The oldest and most controversial debate in anime history is a divisive and polarizing one. The question is, do English dubs deserve the hate it gets?

The anime community is no stranger to controversial discussions. People in the community often argue about basic topics that are rife among those in it—ranging from questions such as which was the better “Big Three” (One Piece, Naruto, Bleach), who is the best girl in some newly released seasonal anime with only twelve episodes that will be forgotten 45 minutes after it finishes airing, whether Neon Genesis Evangelion is a deep anime with hidden themes or just a pretentious series that tries way too hard, and of course, modern anime vs. old anime.

However, if there is one topic that always seems to cause a ruckus without fail, it’s the topic of English dubs! There’s no denying that the intense and heated debate about the quality and concept of English dubs is, arguably, the most well-known and oldest topic in the history of the English-speaking anime community. The question you’re probably asking is, why is the concept of English dubs and their practice so controversial?

In this article, I will be talking about the short history of anime dubs, the long-standing controversy, and why the practice of English dubs suffer a bad reputation to this day.