'Happened on his watch'

News Amazon Prime Anime Studios Claim Amazon Added AI-Generated Dubs Without Their Permission The No Game, No Life: Zero distributors deny giving Amazon their permission to upload the controversial AI-generated dubs. By Matthew Byrd | Published on December 3, 2025 Photo: Kadokawa Animation Comment 0 Share New Share Photo: Kadokawa Animation In what is rapidly becoming one of the stranger and potentially consequential entertainment stories of the year, some anime studios have confirmed that they did not approve (and were not aware of) Amazon’s efforts to add AI-generated dubs to their works via the Amazon Prime service. This whole thing started last week when Amazon quietly added AI-generated dubbing options to various anime projects such as Banana Fish, No Game, No Life: Zero, Pet, Journal of the Mysterious Creatures, and Vinland Saga. Some of those anime works received AI-generated English and Spanish dubs, while others (such as Vinland Saga) only received Spanish dub audio options. The decision was made with essentially no fanfare and wasn’t really noticed until fans spotted the new audio options and decided to give them a shot. The results were, perhaps predictably, disastrous. The decision to add an AI-generated audio option to these works understandably drew the ire of various voice actors who spoke against the decision to incorporate such an audio option and deny them, audio engineers, and associated studio personnel work in the process. While there has been some confusion regarding whether or not there were ever any plans to give these works more traditionally produced dubs (more on that in a bit), the very idea that you could unleash such an option in the effective dead of night and declare it a viable alternative did not sit well with various professionals and fans in the anime community. More to the point, some of the AI-generated dubs in question are quite bad. You’re probably not going to be surprised to learn that AI-generated voiceovers lack the nuance and audio quality that you’d get from professional actors working in a studio. However, you may not entirely be prepared for the ways those poor quality AI-generated “performances” fail to even vaguely match the timing of what’s occurring on-screen. No familiarity with the show Banana Fish is required to appreciate how poor this dub is: Amazon has started using AI to add English Dubs to anime like BANANA FISH. It’s really quite terrible and shows how important real actors are. pic.twitter.com/POgy4oIq1p— DansGaming (@Dansgaming) November 29, 2025 Since those AI-generated audio options were added late last week (the exact timing is unknown, though it was believed to have occurred late last Thursday or Friday) Amazon has quietly removed the English dubs for Banana Fish and No Game, No Life: Zero from Prime Video. However, the Spanish AI dubs for works such as Dororo, Karakuri Circus, Banana Fish, and Vinland Saga and the English AI dub for Pet have not been removed as of the time of this writing. The ethics and results of these dubs will undoubtedly continue to be discussed, but the biggest question at the moment may be “What really happened here?” Were these dubs created with any consent or input from the various anime studios involved, or was this purely an Amazon initiative? Who knew what about this project when, and what kind of approval process was involved? Were these works selected because there had been no official indication that they would otherwise receive an official English dub, or were other arrangements considered for their “participation” in this program? Recently, we got at least a few answers to this whole thing, though they arguably make the whole situation even more bizarre. Anime News Network reached out to some of the studios and distributors behind these works and received some troubling replies. No Game, No Life: Zero distributor Kadokawa Animation said they did not approve “any form” of an AI dub, while sources at North American distributor Sentai Filmworks reportedly stated that the studio was not made aware of this decision “in advance.” Banana Fish distributor Aniplex did not respond to Anime News Network with a comment at this time, but we have reached out to them, Amazon, and several of the other studios involved with this recent batch of AI-generated dubbing options for more information. For now, the situation remains volatile and ongoing. Anime studios and distributors like Crunchyroll have already had to address controversies regarding the use of generative AI in their works, and Crunchyroll representatives have since stated that they are “not considering” the use of AI in their creative processes, including voice acting, as a result of that reaction. We certainly know that there is backlash against the idea of using such technology in ways that not only impact the quality of that work but potentially cost performers, artists, and engineers their jobs. So while the idea of more studios choosing to go that route despite the pleas not to is troubling, it’s more disturbing to consider that these decisions were made without explicit permission. It should also be noted that Amazon previously added AI-generated audio dubbing options to international works such as El Cid: La Leyenda and, at the time, argued that the decision to do so was based on their belief that such works would otherwise not receive professional dubbing options. It’s unclear whether Amazon considered using their own considerable resources to produce said dubs as an alternative. What happens next is worth keeping an eye on. The timing of this situation makes it likely that the dubs were removed due to the reactions to them (and their seemingly obvious issues) rather than formal disputes from the creators (which would seemingly take time, if such permission was even technically required in the first place). But how long will that last? Is the argument that such techniques should be used for series that would otherwise not receive official dubs really strong enough to stand on? Will these dubs go up with “fixes” in the near future, or is the blowback greater than that at this point? Will potential disputes hinder Amazon’s attempts to reupload these dubs in any form? Perhaps most importantly, will this entire situation eventually set some kind of precedent not just for anime dubs but the rights of creators and distributors regarding similar modifications? It’s that last question that will perhaps generate the most interest in this situation regardless of your familiarity with and interest in the specific works that this technology has been used on so far. [end-mark] The post Anime Studios Claim Amazon Added AI-Generated Dubs Without Their Permission appeared first on Reactor.

