One Piece’s English db makes one minor change to a highly emotional moment in the Dressrosa Arc making it even better than in the sub.
One Piece‘s dub has managed to make one of its best moments from the Dressrosa Arc more emotional than the sub and even the manga with only one subtle change. Second only to the debut of Gear Fourth, the ending of Dressrosa is easily one of the best moments of the arc and what makes it so memorable is a particular scene involving the powerful Admiral Fujitora, which the dub makes even better with one subtle change.
Admiral Fujitora’s most memorable moment in One Piece takes place in Episode #744 when he wishes he could see Luffy’s face and regrets blinding himself. It is at this moment that Fujitora utters his most iconic lines in the series, which in the Japanese sub can be translated to, “I wish I hadn’t blinded myself. I want to see your face, I bet you look kind.” The English dub makes this scene even more emotional with a slight change in Fujitora’s dialogue, swapping it out for,
“What a pity, wish I could use these eyes one last time, to see the face… of a man like you. I bet it’s filled to the brim with kindness.”
Though the change is subtle, the difference in the emotional impact between the subbed and dubbed versions is far too great to be dismissed. Not only does the dub elevate the scene as a whole, but also adds a whole new world of meaning to Fujitora’s perspective of Luffy.
One Piece‘s Dub Elevates Fujitora’s Farewell Scene
What makes this scene so remarkable is how well it expresses Fujitora’s newfound admiration for Luffy. While the underlying meaning remains the same across both versions, Fujitora’s dialogue in the dub conveys even greater respect than the sub, going beyond simple regret at having blinded himself. The dubbed version implies Fujitora views Luffy as a truly exceptional individual, so much so that if he were given the ability to see again, he would like to use that chance to see what a man so kind and great as Luffy looks like.
More importantly, this scene is crucial in shaping Fujitora’s character by establishing his nuanced sense of justice and differentiating him from the other Admirals, like Akainu in particular. The scene solidifies the positive image of Fujitora gradually laid out throughout the Dressrosa Arc, proving he is capable of looking beyond Luffy’s criminal status and recognizing the good in him.\
Overall, though the One Piece dub is often met with mixed reactions, Dressrosa’s ending is a prime example of instances where the dub can not just excel but even surpass the source material. More than anything, this proves that perhaps fans should give the dub a chance more often.