Subs versus dubs is one of the oldest and most heated debates in anime fan communities. Some argue that the original Japanese voice acting with subtitles is the superior way to watch anime, while others say that the dubs are just as good, if not better. In most cases, the argument of "subs or dubs" has shifted from being about all anime, to being about specific anime.
Everyone can watch anime their own way, that's what's so great about subs and dubs and all the new streaming services that provide access to massive anime libraries. In other words, the final call will always come down to the individual viewer. That said, there are some anime that work much better when subbed, whereas others need to be dubbed.
Updated on November 19th, 2023 by Louis Kemner: Some anime fans prefer watching their shows in the original Japanese, while others would rather experience them in English (or their native language). Dubbed anime had a bad reputation for years, but by now, the best dubbed anime are actually a delight to watch, with skilled English voice actors giving it their all to portray fan-favorite characters. Also, this list of anime sub vs dub has been updated to adhere to CBR's current publication standards.
10 Coolest Anime Dub Details That Aren't in the Sub
Translating anime perfectly is impossible, so dubbers often add new contexts and material to make the dub unique and arguably better than the sub.Better Subbed
My Hero Academia is a Superhero Action Anime
My Hero Academia
- First Film
- My Hero Academia: Two Heroes
- Latest Film
- My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission
- First TV Show
- My Hero Academia
- First Episode Air Date
- April 3, 2016
- Cast
- Daiki Yamashita , Justin Briner , Nobuhiko Okamoto , Clifford Chapin , Ayane Sakura , Yûki Kaji
My Hero Academia is arguably one of the most popular shonen anime series out there, perhaps even a contender for the Big Three. This show is much better with its original Japanese audio, despite the hard work put in by the dub team and the English-language voice actors.
My Hero Academia Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.88
- IMDb: 8.3
- Anime Planet: 4.29/5
For one thing, the acting is phenomenal, allowing viewers to hear how the manga characters should sound. Further, the original is superior because the dub seems to make a point of casting the characters with VAs similar to their Japanese voices. More importantly, the subbed anime is released much earlier, which is a huge plus point in its favor.
Kill La Kill Makes Clothing Central to Its Combat System
Kill la Kill
A young girl arrives at a school of superhumans to find out the truth behind her father's murder.
- Studio
- Studio Trigger
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll , Hulu
Kill La Kill is another anime where the dub cast did a fantastic job. It features a wide range of English VAs filling the role, all of whom put out some exceptional performances. Although it might be tempting to watch the dub, the sub wins out for multiple reasons.
Kill La Kill Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.03
- IMDb: 7.9
- Anime Planet: 3.99/5
The Japanese cast brings out some truly masterful voice acting, with poignant deliveries and a complete control over the show's comedic and dramatic elements. Additionally, the original language fits better because Kill la Kill is set in a Japanese high school.
Attack On Titan Blends Mecha With Horror & Politics
Attack On Titan
Original title: Shingeki no Kyojin.
After his hometown is destroyed and his mother is killed, young Eren Jaeger vows to cleanse the earth of the giant humanoid Titans that have brought humanity to the brink of extinction in Attack on Titan.
- Release Date
- September 28, 2013
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 4 Seasons
Not every anime in a Euro-esque setting works better as a dub, as is the case with Attack on Titan. Though this series lost a bit of steam when it entered its fourth season, the first three seasons are explosive and savage and remarkable all at once. As such, the show is best enjoyed with its original Japanese voice acting.
Attack On Titan Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.54
- IMDb: 9.1
- Anime Planet: 4.35/5
The reason for this is that the yelling and dramatic acting hit much harder in Japanese, especially the brutal scenes in which humans are devoured by the mindless Titans. There's just something much more devastating about the dramatic highs and lows in the sub rather than in the dub.
Durarara!! Is an Urban Supernatural Adventure
Durarara!! follows several characters as they deal with the goings-on in Ikebukuro, a city plagued by crime, gangs, and supernatural happenings. What makes this series so interesting is that the perspective changes with each episode, almost as though the plot is the main protagonist that subsequently encounters other characters as it unfolds.
Durarara!! Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.1
- IMDb: 7.8
- Anime Planet: 4.12/5
One might think that this would result in a confusing series to watch in Japanese with subtitles, but this really isn't the case. Not only is the sub of Durarara!! the opposite of confusing, it is also a great way to experience the sheer breadth and scope of this underrated anime program.
