Anime Dubs Are Good

I've always preferred to watch subtitled anime for various reasons, but lately I've been watching the dubbed version of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Netflix (this post is illustrated with its screenshots), and it's so nice to be able to focus on the visuals that little bit more and so on. I realise now that being so much more inclined to watch subbed anime has meant that I've simply watched less anime in general, because so often I want to watch TV whilst painting or doing something else that doesn't require much concentration, but does make it impossible to read subtitles simultaneously.

Some dubs do take me out of what I'm watching a bit, but maybe I've been holding myself to too strict a standard with how I consume anime. Some dubs are great, after all, and ultimately you're still watching the same show - you see the same story and feel the same emotional hits at the same moments (excepting certain shows censored out of Japan). People have their preferences, but ultimately there are pros and cons for each way of watching. And I really want to watch more dubs.

Maybe it's just because I use Netflix now and it makes everything so easy, but I don't know. I don't want to be too precious about dubs any more. Maybe I'd prefer the cadence and nuances of the original Japanese, but getting to watch stuff in my native language is a privilege and can also add fun new elements and translations that make text a little more relevant to my personal cultural environment. It would be really cool if we could get UK-specific dubs too, but maybe that's a bit too much of an ask. Regardless, I'm going to watch more dubs in the near future and take time to appreciate them. Also, Fullmetal Alchemist is amazing, and I'm so glad I'm finally watching it.