Planet Rinda

What is Anime? Part Two

     What is anime? Anime is basically the word that’s normally used to describe Japanese animation. In the first part of this continuing post, I tried to nail down that explanation a little farther as well as begin to explain it to a newcomer to anime. I think that exploring anime is a wonderful way to not only discover great entertainment but also to open yourself up to a new culture. But figuring out where to start can be a formidable obstacle. There are ways to make your initial immersion into anime a little smoother. Here is the first point of importance I think that any anime newbie must explore and decide on their own:

     Dubbed vs Subbed– Dubbed means that the anime is dubbed over with another language, in my case English speaking voice actors. While subbed refers to an anime with the original Japanese vocal track and subtitles added. Unless you’re very familiar with the Japanese language, you will be faced with this choice. I personally think starting out with dubbed is best. It makes it more palatable in the beginning. After you’ve become a fan, I suggest you explore the subtitled animes. There can be a big difference. Some animes, especially older ones, may have had their story lines altered with dubbing. Dubbing can also lead to cultural references being changed for simplicity. Subtitling generally gives you the original story simply translated to the language of your choice. Also, often with subtitling, you’ll have access to less mainstream anime that you won’t be able to find in your local video or anime store because it never gets licensed in the US. So, dubbed vs subbed? Everyone has their personal preference. Discover yours.

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