Crunchyroll has once again become the target of controversy following new accusations involving the use of artificial intelligence in the production of subtitles and closed captions. The discussion resurfaced after a slip-up in the dubbed episode 6 of The Banished Court Magician , whose file allegedly revealed the name of the company Ollang — raising suspicions that the platform was automating part of the localization process without informing the public.
The accusations were reinforced by digital producer Daiz, known for his technical analyses of anime distribution and digital media. According to him, the dubbed episode arrived late to the platform and, upon publication, featured the closed caption track instead of the original Japanese-English subtitles. Within the file, references to Ollang's AI service allegedly confirmed that the technology is being used to create subtitles for the dubbed version.
Crunchyroll's episode 6 dub release of The Banished Court Magician was late, probably due to some internal issues. When it finally went up, the primary JP-EN subtitle track had been accidentally replaced with a dub closed caption track revealing Ollang in the file headers. pic.twitter.com/sNpp1a5QeG
— Daiz (@Daiz42) November 26, 2025
This revelation reignited a discussion that had been ongoing since the beginning of the fall 2025 season, when subscribers reported poorly readable subtitles, typeset removal, and delays in major premieres—including the final season of My Hero Academia and the third season of Spy x Family .
Many users also complained about errors, missing subtitles, and synchronization issues, generating a climate of frustration within the community.
Crunchyroll, however, denied using AI in an official statement in early October. The company stated that the problems stemmed from internal failures, without any change in the subtitling process or involvement of new suppliers. Even so, public perception remains shaken, and the lack of transparency has been criticized by translation professionals, localization specialists, and fans.
The controversy reignites an important discussion about the use of AI in creative and technical processes within the anime industry. While Crunchyroll continues to deny this and maintains that subtitle quality remains a priority, the audience demands more clarity, respect for the original material, and the maintenance of standards that have made the platform a global benchmark.
Until new information emerges, the case continues to divide opinions and fuel debates about the future of professional translation in an era increasingly dominated by automation.
