Dubbed or Subbed?

[Cadence]

I completely despise dubbed anything to be honest. Not only because things get lost in translation but because I think it feels and looks really stupid. I can however tolerate dubbed cartoons to some extent, since it's not as obvious to the eye.

I definitely prefer subtitles but unfortunately subtitles are also very often incorrect and I believe they should be checked more closely before used in movies and TV. Like you mentioned it is a good way to learn a new language, even if it's not always subtitled correctly. Watching movies in english when growing up was a big help for me when learning the english language and I think it's genreally a big contributor to most swedes being good at english. And in the same way perhaps a contributing reason to why people in countries like germany (who dubb basically everything) are genreally not quite as good at english.

[Litnax]

Definitely subbed. Dubbed animes (or any foreign movies, dramas, shows in general) always sound awkward and does nothing to the brain to learn foreign languages. I remember when the local network show my favorite Fullmetal Alchemist episodes on TV and dubbed it, it literally took the fun out of it.

But dubbing is useful for kids who yet to learn to read subtitles.  :angel:

[gegegeno]

In a general artistic sense, I'm totally on the fence for this one. I study translation, so I have a slightly different perspective on the pros and cons of each method and the whens and whys of using each.

If you're learning Japanese though, 100% go for subs. You're not going to learn any Japanese by watching a movie or TV show in English! As your Japanese improves (hopefully not only through watching anime), I highly recommend dropping the subs or trying Japanese subs so you don't get distracted or rely on the English subs to get the meaning.

As an aside, if something has official subs, grab those. Fan subs are occasionally good but usually range from average to bad, and I'm saying that as a student of Japanese-English translation.

[29525500]

I like dubbed when it is done well but there are extremely few examples of this. The only ones I can think off the top of my head are Cowboy Bebop, Mushi Shi, Ergo Proxy, and Ghost In The Shell. In any production that does not match that quality I prefer subbed unless it is just something I am listening to in the background than it does not really matter.

[Emmanuel]

Subbed without a doubt, with the exception of the Studio Ghibli films. I find they do a really good job of finding the right voice actors and quite enjoy their dubs. Otherwise, I prefer subtitles. To each their own, I guess.

[mccanono]

I think most people prefer watching subbed films than dubbed ones. I myself like watching Japanese films, dramas, and anime while reading the subtitles. It just sounds weird whenever I hear a dubbed version of a Japanese movie (with the exception of Pokemon, because I prefer the dubbed version).

And there are even some occasions that I no longer read the subtitles because I kind of understand what the characters are talking about already. But when I do read the subtitles, it is only to confirm if I understood them correctly.

So again, I prefer the subbed ones.

[Esperahol]

I don't have much of a preference really - if the movie has subtitles available then I may watch it that way first, but I like the dubs. In fact when it comes to anime I will only generally use dubs because the Japanese version tends to irk me. Girls tend to come off as whiny, guys are narmtastic, and if the show is about kids the voices are always... weird. I mean I thought Gaara was 12 not 36, and someone needs to kill Sakura because that voice... yeesh. That said when learning the language subs are better, but if you just want to enjoy it then dubs are great.

[Pink Glitter]

I really enjoy watching foreign films. I can't stand viewing the ones with dubbed voices , there is something that seem unnatural about voice that don't match actor. Hearing the film with the sounds and voice in the original from is so much better. I feel like I am learning and getting a piece of foreign culture when I see the movie the way it was intended to be viewed.

[Nyandroid]

I prefer subbed.  Not only does it help me practice by giving direct translations of what is being said, but it also puts the words into context (like many of you have said already).  My major gripe with dubbed anime is I don't get the same emotions out of it as I would have reading the subtitles.  Also it doesn't distract me from the video either.  Also when watching live action movies in other languages I found it very annoying when the dubbed words don't match up with the person's lips.  This can be very distracting for me.

[Gelsemium]

I prefer subtitles anytime, I can't stand any show where I can't listen to the original voices, it's sounds totally strange to me and I prefer not to watch it to be honest.

[Litnax]

I prefer subtitles anytime, I can't stand any show where I can't listen to the original voices, it's sounds totally strange to me and I prefer not to watch it to be honest.

