I waas watching the Animee Highlander movie, but a version of it that had Scottish subtitles while the dialogue was in english. It got me to thinking? Which would you prefer? Subtitles or dubbed over dialogue? I like both, but I think I prefer dubbed ove. of course that means running the risk of bad translations and bad voice.
My post from D's Voltron thread: So, basically, it depends on who's doing the dubbing. Subtitles are fine for live action but with animation those subtitles can often mask some really fine artwork or just mar the cels.
Depends on the movie/series. But then, I'll take the original language whenever I can understand it at least in a rudimentary way.
'Tis an old discussion where anime is concerned. on one side ou have the elitist snobs on one side who say watching it subtitled presevres the original performances of the original voice actors, and the other side you have me, who has more consideration for the work of the artists and animators, and would rather be watching all the work they put into it than readin fucking subtitles. Anime is meant to be watched, not read.
I like to read subtitles even when it's in a language I know. But recently I came across a bunch of Stargate Atlantis episodes dubbed in French, and I have to say the show is much more entertaining that way.
this is the never ending debate. If you are a true anime fan, you will only watch subtitled anime. If you can't watch and read at the same time, you should keep trying to pass that SAT. some day you might be able to read quick like us big kids. I am an elitist snob, having been watching anime since the late 80's when all there was was boot-leg.
Not everybody has the ability to split their attention easily, or concentrate on two things at once. I'm a fairly slow reader (and a tad dyslexic), personally, so reading the subs can make me miss the action. And I can't stand it when there's a topical song on the soundtrack in Japanese, so they not only have the dialog subs, but an additonal one or even two lines translating the song. Hell, why bother even having a visual image going on? They did it in ep 1 of Kurao, right during her accidental transformation scene. Gorgeous visuals, and suddenly lyrics all over the screen. I had to back it up and make sure all the sub channels were off, and watch it again so I could enjoy the beautiful images.
For me it depends on how I saw the series to start. Generally if I see the first episode on television it is usually dubbed in english and then those are the voices I want to hear. Full Metal Alchemist loses something in another language- I can't interpret the emotion in their voices because I can't understand the words. Despite that there are movies that I have to watch subbed because the original language has a deliberate emotion or tone that doesn't translate into English, such as the Battle Royale flicks.
Depends on the dubbing. Was watching one anime show some friends have and I found that the "dubbing" was really satirical and as far as I was concerned, took a lot away from the anime. Not only that - I've found that I can learn the language a tad easier when I hear the language and read English.
Subtitles are almost always preferable. That way I can hear the dialogue as originally recorded, catching the nuances of tone and inflection, rather than the generally-horrible dubbed dialogue.
Uh-ehh? Those are the ones I hate, the non-sensical vocalizations for some Japanese expletive that doesn't translate.
Sometimes dubbing can be so bad that it makes an otherwise shitty movie infinitely funnier (as in the movie version of Riki-Oh).
