Since when were dubs acceptable?

[SpeedKills]

I was trying to find a decent anime-related podcast, much like Podtoid or Idle Thumbs for video games.  (I never found any)

But, I have never heard so many people talk about dubs like they're perfectly acceptable, and not at all shameful or seppuku-inducing.

Maybe it's because I was way into anime in the 90s, and back then dubs were atrocious (I still largely think they are).  But, especially after watching anime for the last twenty years, I have come to understand that the cadence, the verbiage and the aesthetics of the Japanese language factor very heavily into anime, even if you can't understand exactly what they're saying.

Aside from the production values that go into Japanese voice actors vs. Western dubs, listening to the characters speak Japanese is integral to my enjoyment of anime.

I feel like the larger acceptance of dubs over subs, and thinking that they're mostly equivalent is kind of like... a cardinal sin.

[vuzedome]

I prefer subs for the same reason but I don't see how accepting dubs is such a terrible thing.

[Hadouken]

People usually prefer dubs when they can't bothered reading text and following the video at the same time. I don't like dubs but I can see why someone would want that over subs.

[megido-rev.M]

It's the non-fitting accents in Western dubs I try to avoid.

[Tiffanys]

You're just a generic run of the mill dime a dozen dub hater that believes the original Japanese voice actors are the holy grail.

The sad thing is, dub haters go so far as to diss any dub even if it does exceptionally well with a splendid performance by the voice actors.

It's like a form of elitism of sorts, and it's bullshit to be honest. If you don't like dubs, then fine, don't watch them. But piss off and let those that do enjoy dubs enjoy them without having to have your snarky little comments insulting them for liking them.

I hate to bring this world shattering realization to you, but every anime in existence is available in its original language with its original voice acting. Dubs are only made to a select few, and there is always the original that is available. So your hate, to even begin with, is unsubstantiated, and boorish.

I prefer dubs myself. Any time a dub is available (barring 90's style dubbing where they just grabbed random jackasses off the street) I will always watch it instead. If I'm going to sit down and watch something for 6 or 12 hours, it's much easier on me to be able to actually appreciate the show for what it is and take notice of everything going on rather than having to keep my eyes focused on the bottom of the fucking screen the entire show, and worse, have to pause and rewind the show when the subtitles disappear too quickly. I also get tired of watching anime much more quickly when I have to read subtitles as opposed to being able to just watch and enjoy. It's a lot easier on me. I also happen to prefer my native language. It's much easier to make a connection for me.

Dragon Ball Z for instance, there are so many quotes and scenes that I remember in intimate detail that I wouldn't have engraved in my mind at all if they were subtitled Japanese. They have a far different effect, and I will always prefer dubs.

[Tornado15550]

It really does matter on the dubbing quality for me. If the dubbing quality is good, I honestly don't mind it. However, in most cases, it fails horribly. The voice actors really can't perform AS well as the Japanese ones. And if you were to compare English dubs and Japanese subs audio, you will notice that the emotion really doesn't get through. I watched 5 centimeters per second dubbed, then subbed, and it felt more powerful with the original Japanese audio. I guess, the voices matched the lips more, and the overall vocal tone was more 'appropriate'.

[kakashi6613]

Ahahahahahaha, oh boy.

Here we go...

[sackii]

Ahahahahahaha, oh boy.

Here we go...

My thoughts exactly, every few months this topic comes back lol

[kojito00]

I like subs over dubs as well. There are things that simply don't work out when an anime series is dubbed. For example, cultural references given in translator's notes in subbed version is usually omitted in dubs. Say, puns and other Japanese sayings that have no equivalent in English (or the language it is dubbed into) can't be translated well and what often happens is that they'll just put something tangential. That's not to say that every dubbing performance is horrible (e.g., Rurouni Kenshin and Pokemon are dubbed very well), but it usually is the case where it simply becomes off. But then again, I'm not a native English speaker, haha.

