Viz has Naruto...

...same company as Inuyasha.

About Funimation, however, to be fair it should be noted that they have VASTLY improved from what they were. In fact, they are one of the better anime import companies now, so if they get your series, it's not a bad thing.

They have the Tenchi OVAs now (the new series), and I've bought the entire Funimation Yu Yu Hakusho set (and they did a very good job with that).

FYI: This is the company I order anime from. They are very good, and if you have questions, they reply quickly:

http://www.animecornerstore.com

*In fact, I was the one who recommended to Neelick that we link to them (see the left side of the page..."Robert's Animecornerstore"). The left link takes you to the Tenchi products, but the banner will take you to their main store.*

Awesome, dude.
But don't they change a whole lot and take alot of the original script?

Old Funimation did...

Funimation now does not...actually, let me clarify this. Be sure to play the Japanese audio WITH Japanese subtitles on the discs. Funimation's dubs are where they make changes. If you like original voice actors though, it's not a problem. I like all my anime with the original Japanese voices best (I rarely like dubs). I would much rather hear the original language track with subtitles (that goes for foreign films too)... The best option is to learn Japanese, of course.

Because of their dub changes, Funimation discs include TWO sets of subtitles. One goes with their dub (English), the other goes with the Japanese. It's strange, but I guess they want an option for hearing impaired people (that's my guess anyway). Funimation's Japanese subbing is quite good; that's why I have no issues with buying their discs.

If you prefer dubbing though, than I guess you might have issues with them.

Aw, so that's how they play it now...

I have been all for subtitles for a long time now, and the Anime Soc here in Oxford pretty much always does subtitles as a rule (we were all screaming in pain when he heard dubbed audio in the Utena DVD menus as we tried to select the frigging subtitles).

But I got to thinking. Is it that the Japanese use better voice actors, who can actually voice act etc; or is it that, since we can't really understand what they are saying, that we just don't realise it is same level voice acting? I have no idea if the orignal Voice acting is actually better or not, but it is always something I've had the nagging notion about...
... Of course, sometimes the dub voices do actually sound bad too, actual voice wise, not acting...

I believe animators specifically choose individual Seiyuu to match with the character personas. That's why the original language dub matches "better" usually, and also the emotions etc. of the character are brought forth more meaningfully when in the original language too (and the animators can check to see whether they match up with what they want). When dubbing in another language, people "try" to match as best they can. Sometimes they fail miserably (Ranma 1/2), sometimes they do exceptionally well (Full Metal Alchemist; which is also Funimation btw...and it is an anime that I can listen to the dub with no problem). Things are ALWAYS lost in translation, however, be it dubbed or subbed. Really, there is no substitute to learning the language, but until one makes the effort to do that, I think subs are overall much preferable.

I certainly need to learn how to read the language at least, I've got some Japanese Imports to play on my DS...
I'll have to make sure to buy that "Japanese: The Manga way" again, it was pretty good when I borrowed it. Shame Amazon completely messed up the order, and wouldn't resend, just give a refund instead. Oh well, I'll probably put the order in again Monday...

And since I know it is often best to learn from several sources... Anyone know any good learning Japanese sites, or have any Book/etc that they recommend buying?

For really truely awful dubbing, just "try" watching an old Manga dub.

Hard to believe they were responsible for most Anime releases at one point, and that they tended to release dub more than sub. Quite why, I have no idea. I mean, what costs more, getting someone to translate, then drawing words over the top, or getting someone to translate, someone to write it over again, and then getting a bunch of new voice actors? Or maybe they just skipped the Translator?

Of course, it wasn't until DVDs, with its ability to do multiple soundtracks, that Anime really improved. Want to watch the Anime properly by yourself? Sub. Got a friend over, who has trouble reading and watching the action at the same time? Put in your ear plugs, and show them the dub...