While hardcore movie buffs say subtitles are the only way to enjoy foreign films, dubbed movies can be an invaluable tool for Japanese learners who are working on improving their listening and comprehension skills.
In this guide, I’ll share some of the best places to find Japanese dubbed movies, as well as tips for studying with them.
Before you start searching for a specific movie, it’s worth finding out what the movie title is in Japanese. In some cases, movie titles are simply katakanaversions of the original title. But many movies are given an entirely new title, complete with all that difficult kanji.
Blu-ray.com is a great place to start looking for Japanese dubbed movies. In their search window, you can select “Japan” and then type in the movie title. This will bring you to the Japanese version of the disc, but make sure to check that the disc specifies that it has both English and Japanese audio tracks, not just Japanese subtitles.
Clicking to purchase on Blu-ray.com actually leads you to the corresponding Amazon.co.jp page. The site just makes it a lot easier to find the movie you’re looking for because it’s all in English.
Amazon Japan carries a wide selection of content. You can either browse through their selection of gaikoku eiga (外国映画 / がいこくえいが, foreign films) on DVD or on Blu-ray, or you can type in the name of a specific movie in their search window.
Once you find the movie that you’re looking for, make sure it actually has Japanese dubbing and not just Japanese subtitles. Just scroll down to check the DVD details and see if next to “Language” it has 日本語 (にほんご, Japanese) written next to it.
Before you buy, remember to check the region the disc was made for. The U.S. is Region 1 and Japan is Region 2. Although some discs are region-free, many are only viewable on Region 2 players, so make sure you have a compatible machine or software on your computer that’ll enable you to watch it.
The well-known Amazon Prime Video offers a wide variety of films and TV, and its Japanese counterpart is no different. Its library of exclusive shows and Japanese dubbed movies is quite vast, providing endless hours of entertainment… oops, I mean study!
With the same interface across both languages, even newcomers to Japanese will be able to navigate Prime’s website without too much hassle.
A tried and true favorite for watching videos all across the world. YouTube is a wonderful source for Japanese dubbed movies, though please be aware that not all of these uploads are legal.
Many Japanese dubs of popular films and music can be found easily. Why not start with “Into the Unknown” from “Frozen 2”? Additional favorites like the classic “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and hit series “The Mandalorian”also have Japanese versions available. Again, not all of these films are legally uploaded, so keep that in mind while you’re browsing for resources.
If you want an in-depth, word-by-word study of clips from your favorite dubbed movies, there are some great options on the language learning platform FluentU.
The program uses clips from authentic Japanese media sources, including dubbed versions of movies like “The Little Prince,” “Little Miss Lucky” and others.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
U-NEXT is one of the first video subscription services in Japan and continues to offer the largest collection of media in the nation.
It has a wide variety of Hollywood movies—Disney/Pixar, Classics, Academy-Award-winning films and more, all dubbed in Japanese. They also offer Japanese dubs of foreign TV shows, including hits like “Supernatural” and “Hawaii 5-0.”
Disney+ is the streaming service that’s home to a range of Disney movies and shows.
You have the option to watch with Japanese dubbing across a selection of films and programs, and you can also choose which language you would like the subtitles to be in, making it a useful learning resource.
Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services across a range of countries, and depending on the country you’re in, a range of different content is available, from movies and TV shows, to documentaries and more.
Just go to the audio/subtitles section while watching something and select the Japanese audio if they have it. You may need to use a VPN to widen your options.
Lemino, short for Docomo TV, is a video streaming service provided by Docomo, Japan’s largest mobile phone carrier.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to have a Docomo phone plan to use it! For a cheap monthly fee, you have access to over 12,000 titles, including Japan’s top hits. (Some episodes and films are even free!)
This option reportedly works in the U.S. when used with a VPN. But as it’s a paid monthly service, you most likely won’t need it unless you plan on doing the majority of your TV and movie viewing in Japanese or with subtitles.
How Dubbed Movies Can Help You Learn Japanese
The best thing about watching your all-time favorite movie dubbed in Japanese is your familiarity with the story—you don’t have to guess about what’s going on in the story at all.
Another great reason to watch the dubbed version of “The Empire Strikes Back,” or whatever movie you’ve seen 100 times, is that it taps into your inner Ebert. You most likely love to talk, maybe even argue, about the film. Make that passion work for you and it’ll help you convey your opinions in Japanese, as opposed to memorizing a standardized conversation from a textbook.
Having trouble finding eager study partners? Your Japanese friends are likely crazy about at least one movie. Find out what they like the best and then invite them over to watch the dubbed version.
They probably wouldn’t mind re-watching the movie with you. Meanwhile, you’re laying the foundation for a future conversation in Japanese with your friends about these movies.
Another idea for choosing what to watch is finding a movie with a protagonist who has a similar lifestyle or career as you. Since the situations are ones you can easily relate to, you’ll encounter a lot of useful vocabulary and phrases.
How to Learn Japanese with Dubbed Movies
Enjoy the darn movie.
The first time you watch a dubbed movie, whether it’s one you’ve seen before or a first-time viewing, just enjoy it. Give your brain a rest. You’re going to be re-watching it, so simply listen without trying to translate.
Eventually, you’ll begin to distinguish words and understand their meanings purely based on the context.
Watch actively the second time around.
Upon subsequent viewings, have a notebook ready. What key vocabulary from the dialogue would be necessary for you to adequately rehash the story for someone to understand? Hone in on those words or phrases and create a list that you’ll be able to look up later.
Parrot it all back.
Famous lines of Hollywood dialogue are also fun to repeat in Japanese. Put on your best Schwarzenegger impression and tell people “I’ll be back” like you’re a tough guy yakuza. Memorize a famous monologue and try out your Japanese acting skills. Toho Studios is always looking for the odd 外国人 (がいこくじん, foreigner) to cast in a film. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up being dubbed back into English one day!
Japanese Movie Recommendations
Movies are a great way to increase your Japanese language input, so if you want to expand beyond dubbed content, you can check out these modern Japanese classics.
Looking for movies to learn Japanese with? Here are 10 classic Japanese movies you’ll love, which will also help you to improve your language skills. Our list includes…
These 20 Japanese animated movies are wonderful masterpieces that are among the best of the best. Check out this comprehensive list, with must-watch classics like…
So, now you have everything you need to get started with watching Japanese dubbed movies. You’ll be on your way to improving your language skills in no time!
If you love learning Japanese with authentic materials, then I should also tell you more about FluentU.
FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning Japanese language and culture. You'll learn real Japanese as it's spoken in real life.
FluentU has a broad range of contemporary videos as you'll see below:
FluentU makes these native Japanese videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.
All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Japanese learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.
And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.
The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.
