Spiderbite

I am new to the world of anime and was curious about this. A friend recently let me borrow his Cowboy Bebop remix series and I fell in love. Like serious love. I now consider this show one of the best shows I have ever seen. Top 5! (putting it up there with Six Feet Under is a big deal for me).

Never was an anime fan and the only things I had seen before was the older movie Ghost in the Shell and Grave of the Fireflies, both of which I found terribly boring despite their rave reviews.

When watching foreign films I would never even consider watching a dubbed version but did not even think about it when I started the Bebop series. I watched the english dub and was blown away at how good the voice acting was and how their voices seemed so important and natural to the characters. Then I started thinking about how it was not the original voices but I can't imagine now watching it subtitled.

I plan on checking out more anime since my recent almost religious experience with Cowboy Bebop. But how should I watch future anime? If it gives a dubbed verison, should I watch it or stick to the original voices? I figured that most anime dubs may not be as good as Bebop but due to no experience with it, I really don't know. It does seem like reading subtitles might take away a little bit since anime is so visual in nature...but then again, it may be no different that watching a normal foreign film.

So anime experts out there...how do you watch your anime?

And also...are there any other series or movies as good (or possibly better) as Bebop? Any recommendations would be appreciated as well for a greenie such as I. Thanks!

ps...Any news on any future Bebop projects or is the series completely dead? I know Cowboy Bebop The Movie came out over 4 years ago but after doing a little research, the show is still pretty popular.

DangerousG

Subtitled, most dubs suck. And even the good ones can't compare to the original.

TRC

I watch anime subtitled the majority of the time. There are a few series that I watched on TV first and liked the dub enough to watch it on DVD. Plus some series simply aren't available in both languages. I have nothing against dubs but they aren't my preference. I think watching anything in its original language is important.

For what it's worth there are some anime dubs that are quite good. There's even a significant sub-fandom devoted to anime dubbing.

lordzeppelin

The only dubs I can stand are Golgo 13...everything else is just bad. Hell, even Golgo is bad, but that was how I first saw it.

The Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex dubs aren't bad, per se, but they annoy the piss out of me. The English voice for Batou is just lame. IF they could cast actors that used similar inflections and passion as the original Japanese voices, it would be 10x better than the current dubs. Seriously, if you're a dub fan, listen to Batou's Japanese voice, then listen to the English - there's no comparison at all...

Apone

I must admit the dubbing for Cowboy Bebop was not only tolerable but I actually prefered some actors over the original e.g. Jet Black. Still the rest didn't follow up so I decided to watch the series in original soundtrack.

The only anime series that I watched in a dubbed version was Dragon Ball Z and Pokemon (first few seasons) because they were on TV but as far as I can remember I found the dubbings good and enjoyable.

Generally speaking, I strongly recommend that you do NOT watch them in dubbings as a matter of fact - stay the hell away from them.

Anyway welcome to the world of anime and for starters I recommend the followings:

Films of Hayao Miyazaki (recent movietalk thread)
Ninja Scroll (movie) - a lot of violence and sex.
Akira (movie) - an essential viewing.
Neon Genesis Evangelion (series and a "movie") - my favourite anime.
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (series) - another mecha genre but this is a classic! However I'm not sure about the qualities of avaliable DVDs.

SPIDERone

Anime, I'll almost always listen to the dub track regardless of quality. Live action I'll watch it in the original language most of the time (the exception being when I just want to lay down and let it play, I'll usually go for a dubbed version).

I have a short attention span and find myself "zoning out" while watching subtitled versions (I'll find myself watching the video but not reading the subtitles after a while (or reading it but just not processing it)). I'm not sure what exactly it is but it's always been a problem for me.

Love Hina, Sailor Moon, Knight Hunters.. they were never a problem for me while others cringed at even the thought. The only ones I can think of that annoyed me are Dragon Ball Z type shows (but I always can't stand that show, so that may have something to do with it ) and Malice@Doll.

Bebop actually has a very good dub - not a lot are at that level of quality.

VamPirateXXX

Whether I watch anime in English or Japanese depends on a few factors:

1. The language in which I originally saw the show. If I first saw it on Cartoon Network, I'm more likely to watch it in English. If I first saw it fansubbed, I usually stick to Japanese when I buy the DVDs.

2. Quality of the English dub. Some are good, some are bad. Cowboy Bebop is widely regarded as one of, if not the, best English dub. I tried to watch it in Japanese and couldn't.