Blue Exorcist Takes Place in a Supernatural School
Blue Exorcist
After discovering that he's the son of Satan, a young man must join the True Cross Academy in order to master his abilities and defeat Satan himself.
- Release Date
- April 17, 2011
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 1
Blue Exorcist has been described as "Hellboy in high school," a statement that still holds up. The series follows Rin, the spawn of Satan, who aims to become a demon-fighting exorcist. Blue Exorcist could be viewed as a dub, but the themes and concepts in this anime are better served in sub format.
Blue Exorcist Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.49
- IMDb: 7.4
- Anime Planet: 4.03/5
The Japanese-language casting is far more apt — each voice actor fits perfectly in the sub, their vocal inflections and timbre pairing nicely with the characters they're playing. Although the VAs in the dub are clearly very talented, the casting choices just don't seem to make sense, especially after watching the sub.
Food Wars! Is Shonen Action With Cooking, Not Fists
Food Wars
Soma Yukihira enrolls in an elite culinary school to become a full-time chef and surpass his father's culinary skills.
- Created by
- Yūto Tsukuda
- First Episode Air Date
- April 4, 2015
- Latest Episode
- 2020-09-26
Food Wars! was the sleeper hit of the last few anime seasons, coming out from under the radar to become one of the most memorable series of all time. This cooking-based shonen series deserves to be watched in its authentic language, considering the show's partial focus on Japanese cuisine.
Food Wars! Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.15
- IMDb: 8.1
- Anime Planet: 4.23/5
For one thing, the descriptions of and reactions to the food — a major comedic aspect of the series—work better in Japanese. Secondly, the acting in general seems to be a bit better in the sub, hitting all the right comedic and dramatic beats.
Death Note Is a Supernatural Crime Thriller
Death Note
Original title: Death Note: Desu nôto.
An intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing anyone whose name is written into it.
- Release Date
- October 21, 2007
- Cast
- Mamoru Miyano , Brad Swaile , Vincent Tong , Ryō Naitō , Trevor Devall
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 1
The dub cast of Death Note gave a stellar performance, coming close to the quality of the sub. However, at the end of the day, the dub just can't compete with the sub, which has some wonderfully tense and emotionally complex performances from its voice-acting cast.
Death Note Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.62
- IMDb: 8.9
- Anime Planet: 4.30/5
Perhaps the best example of this comes in comparing the final scenes of the dub and sub. Light's tragic cries of pain and his evil speech feel so much more guttural and hit much harder in Japanese. That's not to say his dying moments are any less profound in English, but viewers would rather experience Light's downfall in his native tongue.
Little Witch Academia Is About the Magic of Believing in Oneself
Little Witch Academia revolves around Atsuko Kagari's desire to become a witch, but she struggles to keep up with her classmates at the prestigious Luna Nova Academy. She eventually rises to the occasion and proves herself, but not before undergoing a series of trials and tribulations.
Little Witch Academia Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.81
- IMDb: 7.8
- Anime Planet: 4.0/5
This anime series is wonderful in both Japanese and English but after much consideration, viewers should reserve their attention for the subbed version of the anime. In Little Witch Academia, which has Trigger's signature style, something just clicks better with the original voice tracks.
One-Punch Man Satirizes Superheroes With Saitama's Power
One-Punch Man
The story of Saitama, a hero that does it just for fun & can defeat his enemies with a single punch.
- Genre
- Action, Comedy, Superhero
- Language
- English, Japanese
- Number of Seasons
- 2
- Debut Date
- October 4, 2015
- Studio
- Madhouse, J.C.Staff
Though it has a superhero motif, One-Punch Man is a parody of the shonen battle genre of anime and manga. The story playfully subverts the overpowered hero trope by making Saitama too strong to have fun fighting, which tends to be a Shonen protagonist's favorite thing to do.
One-Punch Man Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.5
- IMDb: 8.7
- Anime Planet: 4.42/5
As the show is such a surreal satire of anime and manga as a whole, the original Japanese dialogue seems much more fitting. Moreover, the numerous gags, comedic high points, and parody elements scattered across the series pack a stronger punch in the original version of the series.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Has Stands, Vampires, & More
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
The story of the Joestar family, who are possessed with intense psychic strength, and the adventures each member encounters throughout their lives.
