Dub vs Sub. Which version should you watch?

In the anime community, there’s always a debate about how anime should be watched. Some people prefer watching it in the original Japanese language, while others would like it in their respective languages. This is a debate that I believe will go on forever, but I’m here to break down the pros and cons of sub vs dub so you can make the decision for yourself.

Sub

What is sub? For those that don’t know, sub is anime that is played in its original Japanese audio that’s translated into whatever language settings you prefer.

Pros: A lot of fans prefer sub audio for a variety of reasons. When watching sub, you get the anime show in its original audio, the way it’s intended to sound. Along with this comes a more accurate translation to the anime. When watching sub, you can feel the voice actor’s emotion more accurately in scenes vs dub. You can really feel this emotion when a character dies in a show, and it sounds like the voice actors just lost a close friend as well. Sub can also help you pick up on Japanese language and culture. The more sub you watch, the more you’ll start to learn phrases that might get lost in translation when watching it in dub. Speaking of dub, another pro for sub anime is that usually the translation comes out much faster than the dub version. There have been shows lately that have dub and sub release at the same time, but usually the dub is weeks or even months behind before catching up to the original Japanese version of the show.

Cons: Though there are a lot of pros that come with sub anime, there are cons as well. One of those would be that if you’re a person that likes to multitask, you will not like sub at all. When watching in sub, you have to give it your full attention because you just might miss something important. Another problem with sub is that sometimes the translation may go by too fast so you have to rewind to catch what was just said. There is a lot of reading when watching sub so if you don’t like to read a lot, this wouldn’t be the best option for you. You might miss some great animation because you’re having to read so much. It can be a workout for the eyes so if you’re only used to watching shows in dub then you should stay that way.

Dub

What is it? For those that don’t know, dub is the translated version of an anime that uses different voice actors for speaking in another language like English.

Pros: Dub anime has quite a few good things about it. One of them would be that you don’t have to worry about reading as much because the anime is in a language that you can speak and understand easily. You are able to multitask if you choose so because you can understand what’s happening in the show and don’t have to pay as much attention as you would with sub. When watching in dub, you’ll be able to catch visuals easier than you would in sub. You might even connect better with characters because you’re watching it in your native language.

Cons: Watching anime in dub can be tricky. You are watching it in your native language, but sometimes the dub doesn’t capture intense moments like the sub version would. The voice actors feel less attached to the characters, and it ruins the moment at times because it just feels cringy. Sometimes the translation from the original Japanese sound can get lost in dialogue as well. It makes the show feel less accurate to the manga source. The dub can take a long time to catch up to where the sub version of the show is too. That can be hard because fans want to be caught in the show but have to wait longer for their favorite way to watch it.

My Thoughts

The biggest and most important takeaway from this is that we love anime! I believe that’s the only thing that matters at the end of the day because people should enjoy the shows however they may see fit. I personally am more of a sub watcher because I believe it captures those intense moments better than dub, but I won’t deny that there are some amazing dubs out there. To name a few if you’re looking for recommendations would be:

Yu Yu Hakusho

Death Note

Dragon Ball

Naruto

Cowboy Bebop

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

Kaiju No. 8

Yu-Gi-Oh!

Samurai Champloo

My Hero Academia

Those are really good dubbed shows that stand out to me. Overall, anime has become such a phenomenon that it’s actually good to have these debates. It’s better than telling someone not to watch the shows at all. You should watch anime however you please. If you love it in dub, cool. If you like sub more, that’s cool too. Let’s just appreciate the shows and forget how other people watch it.

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