Deere compacts are Yanmars. Yanmar makes, and has made, a quality tractor for a long time. So has Kubota. I don't think either one is better than the other as a global statement.
Their tractors are not the same and do not always compare apples to apples. Which tractor is best depends entirely on your needs and how you fit the tractor. What works for you, may not work for someone else. Every once in a while a manufacturer produces a tractor with problems, no one is immune.
Dealers probably have more impact on brand perception than the actual tractor. Some Deere dealers are very guilty of snobbery. My kubota dealer in TN was not willing to go below list, but the Deere dealer was. Both were very nice about it though.
Part of the problem is the culture we have generated and we now expect that we are entitled to less than list price. Try that at the grocery store and see how far you get.
I think brand bashing between Deere, Kubota, and NH is a waste of time. Comparing dealers is another story. Comparing features of individual tractors as applied to a specific working environment is fair game. I've owned a lot of tractors and they have all had plus' and minus'.
All of the top 4 brands are selling Japanes tractors: Kubota, Yanmar, Iseki, and Shibaura. And yes, NH will suffer from using LS instead but I suspect LS will learn fast. Most of these tractors are well made and do the job they are intended for. In the long run, does a 5% difference in price or performance make a difference? I doubt it. If it does, you are probably looking at the wrong machine.
Rant off.