- Release Date
- October 4, 2012
- Cast
- David Vincent , Matthew Mercer , Daisuke Ono , Unshô Ishizuka , Tôru Ohkawa
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 5
- Studio
- David Production
- Franchise
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
- Creator
- Hirohiko Araki
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is seriously weird, so anime newcomers should leave this one alone before they watch at least a few gateway anime. On the other hand, fans who love anime and want a hilariously complicated series to obsess over would prefer watching JoJo in its subtitled format.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.89
- IMDb: 8.5
- Anime Planet: 3.75/5
The wacky nature of the series feels more unique and fun in Japanese. That said, another good reason to watch the sub is that characters with names based on American trademarks aren't forced to have their names changed, thereby preserving more of the show's original flavor.
One Piece Is the Ultimate Pirate Adventure
One Piece
Follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in order to find the greatest treasure ever left by the legendary Pirate, Gold Roger. The famous mystery treasure named "One Piece".
- Release Date
- October 20, 1999
- Cast
- Mayumi Tanaka , Akemi Okamura , Laurent Vernin , Tony Beck , Kazuya Nakai
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 1
Some fans might argue that the sheer number of episodes in One Piece would automatically make it dub-worthy, but this isn't exactly the case. Although the dub is slightly more accessible for those trying to get into the series, it's also somewhat incoherent.
One Piece Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.71
- IMDb: 8.9
- Anime Planet: 4.30/5
Problems with consistency began cropping up after 4Kids stopped dubbing One Piece and new voice actors were brought in. The show maintains its unique approach throughout, mirroring Oda's manga storyline with near-perfect faithfulness, but the sub is just a shade more consistent than the dub.
Dragon Ball Super Is a More Comedic Take on Akira Toriyama's Shonen Franchise
Dragon Ball Super
With Majin Buu defeated half-a-year prior, peace returns to Earth, where Son Goku (now a radish farmer) and his friends now live peaceful lives.
- Release Date
- January 7, 2017
- Cast
- Masako Nozawa , Takeshi Kusao , Ryô Horikawa , Hiromi Tsuru
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 5
Dragon Ball Z was pretty serious, but when Dragon Ball Super came around, comedy made a return to the franchise. As such, the original Japanese VAs felt right at home in the newest Dragon Ball Series, but that's not the only reason why Super is better as a sub.
Dragon Ball Super Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.43
- IMDb: 8.3
- Anime Planet: 4.0/5
For one thing, the series is finished in Japan, so viewers can watch the entire thing instead of waiting for the dub. Another reason to watch the sub is to see just how dramatic Goku's Japanese voice, Masako Nozawa, can get in her iconic role.
Dragon Ball Is a 1980s Classic
Dragon Ball was more adventure and comedy-focused than Dragon Ball Z, so it wouldn't be that farfetched to assume that the Japanese VAs were cast with the intent of filling those comedic adventurer roles. Regardless if this is the case, the Japanese cast of Dragon Ball seems much more fitting to the early comedy-adventure days of the series.
Dragon Ball Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.96
- IMDb: 8.6
- Anime Planet: 3.97/5
Although both versions are great, fans are likely to enjoy watching the original Dragon Ball series in Japanese. Another reason to watch the subs is to get some variety in watching all the entries in the franchise, especially since DBZ works much better in its dubbed format.
Better Dubbed
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Blends Steampunk With Philosophy, Drama, & Conspiracy
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Original title: Hagane no renkinjutsushi.
When a failed alchemical ritual leaves brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric with severely damaged bodies, they begin searching for the one thing that can save them: the fabled philosopher's stone.
- Release Date
- April 9, 2009
- Cast
- Romi Pak , Rie Kugimiya , Shinichirô Miki , Fumiko Orikasa
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 1
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric as they seek to find the philosopher's stone and restore their bodies back to normal. They eventually win in the end, but not Edward pays the ultimate price to save his little brother.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Scores:
MyAnimeList: 9.1
IMDb: 9.1
Anime Planet: 4.57/5
The series' setting is partly why this anime worked better dubbed. The country of Amestris was inspired by industrial Europe, so hearing these characters speak English fits very well. It's that the characters can't speak Japanese, since it's a fantasy world after all. However, the dub cast really brought their A-game, making for the superior version of the series.
Tiger And Bunny Stars a Pair of Superhero Partners
Tiger & Bunny is a superhero anime about an old veteran of the game and a rookie who he is forced to partner with, creating a buddy-cop superhero series with the added twist of the protagonists competing on a reality show.
