Which is better, the English dub or the original Japanese Voices. The debate has been ranging for a while and now I enter it. For the most part I enjoy the subtitled versions better. The few exceptions I find are for Tenchi Muyo and some other long forgotten titles.
But the breaking point for myself, not to mention a legion of other fans, is Raanma 1/2. So well done is this dub (although not as good as Tenchi Muyo in my opinion) that many people have come to accept the dubbed version an almost equal to the subtitled version.
I am not one of those people. As an ensemble the Japanese voices are far superior to the English ones. Only for certain characters did I find the English Dub superior. So I have created a table, just for the hell of it.
Japanese Voice
English Dub
Male Ranma
Sounds like a teenage boy.
First it was a deep pitched woman, who I could instantly tell was a woman. And she didn't even do the female Ranma's voice. Then it changes into a man who's got a higher pitched voice than the woman.
Winner: Japanese Voice
Female Ranma
Megumi Hashibar...Hayashiba... The woman who's in every friggin quality anime on earth.
Venus Terzo, who does Blackarachnia on Transformers. And based on that the voice for female Ranma must be achieved with helium, if not the woman's got the most incredible vocal chords I've ever witnessed. After Sherry Lynn this woman is my favorite English voice actor.
Winner: Draw
Akane Tendo
I honestley can't remember.
Shrill, annoyed, angry as character calls for. Pretty good for more empathic, romantic, and sadder scenes.
Winner: English Dub
Shampoo
Fake ass, stereotypical Chinese accent.
Same.
Winner: Draw
Ryoga
Tough guy, deep manly voice.
Mike Donovan, whose voice I have gotten sick of in Reboot.
Winner: Japanese Voice
Ukyo
Sounds like a nice girl.
Batgirl from the Batman cartoon before it sucked. She's supposed to have a Southern accent but I can only tell because she says y'all.
Winner: Japanese Voice
The Panda Father
Cranky Japanese man, age unknown.
Annoyed middle aged man.
Winner: English Dub
Happosai
High pitced old man that sounds like someone on helium. Tone is always excited, I'm so happy mode.
Old man, but somewhat deeper voice, although not by much. I can Acctually tell when emotions change.
Winner: English Dub
Great Grand-Ma
Sound like an old woman.
Sounds like someone pretending to be an old woman.
Naive woman who sounds very clueless of her surroundings but very dedicated to helping those she loves.
Sounds like an imitation of the Japanese version.
Winner: Japanese Voice
Kuno
I just don't care.
Really I don't.
Winner: Draw
Kodachi: The Black Rose Chick in the Leotard
Psycho chick.
Wannabe Psycho Chick.
Winner: Japanese Voice
Sasuke
Until I started this list I forgot this character existed.
I'm not even going to touch the prinipal.
Winner: Draw
Soun Tendo
Typical high pitched Japanese man.
Megatron.
Winner: English Dub
Chinese Guide
Sounds as it should.
I still can't believe this is the same voice as Goku from Dragon Ball Z.
Winner: English Dub
Doctor Tofu
Leading Romantic man stuff.
Goku again.
Winner: English Dub
Extra Characters
Used well.
One of the women was the villianess in Bots Master, real sultry voice.
Winner: English Dub
What can we determine from this? The English Dub has a lot of good individual voices which don't work well as an ensemble, or that the Male Ranma screws up a bunch of good performances. Doesn't matter, none of the people in the English Dub can hold a candle to Sherry Lynn. I'd rather watch her one line in "Tarzan" than see season three of Ranma done in English.
