10 Beloved Anime English Dubs That Are Worse Than You Remember

Whether a fan prefers the original Japanese voice acting or the English dub of an anime is often a topic of discussion among audiences. There is no denying that over the last decade, the popularity of English dubs among American audiences has been on the rise, thanks to the excellent work done by both the voice actors and the teams behind localizing scripts of the most popular masterpieces of the last few years.

Lamentably, this was not always the case, as the effort put into bringing Japan’s beloved series to the Western world was often riddled with flaws and baffling decisions. Despite how much these versions might mean to fans – as they were likely some of their first approaches to the medium – even the most hardcore members of the community must admit that these English dubs are objectively terrible.

10

AB’s Dragon Ball Z Dub is Iconic for Being Awful

Arguably the most famous and one of the best Shonen anime of all time, Dragon Ball has been an iconic series among fans worldwide for several decades. Yet, there was a time when the series became infamous for how butchered and bizarre the English dub was. Known simply as the AB era, this Dragon Ball Z dub is now beloved among fans for its unintentional comedy.

Behind the countless memes and laughter this version of DBZ brought fans lies one of the most horrid attempts at adaptation ever created. The script was translated from the already altered French version, instead of the original Japanese. Characters like Piccolo were renamed with nonsensical titles such as Big Green. Worst of all, the voice actors were forced to work under intense pressure, handling many characters at once, and with almost no budget, resulting in a rush job.

9

The Original Pokémon Dub is Held Back by Severe Censorship

When thinking about the ’90s and early 2000s era of anime, one of the first memories that comes to fans’ minds is sitting in front of their TVs and watching Pokémon. Few people in the world have never seen or at least heard of this amazing series, and its English dub version is one of the main factors that helped it reach that level of popularity.

Despite how nostalgic the first seasons of the anime might be, the English version of Pokémon is nowhere near as good as the original. Due to 4KIDS Entertainment’s outlandish localization, the series was subjected to several changes that took away from the impact of many scenes, and while the voice actors did an amazing job, the awkward script and questionable direction leave much to be desired.

8

Digimon Adventure’s First English Dub Breaks the Pace of the Series

Despite its colorful atmosphere, adorable creatures, and important themes for kids to learn, the Digimon franchise has always been known for being much darker than most other child-centric stories. The original Digimon Adventure anime was no exception to this rule, handling deep topics such as neglect, loss, and trauma in a tasteful yet impactful way.

This is the reason why many fans see the Saban English dub of this beloved series as a much less enjoyable experience. Riddled with bad jokes, constant dialogue changes that took away from the seriousness of important scenes, and music that did not fit the series at all, Saban’s Digimon can be somewhat tiring for fans of the original. While it did gain thousands of fans, the Japanese dub is much superior.

7

Fate/Stay Night’s English Dub Did Not Have a Clear Direction

Although not as popular as other franchises, Fate has amassed a significant fanbase over the years, thanks to its complex story, epic fights, and extremely well-developed characters. For most viewers, this love for the series began with the Fate/Stay Night anime, a classic that is still being praised to this day.

Despite how pivotal this entry was for the franchise in the West, there is much that the original English dub leaves to be desired. Several voice actors were not properly directed, causing their reading of the lines to seem forced and exaggerated. Other times, the voices seem bored and plain, taking away from the significance of important scenes.

6

Speed Racer Is a Pillar of Anime in the West, Despite Its Lackluster Dub

Often hailed as the spark that ignited the rise of anime in the West, Speed Racer is a series that revolutionized the way this medium was consumed worldwide. Its incredible story, thrilling races, and genuinely outstanding animation for the time helped this series become an instant classic, even if its popularity has decreased with time.

Speed Racer will forever be a pillar of anime across the globe, but this does not prevent the original English dub from being an objective disaster. Due to the technological limitations of the time, the voice actors were forced to awkwardly deliver their lines to keep in line with the character’s lip movements. The intonation and delivery also feel quite forced, with it being either exaggerated or dull.

5

4KIDS’ One Piece Dub is Infamous to This Day

Luffy’s quest to become the next King of the Pirates and find the titular One piece is, by all means, one of the most successful and greatest stories anime has to offer. Eiichiro Oda’s masterpiece has transcended the medium, becoming more than just an epic story but a symbol for millions of fans who wait excited about what awaits the Straw Hat crew.

The 4KIDS Entertainment English dub of One Piece is what introduced many fans to this fantastical world and got them hooked on the story. At the same time, it is also regarded as one of the most infamous works in the industry. From script changes that made no sense, awkward lines, and alterations to the overall story, this version of the anime is not highly recommended.

4

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Took an Already Eccentric Series Too Far

A series that is either extremely beloved or widely hated, depending on the group of people asked, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is an anime that has left an irreplaceable mark on entertainment history. JJBA’s over-the-top adventures, eccentric characters, and epic adventures provide a form of entertainment that most other shows cannot.

Even then, its first adaptation to the English language is less than ideal, a fact that even the members of its own fandom have been able to point out. The lines spoken by the characters seem too out of character, even for a show as extravagant as this one. Many fans also criticize the fake accents used by the voice actors whenever a foreign character comes on screen.

3

Sailor Moon’s English Dub Strips the Series of Its Excellent Representation

The story of Serena and her loyal friends, also known as the powerful Sailor Guardians, needs no introduction. Even those who are not fans of Shojo stories have heard of these stylish and mighty saviors of the universe. Sailor Moon is a story that has enchanted audiences for decades and will likely continue to do so for a long time.

This is why most fans find it difficult to rewatch the original English dub of this great show, even when it is the reason they first fell in love with the story. As with many other shows at the time, Sailor Moon’s script was heavily altered to erase scenes, dialogues, and even background music considered not appropriate. Most egregious of all is the erasure of queer representation, most specifically by turning the relationship between Sailor Uranus and Neptune into a familial one.

2

Attack on Titan Struggled With Balance During Its Early Days

Among the many great anime that have been released over the last decade, Attack on Titan has often been praised by fans for being one of the most ambitious and thought-provoking stories. This amazing example of dark fantasy has one of the most complex and fascinating plots, with intense political intrigue and plot twists that are expertly incorporated into the plot.

As such, many fans lament the less-than-stellar job done with the English dub of the first few seasons of the anime, as it severely dampened the experience. The emotions and intonations of the voice actors tended to be far more emotional or exaggerated than the situation would call for. The lip-syncing was also not as polished as it should be, causing some dialogues to look awkward and out of place.

1

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX’s Ending Was Completely Altered by the English Dub

A series that most older anime fans grew up with, Yu-Gi-Oh! Gx was the long-awaited successor to the iconic Duel Monsters anime. With the King of Games’ era long gone, it was time for a new hero to prove himself as the superior duelist, and for the most part, this beloved sequel achieved its goal. Jaden’s adventure was whimsical, hilarious, and, most important of all, truly worth the time invested.

Even though the same can be said of the English dub, this version comes with many unnecessary and objectively bad decisions that diminish the accomplishments of the original. Several jokes that break the pacing of duels and changes in dialogue that alter the plot entirely were included without any reason. Worst of all, due to these alterations, as well as season 4 never being adapted, Jaden’s story ended with the hero dying, a much bleaker ending than the original.