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Viewers of any anime series have two options when it comes to the language they want to watch it in. They can either choose to watch their chosen anime series in its original Japanese dialogue with subtitles, or in the anime dub style, with the dubbed language typically being English. While it may seem strange, the anime dub is more popular than the subtitled version with original Japanese dialogue in some shows as the viewership demonstrates.
This can happen for a multitude of reasons, all of which point to the anime dub's high quality. Some series, such as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, are frequently praised for having considerably better voice acting in the anime dub than the subtitled version.
Here are 5 series where the English anime dub is more popular, and five more where the original is better.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and 4 more English anime dubs more popular
1) Naruto
While the exact quality of the English anime dub can be somewhat debatable, the nostalgia for most fans of Naruto’s dubbed version is indisputable. Many fans, especially North American ones, remember watching the English version of Naruto on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block as kids.
As a result of this nostalgia, even newbies to the series consider the English dub to be the one to watch. One of the highlights of the English performance is undoubtedly Maile Flanagan’s performance as the eponymous protagonist.
She gives his character a tremendous sense of balance, portraying his funny, childish moments as well as his serious, commendable milestones.
2) Dragon Ball Z
Similarly, Dragon Ball Z is frequently praised for having a higher-quality English dub, mostly due to the sentiment it arouses in veteran watchers of the series. Young adults in North America, let alone anime enthusiasts, will definitely recall getting home from school just in time for Dragon Ball Z to premiere on Toonami.
Like Naruto, Dragon Ball Z’s English dub also has performance highlights of its own. The late Chris Ayers’ performance as Frieza is undoubtedly one of them, as is Sean Schemmel’s performance of protagonist Son Goku. Both bring a unique twist to their characters which is somewhat lacking in their Japanese counterparts.
3) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's English version, on the other hand, is more popular solely owing to its own merit. The cast overall is absolutely phenomenal, with Vic Mignogna as Edward Elric and Maxey Whitehead as Alphonse Elric being two particular standouts.
The cast as a whole, however, brings an incredible amount of raw, unbridled emotion to their roles, whether big or small. This helps to make every character in the series feel not only memorable but well portrayed. Even characters who only appear for a few episodes of the series put on stellar performances, such as Sonny Strait’s portrayal of Maes Hughes.
4) Soul Eater
Soul Eater is probably one of the most popular and widely watched series among new fans, particularly among those in their twenties 20s presently. The series is easy to get into and, while not as qualitatively impressive as other entries on this list, provides first-timers with a good idea of what the medium can offer.
As a result, the anime dub is frequently preferred over the sub for convenience and to make the series more accessible to newcomers. While the performances are still excellent, Soul Eater's prominence as a starter series has helped the dub gain popularity.
5) Bleach
Finally, like Naruto and Dragon Ball Z, Bleach’s English dub also sparks a sense of nostalgia in fans, especially those from North America. The series’ first imported run into the states was on Cartoon Network’s late-night Adult Swim block, where many fans may remember first watching it on late weekend nights.
The English dub overall does a phenomenal job as well, also including some big and recognizable names from the industry. However, the single biggest highlight of the anime dub performances is Johnny Yong Bosch’s portrayal of protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki. It's a match made in heaven that surely impresses, boosting the popularity of Bleach's English dub in general.
My Hero Academia, 4 other series where Japanese anime dub is better
1) One Piece
Despite its length, One Piece fans should just start with the Japanese anime dub rather than the English counterpart. Due to irregularities in Funimation's delivery of the dub, English dub fans will eventually have to switch to the Japanese version.
Even beyond this eventuality, the One Piece Japanese dub is undoubtedly the superior version. One Piece, being a series with humor high on its priority list, has a lot of gags that only make sense in Japanese and fall flat in the English dub. It's unquestionably the way to go for one of the best and longest-running shonen series ever.
2) Death Note
Despite being a frequent starter anime, Death Note’s Japanese anime dub is also superior to its English version, even if the gap is narrower than other entries here. The entire cast delivered outstanding performances in both versions, with Light Yagami being the standout in the Japanese original and L and Near being the standouts in the English dub.
However, there is one scene at the end of the series where the Japanese dub shines, when Light is cornered and discovered. His psychotic laugh and subsequent speech fit the character's Japanese voice far better than the English version.
3) My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia's English dub is notably lacking in comparison to the original Japanese version, despite being one of the most popular new-gen series currently running. Izuku Midoriya is played by Justin Briner, who gives a good portrayal but falls short of Daiki Yamashita's Japanese rendition.
The rest of the cast offers a good portrayal in the English language, albeit they still fall short of their Japanese equivalents. The English dub is still incredibly well produced but is overall lacking the punch that the Japanese version seems to constantly and consistently nail.
4) Dragon Ball Super
Dragon Ball Super is a much more lighthearted entry into the Dragon Ball franchise, with a more clear and palpable focus and effort on comedy. As a result, similarly to One Piece, the Japanese anime dub is overall much more fitting and appropriate for the characters and comedy the series introduces.
Characters like Zeno, for example, sound so much better in the Japanese version than in the English, with Satomi Korogi’s performance capturing his childlike behaviour incredibly well. There are instances where the English dub is preferable, but in general, the Japanese dub is more fitting than the English version.
5) One-Punch Man
Finally, as a satirical series bordering on pure parody, the Japanese dub of One-Punch Man is unquestionably superior. The voice of protagonist Saitama is far better in the sub than in the dub, allowing the comedy of the series' everyday situations to shine through.
Other characters are also superior for many reasons, such as the dichotomy of King’s external and internal voices in the Japanese dub. As a satirical, comedic series, it’s not surprising that the Japanese dub is much more popular than its English counterpart.
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This article was modified on Sunday, June 25 at 11:39 PM.
