If you’re a fan of delinquents and high-stakes gang warfare, then chances are you’ve already fallen in love with Tokyo Revengers. But as any true fan knows, the only thing better than watching an anime is watching it dubbed in your native language. And that’s where the trouble begins…
Tokyo Revengers‘ first season was a wild ride, introducing us to the world of Takemichi Hanagaki and his quest to save his ex-girlfriend from a grim fate. We watched as he tried to keep Tokyo Manji Gang from falling apart, befriended Mikey, and tried his best not to get his teeth kicked in on a daily basis.
Season 2 upped the ante with even more time-traveling shenanigans and gang drama. And now, with Tokyo Revenger season 3’s introduction of Izana, dub watchers are more eager than ever to dive back into the fray.
Tokyo Revenger season 3 dub may never release
But here’s where things get complicated. Disney has acquired the streaming rights for Tokyo Revengers‘ international audience. That’s right, the same company that brought us singing princesses and talking animals is now responsible for delivering our dose of delinquent action. And while that might seem a welcome move as Disney has the deep pockets and global reach to make Tokyo Revengers a household name, there’s just one problem– Disney likely has no plans to dub the series, as per Adam McArthur who voices Chifuyu.
Fans have taken to Change.org to demand justice. With a petition that’s already racked up almost 2,000 signatures, they’re making it clear that they won’t stand for a sub-only release. And who can blame them? Not everyone is fluent in Japanese or wants to read subtitles while trying to keep up with the lightning-fast fight scenes and dramatic speeches about friendship and loyalty.
Compare this to Crunchyroll, the anime streaming giant that previously held the rights to Tokyo Revengers. They managed to dub season 1 just a few episodes after its initial release, and they’ve done the same for other popular series like Jujutsu Kaisen. So what’s Disney’s excuse?
But dubbing an anime is no easy feat, especially in today’s climate. The industry is already in a pretty bad state due to the pandemic. And with big names like Aleks Le (the voice of Mikey) already juggling multiple projects like Mashle: Magic and Muscles and Solo Leveling, it’s no wonder that dubbing has taken a backseat.
At the end of the day, all fans want is to enjoy their favorite anime in the way that suits them best. Whether that means watching it subbed, dubbed, or even with hand-drawn stick figure animations (hey, we’re not judging), the point is that the option should be there. And if Disney wants to be taken seriously as a player in the anime game, they need to step up and give the fans what they want.
So come on, Disney. Maybe if you dub Tokyo Revengers, we’ll even forgive you for subjecting us to the live-action Mulan remake.
