Subbed vs. Dubbed Anime: Which is Better?

There is much debate in the anime community over whether subbed or dubbed anime is better. Some fans prefer to watch their anime in it’s original form, whereas others would rather hear dialogue in their own native language. Whichever they prefer, anime fans tend to get into very heated arguments defending their choice as the proper way to watch anime.

For those who don’t watch anime, “subbed” refers to anime that has it’s original Japanese audio track, but has subtitles in a different language, such as English, at the bottom of the screen. “Dubbed” refers to anime that has been re-scripted with new voice actors in a different language.

If you visit any anime website, you will surely find discussions about subbed and dubbed anime, and which people prefer. For some reason, these discussions almost always turn into flame wars, as a lot of anime fans can’t stand people who’s opinions differ from their own.

Both sub and dub fans give various reasons for why they prefer one over the other.

The main reason that people give for preferring subs is that subtitles allow them to experience the anime the way that it was meant to be. A lot of anime is censored and changed for the English versions. Sometimes anime is censored for content that is deemed “inappropriate” for American audiences in the English dub. Other times cultural references that may not be understood outside of Japan are removed so as not to confuse foreigners.

Another reason that some people give for liking subs better us that they claim the voice acting is always better in the original version. 

Then there are others who prefer subs simply because there are more subbed series available to watch. Only a small percentage of anime series are ever dubbed into English.

Dub fans also have their reasons for favoring dubs. The most common reason is that they just don’t like reading while they are watching a show. They claim that having to read subtitles distracts from the story and hearing the dialogue in their native language allows for a more immersive anime-watching experience. Others are just too lazy to read while staring at the television (or computer) screen. 

A less common reason that some people give for preferring dubs is the censorship. I’ve heard several people actually claim to like the dubs of certain series better than the original because the “mature” content (usually homosexuality) was removed. This is a rare reason for preferring dubs, however.

Both sub and dub fans tend to get really defensive over their choice, though sub fans tend to be more “high and mighty” about their preference. A lot of them claim that you can’t be a true anime fan if you watch dubs rather than subs, and that dubs destroy anime. Watching subbed anime somehow gives them a sense of superiority over dub fans. 

These sub fans tend to forget that they probably never would have started watching anime in the first place if not for English dubs. Most people in America were introduced to anime through the dubs shown on network or cable television as children.

These people use their interest in subbed anime to appear as though they are more knowledgeable about anime, and Japanese culture in general, than the general American population. These are the people who call themselves “otaku,” even though they have no idea what the word really means in Japan (but that’s a topic for another time).

Of course, dub fans can be just as closed minded and annoying. The worst are the ones who actually like the censorship. These are usually super conservative, extremely religious, homophobic people. 

I watch both subbed and dubbed anime. I prefer subbed if I’m watching it by myself. I absolutely hate censorship and most series are actually better subbed in my opinion. However, if I’m watching with someone else, I’d rather watch a dub so that we can actually talk and not have to keep our eyes glued to the screen to read the subtitles. If I buy a DVD, I prefer DVDs that have both Japanese and English audio and English subtitles so that I can feel like I’m getting my money’s worth (anime DVDs aren’t cheap!). If I’m just watching something online, then I generally just watch the sub. 

Anime fans need to stop getting so defensive about the sub vs dub debate. It doesn’t matter how other people watch anime. Just watch whatever you like better and let others do the same.