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The Best Dubbed Anime You Should Watch, Even If You’re A Fan Of Subtitles
There are a lot of great anime out there, and if you’re one of those people who refuses to watch anime in English, we don’t blame you. Japanese is a language that’s both complex and fascinating, and it’s easy to see why someone would want to experience such a work of art in its original form.
The biggest reason people watch dubbed anime is that they want to understand what’s going on and enjoy the scenes without having to avert their eyes to read subtitles all the time. And while we agree that the original voice acting is typically better than the anime dub, this is not always the case. In fact, if you’re looking to expand your repertoire, we have some good news: plenty of English-dubbed anime out there are just as good as their Japanese counterparts. Some fans even prefer them!
Here at Bored Panda, we are huge fans of everything Japanese, especially if it’s animation! We’ve compiled a list of the best-dubbed anime we agree everyone should give a shot (even if you usually only watch subtitled shows).
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One-Punch Man
2015 | 24 episodes + 12 special episodes
In a nutshell, One Punch Man tells the story of Saitama, a superhero who can defeat anyone with just one punch. But, of course, he soon gets bored by a lack of challenges and sets out to find a worthy opponent. You know, just to add a little spice to the dull life of a superhero. The first season enjoyed massive success and was praised for its unorthodox hero, fantastic animation, and kooky sense of humor.
My Hero Academia
2016 | Ongoing (100+ episodes)
In a world where most humans acquire superpowers at a very young age, a boy named Izuku Midoriya is one of the few who never developed any powers. But that’s not enough to stop him from following his dream and enrolling in a prestigious hero academy. Now, the promising freshman is making his debut at the world-renowned UA Academy. My Hero Academia won’t disappoint you, as it earned its fame as one of the best shounen anime of the last decade!
Assassination Classroom
2015 | 49 episodes
The story here is quite an unusual one. It follows the daily life of a powerful octopus-like alien working as a junior high teacher. The creature’s students are tasked with assassinating him by their government, thus trying to prevent the planet’s obliteration. And who’s gonna teach them how to use weapons and strategy to kill him? The alien professor himself! This popular anime series may sound like it oversteps the “weirdness line,” but trust me here: there’s no way to stop binge-watching Assassination Classroom.
Hunter X Hunter
2011 | 148 episodes
We’ve added Madhouse’s 2011 Hunter X Hunter anime series to our shounen list, leaving out the original adaptation released in 1999. Why? Well, simply because this second edition tried its best to stick to the events from the manga by Yoshihiro Togashi. And we do love ourselves an accurate adaptation! Hunter X Hunter follows Gon Freecss, a cheerful and pretty naive boy about to take the Hunter examination to become licensed to track secret treasures, rare beasts, and dangerous individuals. And that’s basically enough to know that the plot will be soaked in action and adventure.
Naruto: Shippuden
2007 | 500 episodes
Naruto: Shippuden is the sequel to the original Naruto anime, corresponding to Part II of the manga. Its story is full of plot twists, ultimate battles, betrayal, and reforms, an entertaining series full of action and redemption. It debuted on Japanese TV in 2007 and concluded in 2017. A solid ten-year run!
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
2009 | 64 episodes
The steampunk series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is indeed one of a kind. It follows the story of two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, two aspiring alchemists traveling the world and learning the secrets of their craft. But it’s not so simple and rosy, of course, as the brothers’ failed attempt to bring their deceased mother back to life ends up horribly, and that’s exactly the point where all of their dark adventures begin. Our heroes have zero time to relax with deep government conspiracies and unbelievable quests. If you’re unsure which anime to watch, you can’t go wrong with this one!
Black Clover
2017 | 170 episodes
Asta is a boy who lives in a world where seemingly everyone has a magic power but him. One day, Asta gains a powerful grimoire and sets out to become the next Wizard King despite having no magic in him. In January 2021, Crunchyroll revealed that Black Clover was its most-watched series of 2020, and if that’s not a quantifier for an excellent watch, we don’t know what is!
Fairy Tail
2009 | 328 episodes
If you are looking for a fantasy world with characters that are out of this world, you have come to the right place! Lucy, an aspiring Celestial Wizard, becomes a friend and ally to powerful wizards Natsu, Gray, and Erza, who are part of the infamous wizard guild, Fairy Tail. The author Hiro Mashima revealed that he based Natsu Dragoneel’s feisty personality on himself as a teenager.
