Highlights

• The debate between subbed and dubbed anime continues, with fans having different preferences based on factors like voice actors and ease of watching.
• Some notable dubs have given the subbed versions a run for their money, showcasing the importance of voice casting and how it can make or break a series.
• Certain anime series, like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Case Closed, and Bleach, have been praised for their English dubbed versions, attracting a wider audience to the medium.

The subbed versus dubbed debate has been a hot topic in the anime community for decades. Purists will always say that subs are the true format for anime series, as the bona fide version that is closest to the original artistic vision. However, not all agree.

Fans of dubbed anime often enjoy the casual feel of watching anime without needing to read subtitles. Some fans simply prefer the voice actors in one format over the other. It's likely no fanbase will ever fully agree on which is better, but there are some notable dubs that really give the subbed versions a run for their money, for one reason or another.

Updated on October 2, 2023, By C.M Edwards: There is a constant debate among the anime community about the quality of dubbed vs. subbed anime. With both sides in a constant tug of war, it shines a light on just how important the voice casting for characters is, and how the way a character's speech sounds can either make or break a series before it ever gets a chance to shine. While many anime perform much stronger with their original audio in Japanese, there are more than a few series that have shone more once translated by American voice actors who manage to bring a special quality to the series. There have been countless voice actors who have put their all into performances and attracted thousands of fans who otherwise may not have given anime a chance. Here are some more anime that are better dubbed than subbed.

25 Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.4

The Ghost in the Shell franchise spans multiple series and several animated feature films set in the distant future, where technology has evolved rapidly, and cyborgs, androids, and artificial intelligence are a common occurrence.

Mokoto Kusanagi serves as the main character, and while combating domestic terrorism, she also fights a war within herself, being a human brain implanted inside an artificial body. The Stand Alone Complex series follows Major Kusanagi more closely in her day-to-day life, and the brilliant vocals of Mary Elizabeth McGlynn portray the existential crisis of the show perfectly.

24 Case Closed

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.1

Cased Closed is one of the lengthiest anime series of all time, having over one thousand episodes that continue to entertain with the whimsical and sometimes tragic adventures of Jimmy Kudo, the budding detective turned child who must help his friends solve a number of sinister crimes while trying to return himself back to normal.

While, over the years, the voice of Jimmy Kudo has been provided by a number of voice actors, Jerry Jewell was one of the first and arguably one of the best to step into the role.

23 Bleach

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.9

Bleach has curated a legacy that will forever have its name ring throughout the anime community for its intense action, deep story, and lovable characters. Ichigo Kurosaki's perilous journey from normal teenager to supernatural warrior has taken him on an adventure that has threatened both the real world and the spirit world, so he takes it upon himself to protect both.

The iconic tones of Johnny Yong Bosch deliver a stunning performance for Ichigo and have been the defining voice of the character for nearly a decade, with Bosch even reprising his role in the recently released Bleach: Thousand Year Blood-War Arc.

22 Trigun

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.2

Trigun is a classic anime that follows the adventures of Vash the Stampede, a legendary gunman who is constantly being hunted by bounty hunters in the far-off future. The characters and storylines that encompass this series can now be considered iconic and influential.

The dub is on par with other late 90s anime, in that it is somewhat goofy and slightly awkward, but these inconsistencies only add to the show’s charm and make it all the more witty and fun.

21 Mobile Fighter G Gundam

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.5

Mobile Fighter G Gundam is another anime that saw great success in the Western market while airing on Toonami and Adult Swim on Cartoon Network. The series was a very different take on the Gundam franchise, taking place in the Future Century timeline as opposed to the Universal Century timeline in which the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime was set.

G Gundam revolved around a universal tournament among gundam pilots that decided which colony state resided in power over the rest. The anime followed Domon Kasshu, who was voiced by Mark Gatha, also known for Megaman X, who delivered a charismatic and exciting performance from start to finish.

20 S-Cry-Ed

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.3

S-CRY-ed was a supernatural anime in the same vein as My Hero Academia, set in a Dystopian future where individuals called "Altered" passed powerful abilities and went on rampages in an already struggling society.

The main character is Kazuma Torisuna, who was voiced by the legendary Steve Blum and represents the anti-hero character who caught to tare down the current regime that was oppressing the people with little privilege. Steve Blum's voice is paired with many highly praised anime, with his voice being linked to their success, such as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Code Geass.

19 Neon Genesis Evangelion

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.3

The masterful series Neon Genesis Evangelion by Hideki Anno is highly considered one of the greatest anime ever created for its deep story and heavily flawed but interesting characters who are charged with saving the world from a cosmic threat.

While both versions of the anime are excellent, the English Dub of Evangelion presents the main character on a more personal level, with their emotion and personalities coming out clearly through their dialogues. Neon Genesis Evangelion had a highly talented cast with veteran voices such as Spike Spencer, Tristan McAvery, and Tiffany Grant who most have continued to voice their characters in the series continuations.

18 Rising Of The Shield Hero

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.9

Rising of the Shield Hero is a fan-favorite isekai anime series where an unsuspecting normal young man is teleported to another world expecting to become a hero of legend but instead finds himself ostracized by an entire Kingdom and framed for a crime he did not commit. Like the others summoned to the new world, Naofumi was gifted with a special weapon granting him powerful magic.

Using the holy shield weapon, Naofumi decides to do what's in his best interest instead of granting his assistance freely to the people who turned on him without hesitation. The entire cast of Rising of the Shield Hero are strong performers, but Stephen Fu embodies the main character admirably making him stand out.