P.S.,

I don't think it's elitism, at least for me; voice acting in dubs just simply makes me cringe (if they are horrible or when the translation doesn't add up). I guess I could liken it to a foreign song with a great beat; you hum to it, sing to it the best you can make with its cadence, but when you read online what it means, then suddenly it becomes cheesy.

[dakarv]

problem with dubbed is that some things don't translate over, like the tones of voices which can change the meaning of the words being said and often just fail when you hear the closest English equivalent

also we don't have literal translations for stuff like sama and there is no time to spend extra words explaining everything, sometimes they will have to use less words anyway because it takes less time to say the same thing in japanese

[DmonHiro]

You realize most of you guys are technically off-topic, right? 
Nobody asked if you prefer subs or dubs. Actually, nobody asked anything.

What was the purpose of the topic?

[Showdown]

Totally agree with OP.

I don't know about english dubs but in french it's just absolutely unwatchable. And it's not even about taste or opinion, it's just reaaaally bad, it sounds stupid.

Though i can mention Kurenai no Buta french version which imply french actor Jean Reno's voice (watch Leon movie), who did a marvelous job, but it's mainly because he has italian origins and his voice is incredible, so it matches Porco Rosso's mood perfectly. But that's the only success i have in mind.

[Bob2004]

Go and watch the dub of Steamboy, then tell me that all dubs are terrible and unacceptable. I think you'll find it won't be possible, because Steamboy is an example of a really amazing English-dubbed anime. It does even better than the original Japanese.

But if you were to say that *most* dubs are terrible, then I would agree with you. The acting is frequently dire, and the accents always really grate when I listen to them (though that's probably less of an issue for someone from the US, which is of course the target audience). They have benefits though, of course. For young kids, or people who just aren't interested enough to deal with subtitles. I also have a friend who's dyslexic and just isn't able to read subs fast enough to keep up. And they serve a valuable purpose in helping Japanese anime become more mainstream in the west, which I don't think any of us can complain about.

So, yeah. I don't like listening to them, and the acting is often terrible, but I'm always glad dubs exist.

[deflowerer]

Just finished watching the Steins;Gate english dub with my kids and it wasn't bad. I really only get the dubs if its something the kids may be into, otherwise I typically go with the subs. I don't have anything against dubbing in general, just that they usually suck.

[JoonasTo]

And then someone, in this case me, needs to point out that the japanese is a dub as well.

[Showdown]

Just finished watching the Steins;Gate english dub with my kids and it wasn't bad. I really only get the dubs if its something the kids may be into, otherwise I typically go with the subs. I don't have anything against dubbing in general, just that they usually suck.

How do kids (around 10yo) react to 21th century animes ? I'm curious. I mean, in my opinion recent animes are really different than those from the 80's and 90's

[SpeedKills]

As some of the other people here said, I think dubs in another language ruin a lot of the aesthetics of what the original creators write, since Japanese can be so inflective or un-translatable.

But, as the topic says, "Since when are dubs acceptable?", not, "All dubs are shit!"

I just find it amazing how like 90% of anime fans seem to think dubs and subs are more-or-less equivalent.  Maybe I'm just too O.G.

But, I mean, if you look at the culture surrounding high-quality Japanese VOs, and the best English dub ever done, they're still miles apart.  Even the really minute stuff, like how a lot of dubs don't really bother with making the voices integrate into the show, and it sounds like they're all just recorded over a video.  The original Japanese is usually much more subtle, and sounds a lot more like real acting; to me, at least.

[JoonasTo]

The japanese dubs also overact really, really bad in certain areas. It's a trademark of sorts, when you heart the same kind of acting in English you go, GAH, that 's horrible!

[AceD]

Dubs are hella cheesy sometimes, and a lot of the American voice actors just plain suck at there job....am not really a fan of a lot of American accents to begin with either.

Subs often take away the childish moments and cheesiness in the shows aimed at younger people. I like that...

[xfreidax]

Quality aside, anime voice acting in general is suppose to be cheesy and over the top. But somehow, I feel it works in Japanese but fails miserably in other languages.