Yes, These 19+ Anime Shows Are Better DUBBED Than Subbed

The anime dub vs sub argument is well documented. Both here on Anime Motivation and the internet in general. It’s to the point where the most elitist will make the effort to put down “dub” watchers.

Not here to talk about that, but it is relevant to what I’m talking about now.

As someone who watches mostly subbed, there are DUBBED anime that destroy the subbed version.

Or at least are better to a noticeable degree.

Here they are.

1. Dragon Ball Franchise (Z, Super)

Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way first. Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super. It’s not just my first anime, but an anime that actually has a stellar list of dubbed voice actors.

Goku’s voice actor, Vegeta’s voice actor, Piccolo’s Bulma’s (sadly), and other DB characters.

The subbed version of DB is awful, with Goku’s voice being the worst of the bunch.

You can’t mess with the quality the dub brings to Dragon Ball though.

2. Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon just doesn’t sit right when talking about the subbed version.

Is it awful? No. But the characters are diverse (from different countries). This makes the dubbed version solid.

Dutch is African American. Revy is Chinese American. Some characters are Russian, and so on.

The voice actors play a good enough role that it all fits and sounds on point as well. Especially with the F bombs and language in general.

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3. Michiko To Hatchin

Michiko To Hatchin is another anime with a SOLID dub. The sub isn’t bad at all, it’s just the dub is good as well.

Michiko Malandro’s voice does her justice, especially given her rough around the edges persona. And background.

Hatchin’s voice is that of a kid, and fits well. Satoshi Batista is another one along with Atsuko Jackson and the list goes on.

Great anime, somewhat underrated, and with good voice actors.

4. Good Luck Girl

Good Luck Girl has better punchlines when dubbed compared to subbed. It hits better, and the jokes are funnier.

You can see this clearly when comparing both shows.

Again, it’s not that the subbed version is terrible. It’s just the dubbed version hits more notes and sounds better.

The anime wouldn’t be half as funny without the dubbed version.

5. Squid Girl

Squid Girl is another anime series that makes use of clever dialogue, made possible in the dubbed version.

It’s about Squid Girl, a girl from the sea with the intent to conquer mankind.

It rolls of the tongue a lot better with the anime’s constant jokes, twists on words, and wordplay in general.

Squid Girl in particular is the one who shines more than any other in the dubbed version.

Overall it’s still music to the ears.

6. Gamers

Gamers is about Otakus and “casual” gamers. Mixed in with misunderstandings and romance of course.

A lot of the comedy relates to inside jokes only gamers or Otaku will understand. But can still be funny regardless.

When comparing the dub to the sub, you can see how much better the wordplay is. And how the impact compares.

It’s just one of those anime that’s able to do better because of the changes made in the dub (voices are good as well).

7. Hyperdimension Neptunia

Hyperdimension Neptunia is a comedy series, so it’s not surprising to see why the dubbed version is good.

It tends to be the case.

In this anime of CPU’S, Neptune is the funniest of the bunch. And is usually the center of the jokes somehow.

It’s the kind of anime that makes sense if you understand the context, like Gamers.

That aside, the dub gels well and doesn’t feel out of place.

8. Akame Ga Kill

Akame Ga Kill isn’t focused on comedy. It’s an action/Shonen series and one of the most violent and brutal.

That said, when it does make use of comedy, the dubbed version wins every time. Line for line, word for word.

None of the voice actors, especially the MAIN and relevant characters don’t sound bad at all. And fit their characters unique roles and identities.

Only makes the action and what’s happening better as well.

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9. Jormungand

Jormungand is about arms dealers and the main character who travels the world as a millionaire with bodyguards.

Selling weapons.

It’s a dirty business, but a realistic and true to life type of story.

Similar to Black Lagoon or even Akame Ga Kill, the voice actors and the dialogue squeezed out of the characters is better in the dub.

It’s a vibe the subbed version just can’t match for me.

10. Bleach

Bleach has a LOT of characters, so there’s a lot of variety to the voices. Not all of them are stellar (dub or sub).

For the characters that matter though and the characters who are relevant, the voices fit their personalities.

Ichigo is one, and an easy one to notice. Same VA as Lelouch in Code Geass. Rukia is another, one of my favourite VA’S for dubbed.

Skipping the line to characters like Baraggan, Espada #2, his voice to me fits the best of anyone.

Overall the Bleach dub is the most balanced of the two, and has better dialogue.

11. Fairy Tail

Fairy Tail is in a league of its own, and not many anime can say that for the dubbed version. I’d compare it to DBZ. And that’s rare to me.

Almost all the characters sound good (in Fairy Tail).

In the Fairy Tail guild, Natsu, Erza, and the usual suspects all have great voice actors and they do their job well.

It just doesn’t hit or feel the same when compared to the subbed version of FT. Especially for the comedy and certain lines.

They did a killer job and it’s one of my favourite choices for dubbed anime.

12. The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K

Saiki K is another comedy, but also a slice of life and supernatural.

Kusuo Saiki is a powerful psychic who’s introverted and minds his own business. Strong enough to shape reality itself.

With the comedy and parodies in this anime, the subbed equivalent just didn’t stick the same way the dubbed version did.

Watch both, compare dialogue, and you’ll understand what I mean (like most of this list).

13. Full Metal Panic

Full Metal Panic is an underrated classic from the 2000s. With its latest anime airing a few years ago. 2018 maybe.

It’s about Sousuke Sagara, and the anti-terrorist group Mythril.

The dubbed version is better for 2 reasons:

The voice actors and dialogue.
The spin-off comedy anime series.

The character’s rhetoric, back and forth, and even its serious and violent moments are made special thanks to the dub cast.

It’s a dubbed anime that deserves a lot of praise.

14. Goblin Slayer

Goblin Slayer is a crude anime. But only for the first episode. “Crude” from the perspective of people who are outraged.

Once you get past the first episode, it becomes more of a semi-violent adventure series.

The main character himself has a voice actor that brings out the awkwardness of Goblin Slayer.

He’s a man who’s been deeply affected by his past (associated with Goblins). It makes him almost mute. And extremely introverted.

The voice actor expresses this well. And you see that with others like Onna, the anime’s priestess.

15. Gakkou Gurashi

Gakkou Gurashi is another anime I’ve tried watching in subbed. And it works, just not as well.

In the case of this anime it’s not because of the dialogue as much, but more so the choice of voice actors.

Many of them are easy to recognize if you’re familiar with dub, but either way, it fits much better with the vibes I feel.

16. Kono Subarashii

Kono Subarashii has an OK sub. It’s how I started watching the series to begin with. I couldn’t get on with Megumin’s voice. It doesn’t do it for me.

The dubbed version though? Better than expected. MUCH better variety of voices, as far as quality goes.

Darkness has Rukia’s VA, Megumin has Yuuki Konno’s VA, and so on.

One of the best comedies I’ve come to enjoy.