (Watched it first in English, tried it in Japanese later on and didn't like it)

Angel Beats (Watched it in both, I still prefer Japanese but this isn't too bad)

Dragon Ball Z (I Haven't watched any of this in ages, but If i recall correctly the English Dub of this was pretty badass)

Black Lagoon (Watched in both, English is pretty much on par with it's Japanese counterpart)

 

They're rare, but they do exist @LAwLz ^

 

Oh and woot! Another anime related thread ;)

 

[Vitalius]

Yeah, but really, do subs really correct that issue? I'd say no, especially if it requires a translator's note to explain why it's funny. Slice of life shows like Azumanga Daioh and Lucky Star are fantastic examples of this, where cultural references can still fall quite flat outside of it's original audience.

 

A good localization team would find a way to convey the humor in a joke, even if it meant changing things around a bit to suit the destination language (Princess Tutu did this a couple of times, just as an example). I agree poorer dubs fall flat on this, but they also use straight translations, or "international dubs," whereas a higher quality dub would take the context of the Japanese script and shape it into a way that the new audience (be it American, British, Portuguese, etc) would still have a similar experience in their native language. The fact that we can criticize a voice actor's performance is something that depends on our ability to judge vocal tones and other nuances, which vary from language to language, and deem them as being an accurate portrayal of a specific emotion. That's a big part as to why I don't believe that subs have the same power as dubs, regardless of whether the dub is good or not.

 

I can actually name a few general pieces, not anime specifically, where the dub, in many ways, surpasses the quality of the original. These pieces, again, combine benign and other edits, in addition to great localization and a decent cast of voice actors. Anime dubs, from the select shows/movies I've watched, usually match the original in terms of quality, but never surpass it because studios won't go through the trouble of doing those extra edits.

 

And this is also coming from someone who can watch a Japanese show/movie and follow along without subtitles for everything except text. Even then, context usually explains what's written.

Well, I suppose I simply disagree with you. I do not know Japanese enough to follow along without text, but I have watched enough anime to keep up and understand any cultural things using subtitles, the sound of voices, and context. 

Maybe I am too far gone with reading subtitles to understand/appreciate what you are talking about, but for me, dubs are never better. And I have watched quite a lot of anime (among other things). Maybe it is personal preference. Oh well.

[Canoas]

Subs, without a doubt. All the dubs I've seen/heard either had bad actors, wrong pronounciation, the voice styles did not fir the character or did not match with the original, or any other problem. With subs I get the voices the authors intended.

[brownninja97]

ACtually pronounciation isnt always correct in japanese. Eg i was watching fairy tail a few hours ago(ep177? PLS) and they say aries as aiirreeuuuss and thy say fast instead of faust. Best one is natsu saying Laxus, he is like Laxasooooo

[obsidian1200]

Well, I suppose I simply disagree with you. I do not know Japanese enough to follow along without text, but I have watched enough anime to keep up and understand any cultural things using subtitles, the sound of voices, and context. 

Maybe I am too far gone with reading subtitles to understand/appreciate what you are talking about, but for me, dubs are never better. And I have watched quite a lot of anime (among other things). Maybe it is personal preference. Oh well.

Yeah, fair enough. I really don't feel like polluting this thread with one of my research papers from film studies, so I'm just going to leave my thoughts on the subject as is

 

I agree with you on personal preference here, as that has a lot to do with which is "superior" in an individual's eyes/ears. Plenty of my friends hate the high-pitched voices of Japanese VAs because they sound so young that it's hard to take them seriously in more mature roles (though this isn't true in all cases). I'm rather neutral on the subject, but because so many people put down dubs out of pure personal preference and a non-technical standpoint, I usually defend them as sort of a devil's advocate

 

If you want to try to understand what I mean, then I highly suggest watching Ghidrah, The Three-Headed Monster in it's original Japanese version, the American version, then, if you can find it, the re-released version that came out in Japan several years later. It's a nice illustration of how well a dub can come out if the appropriate edits are made, as well as how a dubbed version can be superior to the original.

[Aphexx]

RAW is bestest

 

 

and subs only belong on honey boo boo and swamp people. 

[Ssoele]

Subs of course, otherwise you can't hear the Japanese puns.

 

Also, most of the shows I watch will never be dubbed anyway.

[Vitalius]

Also, most of the shows I watch will never be dubbed anyway.

Ah, the life of a hipster Otaku. I understand your pain.

This is another reason.

[LAwLz]

95% of the time I can't stand English dubs in anime. However 1 or two series come to mind when I think about acceptable English dubs;

 

Kaze no Stigma (Watched it first in English, tried it in Japanese later on and didn't like it)

Angel Beats (Watched it in both, I still prefer Japanese but this isn't too bad)

Dragon Ball Z (I Haven't watched any of this in ages, but If i recall correctly the English Dub of this was pretty badass)

Black Lagoon (Watched in both, English is pretty much on par with it's Japanese counterpart)

 

They're rare, but they do exist @LAwLz ^

OK let me rephrase it. I have only seen 1 anime with a decent dub and that's The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and that's only because of Kyon. Haruhi is bad, Mikuru is bad and Koizumi is decent. There is something about female VAs doing anime voices which just doesn't work for me. 99% of the time, dubs butchers my beloved anime like they did with

. All emotions disappears and the voices usually doesn't fit the characters. Just compare the

Mayuri from Steins;Gate to the

one.

 

Dubbed Haruhi:

 

Love that opening scene when Kyon has a monolog with himself.

[brownninja97]

OK let me rephrase it. I have only seen 1 anime with a decent dub and that's The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and that's only because of Kyon. Haruhi is bad, Mikuru is bad and Koizumi is decent. There is something about female VAs doing anime voices which just doesn't work for me. 99% of the time, dubs butchers my beloved anime like they did with

. All emotions disappears and the voices usually doesn't fit the characters. Just compare the

Mayuri from Steins;Gate to the

one.

 

Dubbed Haruhi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbA

 

Love that opening scene when Kyon has a monolog with himself.

O god dont ever bring up that madoka bs. God that was some persons weed fantasies more then an anime. The ending was pathetic.

[helping]

Dubbed Haruhi:

 

Sweet jesus I've never even considered watching any dubs aside from Yu yu hakusho and DBZ, but Kyon was indeed done well.

 

However, I was forced to hit pause when Haruhi started talking.

[helping]

Niku - Meat

[Jaybird]

I got ADHD so sub doesnt work so well with me. I get distracted and have to rewind to read what i missed.  :D

[Vitalius]

 

Niku - Meat

 

 

Ya know, I know that is right. But I do not know why I misremembered it. I think I am going into Anime withdrawals. Time for some Hunter X Hunter.

 

[catbutts]

[Vitalius]

I cannot like this post enough.

[Stephie_Girl]

Mebbe b/c I am like totally a fan girl of DBZ and YYH, I HATE the Japanese voices!!

[JupiteL]

Dub sometimes. Only if I want to watch it from my bed, which is pretty far I can't read the text with sub

[criso8]

I like subs. The worst thing is if your watching something dubbed and you understand both languages. Absolutely insane :wacko:

[Langdon]

I'd rather have subs. I can read subs pretty fast and personally I think the voice acting is more accurate in the original language. English dubs end up sounding really weird to me.

[x-Mez]

Subs since I don't like waiting for a dubbed release, and I don't have any problem with watching subbed.