DUB versus SUB: Which is superior?

"Samurai Champloo" - Example
of good English dubbing

It's the age-old question... Ok, maybe it's not quite that epic, but it's definitely been debated since anime began its migration from East to West.

Obviously, most Americans do not speak Japanese.  Thus, the dilemma arises when distribution companies must decide how to market their product to American viewers.  Do you leave it as is, with the addition of subtitles (Henceforth referred to as "sub")?  Or, do you hire a whole cast of voice actors to perform the anime in English (Henceforth called "dub")?  Here are the pros and cons of each.


SUB
Pros
Subbed anime is first and foremost more economical for distribution companies.  Hiring a whole cast of English-speaking voice actors is not cheap.  This, in turn, often results in the high cost of production being passed on to the consumer.

Keeping the original audio also preserves what I call the "soul" of the anime.  While the Japanese writers and animators may not have played much of a role in deciding who voiced their characters, it would seem likely that at least some input from the creators was put into it.  To create English-dubbed anime, a North America distribution company often is the facilitator of translation and audio production.  It's hard to ascertain how much time was put into finding a voice cast that accurately captures and replicates the original Japanese version of the anime.  Case in point, if you have ever watched the same anime twice - once dubbed and the second time subbed - you can attest to the fact that the "feel" of the anime changes drastically.  A character may have a high-pitched, girly voice in the Japanese audio but a deeper, more womanly voice in English.

"Trigun"

A minor point to make, but potentially significant nonetheless is that subbing requires you to read the dialogue.  This means you often know exactly how names are spelled and what dialogue was spoken,  in addition to being forced to actually pay close attention throughout the story - you can't look away or be distracted as easily.


Cons
Simply put, you have to read.  While some of us do not mind so much, you do have to invest more time and energy into watching the anime.  Also, when dialogue is quick, it can be easy to miss something that was only momentarily flashed across the screen.  In summary, due to the necessity of paying attention, it's difficult to multi-task when watching anime.


Another problem is when subbing is rushed, translation can suffer resulting in difficult-to-understand wording and dialogue.  Of course, commercially-produced anime usually doesn't have this problem.  However, fan-subbed anime is more prone to such errors.

"Death Note" - Opt for the
subbed version if you can

DUB
Pros
It's easier to watch.  With less time spent reading, the viewer can spend more time paying attention to the animation.  Consequently, the viewer develops a greater appreciation of the art technique and animation style.  On the flip side, you can get away with not paying attention to the visuals.  If multi-tasking, you can look away and still pay attention to the sound effects and dialogue.


Cons
You lose the Japanese essence, or "soul," of the characters.  Also, you are more easily distracted from paying close attention to the story.


The Verdict

"Howl's Moving Castle" -
Studio Ghibli does good
 English dubbing

It really depends on the anime.  When watching TV series, it is almost always preferable to watch a subbed version.  Stories with a lot of depth often require an intimate following of the story - a feat made easier when forced to read the dialogue.  It is also preferable to maintain the essence of the characters' Japanese voices.


Great anime to watch with subtitles: Death Note, When They Cry, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion


Some anime, however, is really good when experienced with English dubbing.  Disney and Studio Ghibli do an amazing job at casting voices for their productions.


Great anime with English dubbing: Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Samurai Champloo


For more information, go here: http://www.usaanime.us/References/Sub-Dub.htm