3. Speed. Some shows have rapid-fire dialogue and I can't keep up with subtitles and still actually watch what's going on. Other shows have a lot of technical information in a short span of time (Ghost in the Shell), and I feel I get more out of listening than trying to quickly read subs.

Really, it just depends on your personal taste. I feel like there's a definite attitude among anime fans that the only real way to watch a show is in Japanese, but I disagree. (Incidentally, I once saw a discussion about the film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, where people were arguing that the correct way to view that film was in Japanese, despite its original language being English, thus throwing the "original language" argument out the window.) Yes, most anime is originally in Japanese, and the Japanese actors are supervised by the director of the show - a very valid argument. But I don't feel like I'm losing anything by watching a quality English dub. I don't speak Japanese. I feel as though I can better appreciate the nuances of the dialogue when they're in my own language. Perhaps it's simply a lazier approach, but having watched what I would have to assume to be around 50 different animes, some in English, some in Japanese, I cannot say that English is inferior to Japanese. Also keep in mind that this is animation, and in almost all cases, the shows are animated prior to voice recording, so the lip flaps don't match even in Japanese. In the US, the opposite is true (voices are recorded, then animation is completed), allowing for more accurate lip flaps as well as ad libs and the like. So the Japanese audio is, for all intents and purposes, a dub as well. And English dubbing has matured considerably from the days when it was laughably bad - probably when it acquired the stigma of being something to avoid like the plague.

So again, choose whichever you like best. I tried watching Samurai 7 in English and I couldn't take it. The dub wasn't good, the impact of the dialogue was completely lost. On the other hand, I found the acting to be quite good in Trinity Blood, and I listened to just a few minutes of the Japanese. My best advice would be to watch the first episode in one language and then the other, and decide from there.

As for recommendations, Bebop is probably my all-time favorite. You might want to check out Samurai Champloo - it's by the same director and is similar on many levels, despite taking place in Japanese history rather than the future, and starring samurai rather than outer space bounty hunters. Outlaw Star is more simliar to Bebop, but a bit more fantastical in nature, and not quite as good.

Ultimately, anime is very diverse, and it's hard to recommend an amazing show like Kino's Journey to someone who's only seen Bebop. It's a show about a traveler who visits a different country in each episode. There's not much action, but it's beautiful, poetic, and full of deep meaning. They're both in my top 5, but so different that Kino may simply not be your idea of a good show. Watch previews on DVDs and online. Read reviews. If someone says they like a show, do a bit of research before watching it. But be warned - I started with Bebop and Evangelion (another awesome show, unless you end up being one of the ones who ends up hating it in the end) a few years ago, and now a third of my DVD collection is anime. It's a habit.

Hope this helped.

izatright

"Anime dvd question: Do you watch subtitled or dubbed version?"

I watch it subtitled. The voice acting, IMO, always sucks compared to the original. The best dubs, say for instance the Studio Ghibli films, can't hope to compare. The only exceptions are Dragon Ball Z and Tenchi. But those are more guilty pleasures than anything i'd really collect for the intrinsic value of it.

manicsounds

Dubbing is a waste of time, money, and for DVDs, disc space. It still amazes me that almost every DVD comes with dubbed soundtracks. It's unnecessary.

I'm actually surprised how many dvds are out without original soundtracks. (In the case of Pokemon, I believe none of the US DVDs have Japanese soundtracks.)

I remember last year, I went to the theater to see Pixar's "Cars", and it was a dubbed showing (I didn't know it would be). I left right after the short ended. I didn't want to see it that way. Just something ain't right....

DVDude!

I'm just starting to get into anime. I've seen and own a few movies, including Wicked City, Princess Mononoke, and a few others. I've really been curious about a lot of the television shows because of the length of the stories. In my planning stages for purchases, I've download the first episodes (or more) to sample. Recently I purchased both seasons of Gantz, The Legend of Black Heaven, Elfen Lied, and Planetes. I am planning to buy Paranoia Agent and Hellsing (original and Ultimate).

That said, from my sampling of the various shows, I prefer the dubbing most of the time. I would NEVER dream of watching a dubbed live action film, but the animated medium is different. As long as the voice actors don't sound horrible, I can appreciate the visuals much more when I'm not reading subtitles.

BlueCC

I watch a series with subtitles first. Then I watch the dubbed version. Then, sometimes, I watch the dubbed version WITH the subtitles. Then when I want to re-watch the show, I use whatever I liked best.

