Jump to content

Unpopular opinion: The Cowboy Bebop dub is overrated.


Recommended Posts

I FINALLY started Cowboy Bebop the other day, because I heard it was amazing, and the English dub is the best ever. And, I'm going to be honest, I don't think the dub is that good. I'm sure it was considered really good back when it first aired, but it's not that good by today's standards.

Don't get me wrong, I like the voice acting from the main cast of Cowboy Bebop just fine. It’s the voice acting from the minor characters I’m iffy on. Like, in the second episode where Abdul Hakim enters a bar, and the bartender has a VERY stereotypical Asian accent.

I think the dub for Baccano is the best dub I've ever seen (heard?). I've only watched two episodes so far, but EVERY single performance in the dub is spectacular. It's like watching an old gangster movie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Cowboy Bebop dub is really good, but you're absolutely right that they blew their load on the main cast and left the ancillary characters to suffer for it. It's also a marvel compared to what English speakers were used to in the 90s. I say that because Spanish dubs of the era were so much better than the English dubs, but that's mostly because there was already a well established industry for dubbing dramas and romances and whatever else have you in Spanish. English speakers never really had to bother with dubs much since all the big TV series and movie franchises were being films and produced in the US.

 

 

I hate that the owner of this channel for a right wing chode that shut it down and I hate that they failed to gain enough traction on their own independent channel.

 

Anyway, yeah, English dubs are great in the year 2020s. Horimiya has one of the best dubs out there. Kaguya-sama Love is War might be the greatest dub out there. You know what made both of those noteworthy here? They have a legitimate reason to exist. Horimiya actually localized the humor. I don't care what any purist says. Changing jokes to fit the language is always a win. Kaguya-sama Love is War is just what happens when you throw away convention and just decide on what would be best while completely ignoring the Japanese dub. They, rightly, understand that the Japanese dub is right there and that anyone complaining about the English dub not being accurate to the Japanese dub can just...watch the Japanese dub. This gave the English dub the freedom to do whatever and it's glorious.

 

 

Aside from that, the English dubs for Kotarou Lives Alone, Ranking of Kings, Way of the House Husband, or My Dress Up Darling are all amazing. Those are just random ones off the top of my head from the last few years. Any of one of those, released in the 90s, would blow people's minds. It's all relative.

 

Gonna really suck if Crunchyroll really does stop sourcing voice actors from across the world and focus on only using the in house actors down in Funimation's old studios in Texas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Ghost_MH said:

I say that because Spanish dubs of the era were so much better than the English dubs, but that's mostly because there was already a well established industry for dubbing dramas and romances and whatever else have you in Spanish. English speakers never really had to bother with dubs much since all the big TV series and movie franchises were being films and produced in the US.

 

 

 

 

The Latin American dub for Dragon Ball Z in particular was supposedly AMAZING, which is why Dragon Ball is so popular there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, CastletonSnob said:

The Latin American dub for Dragon Ball Z in particular was supposedly AMAZING, which is why Dragon Ball is so popular there.

 

I grew up on Spanish DBZ, it was amazing. More than the dub, though, it didn't hurt that it was completely uncensored. No Home For Infinite Losers bullshit or painted out blood.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Granted I don't watch a lot of anime anymore, but every once in a while I'll try one out and the English dub usually just sucks. It's so rare that they're any good.

 

Now maybe the standards have changed, but in, what was it, 2001 when Cowboy Bebop debuted in the States? You never heard English dubbing acted that well. It was pretty revelatory. Saying there have been better things since doesn't take away from how great it was then. Has there been better sci-fi movies since A New Hope? Certainly, but that doesn't take away from its accomplishment.

 

Plus IMO the CB dub is still completely watchable today. Then again I saw it as a kid when it was new and have no way to separate nostalgia from objectivism.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Reputator said:

Granted I don't watch a lot of anime anymore, but every once in a while I'll try one out and the English dub usually just sucks. It's so rare that they're any good.

 

Look for stuff that NYAV Post are involved with. They put a lot of care into the dub process. They cast good people, they usually try to make the dub sound natural, match the dub to the lip flap and all that good stuff.

 

Also anything with Brittney Karbowski or Colleen Clinkenbeard usually good stuff. 👍

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

@Ghost_MH

 

 

 

This reminds me that the last time I was in Puerto Rico, I had inadvertently missed Comic Con by like days. I would have gone down there sooner, had I been paying attention. I hear Comic Con down in PR is a wildly fun time. I can imagine that the good weather, nearby beaches, 18yo drinking age, and public drinking certainly helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...