After widespread criticism for the use of AI voice actors, Amazon removes AI dub from anime series Banana Fish

Banana Fish
(Image credit: MAPPA)

Amazon has seemingly removed an English dub from the anime series Banana Fish that appeared to utilize AI voice actors.

The controversy erupted over the past few days on social media, with viewers spotting that the 'Audio Languages' option listed an 'English [AI beta]' selection.

The video showcasing the AI 'talents' – which you can see below – spread like wildfire and led to a massive backlash from audiences and industry figures.

Now, Amazon has moved quickly to remove the AI offering – with no English language option being available as of December 1.

One commenter summarized the mood, writing on Twitter, "Good riddance, glad a precedent was set for large companies that AI dubs are ridiculously unpopular & should be avoided."

The Banana Fish reaction comes off the back of a string of AI discourse and controversies, though not all were as they first appeared.

Sekiro: No Defeat was the focus of complaints about AI art, but anime streamer Crunchyroll later responded with a statement declaring that the 2026 series will be "a fully hand-drawn 2D animation."

Crunchyroll has also confirmed it won't use AI in the "creative process", including voice actors.

"We consider them to be creators because they are contributing to the story and plot with their voice," Crunchyroll CEO Shams Purini said in an interview with Forbes.

Despite AI worries, anime fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming months, including Frieren: Beyond Journey's End season 2 and Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 in January.

For more, head to our guide on new anime, plus our picks for the best anime you should be watching right now.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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