Vinland Saga Sub vs. Dub: Which Is Better?
The world of anime can be tough for non-native Japanese speakers because those who can’t understand Japanese only have to rely on subtitles if they want to watch the anime in its pure form. However, those who don’t want to read subtitles would have to wait for the English-dubbed version of the anime. Of course, due to its popularity, Vinland Saga is one of the anime series that has a dubbed version. So, which version of Vinland Saga is better?
Vinland Saga’s subbed version is better than the dubbed version. Although the English voice actors did a good job of giving life to the characters, the Japanese voice actors were better regarding the emotional impact, especially in the very emotional season 2 of the series.
Many anime fans tend to belittle those who prefer to watch dubbed anime instead of subbed, but we are not gatekeepers trying to force anime lovers to choose subbed instead of dubbed. Nevertheless, some anime titles are better in their subbed version, and we believe that Vinland Saga is one of them. That said, let’s talk more about the subbed and dubbed version of Vinland Saga to see which one is better.
The Case for Subbed
When it comes to any kind of anime, the subbed version is often considered the “original” one, as it is often the one that those who can’t speak or understand Japanese tend to watch. Of course, different subbed anime tend to differ depending on the one that provided the subtitles. But the fact is that most anime lovers tend to watch subbed anime.
In the case of Vinland Saga, there’s no doubt that this series was able to give life to the manga characters by providing them with the best voice actors possible. As such, the subbed version has more impact in terms of how the characters fit their voice actors and how these voice actors were the ones that originally gave life to these characters.
Of course, the best part about the Vinland Saga subbed version is that this is a very emotional anime series that people need to connect with emotionally. Season 2, for instance, allowed us to see heavy emotions from characters like Thorfinn and Einar. And we can’t get enough of how emotional the voice actors were in delivering some of the heaviest moments for the characters involved.
The subbed version of Vinland Saga also does a great job of allowing us to dig deep into the psyche of the different characters as we get to read firsthand what goes through the minds of some of the most important names in the series. For instance, Askeladd was always one of the more mysterious characters in Vinland Saga. Still, many fans were quick to understand how he thinks through the way his dialogues were delivered in the subtitles. The same could be said for King Canute, whose scheming mind was made understandable with the help of subtitles.
Of course, the subbed version feels much more “natural” than the dubbed version for hardcore anime fans, and that’s because the subbed version is the “original” version. As such, Vinland Saga is said to be best enjoyed in its original form due to the voice actors’ emotional delivery and masterful performances.
The Case for Dubbed
Even though many anime lovers frown upon those who prefer to watch dubbed anime, let’s be real about how the dubbed version is much more convenient because all you need to do is listen carefully to what the characters are saying. As big as Vinland Saga is in terms of its action scenes, it is also a dialogue-heavy anime, and that is why some fans prefer to listen to the characters talking instead of reading the dialogue.
There’s also the fact that Vinland Saga isn’t about Japanese characters. As the title suggests, Vinland Saga is all about the Vikings that lived during the start of the 11th century in the northern part of Europe. Of course, Vikings don’t speak English but let’s not forget that some of the other characters in Vinland Saga are actually English.
So, because the characters in this anime aren’t supposed to be Japanese, there’s no gatekeeping in terms of the language that they are supposed to speak. That’s why it doesn’t feel odd for Norsemen and Englishmen to speak English in an anime series about Vikings. It can feel natural for some anime lovers to hear these Northern European characters speaking English because they weren’t even supposed to speak Japanese.
Which Is Better?
We’ve made a case for both the subbed and the dubbed versions of Vinland Saga, and it is clear that the subbed version is the one that’s better if you want to have the best kind of experience while connecting with the characters of the storyline.
Of course, those who prefer to listen to the characters speaking English shouldn’t feel any shame because it just feels “right” for Vikings and Englishmen to speak English compared to Japanese. Then again, there are some instances when things can get lost in translation or when the dubbed version changes a few dialogues that can change the entire meaning and essence of the anime. While we haven’t noticed many changes between the subbed and the dubbed versions of Vinland Saga, we can’t deny that some things can still get lost in translation.
As such, if you want to feel closer to the emotional and mental states of the characters in Vinland Saga, the subbed version gives you a better overall experience. Nevertheless, we aren’t here to gatekeep because you can still watch the dubbed version if you feel it is more convenient. But we can’t promise the same kind of high-quality voice acting that is quite prevalent in the subbed version.