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Survey: Do you give English dubs a chance?


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Odekerk



Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 25
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:28 pm Reply with quote
I usually just watch whatever is available to me.

If I download it, I just get the sub, but if I buy it I watch the dub.
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Unit 03.5-ish



Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 1540
Location: This space for rent
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:43 pm Reply with quote
As the horror of '80s dubbing is thankfully behind us, I usually go with the dubs. I know some people have sworn them off due to the atrocious dubs that companies like Manga gave us back in the day, but things have gotten much, much better.

Besides, most companies produce dubs that are at least tolerable these days; unless there's some third-string dubbing group out there, I don't think there've been a lot of truly puketastic English dubs.
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_Earthwyrm_





PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:43 pm Reply with quote
I'll usually flick between the dub and the sub in the first episode, and then choose my preference and stick with it for the full series. This usually means I end up watching the sub, but in most cases I'll see the other version on a rewatch - unless the second choice was atrociously bad.
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Mistypearl



Joined: 03 Oct 2008
Posts: 517
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:46 pm Reply with quote
If I'm watching it online, then it's probably going to only be in sub format, however if I bought it on dvd, I'll just end up watching the dub version, since if I'm like, doing stuff around my room I can focus on it, but then not have to concentrate on the subs, you know? Also I'm always curious to see how the dub's like in the first place, sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's not. I still like to give the actors(resses?) a chance, since they hopefully worked hard on it Smile

Edit: Though it's always nice if a provider who doesn't feel like dubbing the show releases it with just subtitles (aka the upcoming Gakuen Alice from Rightstuf, well I know it's selling from there other than amazon) Though it won't have an English dub, I'm super excited to get it--

bottom line, as long as I get my favorites somehow, I'll be a happy camper Smile


Last edited by Mistypearl on Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:48 pm; edited 1 time in total
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kyokun703



Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Posts: 2505
Location: Orgrimmar
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:47 pm Reply with quote
I rarely, rarely will watch or even try the dub. The only time I do is if it obviously takes place in America or an English speaking country and I want to see if I can bear watching it. So far, the answer has been, "No."

The only one so far that I might have seriously given a chance would've been Emma, and then only if they had gotten a good British cast, not Americans trying to pull off a British accent.
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Jedi General



Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 2485
Location: Tucson, AZ
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:47 pm Reply with quote
Odekerk wrote:
I usually just watch whatever is available to me.

If I download it, I just get the sub, but if I buy it I watch the dub.


I'm the same way. I like watching anime both ways, but I do prefer dubs. Even so, it's all based upon what's available. If there is a dub available, I'll go out of my way to watch the dub. Well, as long as the dub isn't "REALLY horrible" anyway. Also, if I watch the dub first, I seldom go back and watch subbed. It's the opposite when I watch subbed first, however, as I'll often go back and watch the dub at some point.


Last edited by Jedi General on Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:54 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Elfen Noir



Joined: 21 Mar 2006
Posts: 69
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:54 pm Reply with quote
The dub. Not reading or understanding spoken Japanese makes it a necessity for me. Why would I distract myself with subtitles thus missing out on the animation and flow of the story trying to read and watch at the same time? So, dub. Though there are the rare but worthy exceptions when there is no dub ... like Emma, Aria, and Bincho-Tan.
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:56 pm Reply with quote
There is only one series whose dub has impressed me, therefore I will watch only that particular series in dub. Other than that, I never bother to check out any of the other series that I might have in dub. It will always be raw.
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Zin5ki



Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 6680
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:58 pm Reply with quote
kyokun703 wrote:
I rarely, rarely will watch or even try the dub. The only time I do is if it obviously takes place in America or an English speaking country and I want to see if I can bear watching it. So far, the answer has been, "No."

The only one so far that I might have seriously given a chance would've been Emma, and then only if they had gotten a good British cast, not Americans trying to pull off a British accent.

That's roughly my stance. I watched Armitage III dubbed as I considered it more appropriate for the characters to speak English. I cannot say I was really impressed though.
I'll agree with you about Emma. It requires a dub, and not one of the Hellsing type.
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Unit 03.5-ish



Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 1540
Location: This space for rent
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:00 pm Reply with quote
Sometimes, an anime dub feels a bit "rough" for the first few episodes which can turn some people off, but as a typically dub-only kind of guy, I find that oftentimes the actors get more comfortable and commanding with their roles as the series goes on, making the characters their own and turning what started out a bit uneven around the edges into a well-acted series.

