English Dubbed Anime - Need some recommendations

[xist]

Sorry purists, i like to watch Anime in English...it removes the language barrier and allows me to empathise with the characters better. Admittedly i've not watched many Subs, but having got hung up on Dubs i'd rather go that way unless i'm really missing out (so if there's something AMAZING please do mention it but if it's just run of the mill don't bother)

I kind of started watching anime randomly, having never gone beyond Ghibli in the past. I appreciate asking for rec's means you need an idea of what i've seen and liked...so

I'm currently watching Full Metal Panic. Seems ok.

LIKED

The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzimiya (AWESOME! I even liked Endless 8)
Clannad + After Story (Good/Great except for Episode 22)
Kanon (Good)
Beck Mongolian Chop Squad (AWESOME!)
Canaan (i actually really quite enjoyed this...)
Black Lagoon (Good....shame that the OVA isn't dubbed)
Angel Beats (Great)
Baccano! (Great!)
Summer Wars (Entertaining)
Death Note (was good/ok...went on too long and got carried away with being clever)

DIDN'T LIKE SO MUCH

FLCL (Pointless style over substance)
Elfen Lied (UGH....was expecting something great...got mediocre averageness)
Chrono Crusade (Average)
Cowboy Bebop (Average....i was disappointed by it)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (Over-rated...it was ok but not OMG WOW!)
Lucky Star (Boring)

I can't think of anything else i've seen at the moment but i'm certain i've seen a couple more things (aside from all the Ghibli movies) I'll edit in if any come to mind.

I'd say my taste kind of boils down to good characterisation really (ALTHOUGH THE STORY NEEDS TO HAVE A SEMI CONCLUSIVE ENDING)....so hit me up some good English Dubbed Anime! Thanks muchly for any and all knowledgeable assistance.

 

[Pong20302000]

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
The Familiar of Zero
Tenchi Muyo
Outlaw Star

not sure if counts
Avatar: The Last Airbender (not really classed Anime but its damn good)

 

[Guild McCommunist]

not sure if counts
Avatar: The Last Airbender (not really classed Anime but its damn good)

It's technically a cartoon but it's still damn good, as you said.

I watched the entirety of Darker Than Black in English. It's quite good. I later watched the second season or whatever it's called in Japanese (there were no English dubs at the time) and I prefer English voices.

Other than that I haven't watched much anime. Only one's I actually really watched were that, Code Geass (watched in English and it was good), and TTGL (which I watched in Japanese since the English VAs are unbearable).

 

[xist]

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
The Familiar of Zero
Tenchi Muyo
Outlaw Star

Avatar: The Last Airbender (not really classed Anime but its damn good)

FMA Brotherhood is MASSIVE though isn't it? Like 60 odd episodes? Is there much filler because that worries me. And Outlaw Star - is it better/similar to Cowboy Bebop because that left me cold.

and TTGL (which I watched in Japanese since the English VAs are unbearable).

Is that a challenge? I think i should put that on my to see list. Everyone raves about it so i'm hoping that it'll live up to the hype. Re-DTB I worry a bit about mystery/suspense anime that they're going to be really slow and too clever-clever for their own good.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

and TTGL (which I watched in Japanese since the English VAs are unbearable).

Is that a challenge? I think i should put that on my to see list. Everyone raves about it so i'm hoping that it'll live up to the hype. Re-DTB I worry a bit about mystery/suspense anime that they're going to be really slow and too clever-clever for their own good.

Before I explain this, I just want people to know that my opinion on dubs still stands: they should only be in Japanese if the English VAs are horrid, if you understand spoken Japanese, or the game only has Japanese VAs. Otherwise your native language > Japanese.

The English VAs just really hurt characters honestly. Kamina is the most notable one. His Japanese VA comes off as fearless, if not overly confident. His English VA is some goddamn surfer bro. I mean the show is supposed to be over-the-top and ridiculous, I want a voice to match.

Simon's was just really whiny. I know he's basically whiny for the first half of the first season but he eventually develops into becoming Kamina to some extent. His voice didn't match.

