Dubs - actually bad, or just unfairly biased against?

lenu · Post by **lenu** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:31 pm

Yes, some people are unfairly biased against dubs. Exactly why is hard to say; it could be because they heard the original first and then use that as the standard; or it could also be because that there are some horrible dubs out there. But English dubbing has make huge improvements over the past few years, and the dubs of today are some high quality stuff.

But if people hate dubs then let 'em; let them continue to hold their bias, while I enjoy anime in my own native tongue, without having to read lines going across the screen.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:40 pm

I'm a linguist.

My thought?
I don't like dubs. That's just a preference. Lecturing me over language differences is pointless. All in all, I simply prefer Japanese acting over English acting.

Is that a bias? Yes. Is it an unfair bias.

No-o. no.

lilgumba · Post by **lilgumba** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:28 pm

Your points were very valid. I agree that it is a shame that some people don't even give a dub a chance because of some of those reasons. There are good dubs out there like Big O and ROD tv. However, I think sound preference has some play in it as well. I personally will watch either one but if there is one annoying sounding character I will switch to the other language with the quickness. Love Hina...the southern accent...it had to go. Abenobashi however, I enjoyed the accents. Then there are times where the original japanese voices are a bit much for me so I switch to the english track. Sometimes the flow of the language itself can get me to watch one over the other. You hear something like Kyo growling at Yuki from Fruits Basket in japanese and you hear this awesome rhythm that you can't really find in english. However, that can never replace the way english Kyo says something like "you crazy bitch." It's all preferences in the long run. I think one who is open with dubs and subs can enjoy the best of both worlds but that can't be expected from all fans. Sorry for the lack of thought here. I wanted to post something on the subject before I did my homework.

SarahtheBoring · Post by **SarahtheBoring** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:27 pm

That was one of the most thorough dissections of that I've seen; thanks. (though a few more paragraph breaks would be nice. heh.)

It varies. Some complaints strike me as valid (it's a "remake"; there are bad dubs; there aren't *as* many good actors over here) and some strike me as stupid (English is ugly, you can't express anything in it that you can express in Japanese). And of course, attitude plays a part: "I don't like them, and I don't watch them" is reasonable; "I refuse to support releases of anime here because they dub them" is not. (Yes, I've seen people say literally that, refusing to buy official DVDs because English is contained somewhere on them and they might "accidentally" hear it. No exaggeration.)

Another factor that comes to mind is history - dubs were once bad more often than they are now. Oh, don't get me wrong, bad dubs are still being made. But good ones are being made more frequently than they used to. Since many fans' brains are still stuck in 1992, when they were, you know, four years old and watching SM on TV or whatever - they still think of ALL English dialogue as exactly the same as that.

Or they, not knowing any better at four, loved that show, then got on the internet a few years later and got made fun of for liking the dub. There's no hater like a convert.

So there are as many reasons as there are viewers. Sometimes it is valid - some dubs do suck. Some. And sometimes, sorry to say, some of the actors suck in a particular production and some don't. But saying that ALL of anything is ALWAYS one way ALWAYS ALWAYS is a bit silly. This is a large subset of film/television; that's an awfully large brush.

And you know what? Bottom line, nobody has a valid reason to bitch about dubs being bad, because unlike the "old days" when anime was sometimes only sold on dubbed VHS, we have shiny dual-language DVDs. Upset about a bad dub? Put on the fucking subtitles and shut up. Problem solved. End of discussion.

I will freely admit my blazing dislike for some dubs (Gravitation TV, for instance; it makes me want to punch Hiro in the face, and I love Hiro), but that's. what. the. subtitle. option. is. for.

But this yipyap will never, ever, ever end, because anime fans are not very original and loooooooooooooove to rehash the same damn argument every two months for years on end. Can we, Anime World, talk about anything else? Ever? Please? I'm not blaming you, EmilLang, it's just that this... is... old. and people never, ever shut up about it.

me included. the end.

SarahtheBoring · Post by **SarahtheBoring** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:30 pm

"and o to" should be "and love to." Was spelled with many "o"s. I forgot about the automatic scrunching of repeated letters. Sorry.

SpringBoy · Post by **SpringBoy** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 8:51 am

I don't like or dislike dubs in general. I will usually take both as they are and for their own merits in each show.

For example, I'm a big fan of Full Metal Panic and watched all the Fumoffu's in Japanese with English fansubs. Now that the English dubs are available on the DVDs I find that I don't like Chidori's voice in English. I don't know why. And yet, at the same time there's a few characters that just sound so much better in English!

Then there's simply the matter of what I'm used to with a particular show. FMP above I first saw in English and now in Japanese so I guess I can more easily switch between the two. I've only ever seen Orphen in English so when I heard the Japanese it sounded weird. Now I'm currently addicted to Bleach so it'll be interesting to hear that in English.

Dylan's forcelance · Post by **Dylan's forcelance** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 10:47 am

Oooh! This is turning into a good healthy debate! I love threads like this! I have heard everyone out thus far. I heard alot of vvalad points that were contrary to my opinion, and I must say that I am still in the middle. I will aleways like some dubs, and I will always like the original japanese versions, and I will always get slightly annoyed at people who are TOO FREAKIN BIAS! *ahem* Bias isn't always a bad thing. If you know something is wrong, then why shouldn't you be bias? But then there is going too far. This opinion has already been expressed in this thread, so I will not go on about it again.

I agree with what {lenu} said, there is nothing wrong with wanting to watch anime in your own tongue. In alot of cases, it is hard to keep up with the subtitles too. Japanese is a fast awsome language, therefor, the subtitles are fast as well. Anime is fast paced alot of time, and the emotions tend to fly high, so it can be hard to grasp the weight of the situation in the show, and keep up with what is being said. Not everyone can read fast. Not everyone can focus on alot of things at once. From what I can tell, dubs are a good solution to those dilemas.

OmniStrata · Post by **OmniStrata** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:00 am

survey says, "And all anime should be viewed in its original language..."

Omni says, "Then you must hate Tenchi Muyo in Love"...

survey asks, "Wha? I love that movie!"

Omni says, "Exactly..."

beedee · Post by **beedee** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:04 am

I have no preference over the language and I don't mind reading subtitles so I generally listen to the track that sounds like it fits best with the anime. Shows like Hellsing, where its set in Britain, I prefer the English dub because they actually got voice actors with authentic sounding British accents and in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tiffany Grant who does Asuka's voice speaks German well and she makes the whole thing sound more authentic by adding in German lines to Asuka's part every so often.

As for Japanese dubs I like. I prefer the Japanese dub of Fullmetal Alchemist, not for any particular reason. I just like the way the characters sound, better than in the English dub.

Dylan's forcelance · Post by **Dylan's forcelance** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 2:20 pm

OmniStrata wrote:survey says, "And all anime should be viewed in its original language..."

Omni says, "Then you must hate Tenchi Muyo in Love"...

survey asks, "Wha? I love that movie!"

Omni says, "Exactly..."

Please explain. I own the japanese sub version. I love it. I love the dub too, but I am confused.