Also, the shows that are usually aired on CN or other channels typically have quality dubs precisely because they're being snapped up for broadcasts right off the bat.
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kakoishii



Joined: 16 Jul 2008
Posts: 741
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:01 pm Reply with quote
Mistypearl wrote:
If I'm watching it online, then it's probably going to only be in sub format, however if I bought it on dvd, I'll just end up watching the dub version, since if I'm like, doing stuff around my room I can focus on it, but then not have to concentrate on the subs, you know? Also I'm always curious to see how the dub's like in the first place, sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's not. I still like to give the actors(resses?) a chance, since they hopefully worked hard on it Smile

Edit: Though it's always nice if a provider who doesn't feel like dubbing the show releases it with just subtitles (aka the upcoming Gakuen Alice from Rightstuf, well I know it's selling from there other than amazon) Though it won't have an English dub, I'm super excited to get it--

bottom line, as long as I get my favorites somehow, I'll be a happy camper Smile

pretty much this. Most things I watch I see in sub format first, but when I go out and buy the dvds I'll always listen to the dub option even if the acting cast isn't all too good (kaleido star anyone?). But I'm always curious to see how it sounds in english.

kyokun703 wrote:
I rarely, rarely will watch or even try the dub. The only time I do is if it obviously takes place in America or an English speaking country and I want to see if I can bear watching it. So far, the answer has been, "No."

The only one so far that I might have seriously given a chance would've been Emma, and then only if they had gotten a good British cast, not Americans trying to pull off a British accent.

Emma has a dub? I thought it was released sub only?
Unit 03.5-ish wrote:
Sometimes, an anime dub feels a bit "rough" for the first few episodes which can turn some people off, but as a typically dub-only kind of guy, I find that oftentimes the actors get more comfortable and commanding with their roles as the series goes on, making the characters their own and turning what started out a bit uneven around the edges into a well-acted series.

Also, the shows that are usually aired on CN or other channels typically have quality dubs precisely because they're being snapped up for broadcasts right off the bat.

This is most certainly not true. I believe some of the worst dubs I've ever heard have been the ones broadcasted on cable networks such as CN, on at times with wide kiddy appeal. The only tv aired stuff that's been pretty good as far as the voice acting goes has been the stuff shuffled off to adult-swim on at time slots when no ones awake.


Last edited by kakoishii on Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:06 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Unit 03.5-ish



Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 1540
Location: This space for rent
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:02 pm Reply with quote
Emma IS sub-only, and that's one of the reasons I'm hesitant: it just doesn't feel right to have a show set in Europe (England in particular) without English acting.
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LuckySeven



Joined: 02 Sep 2008
Posts: 587
Location: Georgia, USA
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:02 pm Reply with quote
Well, considering that some of my earliest anime viewing (though I didn't know it was anime back then) were shows like Battle of the Planets, Speed Racer, Star Blazers, Tranzor Z, Voltron, and probably a few others I can't think of the names at the moment; Its not like there was really a choice in the matter. Its what I grew up with, so honestly, watching an anime in the original Japanese with subtitles is different than what I'm used to. Now do I actually care for subs or dubs more? No I can't say that I choose one over the other. I do watch English dubs more simply because as I said before, its what I'm used to. Others might think I prefer dubs, but I think that's because I rarely if ever watch any sort of fan subbed anime series, I prefer my anime in legal ways.
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butterfly.disaster



Joined: 15 Dec 2008
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:02 pm Reply with quote
For me, it's almost always the sub. I will usually give the dub a chance if it's easily accessible to me, but more often than not I dislike the voice s of the actors/actresses. It's also helpful in learning Japanese, and
I tend to pick up, for better or worse, phrases and words.
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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 8503
Location: Penguinopolis
PostPosted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:06 pm Reply with quote
If it's a show that I haven't seen before in Japanese, I watch it in Japanese with subtitles as a default, and check the dub later. If it's a show I've already seen in Japanese, I immediately go for the dub, out of curiosity and convenience. If the dub is poor, I switch back. If it's good, I alternate.
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