Tiger And Bunny Scores:
MyAnimeList: 7.85
IMDb: 7.2
Anime Planet: 3.94/5
This series works better as a dub because of the setting, which takes place in a multicultural, melting-pot city known as Sternbild. Though the country of Sternbild is never stated, the fact that the megalopolis is so diverse and based on New York really makes the English dub work.
Trigun Takes Place on a High-Tech Cowboy World
Trigun is easily one of the coolest anime series of all time, standing as one of the best space western stories in all of pop culture. The series follows Vash the Stampede, a gunman with a huge bounty on his head for how much destruction he leaves in his wake.
Trigun Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.22
- IMDb: 8.2
- Anime Planet: 4.15/5
This series can be watched in either sub or dub format, but the dub is much funnier. Also, Johnny Yong Bosch's voice acting as Vash is nothing short of delightful, as is the rest of the dub cast in their respective roles.
Fairy Tail Follows the Magical Adventures of Natsu & Lucy
Fairy Tail
Lucy, an aspiring Celestial Wizard, becomes a friend and ally to powerful wizards Natsu, Gray, and Erza, who are part of the (in)famous wizard guild, Fairy Tail.
- Release Date
- October 12, 2009
- Cast
- Cherami Leigh , Todd Haberkorn , Tia Lynn Ballard , Colleen Clinkenbeard , Newton Pittman , Brittney Karbowski , Monical Rial , Brina Palencia
- Main Genre
- Action
- Seasons
- 9
Fairy Tail is a series about Natsu Dragneel, a fire wizard of the Fairy Tail guild. He and his friends adventure and quest across the land, inevitably saving the world along the way. The series is a whole lot of fun and worth checking out for fans who want a magic-heavy One Piece.
Fairy Tail Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.57
- IMDb: 7.9
- Anime Planet: 4.10/5
As for which version to check out, the dub is superior for two main reasons. First, the cast is great, and each character feels unique and refreshing. On top of this, the dub makes the series easier for English speakers to binge-watch, which is necessary given its massive episode count.
91 Days Is a Gangster Drama Anime
Anyone who likes gangster movies would enjoy watching 91 Days. A tale of revenge during the Prohibition era, this story follows Avilio Bruno/Angelo Lagusa as he infiltrates the gang that murdered his family in order to deliver justice to those who orphaned him.
91 Days Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.83
- IMDb: 7.7
- Anime Planet: 3.98/5
The acting is phenomenal in both the dub and the sub, but the dub is ever so slightly better. While other anime taking place in America might include some over-the-top accents, 91 Days dub is subtle, wonderfully acted, and overall just top-notch —the English VAs really bring the characters and setting to life.
Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt Pays Tribute to Western Cartoons
Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt was patterned after 90s Cartoon Network shows, coming off as a much dirtier version of those childhood favorites. As such, the dub of the series is the superior version, since English is more fitting to the art style, which captures the American cartoon aesthetic perfectly.
Panty & Stocking With Garterbelt Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.73
- IMDb: 7.3
- Anime Planet: 3.80/5
Additionally, the dub gets a bit more creative with all the swearing and language that comes with this absurdly obscene and overtly absurd anime. The English-language voice actors offer hilarious performances that effectively blow the sub out of the water.
Bleach Is an Action Fantasy Anime With Swords & Monsters
Bleach
Bleach revolves around Kurosaki Ichigo, a regular always-grouchy high-schooler who for some strange reason is able to see the souls of the dead around him.
- Release Date
- October 5, 2004
- Cast
- Masakazu Morita , Fumiko Orikasa , Hiroki Yasumoto , Yuki Matsuoka , Noriaki Sugiyama , Kentarô Itô , Shinichirô Miki , Hisayoshi Suganuma
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 17 Seasons
- Creator
- Tite Kubo
As in Trigun, Johnny Yong Bosch is a fantastic dub VA, and it's his voice that is the primary reason for watching Bleach in English. Not only does Bosch have great range while portraying Ichigo Kurosaki, the scruffy yet lovable protagonist, but there are also a lot of other great cast members of the dub.
Bleach Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.93
- IMDb: 8.2
- Anime Planet: 3.98/5
In addition to the great cast and acting, Bleach holds a bit of a nostalgia factor for many American fans, since it was first broadcast on Adult Swim as a dubbed series. The anime's final arc is currently being released.
