TIL reading subs instead of dubs actually makes me pay more attention

I used to only watch dubbed anime because I thought reading subtitles would be too distracting. Then last month I tried Subbed for Attack on Titan season 4 and I caught way more details in the scenes. The voice acting felt more real too since the lip flaps matched the words. Now I watch everything subbed except comedy shows. Has anyone else switched and found it changed how you watch shows?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant13018d ago

That bit about catching more details in the scenes is exactly what happened to me when I switched to subs for action shows. I started with subbed on a slower slice of life anime and it made me realize how much visual storytelling I was missing by just listening to the dub. My trick now is to turn the volume down just a bit so the subs force me to watch the whole frame not just the center.

thompson.finley18d ago

Lowering the volume is genius actually. I do the same thing with subs on fast dialogue shows (like anything Aaron Sorkin wrote) because if I can hear everything clearly I get lazy and just listen. But with the volume down my eyes have to catch every expression and background detail. It completely changes how you watch. Works great for any show with layered visual gags too, like Arrested Development or The Good Place.