Also, I can't believe you never watched TTGL. It's kinda the anime of animes that everyone raves about. And for good reason. It's designed to be ludicrous and silly and it does this so well. Unlike bad anime like Dragon Ball Z which tries to be serious and over-the-top at the same time, TTGL divides this. There are serious moments but they're separate from the over-the-top ones.

Uppercutting bad guys through space and time itself is also one of the coolest things ever.

 

[Actinopterygian Melospiza]

Your tastes are a bit different that mine so you might not like these, but it's at least worth it to watch a couple episodes:

Samurai 7 (A must see by any anime fan; based on Akira Kurasawa's film Seven Samurai)
Paranoia Agent (Kinda confusing; not for everyone)
Serial Experiements Lain (Also a little confusing but really good)
Samurai Champloo (Directed by the same guy as Cowboy Bebop but it's different; it's really funny but also filled with badass swordplay)
Case Closed(aka Detective Conan) (My personal favorite; detective anime that is fuckin huge in Japan but not so much elsewhere; art style makes it seem like it's for children but there's lots of murder and blood and such; only 5 season are dubbed though and it doesn't looks like Funimation is gonna do any more due to poor sales)
Gantz (My second favorite; extremely violent w/ some nudity; not for the faint of heart)

Edit:

Before I explain this, I just want people to know that my opinion on dubs still stands: they should only be in Japanese if the English VAs are horrid, if you understand spoken Japanese, or the game only has Japanese VAs. Otherwise your native language > Japanese.

I know this is off-topic, but THANK YOU! That is exactly the same way I feel and I really can't stand all the people who insist on watching subs to be "cool" or whatever even when the English VAs did a good job

 

[Pong20302000]

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
The Familiar of Zero
Tenchi Muyo
Outlaw Star

Avatar: The Last Airbender (not really classed Anime but its damn good)

FMA Brotherhood is MASSIVE though isn't it? Like 60 odd episodes? Is there much filler because that worries me. And Outlaw Star - is it better/similar to Cowboy Bebop because that left me cold.

Brotherhood is 64 eps
lol theres no filler, hence why brotherhood was made, its all solid story and amazing
as the normal FMA was story and filler then went off on its own tangent

ive never seen cowboy bebop so couldnt tell you, i loved outlaw star tho, one of my fav oldies of all times

 

[prowler]

I'm working my way through Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi right now, the dub is extremely good. (13 episodes)

Eden of the East is fantastic, my all time favourite animu next to Baccano. (13 episodes + two movies)

Soul Eater? 50 something episodes though.

I wouldn't recommend FMA:B, I stopped watching after 13 episodes nor would I recommend TTGL, extremely over rated.

 

[renton56]

you should check out gurren lagan, its on netflix if you have it. great show, me and my friends had so much fun watching it together just laughing at it

 

[prowler]

@[member='renton56']
just reminded me of another one, Eureka Seven

I still need to finish it though.. aha, I own the bluray movie too.

 

[xist]

Right....have read some reviews...

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
The Familiar of Zero
Tenchi Muyo
Outlaw Star

not sure if counts
Avatar: The Last Airbender (not really classed Anime but its damn good)

FMA:B sounds good but i worry about the series being that long. Also finding all the episodes could be a challenge.
The Familiar of Zero seems like it's probably quite fun so thanks!
Tenchi Muyo and Outlaw star both have me on the fence....the first because i worry about because the synopsis i've read makes it seem like the story is all over the place, and the second because i worry about not being drawn in by the plot and liking the characters.

Your tastes are a bit different that mine so you might not like these, but it's at least worth it to watch a couple episodes:

Samurai 7 (A must see by any anime fan; based on Akira Kurasawa's film Seven Samurai)
Paranoia Agent (Kinda confusing; not for everyone)
Serial Experiements Lain (Also a little confusing but really good)
Samurai Champloo (Directed by the same guy as Cowboy Bebop but it's different; it's really funny but also filled with badass swordplay)
Case Closed(aka Detective Conan) (My personal favorite; detective anime that is fuckin huge in Japan but not so much elsewhere; art style makes it seem like it's for children but there's lots of murder and blood and such; only 5 season are dubbed though and it doesn't looks like Funimation is gonna do any more due to poor sales)
Gantz (My second favorite; extremely violent w/ some nudity; not for the faint of heart)