I second this.

Dubbed just doesn't sound good at all. It's weird for me to see the mouth not in sync with the voice.  :bored:

[Gelsemium]

Totally. I don't know who has the power to make these choices, I don't know if it's a country thing like in Spain, but I think that it doesn't contribute to the development of the language.

[skywatcher]

For me, it can go either way. I have this tendency to find for dual-audio versions of anime I watch, and then watch it all the way in subbed version - and then rewatch it while listening to the dubbed version. And then afterwards, I watch it while alternating the dubbed and subbed versions, and listening/comparing the language the translators used and the one the dubbers used.

It's a fun experience for me, since I get to see and check and compare not only the words they used, but I also get to imagine Japanese voice actors speaking the English subs in their voices, haha!

[Lasonax]

I never watch dubbed, for the same reason that I prefer reading english novels in english, I prefer hearing the original language.

Since I just started learning japanese a few months ago, I'm not even close to being able to watch anime without subtitles however. That being said, I would probably be able to understand a bit from some anime without the subtitles, but I wouldn't want to risk losing some of the content just because I wasn't usign subtitles. In a few years, maybe I can watch some anime without subs, but definately not now. So I'll have to go with subbed.

As far as learning goes, I don't think watching anime contributes THAT much to your learning unless you're actively learning on the side. I mean, it's probably possible to learn japanese just by watching anime, but I wouldn't count on it... Neither would I consider watching anime as a "study period" or something like that. I love anime and all, and I'm certain it will help me pick up some language skills aswell, but it's not something I think will make a very huge differance in my learning.

[whnuien]

I really dislike watching a dubbed version of any movie, I prefer watching them with subtitle and listen to the original voice of the character. The feeling can be a little different when you know very well that the movie you're watching is dubbed but I'm sure it's fine for some people especially those who dislike having a subtitle on.

[AExAVF]

It depends on the show being telecast.  When it comes to anime, I can choose between dubs and subs.  Depending on the anime show, I would like it dubbed for purposes of hearing the English voices out of curiosity.  Sometimes their translation from Japanese to English is not entirely accurate, but as I said, I just want to hear the said voices.  However, when it comes to movies and live-action shows, I will always choose the subs.  While listening to subs, I am able to learn some of the basic Japanese phrases and swear words.  The subs will also help me understand the flow of the story, and once I already get used to it, I can do away with the subs.

[TimT90]

I typically prefer the subbed versions, due to the fact the Japanese voice actors are superior in that aspect. One of my exceptions is DBZ though. Maybe because I heard the English dub first then saw the sub, & was not feeling it at all.

A problem that I do have with the subs, is I tend to tune out whats being in said in Japanese, because I'm focusing on reading the English subs. So when wanting to hear whats being said without being distracted by the subs I watch the raws.

[Baburra]

I really enjoy watching foreign films. I can't stand viewing the ones with dubbed voices , there is something that seem unnatural about voice that don't match actor. Hearing the film with the sounds and voice in the original from is so much better. I feel like I am learning and getting a piece of foreign culture when I see the movie the way it was intended to be viewed.

I feel the same way and am often bothered by dubbing as well. If it's done well, I might let it pass, but it's not often the case and hearing the voice actors just usually takes me out of the movie, but it's not that bothersome to me that I'd give it up especially if there's nothing else to watch and the movie is good anyway.

[Trellum]

I completely despise dubbed anything to be honest. Not only because things get lost in translation but because I think it feels and looks really stupid. I can however tolerate dubbed cartoons to some extent, since it's not as obvious to the eye.

I definitely prefer subtitles but unfortunately subtitles are also very often incorrect and I believe they should be checked more closely before used in movies and TV. Like you mentioned it is a good way to learn a new language, even if it's not always subtitled correctly. Watching movies in english when growing up was a big help for me when learning the english language and I think it's genreally a big contributor to most swedes being good at english. And in the same way perhaps a contributing reason to why people in countries like germany (who dubb basically everything) are genreally not quite as good at english.

