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Pokémon USA recasting controversy: Difference between revisions
Pokémon USA recasting controversy (view source)
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Because of the Pokémon franchise's waning popularity in the United States, the international Pokémon distributor, [[The Pokémon Company International|Pokémon USA]], began looking for ways to cut costs on production of the English adaptation of the series, and decided to find a new partnering company who could produce the English adaptation for less money. | Because of the Pokémon franchise's waning popularity in the United States, the international Pokémon distributor, [[The Pokémon Company International|Pokémon USA]], began looking for ways to cut costs on production of the English adaptation of the series, and decided to find a new partnering company who could produce the English adaptation for less money. {{fact}} Nintendo of America, who was Pokémon's master license holder outside of Japan, had signed a ten-year subcontracting deal with [[4Kids Entertainment]] to produce the anime.<ref name="4kidsflashback"> Sands, Tara, & Yurko, Steve. "Nor-man's Land with Norman Grossfeld." ''4Kids Flashback'', Spreaker, 13 Dec 2023. [https://www.4kidsflashback.com/episodes/4kids-normans-land https://www.4kidsflashback.com/episodes/4kids-normans-land], 38:59–42:51.</ref> Once 4Kids Entertainment's contract expired in early 2006, they were outbid by [[TAJ Productions]], who had earlier assisted 4Kids in their production of the English-language version of the series. However, according to statements made by [[Veronica Taylor]] and [[Eric Stuart]], the voice actors were to be replaced with different sound-a-like voice actors to keep production costs low. According to [[Stuart Zagnit]], it was not allowed for the voice actors to be brought over to the new dub production because the voice actors were under contract with 4Kids.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naUL66MyiBY</ref> The new voice actor of Brock, [[Bill Rogers]], said he thought that Eric Stuart had voluntarily left the show when he first heard that he was auditioning for Pokémon.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9ecb9-m2v4</ref> The special ''[[The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon]]'', which aired on April 29, was used as a testing ground for the new voices. | ||
As a result of this, and the discontinuation of anime in their block as they were planning to move to {{wp|The CW}} network, {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Kids' WB!}} decided not to renew the series, and {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Cartoon Network}}, the sibling cable network owned by Kids' WB's owners, {{wp|Time Warner}}, started to air the series as of September 8, 2006. | As a result of this, and the discontinuation of anime in their block as they were planning to move to {{wp|The CW}} network, {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Kids' WB!}} decided not to renew the series, and {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Cartoon Network}}, the sibling cable network owned by Kids' WB's owners, {{wp|Time Warner}}, started to air the series as of September 8, 2006. | ||
According to 4Kids Production president [[Norman J. Grossfeld]], his company became aware that after season three or four, the Japanese Pokémon rights owners had established The Pokémon Company. And at that point, "We basically saw the writing on the wall," said Grossfeld. "It's like, 'Okay, when the contract's up, we're done.' It was definitely not a surprise."<ref name="4kidsflashback" /> | |||
Grossman also stated that the voice actors in all of 4Kids's productions were required to sign a contract that forbade them from performing the roles they performed at 4Kids for a different company for a certain period of time. He believes the contract stipulated that period to be one year after the last time the actors performed that role at 4Kids. After The Pokémon Company decided not to continue production work at 4Kids, many of the actors approached Grossfeld and asked if he would enforce that stipulation. Grossfeld stated that he never provided the actors with advice on what decision to make. "I'm not in a place to undermine 4Kids Production's business by telling you something or not," said Grossfeld. "So ultimately, the actors made their own decision. Whatever way they made their decision, they made their decision. We never actually enforced that clause."<ref name="4kidsflashback" /> | |||
== Voice actor reaction == | == Voice actor reaction == | ||