The fierce battle between the subs and the dubs has been drawn-out for decades, and quite frankly, it is a battle worth looking into. As South Korean film Parasite (2019)'s director, Bong Joon-ho once said: "Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films," the same postulation applies to anime as well.

Hardcore fans would argue that anime with English subtitles would always be superior to English dubbing due to its Japanese voice acting bearing greater verisimilitude to the characters. Nonetheless, there are quite a number of anime series that arguably boast memorable English dubbings that might even surpass their original Japanese version.

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'Cowboy Bebop' (1998)

Cowboy Bebop

Hailed as the paradigm for English dubs, the neo-noir sci-fi adventure series has not only offered audiences an intersperse of genres and music, but a range of noteworthy voice acting performances from the majority of the cast members. Nowadays, not many can picture space cowboy Spike Spiegel without thinking of Steve Blum's distinctively deep raspy voice.

Set in the year 2071 when humanity is no longer restricted to inhabitance on Earth, Cowboy Bebop (1998) witness the lives of a bounty-hunting crew as they chase after criminals for enticing rewards whilst instinctively seeking ways to break free from their respective pasts.

'Space Dandy' (2014)

Space Dandy

Another amazing anime that sees humans exploring the infinite realms of the solar system. Space Dandy (2014) can be described as a space opera where audiences follow the main protagonist, who is a forgetful and pompous alien bounty hunter by the name of Dandy, as he gets caught in a string of romantic, adventurous, and comical circumstances whilst discovering rare aliens.

Whilst the English sub offers a handful of comparatively mature jokes, Space Dandy's English dubbing proves to be superior in terms of how well-matched the personalities of its English voice acting to the elevated chaotic level displayed in the series. To audiences unfamiliar with the Japanese language, the decorative visuals can be also quite taxing to feast one's eye on when you are preoccupied with following the subtitles.

'Black Butler' (2008-2017)

Black Butler

As the supernatural mystery series takes place in 19th-century Victorian-era England, Black Butler (2008-2017) is one of those rare cases where both anime sub and dub each have unique selling points to offer. The English dubbed version boasting a heterogeneity of English accents can be quite an immersive experience for viewers.

Motivated by vengeance against those who had murdered his parents, Black Butler follows a young earl, Ciel Phantomhive, as he forms a contract with a devil named Sebastian Michaelis, who disguises himself as the earl's butler. Together, they unsurprisingly become a perfect match when it comes to solving one mystery after another.

'Baccano!' (2007)

Baccano

Baccano! (2007) is a supernatural crime mystery series where matters are made complicated due to its various narratives meeting multiple interweaving plots, the Pulp Fiction (1994) of anime.

Revolving around groups of people comprised of thieves, alchemists, the innocent, and the mafia, their seemingly unconnected paths begin to intersect with one another due to the invention of an immortality elixir. The strong English dubbing by the voice actors is consolidated by the incorporation of authentic New York accents, delivering an American feel that better complements the series' fictionalized setting during the Prohibition era.

'Ghost Stories' (2000-2001)

Ghost-Stories-1

Like Cowboy Bebop, Ghost Stories (2000-2001) exemplifies great English dubbing of anime, but for reasons, you might not expect.

Following a group of friends dealing with miscellaneous supernatural occurrences in their neighborhood, the original Japanese version adopts a more traditional execution of its horror subject. On the contrary, on the basis that the core story and characters' names remain intact, the English dub has become one legendary adaptation that is ludicrously bombarded with ad-libs, forth-wall breaking, and politically-incorrect jokes that pay no heed to the taboos of religion and the LGBTQ+ community.

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'Death Note' (2006-2007)

Death Note

Centering around a teenager who discovers a mysterious book that grants him the power of killing anyone whose name is written into it, Death Note (2006-2007) is an outstanding psychological mystery anime that has defined the 2000s. Fans are always eager to be spectators to the moral showdown between the astute anti-hero Light Yagami and the eccentric, sweet-tooth detective L.

There are significant changes when it comes to the sub and dub versions. For instance, while Light sounds more cold-hearted and composed in the Japanese rendition, the English voice acting allows the vigilante to be more emotional and renders his psychotic modes quite an entertaining watch. Nevertheless, each interpretation is outstanding in its style and both deserve viewings for different experiences.

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'Black Lagoon' (2006-2011)

Black-Lagoon-1

Based on Rei Hiroe's manga of the same title and produced by Studio Madhouse, this action-adventure anime is a must-watch to fans of badass female characters, torrents of gunfights and bloodshed as well as signature 80s action flick style of sardonic humor.

Taking place in the fictional city of Roanapour, where notorious criminals worldwide gather to make illegal transactions or hide from the legal authorities, the English dubbing of Black Lagoon (2006-2011) feels more naturalistic compared to its Japanese counterpart due to the sundry nationalities highlighted in the series. For instance, Americans, Hispanics, and South-East Asians just to name a few.

'Hetalia' Series (2009-2021)

Hetalia

Speaking of diverse nationalities, Hetalia (2009-2021) is a further example demonstrating how different language dubbing can change the initial tone of the series, sometimes for the better.

In addition to providing lesser-known trivia, Hetalia is best known for utilizing satire and light-hearted comedy in representing different countries and historical events. The English dubbing of the series takes advantage of the instantaneous comedic impact of various accents most audiences are familiar with, going the extra mile with its satirical and tongue-in-cheek spirit, whereas the Japanese dubbing makes you focus more on the original jokes written by the webcomic artist Hidekaz Himaruya.

'Samurai Champloo' (2004)

Samurai Champloo

Samurai Champloo (2004) takes place in a historical Edo period in Japan where samurais, hip-hop, and baseball co-exist. Thus, it's not surprising that its English voice-acting rendition does not alienate, but further enhances the polymorphism of the anime's plotline and cements itself as one of the must-watch English dubbed anime.

Seeing the return of Steve Blum as the young, abrasive and arrogant outlaw Mugen, the English voice acting for the rest of the main cast, the calm ronin Jin and the jovial middlewoman Fuu, are also performed exceptionally by Kirk Thornton and Kari Wahlgren in this action-adventure anime series that explores themes such as the acceptance of death and finding one's individuality.

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'Afro Samurai' (2007)

Afro Samurai

Written and illustrated by manga artist Takashi Okazaki, Afro Samurai (2007) follows the titular character, voiced by none other than the formidable Hollywood veteran Samuel L.Jackson, on his path to avenge his father who was killed by a gunslinger named Justice.

Having never been voiced in Japanese and possessing a musical soundtrack scored by RZA of renowned hip-hop artist group Wu-Tang Clan, Afro Samurai is rough, tough, and very evidently inspired by American pop culture, which explains the insurmountable level of violence, badassery, and pleasure one derives from the action-adventure samurai epic

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