So, unless you want to join the stuck-up omg all dubs suck anime crowd, do what you like best for each series.

dadaluholla

Dubbed. I'm not a fan of subtitles.

milo bloom

It's a toss up. If I saw it on Cartoon Network or Adult Swim first, usually the dub. If it's a new series (to me) I buy on DVD, I'll generally watch the subtitles first.

Yakuza Bengoshi

I don't care for films that have been formatted to fit a 4:3 screen. I don't care for black and white films that have been colorized. I also don't care for dubbed audio tracks. Give me unadulterated content, or nothing.

tonyc3742

Back when buying them on VHS, I was adamant about buying the subtitled. With the advent of both tracks being on DVD though, I tried a few dubs and actually I watch most titles dubbed now. The quality of dubs and voice talent on most newer releases is much better, and honestly, I can "personalize" the characters better with the English voices. One exception: Excel Saga, I have to watch the subbed. The Japanese voice is manic enough, I can't even follow the English actress. If a title is in separate sub or dub versions, however, I'll buy the sub.
I usually have the subs on, even if listening to English voice. It's interesting how the two diverge sometimes, not just in actual words but in tone.
Live action, yes, subs only.

Maxflier

Dubbed.
Sorry, but I just don't care about the "oringinal language" when it comes to anime. I enjoy hearing it in English, so I watch it in English. If that means I am not a true anime fan, then so be it but i'll still be watching and enjoying it.
Live action movies, I watch subtitled.

And Cowboy Bebop is the best show ever, anime or otherwise.

McHawkson

Subtitled.

I started watching Anime recently, too. I used to watch Robotech Macross in 80's and haven't got a chance to catch up with Anime world. Till I rented Scrapped Princess - it got me hooked up with Anime again.

I haven't seen Cowboy Bebop and it's already in my Netflix's long, long list. I cannot tell you which Anime is similar with Cowboy Bebop... Scrapped Princess is great series, so does Elfen Lied & Kurogane Comm.

Zwerchfell

I usually watch both first sub and then dub.

canaryfarmer

Always subtitled. Exceptions: Cowboy Bebop (sometimes--the dub is excellent) and Giant Robo (when I'm in a mood for super cheese)

Mmm.....super cheese...........

paulringodaman

don't watch that much anime, but mostly subtitled if i do

Jah-Wren Ryel

I watch a lot of anime. Most of it is mental fluff that does not require my full attention, so I always watch those titles dubbed, that way I can glance away from the screen and not miss any dialog. Great for watching when I work out.

For the kinds of anime that are either so detailed that I don't want to glance away from the art, or the story is consistently complex to require my full attention, I'll go either way. It didn't bother me to watch Paprika subtitled, but last night I watched the first Pat Labor movie in japanese for the first five minutes, switched to dub and stayed there because it felt better.

I never watch "live action" with dubs because with any scene with more than one person talking, I need the lip-synch to track who is actually speaking.

McHawkson

I looked into that series, that series have 3 separated series and I'm not sure which I should see first.

Tscott

Either/or; sometimes both

As stated above, Cowboy Bebop is one of the best dubs. I tried to rewatch one of the episodes subbed once, but missed the English actor's voices I had grown to enjoy.

I enjoy many other dubs too and will often watch DVD series put out by them in English, then if I rewatch it in the future, I'll watch it subbed. Lain, Boogiepop Phantom and Now and Then, Here and There are a few examples of series I've watched both ways.

One interesting example was Excel Saga. The language goes by so quick and I'd miss a lot of the references since I hadn't seen all the anime they parody, that I got so I'd always watch each episode twice back-to-back - once subbed, then once dubbed with the trivia track on.

I'll confess, the cuter(?) the anime, the more likely I'll just watch the dubbed version: Noir, Steel Angel Kurumi and The Big O are a few I can think of that I've only watched dubbed version.

Apone

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum Collection

Platinum Collection is the way to go because it's much cheaper than Perfect Collection and it has remastered audio/video which sounds far better than most TV shows (or even big-budget movies). Right now Amazon has the Platinum Collection under 49% sale.

Now after the series, it gets confusing with subsequent releases for alternative versions of the last two episodes. This includes different titles, plots and edited versions. To save all the headache just buy End of Evangelion. Currently the DVD lacks the remastered video of a certain Japanese release but I wouldn't hold my breath for a remastered R1/2/4 release.

2. End of Evangelion

End of Evangelion is pretty much a compilation of the last two alternative episodes (complete and director's cut) to add on to the original series. Hence it has a "movie" feature length and promoted as a movie.

Enjoy McHawkson!

BuckNaked2k

Subtitled.