4Kids Goes Viral as Anime Fans Revisit the Company's Infamous Dubs

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.

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

— 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.