4Kids Entertainment: Difference between revisions

'''4Kids Entertainment''' was an American company which was responsible for the production of the English-language version of the [[Pokémon anime]] from 1998 until 2005 (seasons 1 through 8). They were also in charge of English productions for a number of other anime series, as well as creating original series from 1997 to 2013. Among anime fans, the company was notorious for its heavy editing of Japanese versions of series such as ''{{wp|One Piece}}'' and ''{{wp|Yu-Gi-Oh}}''. However, Pokémon is among its most faithful adaptations. The company also handled licensing for many other Nintendo products and properties, including ''{{fzw|F-Zero: GP Legend (anime)|F-Zero}}'' and ''{{wk|Kirby: Right Back at Ya!|Kirby}}'', until the licensing agreement expired in 2005.

4Kids was in charge of dubbing the Pokémon anime for English language audiences for the first eight seasons. Despite their massive contributions to the anime and the Pokémon franchise as a whole, there have been many critics. Some fans felt that some important information, facts, or emotions expressed in the original version were lost in translation. Frequent move errors, type matchup errors, and most infamously, poor quality in the [[Pokémon Trainer's Choice]] segments have led fans to believe 4Kids had very little knowledge or interest in the Pokémon franchise as a whole.

4Kids-exclusive content includes the English theme songs (not the intro animations), [[Pokérap]], songs that appeared in [[Pikachu's Jukebox]] and [[Pokémon Karaokémon]], and the [[2.B.A. Master]] album.

While they were the producer of the dub, 4Kids did not start dubbing the series at their own studio until 2003, where they took it from [[TAJ Productions]]. Their first dubbed episode in-house was ''[[EP263|Address Unown!]]''.

Starting with the TV special ''[[The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon]]'' and continuing from season 9 onward, Pokémon USA (now known as [[The Pokémon Company International]]) maintained the English language version of the Pokémon anime. Beginning in May 2008, 4Kids took control of the {{DL|Pokémon in the United States|Kids' WB!}} block. The block was relabeled as {{wp|The CW4Kids}}. 4Kids announced that, in order to retain control of The CW4Kids, 4KidsTV would move online instead of airing through FOX affiliates as of January 1, 2009. This block was later replaced with {{wp|Toonzai}}, which was also owned by 4Kids. In 2012, 4Kids also ended the Toonzai block. Saban Brands then created the block called {{wp|Vortexx}}, claiming Toonzai's previous timeslot. This block was cancelled in 2014. As of 2015, many 4Kids television dubs no longer air on American television, with the exception of the early seasons of Pokémon and the Pokémon movies that they dubbed.

 

On June 1, 2010, the {{wp|New York Stock Exchange}} delisted 4Kids from their listings.

{{wp|TV Tokyo}} and {{wp|Nihon Ad Systems}} sued 4Kids Entertainment on March 24, 2011 due to "underpayments, wrongful deductions, and unmet obligations" concerning the ''Yu-Gi-Oh'' franchise. TV Tokyo and Nihon claimed that 4Kids' collaboration with {{wp|Funimation Entertainment}} violated their original contract and enabled 4Kids to hide income amassed from home video production. They sought $4,792,460.36 USD in damages as a result.<ref>[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-03-29/tv-tokyo-nihon-ad-terminate-yu-gi-oh-deal-sue-4kids ''TV Tokyo, Nihon Ad Terminate Yu-Gi-Oh! Deal, Sue 4Kids'' - Anime News Network] (retrieved September 27, 2022)</ref> In the midst of the lawsuit, 4Kids filed for {{wp|Chapter 11 Bankruptcy}} protection on April 6, 2011. The lawsuit was settled on February 29, 2012, with 4Kids retaining rights to the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise after a judge ruled that TV Tokyo and NAS had improperly terminated their agreement with 4Kids.<ref>[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-12-31/4kids-yu-gi-oh-license-is-still-in-force-court-rules ''4Kids' Yu-Gi-Oh! License Is Still in Force, Court Rules'' - Anime News Network] (retrieved September 27, 2022)</ref>

In June of 2012, {{wp|Saban Brands}} purchased the rights to several of 4Kids' anime properties, including ''{{wp|Dragon Ball Z}}'', ''{{wp|Sonic X}}'', ''{{wp|Cubix}}'', and the Toonzai block. Rights to the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise were sold to {{wp|Konami}}, who also acquired 4Kids Productions and reincorporated it as 4K Media.

On December 5, 2012, 4Kids Entertainment announced that it had ended a dispute over the so-called Pokémon agreement with The Pokémon Company International, under which TPCi would get a $1 million general, unsecured claim against the debtor.

On December 13, 2012, 4Kids announced that they exited their bankruptcy and would be reworking the structure of their company.

 

 

* [[Who's That Pokémon?]]: Often, the Pokémon, layout, and presentation were different in the original. During the [[S01|first season]], the Pokémon were usually the same as in the Japanese version. In the [[S02|second]] and [[S03|third]] seasons, the segment mostly had a Pokémon starring in the following episode. From seasons [[S04|four]] to [[S06|six]], the Pokémon were completely random. Although this feature stopped in Japan at the end of the Johto saga, it continued through [[S06|Pokémon: Advanced]] in the dub. For [[S07|Pokémon: Advanced Challenge]], this was replaced by {{pkmn|Trainer's Choice}}.