TIL the difference between subs and dubs isn't just preference for older shows

I kept seeing people argue that the original Japanese audio is always better, but for 90s anime like Cowboy Bebop, the English cast actually had looser direction and more natural delivery. Why does nobody mention that this varies by the studio's budget and the era it was dubbed in? Has anyone else found a specific show where the dub is objectively cleaner?

2 comments

2 Comments

simon_sanchez585d ago

Not sure I'd say "objectively cleaner" is a thing, since dubs often have different mixing and a different soundstage. Cowboy Bebop is a good example but so is Trigun, where the English Vash has this goofy energy that fits the show's weird tone better than the more serious Japanese take. Budget and director involvement matter a ton (like how FUNimation's early dubs were rough vs their later work). Stuff like Cardcaptor Sakura's recent re-dub shows how much easier it is now to match the original's emotional weight.

cameron_webb5d agoProlific Poster

Nah but does a "goofy" Vash actually sound dated now or still hold up?