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Subject: Ok, on a lighter note...


Author:
Jake
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Date Posted: 19:36:52 04/30/03 Wed
 It's the classic sub vs. dub debate! This column at ANN provides a fairly decent case for the dub side of the argument, which it seems is the extreme minority view on this forum. What do you guys think? Here's the email I wrote him:

I agree with a lot of what you said, but I still like subs better because of the one thing I disagree with you about: the acting quality. It's true that the acting quality in dubbed anime has improved, but in most cases it's still far from the quality of, for example, American movies.

The problem is that while anime is more popular than ever before, it's still not mainstream enough to draw really good acting talent. Most talented actors in America want to be *actors*, not voice actors for some cartoon that nerds watch. But in Japan, the situation is completely different. Anime is more mainstream, there's a huge fanbase for Japanese voice actors, and children aspire to be them when they grow up. I hear there's even a college devoted just to voice acting.

Your point that we who don't speak Japanese can't determine whether the acting is good or bad is true to an extent. It's true that we can only fully appreciate their emotion and that that's only a part of good voice acting; but it is the most important part. And I think we can appreciate their enunciation, timing, and nuances to some extent as well. Or at least it seems to us that we can.

And when it comes down to it, that's the point isn't it? The impression their acting makes on us is what matters, not how good the acting seems to a Japanese person. It's not a problem if I can't tell that a Japanese actor is performing badly, precisely because I can't tell. With dubs, on the other hand, I can most definitely tell when the acting is bad; and it destroys the experience.

Having said all that, I do prefer a good dub to a good sub because of all the other points you made in your column. Currently though, Cowboy Bebop is the only dub I've seen that I thought was really good. Hopefully dubs will continue to improve and I can stop watching subs.
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Replies:
Subject Author Date
Re: Ok, on a lighter note...Daniel22:32:40 04/30/03 Wed
Re: Ok, on a lighter note...LrdDimwit17:27:07 05/02/03 Fri
  • haha -- Jake, 17:32:41 05/02/03 Fri

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