17 The Devil Is A Part-Timer

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.7

A great light comedy anime, this hilarious show follows a demon who is thrust into the human world and must take up a low-paying job at a fast-food restaurant. The show is only one season, but the second season will be coming out in summer 2022.

The sub is great, but the dub has a lot to offer, namely top voice talent with seasoned professionals who know exactly how to convey the right emotions.

16 Dragon Ball Super

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.4

Considered by many to be one of the most influential anime of all time, Dragon Ball is still a name synonymous with high-octane action and crazy plot lines that only get wilder and wilder. This powerhouse anime franchise essentially established the world of action anime as we know it.

The dub of Super is as iconic as the previous iterations of the show and is one of the biggest draws to the show for audiences who prefer dubs. Hearing the voice actors shout out their fighting moves is utterly satisfying and the goofiness of the series is in full swing in Super.

15 Berserk

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.5

Another classic 90s anime, Berserk has been a legendary show since its inception, filled with twists and turns that likely no seasoned anime viewer could ever foresee.

This medieval anime follows Guts, the insane swordsman who fights for himself and his merry band of misfits. The dub is beautifully done, with all the subtlety necessary for the story to unfold the way the manga intended. Each voice actor delivers and then some with their stellar performances.

14 Death Note

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.6

One of the most beloved anime of the past few decades, Death Note is still as legendary as it was when it came out in 2006. The show’s emotional highs and lows are integral to the intense story and the dub really doesn’t go the corny route that other anime dubs can sometimes fall into.

Quite the opposite actually, the dub feels natural and flows quite well from episode to episode. It is clear as day that the creators of the dub spent a lot of time making sure every line worked and was as true to the original story as possible.

13 Dragon Ball Z

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.1

Almost no anime has achieved the sheer amount of quotable lines that Dragon Ball Z has. The over-the-top dialogue is a perfect fit for the exhilarating fight scenes that the series is known for. Part of the reason the goofiness still works so well is thanks to the strong performances of the voice actors.

The Dragon Ball universe has always had a cast of colorful characters, each with a distinct voice and fighting style. There are several dubbed versions available, which has led to even further debate over which dub is best.

12 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

MyAnimeLists Score: 9.0

Emotion is everything in an anime. Any scene's emotional impact is as much achieved through the voice acting as it is through the writing and animation. This is where the dub of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood knocks it out of the park. The voice actors for this show's English dub succeed in squeezing out every ounce of pain, love, and aggression into their voice acting.

Even the minor characters are memorable for this reason. Comedic moments hit just as hard as the heart-breaking ones, thanks to the stellar voice work of the dub's actors.

11 Space Dandy

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.8

Space Dandy is unusual in that it premiered in the United States before it was broadcast in Japan, meaning the dub technically came first. Technicalities aside, Space Dandy is a great dub with lots of hilarious and surreal humor.

Taking place in a space opera setting, the strange always finds a way of making its way into the heroes' lives. What the series lacks in structure it makes up for in substance and absurdist jokes.

10 Ghost Stories

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.7

Ghost Stories is an odd dub, considering the voice actors completely changed the dialogue of the original show to make it much sillier. ADV Films had loose rules when charged with producing the western dub of the show, leading to one of the funniest dubs ever conjured up.

The original anime is a semi-serious adventure revolving around children solving paranormal mysteries. However, the dubbed version is a fourth-wall-breaking tornado of pop culture references and goofy, self-deprecating humor.

9 Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo

MyAnimeLists Score: 7.4

A front-runner for the wildest anime ever, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo is a surreal show that is beyond goofy in every aspect. Each episode is a disjointed mess of hilarious sight gags and puns that don't have much to do with a central plot.

Yet, most viewers don't mind, because the show isn't interested in the idea of structure in the slightest. The dub is hilarious and includes numerous anime voice actors stepping out of their usual character archetypes to act as silly as possible. It's worth an anime fan's time if they're looking for a good laugh.

8 Parasyte: The Maxim

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.3

When it comes to horror anime, tension is the name of the game. Voice actors are key in ensuring characters seem genuinely scared, concerned, or disturbed. The talent behind the dub for the sci-fi horror anime, Parasyte, brings their A-game in every episode. The English dub's actors ensure that the characters have honest emotions in their voices.

The voices of the inquisitive alien, Migi, and the paranoid protagonist, Shinichi, stand out in particular as brilliant performances worthy of an award.

7 FLCL

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.0

FLCL is still renowned to this day as a cult classic series that new generations of anime fans continue to rediscover time and again. The chaotic and oftentimes surreal show follows the strange coming-of-age adventures of a young boy in a small town, where the abnormal is the norm.

Everything from giant alien mechs popping out of foreheads to aliens on mopeds appears in this comedy classic. The dub is fantastic, and the voice actors did a knock-out job. They manage to land all the jokes while retaining all the serious drama that resides in the show's central themes.

6 Cowboy Bebop

MyAnimeLists Score: 8.7

Considered by many to be one of the most influential anime series of all time, Cowboy Bebop is a great starter show for anybody looking to take the plunge into anime. The dub in particular is exemplary and features a cast of immensely talented voice actors doing what they do best.

Each episode follows a rag-tag gang of bounty hunters making their way through outer space, discovering new things about themselves and each other. There's something in this show for just about anyone to enjoy.