Naruto Shows One Ninja's Rise to Greatness
Naruto
Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent ninja, struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village's leader and strongest ninja.
- Release Date
- September 10, 2002
- Main Genre
- Anime
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Pierrot
- Characters By
- Masashi Kishimoto
- Number of Episodes
- 220
Countless future anime fans grew up watching the Naruto dub on Toonami. This nostalgia factor played a major part in these viewers lives, which is why this anime is simply better as a dub. However, there are a few more reasons to avoid the sub.
Naruto Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.99
- IMDb: 8.4
- Anime Planet: 4.01/5
Naruto's English VA, Maile Flanagan, is a much better fit for the character, mainly because she captures his stubborn but friendly nature while simultaneously giving him a grating but powerful voice. The voice of Sasuke, Yuri Lowenthal — who played Spider-Man in the PS4 game — is also a win for the dub.
Soul Eater Is a Delightful & Brutal Fantasy Anime
Soul Eater is like Harry Potter, if it was about a school that trained grim reapers rather than young wizards. As such, this anime is a great gateway series to get people into the medium. Soul Eater is even better for English-speaking newcomers to watch anime, as dubs are much more palatable and accessible than subs.
Soul Eater Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.84
- IMDb: 7.8
- Anime Planet: 4.06/5
In the case of Soul Eater, the dubs are well done and do a good job of bringing the same energy from the sub into the English dialogue, not to mention improving upon the source material with diverse voices and great performances.
Gurren Lagann Takes the Mecha Genre to Outrageous Extremes in Fun Ways
The two main characters of Gurren Lagann, Kamina and Simon, are reason alone to watch it dubbed since they're voiced by Kyle Herbert (adult Gohan) and Yuri Lowenthal (Ben 10 and PS4's Spider-Man). The rest of the cast is just as spectacular as these two protagonists, and the English dub in general is the superior version of this fantastic anime series.
Gurren Lagann Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.63
- IMDb: 8.3
- Anime Planet: 4.24/5
The cheesiness of the English dialogue in Gurren Lagann actually works to the dub's advantage, as the story is an over-the-top subversion of cheesy mecha and shonen anime, putting a lot of heart behind the ludicrously exaggerated action sequences.
Space Dandy Is a More Fun Take on Cowboy Bebop
Space Dandy was directed by Shinchiro Watanabe, and it reads like a more comedic, outlandish version of Cowboy Bebop, arguably Watanabe's crowning achievement. Even more interesting, however, is the fact that this series first aired in America before Japan.
Space Dandy Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.88
- IMDb: 8.1
- Anime Planet: 3.86/5
The dub airing before the sub is practically unheard of, but this is exactly why the English-language version is the better option. Additionally, the humor of the series works better in the dub, and overall the English cast did a great job with all the outlandish characters in Space Dandy.
Dragon Ball Z Is an Iconic Shoen Anime From the 1990s
Dragon Ball Z
With the help of the powerful Dragonballs, a team of fighters led by the saiyan warrior Goku defend the planet earth from extraterrestrial enemies.
- Genre
- Adventure, Fantasy, Martial Arts
- Language
- English, Japanese
- Number of Seasons
- 9
- Debut Date
- April 26, 1989
- Studio
- Toei Animation
When it comes to the most popular entry in the Dragon Ball franchise, Dragon Ball Z is unquestionably much better in English. Although subs are available much sooner, the English voice actors fit the hard action and dramatic shift that DBZ marked in Goku's evolving character arc.
Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.17
- IMDb: 8.8
- Anime Planet: 4.04/5
In other words, where the Japanese voice actors were cast for a comedy adventure, the English VAs were cast for an action series, and that's why their voices fit so well. Plus, nostalgia plays more than a small role in this recommendation.
Cowboy Bebop
Shinchiro Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop is much more popular in America than in Japan. Because of its iconic global status, the dub is a much more fitting way to watch the show. However, there are plenty of other reasons to watch the English version for anyone still unconvinced.
Cowboy Bebop Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.75
- IMDb: 8.9
- Anime Planet: 4.33/5
For one thing, the Quality of the dub is top-notch, despite it being produced before the current golden age of dubbing techniques and the like. Second, there is just absolutely no beating Steve Blum's cool-as-ice portrayal of Spike Spiegel, Cowboy Bebop's rebellious protagonist.