Spoken language (Score: 3, Informative) by bryan@pipedot.org on 2014-09-10 22:17 (#2S8V) I'm a big fan of watching media in its original native language. Japanese animation should always be watched with the original Japanese audio. Subtitles are nearly always available, and preferable to dubbing, if you don't understand the native language.Anime fan-subbing is perhaps the world's largest subtitling community. With high quality releases of popular titles mere days after airing, the fan-subbed versions often far surpass the quality of the eventual commercial release.But what about the legality of fan-subs? Well... the content industry shot itself in the foot on that front. When digital video came out (LaserDisk, DVD, Bluray, etc) the industry divided the world into different "regions." U.S. and Canada are region 1, Japan and Europe are region 2, and Australia and South America are stuck in region 4. The idea being, they can charge different prices for the same content to different areas of the world. Charging higher prices to wealthier countries is, of course, illegal under free trade agreements - but something being illegal never stopped the content industry! However, this also brings up a small window of time, where a work is released in region 2, but not available for purchase in region 1. During this window, animation companies normally turn a blind eye to fan-subbing groups - as long as they promise to cease distribution once the official commercial license is finalized. Re: Spoken language (Score: 1) by konomi@pipedot.org on 2014-09-14 05:38 (#2SCQ) I find I tend to only have soft spots for a few English dubbed Animes, mostly ones I was exposed to as a child. One of them in Sailor Moon of course. But I generally agree with the watch it with subs for every other single Anime mantra. English dubs COULD be good but it seems the studios do not go to the effort to get voice actors that match the original Japanese voice actors in tone or character, I find it to be a real shame. I've also had the unfortunate experience of purchasing a few dubbed Animes and the extras on one certain series had the voice actors doing a commentary, one episode the voice actors were making FUN of the show. Never again Mad Man. Never. Again.
Re: Spoken language (Score: 1) by konomi@pipedot.org on 2014-09-14 05:38 (#2SCQ) I find I tend to only have soft spots for a few English dubbed Animes, mostly ones I was exposed to as a child. One of them in Sailor Moon of course. But I generally agree with the watch it with subs for every other single Anime mantra. English dubs COULD be good but it seems the studios do not go to the effort to get voice actors that match the original Japanese voice actors in tone or character, I find it to be a real shame. I've also had the unfortunate experience of purchasing a few dubbed Animes and the extras on one certain series had the voice actors doing a commentary, one episode the voice actors were making FUN of the show. Never again Mad Man. Never. Again.