c/anime-discussions

TIL you can beat the "crunchy" anime audio problem by using VLC's audio settings instead of new files

I kept having this issue where some older anime shows I was watching had this weird crunchy, distorted audio on certain scenes. I thought it was the files themselves so I spent like two days redownloading different versions of the same episodes from different sources. Nothing worked. Then I randomly decided to mess around in VLC's audio settings on a whim. I switched the audio output module from the default DirectX to WaveOut and adjusted the volume normalization to off. The crunchy sound just disappeared on every single episode. Now I check VLC settings before I go hunting for new files every time. Has anyone else fixed a weird audio issue with a simple settings change like that?

The episode where everyone cried but I just felt bored

I was watching Violet Evergarden with a group online, and Episode 10 came up. Everyone in the chat was going on about how it was the most heartbreaking thing they ever saw. I was sitting in my room with my laptop, waiting for it to hit me, but it never did. The whole letter-reading scene felt too forced to me, like they were trying way too hard to make you sad. I ended up pausing it to go grab a snack because I just wasn't feeling it. When I came back, people were posting crying emojis and saying they needed a break. I just said I thought it was okay and got downvoted into the negatives. Has anyone else ever missed the emotional wave on a hyped up episode like that?

Dub vs Sub debate - was a hardcore sub fan until I heard the FMA Brotherhood dub

I used to think dubs were just lazy and missed all the emotion. Then I watched Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood with the English cast around episode 15 and Vic Mignogna's performance as Ed really changed my mind. The lip flaps actually matched and the voice actors put in REAL effort. So which side do yall fall on now - is the old debate still valid or have dubs actually gotten legit good?

Crunchyroll vs HiDive subs - one of them is totally lazy

Rewatched Made in Abyss on HiDive last month after seeing it on Crunchyroll first. Crunchyroll actually translated the little notes and signs in the background. HiDive just ignored them. That worldbuilding detail matters when a show uses visual text as lore. Anyone else notice this stuff or am I just picky?

Warning: don't binge watch Attack on Titan in one weekend

Honestly, I did this last Saturday through Monday and it messed me up bad. I started at noon on Saturday thinking I'd watch maybe 10 episodes, but by 3 AM I was still glued to the screen. The plot twists just kept coming and I couldn't stop. My eyes felt like sandpaper by Sunday morning but I pushed through all of season 3 in one day. By Monday afternoon I finished season 4 part 2 and I felt genuinely hollow for like three days after. The show gets super dark and heavy, and cramming all that drama and death into 72 hours is just not healthy for your brain. Has anyone else ever binged a whole series like this and felt kind of depressed after?

Dub over sub is actually fine, fight me

I watched Cowboy Bebop in English first, then tried the Japanese version everyone swears by. It just didn't hit the same for me. Steve Blum's Spike is full of attitude, while the original felt flat in comparison. Has anyone else stuck with a dub and felt like you got more out of the show?

Overheard a debate about dub vs sub at a gas station and it stuck with me

So I'm fueling up my rig at a Pilot in Ohio last Wednesday and these two guys near the soda machine are going HARD about whether 'Cowboy Bebop' works better dubbed or subbed. One guy swore the English voice actor for Spike nailed the cool factor, the other guy said you lose all the original emotion. I never really thought about it before because I just watch whatever version pops up first. But now I'm curious - do you guys pick one version and stick with it forever, or do you switch it up per show?

Just hit episode 500 on One Piece and realized something weird

I was watching the Wano arc last night when my computer said I was on episode 500. I didn't plan to hit that number, it just happened. It matters because I started One Piece back in 2018 during a bad flu week and now five years later I'm still here. The weird part is I remember thinking episode 100 felt like a huge milestone. Now 400 episodes later and I'm barely into the New World stuff. It's wild how a show with 1000 plus episodes makes you feel like you've barely started. Has anyone else hit a round episode number by surprise and had that moment where you realize how much time you've put in?

I finally took a buddy's advice on pacing in anime

A guy in a watch party told me I was skipping intros and missing the build-up on slow episodes. So I stopped skipping anything for one whole season of Vinland Saga and actually felt the tension way more. Has anyone else had their viewing habits flipped by a random comment from a friend?

Had to pick between watching subbed or dubbed for a marathon

Last Saturday I planned a 12-episode run of that new mecha series and got into a debate with my buddy on which version to go with. I picked subbed because he said the dubbed VA ruined the main character's voice. Three episodes in we realized the subtitles were translating some tech terms totally wrong and it made the plot confusing. Has anyone else had sub and dub versions tell completely different stories like that?

I finally stopped skipping filler arcs after a friend called me out on it

My buddy Mark told me I was missing half the story by ignoring fillers in One Piece, and after going back to watch the G8 arc I gotta admit he was spot on. Has anyone else found filler episodes that actually improved your experience?

