The English sub version of Belle with the original Japanese audio is undoubtedly the best version. That said though, the English dub for this anime film doesn’t seem too bad. The opposite really. Kylie McNeill’s singing sounds incredible. Don’t believe me? Then listen for yourself below as you watch the English dub’s opening scene.

Belle: An Actually Great English Dub?!

Kylie McNeill, you’ve just gained a new fan in me.

GKIDS just released this English dub opening scene for Belle on YouTube. The scene introduces us to the world of U: a fictional virtual reality app in the anime film where all the action takes place. We can see that it’s basically a virtual city, where digital avatars can freely fly through and speak to other avatars. The opening scene also introduces us to how the U app works. The app apparently scans your biometric data and generates an avatar for you based on that data. There’s a part of me that wonders about the customization options though, and if the avatar can be modified?

The opening scene for Belle though doesn’t just introduce us to U. It also introduces us to the titular main character herself, played by Kylie McNeill in the English dub. As you can hear, her voice is amazing. It’s as good as when Kaho Nakamura was singing, and that’s high praise from someone like me who’s normally an English sub purist. This is actually an English dub that I’d want to watch if only to listen to more of Kylie McNeill’s amazing voice.

Belle: Details

"Belle" US theatrical poster.
When Beauty and the Beast meets Ready Player One.

Belle is set for a nationwide theatrical release on January 14, 2022. However, select IMAX theaters will show preview screenings of this anime film on January 12, 2022. You can purchase tickets at Belle‘s official website.

As for the plot of Belle? That’s something you want to see for yourself given how close it is to theatrical release. However, GKIDS has an official synopsis ready in case you’re interested. Check it out below:

“From the celebrated Academy Award®-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu, creators of Mirai, Wolf Children, Summer Wars, and more, comes a fantastical, heartfelt story of growing up in the age of social media.

Suzu is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters “U”, a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a gorgeous and globally-beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious “beast” and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.”

Source: GKIDS Films YouTube, bellefilm.com