Attack On Titan
2013 | Ongoing (87+ episodes)
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Attack On Titan tells the struggles of humanity forced to live inside cities surrounded by enormous walls, a defense against titans that feast on humans, seemingly without reason. Everything about Attack On Titan got its fair share of praise, starting with the characters and the dark themes, ending with the incredible storyline rich with plot twists that question the characters’ morality and raise discussion among fans. No wonder it’s beloved among critics and fans alike! The fandom is currently waiting for the very last part of the final season, coming out in 2023.
Naruto
2002 | 220 episodes
Adapted from a comic by Masashi Kishimoto, this animated hit follows the adventures of Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent boy who is determined to become a Hokage, a ninja acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of them all. The episodes are based on the first twenty-seven volumes in Part I of the manga, while some feature original, self-contained storylines.
Tokyo Ghoul
I would honestly suggest reading the manga instead of watching this. The first season is wonderful AND THE OPENING THEME IS FREAKING AMAZING. But, after that, it kind of gradually becomes more and more of a mess. So I’d go with either watching season one then switching to the manga or just reading the manga and then watching it.
The Seven Deadly Sins
This is a wonderful show for the first two (?) seasons but sadly, it kind of goes downhill after that? I haven’t watched the most recent one so idk how that is but there was a significant drop in the quality of animation and in the storyline. Which really sucks because I love the beginning and the dub is wonderfully cast. I’d recommend it but just be prepared.
The Rising Of The Shield Hero
Bleach
Cowboy Bebop
Sword Art Online
No Game No Life
...kinda? Very incest-y a lot of the time. Though I know the list is about it's Dub being as good as it's Sub, people should still know about it
Your Name
High School DxD
Spirited Away
Howl's Moving Castle
My Neighbor Totoro
Ponyo
Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex
One of my favourite animes of all time. Major Motoko Kusunagi is one of my favourite anime characters. Well worth the watch.
Overlord
Good but I can't remember to what extent the fan service is. . 9.99/10
Violet Evergarden
Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind
The Ancient Magus' Bride
Rwby
Season 1 n 2's animation is hanky n episodes are really short. But Monty and the team were just starting out. (He and his friends worked extra hours outside of red Vs blue and he cast his friends as the main 4's VA's) Don't be fooled by the "we're in university learning to kill monsters" of s1&2 cause the Story really gets to the meat in S3. The animation improves every season until we get that gorgeous animation in later seasons. Characters are well rounded and have so much depth. Everything is more than meets the eye. The sound tracks of each season are bangers and have won multiple awards over the years. Today is the birthday of the creator Monty Ohm, who tragically passed away during a routine operation. His friends and co creators continued on the show in his memory. V9 should be coming out soon. Rwby has spawned an alternate reality anime called ICE QUEENDOM (episodes 1-3 drop in two days on YouTube. It is canon divergence in s1/2 to do with Weiss Schnee - the W in rwby)
Sailor Moon Crystal
Snow White With The Red Hair
Trigun
Yu Yu Hakusho
Princess Mononoke
Charlotte
Rosario + Vampire
Castle In The Sky
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Monster
SUPER long and disappointing…… can’t understand all the praise for this one
Space Dandy
YEE!!! I was going to comment this if it wasn't listed. It frequently has me in tears laughing. My favorite
Mary And The Witch's Flower
When Marnie Was There
From Upon Poppy Hill
Porco Rosso
Psycho-Pass
Your Lie In April
In Another World With My Smartphone
Unpopular opinion here, but I do not like the anime style? It just looks ugly to me? So many people have told me about outstanding stories and action etc etc but I just cannot get into them because the art style is so off putting?
Guy's instead of downvoting just because you disagree, how about have a reasonable or sensible discussion? Downvoting just be because you disagree is a d!ck move, as it leads to people being unfairly blocked and banned.
Load More Replies...Unpopular opinion here, but I do not like the anime style? It just looks ugly to me? So many people have told me about outstanding stories and action etc etc but I just cannot get into them because the art style is so off putting?
Guy's instead of downvoting just because you disagree, how about have a reasonable or sensible discussion? Downvoting just be because you disagree is a d!ck move, as it leads to people being unfairly blocked and banned.
Load More Replies...