Updated on January 25, 1:35 p.m. (GMT+8): Added images.

It is a well-known fact that anime boasts a massive fan base worldwide, and to reach the audience globally, the publishers need to dub anime.

Despite it’s popularity, many still find themselves wondering, what does dub mean in anime?

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For those unfamiliar with the term “dub” in anime, we have explained it below while addressing one of the most frequently asked questions, i.e., whether you should go for dub or sub version.

The question of what does dub mean in anime answered

Dubbed anime meaning explained
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“Dub” is short for “Dubbing,” which means replacing the original Japanese dialogue of an anime with a different language, usually English. This process includes translating the script while ensuring the words align with the characters’ mouth movements in the original dialogues.

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This should answer the what does dub mean in anime question.

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Professional voice actors and translators are hired for this task to maintain the meaning and tone of the original dialogues. Although creating the dub version of an anime is a tedious process, it makes the series or movie significantly more enjoyable for those who do not speak or read Japanese.

Why dubbed anime may be for you

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While you can also use subtitles to watch anime, dubbed anime allows you to focus on the animation and the action without any distractions. However, dubbing can result in the loss of some of the meaning and nuance of the original dialogues if not done correctly, which might ruin a great anime. 

For instance, Naruto‘s catchphrase “dattebayo” was translated to “believe it” in its English dub as “dattebayo” is not a proper Japanese word. Thus, finding a suitable replacement was a challenge for English voice actors, and not only this, but it was also pretty irritating for fans to hear the catchphrase when used repeatedly in the anime.

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Thus, if you want to experience the intensity of dialogues and scenes in their original form, we recommend you to enable subtitles when watching anime, otherwise dubbed anime is a great option.

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Now you should know the answer to the what does dub mean in anime question and have additional details about all the most frequently asked questions regarding dubbed anime.

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