Finally finished my first 12-episode anime in Japanese without subs

I was at my usual spot in the living room around 2am last Wednesday after a rough dinner rush. I had already watched this show dubbed twice before, so I knew the dialog pretty well. But this time I forced myself to turn off the English subtitles and just listen. I got through the first three episodes and barely understood anything. By episode 8 I started catching phrases and laughs before the visual punchlines. By the final episode I actually teared up at a line I had never noticed before in the dub. It felt like unlocking a secret layer to a story I already loved. Has anyone else tried watching a show you know well without subs for the first time? What series worked for you?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancyramirez5d ago

Wait, you watched it dubbed twice before trying without subs?

tessalane5d ago

Twice dubbed" is dedication, but that's just how I roll with things I love (and overthink).

torres.riley5d ago

Twice dubbed" - man, that actually changed my mind about how people watch things. I used to be one of those snobs who thought dubs were for people who didn't really care about the original voice acting or whatever. But hearing you say you did it twice because you love the show that much makes me realize I was being dumb about it. Sometimes you just want to soak in the story without reading subtitles, and that's totally fine.