Samurai 7 seems like it could be good, and is certainly something i'd look out for. Is the characterisation good?
Paranoia Agent was something i was reading about yesterday...i worried that i wouldn't like any of the characters and the story would be too "way out there". I'm all for clever plots but not ones that get carried away with how awesome the writers are and leave the viewer confused and disappointed.
Serial Experiments Lain sounds great. Thanks for putting that on my radar...it's something that i'd never have found on my own.
Samurai Champloo seems to be thought of as worse than Bebop, and somewhat weak in the story department. That could be a sticking point for me.
Case Closed sounded good too....BUT....there's like a BILLION episodes and movies. If there were maybe 2 series then i'd give it a go, but something that HUGE just has to have a fair amount of fluff. Surely?
Gantz was something i'd put off. I read that the ending was a HUGE disappointment and if that's true i'd almost rather not start it. It sounded enjoyable though.

I'm working my way through Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi right now, the dub is extremely good. (13 episodes)

Eden of the East is fantastic, my all time favourite animu next to Baccano. (13 episodes + two movies)

Soul Eater? 50 something episodes though.

Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi sounds so tempting....although it seems a tad wacky.
Eden of the East is another one that i put off. I read reviews saying it was good but the series ending was totally unresolved and was to be completed in the two movies. Then i read reviews for those and they seemed to be a bit rubbish and pose even more questions. If i go into Eden of the East am i going to come out the other side fulfilled? Or just confused and annoyed?
Soul Eater reviews say that the end is rubbish. And there's lots of filler. That bear any truth?

 

[prowler]

Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi sounds so tempting....although it seems a tad wacky.

It's Gainax, you can't say no!

Eden of the East is another one that i put off. I read reviews saying it was good but the series ending was totally unresolved and was to be completed in the two movies. Then i read reviews for those and they seemed to be a bit rubbish and pose even more questions. If i go into Eden of the East am i going to come out the other side fulfilled? Or just confused and annoyed?

I'm not going to lie, there is some unresolved stuff and questions to answer but it didn't stop be from enjoying it. Come on, It's only 13 episodes! At the end there is a cliffhanger but not that big of a one that you HAVE to watch the movies.

Soul Eater reviews say that the end is rubbish. And there's lots of filler. That bear any truth?

The ending is rubbish compared to the manga and all I can remember are like 2 filler episodes.

 

[Joe88]

lots of filler tbh in soul eater

 

[DarkStriker]

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood
The Familiar of Zero
Tenchi Muyo
Outlaw Star

not sure if counts
Avatar: The Last Airbender (not really classed Anime but its damn good)

Just no... JUST NO! If you want to watch it for the plot, u might as well read the damn novel and get the real awesome story. Stupid tons of fanservice.

 

[Black-Ice]

Code Geass
Yes. prefer english to the Japanese version. WATCH IT NOW

Familiar of zero (zero no tsukaima) is good, when it gets there. There's a hell of a lot of idle filler eps where something dumb happens. and im sure there's only the 1st season out of 4 that's in English.

Fairy Tails amazing, but I watch it subbed because it goes further and the dub skips some episodes.

 

[Ericthegreat]

I used to only liked dubbed anime aswell, but after you watch a series or two I bet you will prefer it, you can watch new animes strait from japan (learn to use irc if you don't know how)

 

[ShadowSoldier]

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood isn't hard to find at all. It's a great series and it follows the manga a lot closer and the story doesn't get as confusing. The first anime of FMA however was a clusterfuck of a mess that was hard to follow. Still good though for entertainment.

 

[Midna]

>English dubbed anime

 

[Black-Ice]

Subbed for the win
English voice acting sucks most of the time
Sometimes reminds me of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWNmVyNBAfE

 

[Midna]

Subbed for the win
English voice acting sucks most of the time
Sometimes reminds me of this

That is way, way better than the average anime dub. The average anime dub makes me tear my hair out.