Amazon Bows to Fan Backlash, Removes AI Dub from Banana Fish
The beta era for AI is over. Years of trial runs give way to prime-time deployment, where real users, real money, and real accountability are on the line.
Amazon quietly tested an AI English dub on the anime Banana Fish, and fans torched it in record time. The 'English [AI beta]' label popped up in the Audio Languages menu, a clip of the robo-voices made the rounds, and the backlash was immediate. Now it appears Amazon has yanked the option entirely.
What actually went down
- Viewers noticed Banana Fish listing an 'English [AI beta]' track under Audio Languages, pointing to an apparent AI voiceover test.
- A video showcasing the AI voices spread fast on social media starting around November 29, 2025, with posts claiming Amazon had started using AI to add English dubs to anime like Banana Fish. Reactions were overwhelmingly negative, with plenty of people saying it sounded bad and undermined real voice actors.
- By December 1, the AI option was gone and there was no English audio available at all on Banana Fish. Amazon seems to have moved quickly once the blowback hit.
The mood online
Between fans and industry folks, the vibe was basically: please don't do this.
"Good riddance, glad a precedent was set for large companies that AI dubs are ridiculously unpopular & should be avoided."
It's also just a strange way to roll out a test: labeling something "English [AI beta]" right in the Audio Languages menu is the kind of thing that guarantees people will notice, clip it, and dunk on it.
Zooming out: the AI fight isn't going anywhere
This flare-up follows a bunch of recent AI drama around anime:
There were complaints that the upcoming series Sekiro: No Defeat was using AI-generated art, but streamer Crunchyroll later clarified that the 2026 show will be "a fully hand-drawn 2D animation." Crunchyroll also said it won't use AI in the "creative process," including voice acting. As Crunchyroll CEO Shams Purini put it in an interview with Forbes:
"We consider them to be creators because they are contributing to the story and plot with their voice."
If you just want good anime news
Despite the AI noise, there's plenty to look forward to soon: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End season 2 and Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 are both slated for January.