Crunchyroll is catching heat after fans noticed something strange while watching one of its newest anime titles. The show Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show came with subtitles that looked — and read — like they were written by AI.
And not a good AI either.
Fans Spot Sloppy Subtitles Right Away
It didn’t take long for viewers to realize something was off. The subtitles were full of weird grammar, typos, and awkward phrasing. Some sentences didn’t even make sense. One example making the rounds on social media reads:
“Is gameorver. if you fall, you are out.”
Even worse, some lines literally started with “ChatGPT said…” — making it obvious the subtitles weren’t written or reviewed by a person.
Did Crunchyroll Use AI to Write the Subtitles?
All signs point to yes.
While Crunchyroll hasn’t officially responded to questions about what happened, the sloppy quality and AI references in the subtitles suggest that the company used ChatGPT or a similar tool — and pushed the content live without any serious editing.
This contradicts what Crunchyroll’s president Rahul Purini said just a few months ago.
In an interview with Forbes back in April, Purini made it clear that the company had no plans to use AI in creative parts of the process. He said Crunchyroll wanted to keep the “authenticity” of its content and wouldn’t use AI in ways that would affect voice actors or creative jobs.
So Why Use AI for Subtitles?
That’s the big question — and one Crunchyroll hasn’t answered yet.
It’s possible the company used ChatGPT or a similar tool to speed up subtitle production, especially since many anime shows are released globally just hours after their original air date in Japan. But that kind of speed comes with a trade-off. In this case, the quality suffered badly.
Fans Aren’t Happy — and for Good Reason
The backlash has been swift. On X (formerly Twitter) and other forums, fans criticized Crunchyroll for cutting corners and not respecting the hard work of translators.
People pointed out how important accurate subtitles are — especially in anime, where tone, cultural references, and nuance matter a lot.
Bad subs don’t just break immersion — they ruin the story.
Why This Is a Bigger Deal Than Just a Few Typos
This isn’t just about a few bad lines. It touches on a much larger concern: how AI is being used in the entertainment industry.
Here’s what’s at stake:
- Job security for human translators and localization experts
- Cultural accuracy and storytelling quality
- Fan trust, especially in communities that value authenticity
- The long-term effect of prioritizing speed over care
If companies like Crunchyroll keep using AI without human oversight, the quality of the content will drop — and audiences will notice.
What Now?
At the time of writing, Crunchyroll hasn’t commented on how the subtitles were created or what they’ll do to fix the issue. Fans are hoping for answers — and more importantly, a return to the level of quality they expect.
Key Takeaways
- Subtitles for Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show were clearly AI-generated.
- Lines like “ChatGPT said…” appeared in the show, sparking backlash.
- Crunchyroll hasn’t explained how this happened.
- The move contradicts earlier promises not to use AI in creative roles.
- The incident highlights why real translators and editors are still crucial in media production.
Final Thoughts
Fans love anime not just for the animation, but for the emotion, the story, and the characters. When subtitles are rushed or written by bots, that connection gets lost. Crunchyroll might have thought using AI would save time — but it ended up hurting the viewer experience.