What do you watch with? (Dub or Sub?)

[arkiel]

Dub. Just because I don't want to look at the screen all the damn time.

[child of Lilith]

I used to swing both ways but lately it's just been subs.

[Flyvapnet]

Until recently, I preferred subtitles over dubs. But my eyes ain't what they used to be and reading the constantly-shrinking subtitles has become problematic. Hence, of necessity I've fallen back on dubbed stuff. I really wish there was some way for end users to make subtitles larger!

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[Misato's toyboy]

Back in the VHS days I watched both, depending how impatient I was to get the next tape - dubs were always released first.

I liked Allison Keith as Misato (also Gendou, Fuyutuski, Rei, Ritsuko, Kaji in English).

But as I watched more anime with Japanese dialogue, & more Eva likewise, I switched & stayed with the original cast.

EoE's dub with its deliberate obscenities nailed the lid on any more Eva in English.

So for Eva, & all other anime. Japanese.

[Bagheera]

I used to be less fussy about it, but as I've started watching more and more streaming anime (much fansubbed, some licensed) I've found that dubs aren't available even if I want 'em. I now watch subs nigh-exclusively out of habit. There are exceptions, though; I'll watch Steins;Gate dubbed any day of the week, and the same with a couple of other works. But mostly it's subs all the way.

[riffraff11235]

I used to be less fussy about it, but as I've started watching more and more streaming anime (much fansubbed, some licensed) I've found that dubs aren't available even if I want 'em. I now watch subs nigh-exclusively out of habit. There are exceptions, though; I'll watch Steins;Gate dubbed any day of the week, and the same with a couple of other works. But mostly it's subs all the way.

Same here about streaming anime. I watched the original Naruto series dubbed, but switched to subs when the dubbed episodes ran out in Shippuuden. Insert "Shit-puuden", "Shipooden", "Shipoopooden" jokes here. I also watched Cowboy Bebop dubbed since the site I streamed it from was missing some subbed episodes. ...I wasn't much of an explorer at the time. XD I also saw the dubs of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 1 and FLCL, but that was after watching them subbed. If you're watching a series that is in the process of being broadcast, your only choice is subbed unless you feel like waiting months or even years for the dubs to come out.

[Mr. Tines]

some way for end users to make subtitles larger!

For certain values of end user -- there's the DIY fansub approach, ripping the video and subtitles separately, editing the font definition in the latter. Or there's the cheating approach of picking up enough Nihongo to watch the raws.

[riffraff11235]

Or there's the cheating approach of picking up enough Nihongo to watch the raws.

Yeah, working on that myself through various means, mostly just watching tons of anime. XD I plan to take some Japanese classes in college, though. Memorizing all those Kanji should be fun... -___-

[Flyvapnet]

Mr. Tines, your suggestions are greatly appreciated. But, what happens if one is too lazy to fuss with all that editing? *hides* Seriously, though, I wish I was literate in Japanese.

But I'm not, so I'll have to look into the whys and wherefores of subtitle editing--or else be satisfied with dubbed versions. Or, I can simply move my comfy chair closer to the television receiver. It's so damned heavy! *whines*

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[Fig]

I watch the English dub, not cause I dislike subs or anything, but for the reason being that I actually like the English VA cast a lot.

I know I'm in the minority and I accept it, but I'm not saying it's better than the Japanese VA's (I'll even admit that statement would be false), it's just the voices I've grown to like.



Except End of Evangelion, fuck that dub, subs or raw all the way.

[jimmiel]

With most shows I watch whatever language's dub I think is superior of the ones available (about ninety-seven percent of the time this is Japanese, nearly three percent is English and the other one is Elfen Lied in German, because the Japanese dub sucks and the English is one of the worst things I've ever heard). With Eva, I wouldn't go English even if I preferred it, because of the lack of subtlety and accuracy, the swapping out of sound effects, etc.

I still think Spike Spencer and Allison Keith do some great acting (although Megumi Ogata outscreams the former at every turn), and the English dub has some great moments (the "naughty bits" and "I'm so fucked up" lines). The NGE dub was a wildly inconsistent but fun ride, the original movies' were kind of crap. I actually really like the Rebuild English dubs - not more than the original, though. They're some of the best work I've heard from Funimation, whose works I usually find merely acceptable. I especially enjoy Trina Nishimura's enthusiasm in the 10th Angel fight.

I don't want to look at the screen all the damn time.

Good call watching television. ;)

[Tribblepoo]

My eyes ain't the greatest, so I prefer dubs when I can get them. However, at times I am driven to subs when a dub isn't available. My enjoyment of various anime has been impacted by this, as focusing attention between reading and comprehending the action on screen as well as the dialogue can get taxing on the brain.

Not to mention having to pause a subbed show every damn time my cats do something retarded (like suddenly jump in front of my screen or knock over half the shit on my desk).

I do realize that some dubs are sub-par, but if I feel the need to, I will refer to a sub to see what is meant to happen.

Also, sometimes a dub is just absolute comedy gold. If anyone has the Wrath of Kahn dvd, go to languages, switch the spoken language to French, and just enjoy two hours of Scotty speaking French with a Scottish accent.

[Jomei]

I watch with subs. I believe my first viewing was with the dub, which isn't all that bad, but since then, I've learned some Japanese and enjoy not only the superior voice acting but the opportunity to listen to and understand some of the language.

[Ringworm128]

EoE's dub with its deliberate obscenities nailed the lid on any more Eva in English.

It's not like they swear at any chance they get like in the dub of this anime. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILQ_pvI4AGI And the swearing is placed rather well.

[Squigsquasher]

Sub. I don't hate the dub, but it's mediocre, and the original Japanese voice acting is absolutely stellar. Few things have sent shivers down my spine like Shinji's screaming in the Japanese version of End of Evangelion.

Ah, Ogata-Senpai. Truly you are the Japanese female Stephen Fry. The Japanese male Stephen Fry, of course, being Norio Wakamoto.

Spike Spencer's attempt at the scream, on the other hand, sounded like he'd just sat on a pin.

Still, it could have been worse. It wasn't 4kids, after all...

[MisatoCrush]

I always try to watch Asian films first with original Japanese/Chinese voices with English subs.

I love how the Japanese language sounds, and the voices of the women are so cute.

But I do go back and watch it with English dubs because then my eyes are free the entire time to soak up the visuals.

This is especially true for NGE (and even more-so for the text laden Eps 25/26) because the words come so fast.

[pwhodges]

This is especially true for NGE (and even more-so for the text laden Eps 25/26) because the words come so fast.

While I agree with you on your main point, I'd say that you haven't seen words coming fast (and continuously for the whole show) until you've watched Bakemonogatari and the rest of the -monogatari series - and there's no dub option to help out in that case either.

[Reichu]

NGE isn't much of a problem, IMO, because the words tends to come at points of minimal activity. I mean, if it's just someone standing there with their mouth flapping open and closed, or, even better, there's absolutely nothing happening on-screen at all, your eyes aren't missing anything by glancing down. Most anime are like this, in my experience: almost never anything interesting to miss in the split-second it takes to scan the words.

I will admit that GitS:SAC bombarded the bottom of the screen so continuously with difficult-to-absorb technobabble that I threw my hands up and put the dub on. And Pom Poko's constant narration makes it tough to do the sub, but damned if I'm going to subject myself to a version sterilized of all testicle references!

[Stryker]

I really wish there was some way for end users to make subtitles larger!

I saw this just now, and immediately thought of this.

[pwhodges]

I really wish there was some way for end users to make subtitles larger!

I'm pretty sure the 3rd-party video player I use on my Google Nexus 7 for viewing films can do this.