Pro tip: Dubbed vs subbed debate is older than me, but I finally cracked it

I used to be team sub all the way until I watched Cowboy Bebop dubbed last month and realized the voice actors actually nailed the vibe better. Now I'm torn - does the language matter less if the dub has good direction, or is sub always the pure experience? What's your rule for picking one over the other?

My friend swore I'd love Darling in the Franxx and she was dead wrong

My buddy Jenna kept telling me for three months straight that Darling in the Franxx would be my favorite anime ever. She said it had the perfect mix of romance and mecha action (which I usually dig). I finally watched it over a weekend and about 12 episodes in, I texted her asking if the show forgot it was supposed to be about giant robots. Turns out she only watched the first half and had no clue it went completely off the rails. Has anyone else had a friend recommend an anime based on just the first few episodes?

I started watching subs after a friend called me out

I only watched dubbed anime for years because I liked to multitask while watching. Then a buddy at work said I was missing half the emotion by not hearing the original voice actors. Has anyone else made the switch and found it changed how you connect with certain shows?

Vent: Why did nobody tell me I was pausing the anime instead of skipping the intro for 3 years?

I was watching Attack on Titan on Crunchyroll and kept hitting the wrong button on my remote until my buddy looked over my shoulder last week and laughed his head off, has anyone else had a dumb button mistake that went on way too long?

Fansubs vs. official streams: how I used to watch anime in 2005 on dial-up

Back then I'd wait 4 hours for a single 40MB episode of Naruto to download on my family's dial-up, and half the time the subtitles were translated by a teenager who guessed half the lines. These days I just click Crunchyroll on my smart TV and it's in 1080p with actual professional subs. Anyone else miss the thrill of hunting down a raw from some sketchy IRC channel?

I finally noticed how much better anime looks after switching from subs to dubs

I used to swear by subs for everything, but I gave dubs a shot last month with Attack on Titan season 2. The voice acting is way more expressive than I thought, and I actually caught background details I missed before because I was reading. Anyone else make the switch and notice a big difference in how you follow the story?

Found out I was binging anime wrong for 10 years

I always watched anime at 2x speed. Thought it was just filler content anyway. My buddy caught me doing it and asked why I even bother. He made me watch one episode of Attack on Titan at normal speed. The music, the pauses, the voice acting. Hit different. Now I watch everything at 1x and actually feel stuff. Anyone else ruin their first watch of a classic by rushing through it?

That guy at the anime meetup who talked over every show for 20 minutes straight

I was at a local con in Portland last spring, and this dude kept interrupting a panel discussion on classic mecha series to explain why his personal top 10 list was more accurate. He literally stood up and recited his ranking for 20 minutes until the moderator shut him down. Has anyone else had to deal with someone who treats every conversation like a debate they need to win?

Finally watched the dub instead of subs for a rewatch and it felt like a whole different show

I've been a sub-only snob for like 10 years, always thought dubs were trash. But last month I rewatched Cowboy Bebop with the English dub on a whim since I was cooking dinner and couldn't stare at subtitles. The voice acting just hit different, like the characters had more personality in their tone. Now I'm wondering if I've been missing out on other great dubs for years. Has anyone else switched sides on subs vs dubs for a specific show?

Vent: The time I ruined a whole panel discussion by rambling

I was hosting a panel at Anime Expo 2023 on the history of mecha anime, and I let one guest speaker go on for like 15 minutes about Gundam Wing lore. The crowd started checking their phones and I had to cut him off mid-sentence to get us back on track. Felt super awkward but I should've set a timer for each speaker from the start. Has anyone else had a panel derail like that and how did you handle it?

Finally visited the anime store on 5th Ave and it had a whole wall of Ghibli cell art

I walked in expecting just some figures and manga but that framed watercolor from My Neighbor Totoro stopped me in my tracks for a solid 10 minutes, has anyone else found a hidden gem like that in a random shop?

Tried watching the second season of that big popular mecha show everyone loves and I just can't get into it

Everyone on this sub kept saying how season 2 of Gundam: The Witch from Mercury was a masterpiece. I finished season 1 in two days and was hyped. But after 5 episodes of season 2, I feel like the pacing is all over the place and the character drama got too confusing. Learned that just because something is super popular doesn't mean it clicks for me personally. Anybody else drop a widely liked show halfway through?

Vent: A buddy pointed out my subs were clashing and I had to redo my whole tuning

I was at a local meet in San Antonio last month, showing off my car audio setup. This guy I barely knew walked up and said 'your port tuning is fighting your box resonance, it sounds muddy.' I spent like 3 hours that night googling what he meant. Ended up changing my port length by about 4 inches and adjusting the crossover point, and now it sounds way cleaner. Has anyone else had a random stranger's comment totally change how they set up their system?

PSA: I thought the whole 'anime pacing is slower than manga' thing was overblown until I tried reading One Piece instead of watching it