Sub or Dub?

[Scorne]

Do you prefer to watch a foreign show (Anime mostly, movies, etc.) with subs or dubs?

I for one prefer subs, American voice actors are terrible compared to the Japanese.

[jikin]

Subs. Not only are the Japanese voice actors better, but a lot can be lost in the simple translations they give in dubbing.

[replicant]

I prefer subs. The Miyazaki Disney dubs are quality. I don't mind them. I love listening to Patrick Stewart's voice so I am all about listening to Nausicaa dubbed.

[Lights]

Subs.

I've noticed dubs can completely change the meaning of the story.

[Scorne]

I prefer subs. The Miyazaki Disney dubs are quality. I don't mind them. I love listening to Patrick Stewart's voice so I am all about listening to Nausicaa dubbed.

Yes, Miyazaki's films are well dubbed, still.. I prefer the Nausicaa books than the film.

[Antisocialite]

Do you prefer to watch a foreign show (Anime mostly, movies, etc.) with subs or dubs?

I for one prefer subs, American voice actors are terrible compared to the Japanese.

It depends. Sometimes the subs are too distracting for the imagery of the movie. Jet Li's Hero is a good example of this. The movie is just too beautiful to have to keep your focus on the words at the bottom of the screen. On the other hand, dubs can be so ridiculous sounding that it takes you out of the movie so I'd resort to using subs.

[NX375]

It depends. I generally prefer subs but there a few anime that I just can't watch if they are not dubbed.

[Ytterbium]

Some countries are notorious to dub everything shown on screen. I hate it, I prefer subtitles and I think dubbing is just an act of disrespect towards other languages and their culture.

[Linwenilid]

Subs. I like to hear the actor's intention when they portray their characters, and it has the added bonus that it familiarises you with the language, so it's easier for you to learn it, if you were interested in it.

[Danisty]

It depends on how bad the dub is. Generally I prefer to watch dubs because subs can sometimes be hard to read. I mean literally, like the text isn't contrasted enough with the background and it's hard to make out what it says. If the dub is really bad though, I watch the subs. I'm sure my opinion of bad is probably not what you guys think though. In fact, with anime, I often can't stand the Japanese voice actors and I have a ton of favorite English voice actors.

[rewhu]

Definitely sub over dub. The only dubbed work I can handle is the Cowboy Bebop series. That is, in fact, my favorite anime. I've watched a few subbed episodes and couldn't stomach it.

Re: movies. Subbed again. Some how it's harder for me to follow a story if it's dubbed as opposed to reading subtitles.

[rwyatt365]

Dubs first, because (regrettably) I don't understand Japanese (assuming anime, naturally). But then, when I know the storyline, I will do subs and then, eventually nothing at all (aka - "going native").

[le Duc]

Subs, definitely. Particularly in live movies, as I hate watching lips move out of sync with what I'm hearing.

[Undead Bonzi]

The only time subs are worse than dubs is when there is an argument or more than one person talking at the same time. I can read two different lines for a bit, but if the conversation goes on too long I lose track of who is saying what. Subs also become a problem in really fast action sequences where you have to chose between reading and watching what is going down.

[Tabemashoo]

I like subs more for the nuances, so more for shows I really like. Unless one of my favorite voice actors are in it, of course. Then I listen to both. XD

Although, for shows I don't care about as much, the dubs are fine.

[Jakalwarrior]

Luckily I am usually watching stuff on my 22 inch computer monitor so my eyes are able to take in the action and the words at the same time.

Subs take some positioning and the right kind of screen to enjoy the movie.

I can't stand subs from across the room on a CRT telivision. They are very hard to read.
An LCD screen helps but you need to be the right distance so that you can take in the text with the picture. Too close (and or to big) and you have to look at one or the other . Too far and you are once again stuck with focusing like heck just to make the text out.

[Danisty]

Definitely sub over dub. The only dubbed work I can handle is the Cowboy Bebop series. That is, in fact, my favorite anime. I've watched a few subbed episodes and couldn't stomach it.