Same here, Cadence!  I hate dubbing so much, sadly over here it's becoming more and more popular to dub everything! Now most movies are dubbed to Spanish instead of allowing us to enjoy the original audio!!!  I couldn't enjoy the last move I watched because I'm sure a lot interesting cultural differences got lost in the translation.

It jut feels wrong!  To hear the ''voice'' of that actor in Spanish... when you already know what that actor sounds like in English can be so odd. That' why I've had such a hard time watching anime with the original Japanese audio after listening to the Spanish version.

[ang.diwata]

I prefer the subbed version than the dubbed ones. If you're learning Japanese, subbed versions are better for picking up new vocabulary. Also, it helps with getting the proper pronunciation and intonation.

[BonClay]

I prefer subbed as well. While some groups do a pretty decent job of dubbing, most of the time the translation is modified or some of the emotion is lost. You also have to deal with hearing the dub while watching the original footage, sometimes causing the audio to look like it's out of sync. It just doesn't look right when you see a character's mouth moving and it doesn't match up with what they should say. However, subbed versions are not always perfect. Usually the translation in never 100% accurate and it's difficult to tell where the mistakes were made unless you already know how to speak the language. 

[foolsgold]

I like it subbed. I find it really helpful hearing the lines in the native tongue as it helps me copy/adopt their way of speaking. It helps me sound more natural rather than contrived or trying too hard.

[宇崎ちゃん]

I prefer RAW.
Maybe I'll misunderstand sentences here and there, but subtitles always distract me.
I read subtitles automatically, no matter if the subtitles are in English (language I understand) or Vietnamese (language I don't understand), just the fact they are there distracts me.
And because of that, I miss a lot of action, visuals and more importantly: voices (important for language learning).

If I watch without any subtitles, I feel forced to listen to the characters carefully and therefore be forced to understand them.

[JapanGuy]

For me, it's always going to be watching something in its original audio with subtitles. Ever since I was in middle school, I started watching shows in Japanese with English subtitles and it has been that way every since. I can understand in some situations watching a show dubbed, but for me it's just not that way. This debate also happens in Japan too, but in regards to American movies. You have the camp of people that want to hear the original English audio and then the other camp that wants to focus on the action and listen to it in Japanese.

When I was first learning Japanese, I felt I picked up a lot of words and phrases simply from watching Japanese animation with English subtitles. Of course, it won't help you get too far, but it helped me in the beginning. 

Short answer: Subbed for life!

[Nekomimi_mode]

Subs for Life! Anime that's been dubbed over loses some of the meaning in the process. I don't know how many jokes are lost in translation when it gets dubbed over. Also can I just rant about the voice actors for the dubbed anime for a minute? Why why why do all of the voice actors for the dubbed anime just seem to half-way everything? Even some of my favorite anime like Kuroshitsuji just doesn't pass the muster for me when it's dubbed. Sebastian's voice is supposed to sound smooth and slightly amused but he just sounds so meh in the dub. Don't get me wrong some dubs are amazing like Yuyu Hakusho and Rurouni Kenshin but most of them are just mediocre. Also some anime just shouldn't be translated over like Xxx Holic and Bakemonogatari because a ton of the dialogue is entrenched heavily in Japanese culture. Holic had a bunch of lines that were a play on words and aren't even translatable to English. And the thing that gets me is they don't even try to make up for the jokes that are lost, they don't insert anything in. It's like they figure out what won't translate and just cut it out(screams). To top it off there seems to be a small pool of voice actors for the English dubs because every time I look up I see the same people dubbing a different anime. I seriously want to know if there's only like two studios for these people because they are everywhere. Now i'm not saying all the voice actors are terrible because there are some super awesome ones, but man are they far and few between. Not we get to my other issue with dubs, censorship. If the anime that's been dubbed over is for kids man oh man do they censor stuff out. I watched the original Yugioh about five years after I watched the dubbed version and some of the stuff they took out was essential to the plot. They even censored out the people who died in the anime. I was just sitting there like "you mean people actually die in Yugioh?". And don't get me started on Pokemon and Sonic. Anything that even seemed remotely Japanese they took out of the dub. Why there was even a need to change the rice balls in Pokemon to sandwiches and donuts i'll never know.