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If you had to choose, do people watch dubs or subs more if you had to guess?

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May 10, 8:57 PM
#1
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Jul 2023
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I'm honestly wondering this for some reason. I've always assumed people watch dubs more
May 10, 9:01 PM
#2

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Jul 2024
468
I think the last article I read about streaming services had it as 52% percent watching subbed and 48% watching native language dubbed. So, I guess it's probably a pretty even split.
May 10, 9:48 PM
#3
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Feb 2020
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"If you had to choose, do people watch dubs or subs more if you had to guess?"

Subs.
May 10, 9:58 PM
#4

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Jul 2021
6296
def more subs in general but the new influx of watchers might be watching dubs more i think because most newer watchers would watch animes only if they are on netflix and netflix has dubs for almost all animes. people are less likely to go out of their way to download or use an illegal streaming site to watch anime than we think. especially if they are not familiar with it beforehand. i've had trouble convincing people to watch animes just because it wasn;t on netflix. nothing beats convenience.

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May 10, 10:21 PM
#5
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Nov 2018
698
I think people watch subs more because you have to be physically watching the show to understand what they are saying, but for dub you can second monitor it and get the gist of whats going on, don't really need to watch it at all. I even podcast style listen to some dubbed anime if i had zero desire to watch it.
May 10, 10:37 PM
#6

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Jan 2024
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Subs are normally the go to choice for watching.
May 11, 5:55 AM
#7

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Sep 2016
17546
I guess other people watch more dubbed because it's more convenient.
May 11, 8:17 AM
#8
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Jul 2023
74
Apparently Crunchyroll confirmed more people watch dubs than subs, like 52% watch dubs
May 11, 8:35 AM
#9

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Jun 2012
147
I bet probably dubs are more popular overall because from my experience more casual viewers of anime tend to watch more dubs and I think casual viewers have become a much bigger thing nowadays since more streaming services started having anime.

So basically like if someone is watching Netflix and normally watches some of the other live action shows on there (most of which would be in English) on there or otherwise just doesn't normally watch that much anime but likes the look of some specific anime, they're probably going to choose to watch it in the English dub because that's what they're used to and it takes less effort than reading subs if you're not used to reading them all the time like a full-time weeb.

Also probably some millennials who grew up watching dubbed toonami shows on tv are used to the vibes of dubbed anime and are sticking with that since it's what they already know.

Also short attention spans have become an even bigger thing and some people just prefer not having to look at the screen all the time.

Also there's some people with dyslexia and/or ADD who have trouble keeping up when it isn't a dubbed show. I have a friend who prefers to watch dubbed shows for that reason.
aweebwhoexistsMay 11, 8:39 AM
May 11, 12:57 PM

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Dec 2019
23
From what I've read online and heard from other people in the past couple of years, subs are more popular than dubs, at least for people who frequently watch anime. I think if someone only watches one every so often, they could be more likely to choose a dub instead just for what may be easier viewing for them (if that makes sense).

Personally, though, I prefer subbed anime :)
May 11, 1:28 PM
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Apr 2017
871
People who say subs have unironically no awareness of how the world works, don't they. Do you believe that your average 6 y.o. watching anime on tv in the US is watching a subbed version? Add to that every single country with dubs (plenty of those), make it 3-18 as an age group (plenty of people older than 18 who despise anything not in their mother language or will watch something in English over Japanese because they can understand it) and please do your calculations.

This reminds me of how "pros" and "hardcore" gamers of certain games think that they're the main demographics because "broooo look at this subreddit/website/forum, there's only good dedicated players here" like, no shit sherlock, 90% of people who play the game are casuals, why would they visit the place people like you are in lol.

If we wanted to be pedantic, basically no native Japanese watches with subs to begin with but there's literally no need to go there.
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May 11, 1:41 PM

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Oct 2024
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If we're talking about english-speaking fans who pay for streaming services I imagine it's mostly dub watchers, while for english-speaking fans who pirate it's probably mostly sub watchers. Probably also depends on where they're from, if they're from a country that has a long history with anime like France or Italy the answer would probably differ.
May 11, 1:43 PM

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Aug 2013
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Dinosaurs, boomers & the old garde goes sub.

Tiktokgeneration who loves using multiple screen at the same time + 2x speed, probably go dub.
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May 11, 5:07 PM

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Jul 2013
9765
I think the dubs and subs are equally good. I enjoy them both.
May 11, 6:17 PM

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May 2014
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I think more people watch dub, but people who watch sub watch way more than people who watch dub. There is simply more sub content available, simply because of historical and logistic reasons.
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May 11, 6:29 PM

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May 2024
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I am seeing first hand more new generation Anime fans are getting into Dub rather than sub?
Evenf or me, I was surprised to see a lot of Dub watchers do not use Sub as it counts as "reading" during a show which ruins the experience for them?
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May 11, 7:10 PM

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Nov 2019
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When I was growing up (in America), Dubs were by far more popular due to most people getting their introduction/fix from Toonami/4Kids. Online you see a good split of both types of fans. Have no idea how most of the younguns are viewing their anime nowadays.
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