Anime subs vs dubs debate used to be about quality vs convenience.
Nowadays, most anime dubs are very high quality.
Some anime are just better with dubs, so you should give it a try!
Sub versus dub is an age-old debate in the anime community — though its substance had greatly changed over the years. Today, we are not looking to settle it once and for all — rather, we want to establish the roots of this debate, and the instances for which dubs are a fantastic alternative (if not a superior option).
Dubs back in the day and now
Back in the day, subs vs dubs debate was more of a matter of convenience. There was no Netflix or Crunchyroll to easily obtain an anime of your choice — you had to either watch whatever was available on TV, or get it in physical VHS/CD format. The more commonly available professional dubs were often low quality, while subs were mostly done and distributed by fans. This made subs the “elite choice”, available to and chosen by only those in the know.
Then, came the era of streaming services, simulcasts and anime studios expanding their influence to the West. With it, subbed anime became more easily available, while dubbed anime also rose in quality — though the notion of subbed anime being superior to dubs persisted among hardcore otaku.
When do we choose dubs over subs?
There are multiple possible reasons to watch a particular show dubbed. First of all, some shows like Pokemon have entirely different glossaries in Japan and in the West, making it extremely frustrating for their Western fans to watch subbed version (which is why we are so pumped for the upcoming Pokemon Horizons dub this December).
Then, there are anime that are meant to feature international, or distinctly American cast. Say what you want, but hearing Black Lagoon characters speak in English with genuine accents just makes more sense — and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt sounds much more visceral when they talk and curse in the same language.
Moreover, there are just amazing dubs that are of the same quality as the original (if not exceeding it). Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi), Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken) and Cowboy Bebop all have absolutely glorious English dubs, and you can’t expect us to watch either of them in Japanese.
Finally… Subs have one major weakness. They require you to pay a lot of attention to the bottom of the screen to read them. This, in our opinion, makes them an inferior choice for any show that’s meant to be all about spectacle — like One-Punch Man, Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) and Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba). It’s so much easier to notice all the beautiful little details and choreography when you can immerse yourself fully in the visuals!
So yeah, dubs have their place — and perhaps you should give them a chance as well.
Do you think dubs are superior to subs in action anime?
Stop holding to outdated habits already!
Summary:
Anime subs vs dubs debate used to be about quality vs convenience.
Nowadays, most anime dubs are very high quality.
Some anime are just better with dubs, so you should give it a try!
Sub versus dub is an age-old debate in the anime community — though its substance had greatly changed over the years. Today, we are not looking to settle it once and for all — rather, we want to establish the roots of this debate, and the instances for which dubs are a fantastic alternative (if not a superior option).
Dubs back in the day and now
Back in the day, subs vs dubs debate was more of a matter of convenience. There was no Netflix or Crunchyroll to easily obtain an anime of your choice — you had to either watch whatever was available on TV, or get it in physical VHS/CD format. The more commonly available professional dubs were often low quality, while subs were mostly done and distributed by fans. This made subs the “elite choice”, available to and chosen by only those in the know.
Then, came the era of streaming services, simulcasts and anime studios expanding their influence to the West. With it, subbed anime became more easily available, while dubbed anime also rose in quality — though the notion of subbed anime being superior to dubs persisted among hardcore otaku.
When do we choose dubs over subs?
There are multiple possible reasons to watch a particular show dubbed. First of all, some shows like Pokemon have entirely different glossaries in Japan and in the West, making it extremely frustrating for their Western fans to watch subbed version (which is why we are so pumped for the upcoming Pokemon Horizons dub this December).
Then, there are anime that are meant to feature international, or distinctly American cast. Say what you want, but hearing Black Lagoon characters speak in English with genuine accents just makes more sense — and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt sounds much more visceral when they talk and curse in the same language.
Moreover, there are just amazing dubs that are of the same quality as the original (if not exceeding it). Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi), Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure (JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken) and Cowboy Bebop all have absolutely glorious English dubs, and you can’t expect us to watch either of them in Japanese.
Finally… Subs have one major weakness. They require you to pay a lot of attention to the bottom of the screen to read them. This, in our opinion, makes them an inferior choice for any show that’s meant to be all about spectacle — like One-Punch Man, Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) and Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba). It’s so much easier to notice all the beautiful little details and choreography when you can immerse yourself fully in the visuals!
So yeah, dubs have their place — and perhaps you should give them a chance as well.
Do you think dubs are superior to subs in action anime?
_16252.webp)