Re: movies. Subbed again. Some how it's harder for me to follow a story if it's dubbed as opposed to reading subtitles.Bebop has one of the best dubs of all time. I can't even really get into the show with the Japanese voices.

[Ytterbium]

Like I wrote before some countries are notorious dubbers. Pretty much all larger European countries.

Spider man 3 French dub (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)
Spider man 3 German dub (To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.)
Spider man 3 Hungarian sub
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What do you think about these? I personally shun dubbed movies, I'm used to subs and cringe when I go abroad where they dub everything.
Also think about the newscast where they do terrible voice-overs on people they interview. :sick:

[MrEPenguin]

Subs

[kubrickfan]

Do you prefer to watch a foreign show (Anime mostly, movies, etc.) with subs or dubs?

I for one prefer subs, American voice actors are terrible compared to the Japanese.

Yes they are, I remember as a kid enjoying them. As I developed I detected that they were not always in sync or not making a right voice for the intended scene. This was also based off the idea that I could input better dialouge. The japanese ones normally do fit much better. But there are some really decent voice actors out there.

[Thunderstrat13]

Subs. I like to hear the actor's intention when they portray their characters, and it has the added bonus that it familiarises you with the language, so it's easier for you to learn it, if you were interested in it.

Dubs take away too much inflection and feel.You're also right about helping familiarize different languages.

[Seppuku Savant]

Dubs take away too much inflection and feel.

Agreed. I think it's butchered by being dubbed, but I'm Japanese and speak it. Though, I tip my hat off to Fullmetal Alchemist's dub.

[rewhu]

Bebop has one of the best dubs of all time. I can't even really get into the show with the Japanese voices.


Agreed. The actors who were chosen to dub for Bebop did a near perfect job. The voice of Spike was down particularly well.

I have never taken the time to research but I'm quite sure that at least three of the actors have done voices for other dubbed anime.

[Arcani]

I like subs myself. In most cases I find the Japanese voice actors better than American. There are some cases where that's not true as was mentioned (Bebop and FMA, Gungrave wasn't too horrible either) but even in those cases I feel like the dubbing takes away certain elements.

Even if you don't speak the language; if you have a little knowledge of it there are some subtle nuances that are almost never properly translated in a dub. Those nuances have to be heard in the native language to have the full and proper effect and if you don't speak the language that means watching a sub.

[Mozzes]

I actually prefer dubs in anime if it's done well. Cowboy Bebop and FLCL were well dubbed, I think. Most aren't and most anime I've watched were fan subs that haven't been licensed yet in America so it's a moot point anyways.

For all live action movies I'd go with subs. I can't explain why it's so distracting and annoying when the dialogue doesn't sync to the actor's lips yet it is and I can't stand it.

[zibber]

Watching Shaw Brothers (ie Chang Cheh) kung fu flicks is half the fun without an English dub track. I mean.. come on.

[Danisty]

Agreed. The actors who were chosen to dub for Bebop did a near perfect job. The voice of Spike was down particularly well.

I have never taken the time to research but I'm quite sure that at least three of the actors have done voices for other dubbed anime.Oh the actors who voiced Faye, Spike, and Jet have been in a lot of anime.

I like subs myself. In most cases I find the Japanese voice actors better than American. There are some cases where that's not true as was mentioned (Bebop and FMA, Gungrave wasn't too horrible either) but even in those cases I feel like the dubbing takes away certain elements.

Even if you don't speak the language; if you have a little knowledge of it there are some subtle nuances that are almost never properly translated in a dub. Those nuances have to be heard in the native language to have the full and proper effect and if you don't speak the language that means watching a sub.On the other hand though, I think if you don't understand the language, the subtle nuances not only fail to make sense sometimes, but can actually sound completely wrong. There are scenes in Cowboy Bebop where Jet seems like he's shouting when I know from watching the show over and over again that he's not angry even though the Japanese actor sounds like he's going to rip Spike's head off and eat it for lunch.

