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Debating sub vs dub after a nightmare marathon session | Anime Discussions - Vivisector

Debating sub vs dub after a nightmare marathon session

So last Saturday I decided to finally watch that 90 episode mecha series everyone raves about. I went with the sub because I usually prefer original voices. But about 30 episodes in, I realized I was zoning out during the long exposition scenes. My eyes were just glazing over the subtitles. So I switched to the dub for the next 10 episodes just to see. Man, the voice acting was totally different. The main character sounded way more angry in English, like he was shouting half his lines. But I actually caught more of the plot because my brain wasn't working so hard to read. By the end I had watched 40 episodes subbed and 30 dubbed, and I honestly can't decide which version I liked better. Does sticking with the original language always give you the better experience, or is it okay to switch if it helps you actually enjoy the show more? Has anyone else gone back and forth mid series like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

evan5433mo ago

Watch whatever keeps you from zoning out. Dubs get a bad rap but some are solid and let you actually follow the story without fighting subtitles. Just finish the series however works for your brain.

beth_park3mo ago

Funny you mention muscle memory, because I've got a bad habit of reading subs and missing what's happening on screen, especially in action scenes. Forty episodes in though, that's a real commitment to one way or the other. What would it actually take for you to switch over if a dub came out that was well-reviewed - say, from the same director's preferred studio? Or is it just the original performances you heard first that stick, no matter what?

thomasgonzalez3mo ago

Ngl I gotta disagree with @evan543 on this one. Subs are more than just original voices, they carry the actual emotion the director wanted. Switching to a shouty dub mid-series would throw off the whole character arc for me. If you already made it 40 episodes in, the brain strain was probably just muscle memory kicking in, not a real problem.