The debate between dubbed and subbed anime is a war that has waged on for generations. From the earliest days of bootlegged DVDs and late-night Toonami television, to the simulpubs on streaming services like Crunchyroll, fans have been at each other's throats about the best way to watch anime. And though a definitive answer will likely never overpower a viewer's subjective tastes, the English localization of the season's hottest anime, Dandadan, is making a strong case for dub supremacy.

I will it that I prefer watching anime with the original Japanese audio and subtitles, but will never put down the hard work or performances of dubbed voice actors. And despite my own preferences, each season I make sure to check out the English dubs of as many series as I can. Given its virality, Dandadan was at the top of that list of shows to lend my ear to, and it absolutely blew me away.

From the translations and localization of the dialogue, to the stellar performances of its cast, nearly everything about Dandadan's English dub is perfect. It cannot have been easy for those involved in its creation, either, given how deeply rooted in Japanese mythology many of the themes and antagonistic Yokai are. Nevertheless, Dandadan's dub is executed to perfection, in a way that few other series have been able to match.

Dandadan's Dub Works Despite The Heavy Focus on Japanese Mythology

The Series' Breakneck Pacing Restricts the Dub In a Positive Way

Dandadan is a strange series. It features Japanese yokai, aliens, teenagers with supernatural powers, and lewd grannies, and driving all of that forward is the protagonists' main goal of retrieving Okarun's stolen family jewels. The series' lightning fast pacing can almost feel like whiplash at times, but it works for tying all the weirdness up into a neat, digestible package. And strangely enough, it also helps to alleviate an issue that I have always personally had with dubbed anime: the need to over-explain.

When dealing with foreign folklore, like Japanese urban myths and legends, localizing dialogue becomes a tricky thing. There may be missing context to a scene or a subject that isn't native to English speakers placed as a main focal point of the story. Naturally, an English dub would need to address and explain those subjects, which in a lot of cases leads to clunky, unnatural dialogue between characters. However, Dandadan's often rapid-fire storytelling doesn't seem to award many opportunities for explanation, and so the dub has been forced to leave its audience with a surface-level understanding of subjects like yokai.

While this may seem like a negative, it allows Dandadan to incorporate more natural conversation between characters, without the need to stuff as much explanation into the dialogue as possible. It may be a more personal pet peeve of mine, but the series unintentionally restricting the dub, along with the phenomenal work of the voice actors and localization team, has led to one of the more enjoyable dub experiences I've had in years.

Dandadan Features a Cast That Really Cares

Momo and Okarun's English Voice Actors Are ionate About the Series

Voice acting is an incredibly difficult job, especially for those tasked with dubbing over a performance someone else has already given. All actors care about their roles, but it's easy to tell that Dandadan's two main characters are truly ionate about the anime they're working on. Abby Trott, voice of Momo, and A.J. Beckles, voice of Okarun, sat down with Screen Rant to discuss their roles prior to Dandadan's premiere, and their enthusiasm towards the series in general is infectious.

Both shared that they leaned heavily on the performances of the original Japanese cast to shape their own interpretations of Momo and Okarun, which speaks volumes about the care and respect with which both actors have approached their roles. A.J. Beckles is active on social media platforms like X, where he shares commentary and insights into his performances that also showcase just how invested in the series he is.

All voice actors care about their roles, and all work extremely hard to make a finished product that is as enjoyable as possible for the viewers. When a cast is particularly invested in and excited about the property they're working on, however, as Abby Trott and A.J. Beckles are with Dandadan, it is noticeable. And not only are their performances consistently incredible, but the entire cast seems to approach the series with a similar level of enthusiasm.

While it certainly isn't a guarantee that a show will be better for it, performances by actors that are fans of their own series go a long way, and Dandadan is proof.

The Dub vs. Sub Debate Will Never End

While Dandadan's dub has been my favorite to have come out in years, the sub is ittedly just as good. Shion Wakayama, voice of Momo, and Natsuki Hanae, voice of Okarun, share an incredible dynamic and chemistry that works incredibly well among the chaotic happenings of the story. Turbo Granny, voiced by Mayumi Tanaka, who some fans may recognize as the iconic voice of Monkey D. Luffy and Krillin, offers a comedic and sinister performance in the role of the evil Yokai turned cat.

Choosing between the sub and the dub is an incredibly difficult task, and one that I have avoided by simply watching both. For fans of the series that ionately one over the other, ing both has been an extremely enjoyable experience, and one that I cannot recommend enough.

Dandadan is a wonderfully weird series that has only begun scratching the surface of the anime's source material, and as long as Science Saru remains the studio in charge of the adaptation, it is certain that Yukinobu Tatsu's story will continue to be handled with the visual style and care that it deserves. While I often prefer to watch my anime subbed, Dandadan's English dub has consistently left me impressed, and is sure to only improve as the main cast of characters grows.