[ScurvyRose]

The original Iron Chef show had the judges dubbed. It was funny as all hell!!

[abaeran]

Subs!

(hehe - this is my first post - but I felt sufficient need to pipe up and contribute)

-for the most part anyways. I enjoy learning (or, attempting to learn) a different language. I'm always delighted when I note a discrepancy between the subs and the actual words... ;p And dubs usually are awkward and fairly annoying (in regards to anime) with the squeaky high-pitched female voice. I can at least handle that in a foreign language, not ours.

Ah, but I do have to agree that Miyazaki's films dubbed are top-notch.

[NephilimAzrael]

Optional subs. I adore all languages, so it always pleases me to watch the film while switching between the subs being on and off.
I dont like dubbed films, but if I was drunk I would definitely prefer them. :cheesy:

[Shadow]

Depends on what anime I'm watching, I take it on a show by show basis. In general I'll watch it with subs first and then switch to the dubs if I need to. The annoying bit when switching is that everybody sounds the same! The dubs work well if I want the show on in the background and are usually done well in shows that only run one or two seasons.

[curiousjane]

subs for live action

[weirdel]

Subs. I watch most anime before it comes to the U.S., just because the ones that don't make it over here without some SERIOUS censoring seem like better quality series'..
Like One Piece, they totally butchered that just to show it to children out here.
Some of their best "villains" will never be shown, because it automatically got the "5+" rating.. Ugh.





weirdel added to this post, 2 minutes and 11 seconds later...

Subs!

(hehe - this is my first post - but I felt sufficient need to pipe up and contribute)

Ah, but I do have to agree that Miyazaki's films dubbed are top-notch.

Welcome! :D And yes, Miyazaki's dubbs are pretty good.

[vanidence]

Hm, it depends a Bit. I came to find out that italian Dubs are very VERY good, either on Anime or Movies (mostly Anime though). Japanese Dubs are very good anyways, they just put a lot of Heart and Soul into it.
English Dubs CAN be good. I am not too fond of Mumbling tho. And many Dubs unfortunately DO sound like that. ><
Spanish is kinda okay, french too and german can be. It really depends on the Dubbers. Some are good, some aren't. But in General I'd say italian and japanese.

Subs are kinda annoying. Because I really like to look at the Pictures closely. I like to find all the Details and a Sub just distracts me too much from that. =/

[aok]

Dubs.

I'm not really a fan of reading movies, nor do I like missing details of what's occuring on the rest of the screen by focusing on the bottom of it so I can read the dialogue.

[ame]

Dubs.

I'm not really a fan of reading movies, nor do I like missing details of what's occuring on the rest of the screen by focusing on the bottom of it so I can read the dialogue.
That's me as well.
I avoid watching movies where I have to miss half the movie reading dialogue.
Prefer dubs.

[Pyrochan]

I don't watch much in the way of foreign film though I do admit, live action is subs all the way, non synced lips really annoy me.

But where cartoons are concerned if the company has taken the time and the effort to dub right it can be very good to watch it in your own language (I adore the Disney Dubs for instance, they go out of their way to find the right voice actors for every role so that children all over the world can watch the movie in the best quality for their language)

I was very impressed with the Dubs in "Persopholis" which is a French animation. (I highly recomend it to anyone who loves grown up animation.) I first saw it in French with Subs, then later on when I got the DVD it has both Dubs and Subs, and the Art Director (who's also the writer since it's autobiographical) went far out of her way to find the voice actors to best portray the people in her life, both the French and the English ones so it works very well and I couldn't say which one is better because both were intended by the Director.

[rahdam]

subs, the original voices are usually better.

[MacGuffin]

Subtitles.

I prefer the original soundtrack.

[Kisai]

Subs. In Japanese, the level of politeness that you speak to someone is inherent in the language. Even though I don't completely understand Japanese (yet), you miss a lot of the nuances between characters by watching it in English.