According to IGN, Amazon has removed an English dub track that used AI-generated voices for the anime series Banana Fish on its Prime Video service. The issue came to light in late May 2024 when a streamer on Twitter/X posted a clip highlighting the poor quality of the “AI beta” dub option. The backlash from subscribers, fans, and influencers was swift and severe, criticizing the move as devaluing real voice actors. Amazon responded by pulling the AI dub option entirely, which has now left Banana Fish with no English language dub available at all. This incident follows another recent AI controversy in anime, where the upcoming series Sekiro: No Defeat faced allegations of using AI art, though distributor Crunchyroll has denied those claims.
The Obvious Problem With AI Voices
Here’s the thing: this backlash was completely predictable. When a prominent streamer like Dansgaming posted the clip, the reaction wasn’t just about quality—though the dub was reportedly “really quite terrible.” It was about principle. Fans see voice actors as integral creators, not just interchangeable parts. Crunchyroll’s CEO, Shams Purini, nailed this sentiment back in April, telling Forbes they consider voice actors creators who contribute to the story. Amazon basically tried to swap out a chef for a vending machine and expected no one to notice the taste difference. And they noticed immediately.
A Symptom of a Bigger Streaming Trend
So why would Amazon even try this? Look, it’s not complicated. It’s about cost and scale. Dubbing is expensive and time-consuming, especially for a massive back catalog. AI promises a cheap, fast solution. But this incident proves there’s a massive hidden cost: audience trust. It feels like a betrayal, a corner being cut on a beloved show. This isn’t some obscure title; Banana Fish is a popular, emotionally resonant series. Using AI on it was a tone-deaf move that treated the art and its fans with disrespect. It sends a message that the content is just filler for the platform, not worth the investment in human talent.
Crunchyroll’s Stance Makes Amazon Look Worse
Now, contrast Amazon’s experiment with Crunchyroll’s recent, firm stance. After the Sekiro: No Defeat AI art rumors, Crunchyroll didn’t just quietly remove something. They went on the record to state the 2026 show will be “fully hand-drawn 2D animation” and affirmed they won’t use AI in their creative process. That’s a powerful market differentiator. In a subscription landscape where fans are picky about where they spend their money, publicly valuing human artistry is smart business. Amazon’s quick reversal shows they knew they messed up, but the damage to their reputation with anime fans is done. It makes you wonder, was this a one-off test, or is the widespread criticism just the first skirmish in a longer war?
What This Means for AI in Entertainment
Basically, this is a clear warning shot. The creative industries are the frontline for AI adoption debates, and audiences are the regulators. They vote with their outrage, their subscriptions, and their social media posts. This failure shows that for narrative, character-driven content, AI replacements aren’t a seamless tech upgrade—they’re a cultural insult. The tech might get better, but will the resentment? I doubt it. For now, any streamer thinking of quietly slipping AI dubs or art into existing shows just saw how quickly and loudly that plan can blow up. The human element isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the whole product.
