If you have been with the anime game for awhile, you may have heard of 4Kids Entertainment. The company had its heyday back in the 1990s as it became a go-to place for dubbed anime. The brand helped put Pokemon on the map along with shows like Yu-Gi-Oh before its final shutdown in 2016. And now, the Internet is taking a moment to remember the company for all its pluses and pitfalls.
Videos by ComicBook.com
As you can see below, the whole thing began when a Twitter user asked netizens at large what they thought about 4Kids. It was there thousands responded with their fond (or not-to-fond memories) of the company. After all, 4Kids Entertainment did do some heavy-handed retconning of series due to censorship or even localization reasons. So you can imagine how the brand rubbed fans the wrong way.
what are y’all’s thoughts about 4Kids? pic.twitter.com/fZqqcwvGbN
โ Saberspark (@Saberspark) March 25, 2021
While fans are quick to blame 4Kids for alienating some series with its dubs, not every show was as poorly received as One Piece. Pokemon flourished under 4Kids for eight seasons before its dub was taken elsewhere. Much of anime’s legacy in the United States was elevated by the company as it helped make anime accessible to kids around the country. And even if you hate how the brand did its dubs, it’s hard to hate on 4Kids when you consider how many lives it touched.
What do you think about 4Kids? Did you ever check out any of this company’s dubs or? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
Raise Your Shields
I love and will defend the good 4kids did for anime in the west (and my humor) till the apocalypse https://t.co/Y7DBa4YLEu
โ TAHK0 โ๏ธ (@TAHK0) March 25, 2021
Remember This?
Since 4Kids is trending, letโs re-question why they made these very pointless edits in Sonic X: pic.twitter.com/lkDcjDmdSp
โ Vic (@vic_skyy) March 25, 2021
Rocking Out All Day
Yes, the dubbing sucked. Yes, the censorship was off the charts. Yes, the plots were rewritten into unrecognizable bastardizations. But I want you to find me ONE 4Kids theme song that doesn’t slap even the SLIGHTEST bit in some way https://t.co/PxDjnt1u7Y
โ woomy on main (@spenshi) March 25, 2021
Make Anime Accessible
you know what f-ck it, I’ll defend 4kids. Regulations around what you can air in kids blocks on network TV are EXTREMELY strict and so in sanitizing their localizations these mfs gave the children of the early 2000s access to anime they wouldn’t have had otherwise https://t.co/3fSbBBcJ05
โ Minerva P Kelley (RWBY Spoilers) (@doubleca5t) March 25, 2021
Who Wins?
4kids vs Jetix Whoโs taking the W pic.twitter.com/ZPFJu6ILUh
โ MackyEnt (@_JustMacky) March 25, 2021
Never Forget
So 4kids is trending I guess..I donโt see people talking about this jem
โ Bobba๐ง๐ง (@SoddyKanda) March 25, 2021
So back in 2003, 4kids was partnered with My Anti-Drug campaign to stop smoking marijuana and they had Yugi well…๐ฉ๐ฝโ๐ฆฒ #4kids #funniesttweets #video pic.twitter.com/m1pA87xJw4
A Very Unique First
The censoring may have been silly, but we respect 4kids for doing what they had to do with anime in order to allow it to broadcast on an American kids television network, the likes of which most kids first experienced foreign media. https://t.co/IcsaUih8s1
โ Best of Anime Dubs๐ซ (@BOAnimeDubs) March 25, 2021