Why I Hate '4Kids'

Of all the anime companies out there 4Kids is the only one I hate! Yes I do have preferences when it comes to anime and only a few other companies meet those preferences (or come close to), but that never made me hate them. 4Kids on the other hand did something that I cannot stand. They edit anime.

Now don't get me wrong. I understand that certain shows and movies have to be edited in order to get aired on television. For instance the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day, they have to edit out all the fun words. Besides television is a great way to get anime out there? Even if you don't have cable or satellite you can still get anime on the weekends. Not to mention parents would love to find shows their little ones can watch, enjoy and stay out of their hair.

So why do I hate 4Kids for their edits? Simple. Most of them aren't necessary.

1. Changing names.

There is no reason to change names in anime. Japanese names are just as easy to understand as English ones. You just have to practice at it.

2. Removing Japanese Words.

This one makes the least amount of sense to me. We have kids shows out there that not only teach English speaking audiences a different language, but we also have shows out there that teach them how to spell in another language. So what's wrong with the Japanese language all of a sudden?   

3. Changing Locations.

Unintentionally anime can be educational, especially to someone in another country. Thanks to anime I know about some Japanese holidays, traditions and locations. Then 4Kids comes along and suddenly the Tokyo Tower is somewhere in America.

I have a lot more I could say about this, but I don't want this blog to be one giant bash fest. The problem is I don't consider 4Kids an anime distributor. I consider them someone who takes anime, edits it and tries to make a buck off of it. Anime sells without that sort of treatment. 4Kids is being sued and they plan on filing for chapter 11 just to stay in business. I honestly don't believe anime here in the states would be worse off if 4Kids did go bankrupt. They've been doing anime fans and those Japanese companies wrong for far too long.