to translate or to subtitle japanime....

[tinamaan_ng_kidlat]

a question that has bugged me for a long while now...which form of translating anime is best? there's the obvious english voice dubbing, then there's subtitles, where the original voices are retained and the translation is pasted at the bottom of the screen, and then there's everyone's favorite(?) pinoy-style voice dubbing! Which of the three do you prefer, which should be used more often?

[Diyos ng Kamatayan]

Pinoy dubbing is only amusing, especialy when they talk in funny accents, i.e. "HINDI KO BIBIGUIN ANG TALGEESE!" But I really hate it when they change stuff, such as names, i.e. Gundam Alto Long Nataku=Gundam na Double Dragon, Heavy Arms=Gundam na Cannon, etc. Other than that, completely emotionless.

As for dubbs and subtitles, my preference dpends. I prefer Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X to be subtittled because I hate Samurai's with American accents. They just don't go. Also, if an anime has songs, like Macross Plus and Macross 7, I prefer to read the song translations so that they don't need to rearange the lyrics to match the instrumentals.

Other shows, such as Bubblegum Crisis 2040 can do with dubbs, but once I hear their jap voices, I cannot see at times how they'd do with a different one.

[Jacob]

Subtitles mas Ok. Mas maiintindihan mo. Minsan kasi hindi mo marinig ang mga sinasabi.

[nix]

I would go for the subtitles. I find Japanese prose so intense, it adds to the very dynamic nature of their brand of animation.

[Diyos ng Kamatayan]

Problem with Subs: The obstruction of images
and the possibility of missing certain details while reading. but thanks for mentioning the Anime-esque accents and the ultra-soft words that you can hardly hear.

[don]

I prefer the English translation. In anime I've seen so far, the action and plot often moved so fast, I didn't have time to read while the movie went on. I really hate taking my eyes off the scene just to figure out what was being said. Yun nga lang, masyadong 'Kano ang dating.

[An-T-Eep-S]

I think it would depend on the cartoon. Sometimes what fits the cartoon best is according to its type.
like
English translation(dubbed) fits for cartoons which dont involve exact mouth moving sequences (wherein the mouth is more often than not, not focused on while speaking)and for some other action cartoons.
the only problem with this is that it sometimes distorts the essence of the cartoon ( like when the voice doesnt fit the speaker, or the way he/she says it)

Subtitles are fine but they are most suitable to those with a lot of technical terms (like Gundam) and names. Only problem with this is sometimes you cant see the art behind those letters

FILIPINO TRANSLATION- FITS ONLY COMEDY CARTOON ANIME LIKE MOJACKO, and PETER PAN but certainly not Akazukin chacha.

------------------------------SWATTT

[batang uliran]

Funny this topic should be started. I had a friend in high school who for a while was a deejay and dubbed some of these anime shows - in English of course. For anime, I think good english dubbing is ok mainly because as one of you pointed out, the action can be fast and furious and sub-titles really can't keep up. For foreign movies, dubbing for me is intolerable and sub-titles are THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

[basho]

It depends on the show. Ranma works really well with a dubbed format("...RANMA YOU PERVERT!") as well as Macross. But for animes like Akira or Oh! My Goddess!, the esence is lost in the translation. Also, I really hate it when they mix the languages in a dubbed cartoon, like in Dragon Ball("....Sige, ok lang, pero where?") or in Sailor Moon("...mahal kita! I love you!").

[Pao|o]

Dubs loose the essense of the original dialogue in the translation

Substitles are distracting.

[teppei]

l33t otakus prefers j-dub/e-sub. while those ppl who aren't really much into anime[what the heck is anime? :P] who grew accustomed to dbz, tenchis, and the likes [which are e-dubbed and e-butchered] prefer english dubs. years ago, i also thought to myself that subs are so annoying. that was when i was a n00b when it comes to animes[i think i was watching my first j-dub/e-sub anime that time]. although it's true that u might miss some information, or u might not be able to read exactly what was shown in the subs in every scene, the japanese dubs' intonation and some learned jap words helps u with that. can't keep up with the subtitles? practice it! watch more of puni puni poemi, excel saga, kodomo no ocha and the likes in subtitles ;)

[badoochi]

Ah yes, my eyes got a workout while keeping up with Excel Saga subtitles.

I'm so used to watching subtitled anime now plus it's fun to hear english words when being said by a Japanese VA. :D

[MAD_pATUY]

dahil sa sub, mabilis na ako magbasa :lol:

[okashira]

i believe subtitles are the way to go. not only can you rely on a better understanding of what's going on [as subtitles would capture more of what the animators intended to bring out], but they're oftentimes more accurate as well. and also, hearing the story in its original japanese dub will get you more into the mood of the story. in other words, parang mas bagay sa anime ang japanese dub talaga. hindi pilit o exagg pakinggan. ;)

besides that, you can pick up a ton of handy japanese expressions and cuss words to yell at your younger brother when he's being bratty [oi, sono gaki, yamero!!!] :jap:

[JC00]

subtitles are the only way to go

[Pao|o]

Want no subtitles and no translation lost? Learn Nippongo! :D

[okashira]

Want no subtitles and no translation lost? Learn Nippongo!

exactly what i've been doing!!!
not as easy as it seems!

btw the official term is nihongo, i believe :)

[thehitman]

Subtitles!

Once you get the hang of it, even fast-paced anime should be no problem, well, most of the time. Kare Kano has proven to be an extremely tough anime to watch, what with 5-7 lines of subtitles on a single scene the lasts for no more than 2-3 seconds :glee:

:cool:

[shinji_kun]

I actually prefer subtitles.

Some of the english dubbing is actually quite poor and you sometimes get to miss some of the character's trademark lines [Asuka: Anta Baka!]. Some even change the name of some characters! [Yoshi = Yahiko (RK)] Though subtitles are sometimes hard to read during action sequences you can actually get used to it. I do not find any problems watching subtitles anyway...

And Vash the Stampede's and Wolfwood's voices are better in the jap dub than in the english dub...

[redwitch]

Subs syempre! Kasi it's twice the fun when you hear anime in Japanese and understand them through the subs. Isa pa reference ko yun when I start learning the language :)

[teppei]

i've been watching anime with subs for years now, and one thing that i noticed is that, when u get used to the subs, u wouldn't notice that u'r reading subs at all while watching/reading them.

[topnotch97]

well you don't have to worry between dub or sub kung Hentai ang panonoorin mo!

hehehehehe...... <ilag>

[happosai]

Originally posted by topnotch97
well you don't have to worry between dub or sub kung Hentai ang panonoorin mo!

hehehehehe...... <ilag>

TUMPAK!!! Nadale mo!! hehehehe... Miski walang tokis. Maiintindihan mo.. puro uuuhhh at ahhh lang naman ang maririnig mo eh.. Hehehehehe...

[teppei]

Originally posted by topnotch97
well you don't have to worry between dub or sub kung Hentai ang panonoorin mo!

hehehehehe...... <ilag>


i beg to disagree on this one. actually, the english dubs dubs in hentais are more horrible than the english dubs in regular animes. why? coz most of the time the dubbers are p0rn actors/actresses. so the kind of acting[?] that u would normally get from a regular p0rn would be almost the same from an english dub hentai. hentai seiyuus actually does a good job in hentais, they're all well done.