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UPDATE (July 3): Sources familiar with the situation told GameRant that the AI-generated subtitles were provided by a third-party vendor in violation of their agreement with Crunchyroll.
Fans are accusingCrunchyrollof using AI-generated subtitles in an anime this season. The 2025 Summer Anime Season has just begun, and many different titles are making their way to streaming platforms likeCrunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix. Among several long-awaited series, such asDandadan Season 2,My Dress-Up Darling Season 2,The Lord of the Mysteries, and many more, there are lesser-known titles likeNecronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show.
Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Showpremiered on May 28, 2025, and, while quite promising, drew international attention for the wrong reasons: the alleged use of AI-generated subtitles on Crunchyroll.
Why Do Fans Think Crunchyroll Used AI-Generated Subtitles?
Shortly afterNecronomicopremiered on Crunchyroll, users took to social media,claiming that the subtitles for the series, particularly the German ones, were allegedly produced by AI. A user posted a screenshot of the series with the subtitle, “ChatGPT said: Wenn ich die Welt, von hier an weiter genießen kann.”
The screenshot obviously suggests that ChatGPT was used to generate the German subtitles for the series. It’s important to note, however, that AI typically doesn’t begin responses with “AI said:” instead, they usually start with “Here is what you requested:” at the beginning of their responses. This suggests that “ChatGPT said:” was intentionally written by the translator or whoever added this line to the subtitles, and it was probably meant to be revised by someone else. Either way, many fans have expressed disappointment with the use of ChatGPT in this translation. This is not the first time that Crunchyroll has been accused of using AI to translate the series. Last year, another anime caught the attention of fans becausethe English subtitles were mostly incomprehensible.
Some users suggested that the subtitles could have been sent this way by Cygames, the series' distributor. If that is the case, Crunchyroll might not want to criticize a business partner. If they behave in the same way as last year, they will probably just fix the subtitles.
AI-Assisted Translations Have Been a Topic for Heated Debate
While fans seem mostly mad at Crunchyroll, it is important to note that, legally speaking, there is nothing wrong with using AI to generate or assist in subtitling. However, the topic has recently caused a lot of debate among fan communities because many fans see AI translations as poor and believe that using AI means undervaluing professional translators. At a time when many Japanese companies are turning to AI to deliver simultaneous translations, many fans think that these companies should be hiring professional translators to ensure the quality of the content. At the same time, companies claim it is impossible to fight quickly translated pirated content without the help of AI.
In any case, even in Japan,labor associations are advocating for AI regulation, including in translations. In most cases, professionals do not completely oppose the use of AI, but they think there should be clear regulations about how and when AI should be used in the entertainment industry.
Artificial Intelligence has also generated heated debate among fans and professionals in Japan.
Source:X (formerly)
