If you’ve been anywhere near anime Twitter, Reddit, or the unhinged corners of TikTok this week, you already know things have been… chaotic. Banana Fish fans woke up, rubbed their eyes, opened Prime Video, and suddenly found a brand-new “AI English Dub (Beta)” sitting there. No big announcement, no promo, no cast list — just Amazon casually dropping an AI voiceover onto one of the most emotionally heavy anime of the last decade.

And because the internet is undefeated, fans immediately clipped it, roasted it, and spread it like wildfire.

But here’s where the story takes a turn:
Kadokawa — one of the actual rights-holders — has finally spoken up. And what they said?
Yeah… it does not make Amazon look good.

Let’s break down what happened, what Kadokawa actually confirmed, and why Amazon might be walking straight into a legal headache.

Kadokawa Confirms It Never Approved an AI Dub “In Any Form”

Anime News Network reached out to the involved studios, and Kadokawa responded with a very blunt statement:

They did not approve an AI dub “in any form.”

Not “we didn’t know about it.”
Not “we’re reviewing the matter.”
Just straight-up: we never approved this.

That’s huge — because it means the AI dub Amazon released wasn’t just questionable from a creative standpoint… it may have been released completely outside the permission of the rights-holders.

And yes, the dub vanished from Prime Video almost immediately after fans found it.
Not a coincidence.

HIDIVE and Sentai Also Say They Weren’t Told

Kadokawa wasn’t the only one who seemed blindsided. Sources at HIDIVE/Sentai Filmworks — who handle licensing for other series Amazon tinkered with — also said they were not aware in advance of any AI dubs and were “looking into it with Amazon.”

So now we have multiple studios saying the same thing:

• They didn’t approve it.
• They didn’t know about it.
• They’re now investigating what Amazon did.

That’s three big red flags and a neon sign pointing straight at Amazon.

The Big Question: Did Amazon Even Have the Rights to Do This?

Here’s the part that matters legally.

Streaming contracts for anime don’t automatically include permission to:

• create new dubs,
• create AI-generated localizations,
• alter the work beyond subtitles,
• or distribute new audio tracks not provided by the licensor.

Dubbing — whether human or AI — is considered a localization right. And licensors typically charge extra for that.

If Amazon didn’t secure those rights (and Kadokawa’s statement strongly implies they did not), then Amazon essentially created and distributed a derivative work without permission.

Which is a massive no-no in licensing.

Why Fans Are So Fired Up About This

Yes, people hated how the AI sounded — but this isn’t just about the bad quality.

It’s about trust.

Anime fans already feel protective of shows that hit emotionally heavy topics, and Banana Fish is not the series you experiment on. This is not some fluffy slice-of-life where a slightly-off tone is just funny. It’s a dark, traumatic, beautifully acted story that absolutely depends on human emotion.

The fact that Amazon rolled out an AI dub here of all places?
Yeah. People were never going to let that slide.

Add Amazon’s pattern of cost-cutting, studio refusals to approve AI, and the dub disappearing overnight… and you’ve basically created a perfect storm.

So… Is Amazon in Legal Trouble?

No lawsuits have been filed yet, but based on what we know:

• Kadokawa says they didn’t approve any AI dub.
• HIDIVE says they weren’t told.
• The AI dub was removed almost instantly.
• Amazon has been quietly pushing AI dubbing tech since early 2025.

All signs point to Amazon releasing the AI dub without proper authorization.

That’s breach-of-contract territory.
That’s “your lawyers need to talk to our lawyers” territory.
That’s “do not ever do that again” territory.

It’s not exaggeration — this could genuinely affect Amazon’s future anime licensing deals.

What Happens Next?

A few possibilities:

• Amazon quietly works it out with licensors.
• New clauses appear in contracts banning AI dubbing without approval.
• Studios become way more careful about giving Amazon anything.
• Fans continue to push back against unapproved AI use.
• And yes… more statements might still be coming.

One thing’s certain: the AI dub drama isn’t over. Amazon wanted to test their AI tools on anime. Instead, they’ve managed to piss off rights-holders and the entire fandom within 48 hours.

Impressive, honestly.