Books book reviews All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu Is an Imaginative High-Tech Thriller Ken Liu’s latest examines the “complexities of artistry…” By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on December 3, 2025 Comment 0 Share New Share Julia Z is a hacker in the not-so-distant future who, after a childhood of ignominy, is trying to stay under the radar in a quiet town outside of Boston. One day, however, a man named Piers shows up on her doorstep. His wife Elli has disappeared, and an unabashedly evil man named the Prince says he’s kidnapped her and will kill her unless Piers gives back something Elli stole from him.  Piers, a corporate lawyer who really loves his wife but is a self-professed luddite, believes he hasn’t been followed to Julia’s home. Piers is wrong, and Julia finds herself now entwined and on the run with him, trying to find Elli and save them all from the Prince’s wrath. Ken Liu’s All That We See or Seem is marketed as a sci-fi thriller, and there’s certainly elements of that, but I’d argue that other aspects of the book give it a solid foot outside that subgenre as well, including into hard sci-fi. Let’s start with the technology. It’s clear that Liu has done intensive research into how AI could develop and become integrated into society. Almost everyone, for example, has a personal artificial intelligence that has grown up with them (Julia’s is named Talos), which has turned their AI into de facto extensions of people. There are benefits to this—no one’s organic brain can crunch numbers like their AI one can—but it comes with a loss. Later on in the book, for example, we get this illustration of humanity’s new dependency: In the same way that few contemporary writers could compose even a five-hundred-word essay with the help of AI as research assistant, fact-checker, dictionary, thesaurus, grammarian, and, in extreme cases, amanuensis, very few contemporary programmers could create a functioning nontrivial application without the help of codedaemons, bug-genies, patchsprites, scriptpixies, and a whole fairyland of similar artificial intelligences. In half a page, Liu has painted a future that feels depressingly plausible: It seems more likely than not, the way things are going, that this will be the world when my five-year-old is Julia’s age.  But What We See or Seem explores other potentialities as well. Take Elli’s profession as a dream guide, a person of some celebrity who guides thousands of people through a shared vivid-dream experience that is created by the hopes, fears, and thoughts of those involved. How vivid dreaming works, specifically how the technology interacts with people’s brains and how Elli constructs the shared experience, is intricately explained and developed. Julia Z’s various hacking abilities (Is there a seemingly insurmountable problem? Julia knows the AI for that!) also reveal the level of detail Liu has thought through.  Buy the Book All That We See or Seem Ken Liu Buy Book All That We See or Seem Ken Liu Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget Liu also has imagined how this technology would work in a capitalist world, including how the companies that create these products can use them to alter what their human consumers may perceive: Does some Saudi prince, for example, not want their photo taken? The camera you use will automatically black them out of any images. Through this and other, more horrible means, the elite can alter the shape of the internet and, as a result, what is perceived as reality.  Through Elli, Liu also examines the complexities of artistry, and how creative desire, for many, cannot be completely divorced from external validation and perceived success. “There is so little certainty in art, so few ways to concretely judge where you are, that the hunger for approval, for the magic that comes from having sold, from being desired by many, becomes the polestar by which all steer,” Liu writes about halfway through the book. Here, he’s talking about Elli, but it’s clear that we see that tug everywhere today, and that behind the personas people put out in their quest for creative success, there’s a complex person (Bo Burnham’s songs, “White Woman on Instagram” and “The Internet”, also tackle this, and makes for an unexpected but delightful pairing with All That We See or Seem.)  These are meaty questions, and Liu weaves these larger themes over the course of the story. Doing so slows the story down a smidge, especially when considering that “Thriller” label, but things still move along at a decent pace. And without getting into spoilers, the book also takes a major turn a little over halfway through, plunging the reader into a story that’s different from what they might have been expecting. (Whether that turn works or not will likely vary from reader to reader.) One thing I would have loved to see more of is the development of certain characters. Julia as the protagonist (and as the main character in what will reportedly become a series), is fairly fleshed out: We get her backstory, which not only explains how she got her hacking skills, but reveals why she’s afraid to put her trust in or even connect with others. Piers, however, is disappointingly less developed, although we’re given more of Elli’s motivations to understand her better. There are also a slew of characters from Julia’s past and present whose primary purpose, like NPCs in a video game, seems to be to move the plot forward. Their introductions and subsequent exits from the story felt abrupt and wedged in—mainly there because Julia needed some kind of assistance or a sounding board. In the same vein, the Prince as the villain of the story, along with his main henchman Victor, are also one-dimensionally evil. Are there people like them in the real world? Sadly, yes (I can even think of some candidates). But for fiction, it would have been interesting to explore how people can break bad so completely.  Thrillers, however, usually do spend more time on plot than character development, and sci-fi thrillers usually do get into the details about the technology in the (usually) dystopian future that they paint. All That We See or Seem also gave me some Caprica vibes at certain points, which I appreciated. And so when the next Julia Z novel comes out, I’ll happily add it to my TBR list. [end-mark] All That We See or Seem is published by Saga Press. The post <i>All That We See or Seem</i> by Ken Liu Is an Imaginative High-Tech Thriller appeared first on Reactor.

News 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Trailer Has Ralph Fiennes Wielding a Potential Cure His test subject? None other than everyone’s favorite infected, Samson By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on December 3, 2025 Screenshot: Sony Pictures Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: Sony Pictures When the infected attack, what do they see? That’s a question Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Kelson raises in the latest trailer for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the sequel from director Nia DaCosta that follows up on the story Danny Boyle and Alex Garland established in the first film in their planned 28 Years Later trilogy. The trailer also reveals what Kelson is up to and what’s in store for Spike, something that the synopsis hints at as well: In a continuation of the epic story, Dr. Kelson (Fiennes) finds himself in a shocking new relationship—with consequences that could change the world as they know it—and Spike’s (Alfie Williams) encounter with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) becomes a nightmare he can’t escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival—the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying. Dr. Kelson’s shocking new relationship is with Samson, an infected who, as we see in this trailer, the good doctor thinks he can cure of the zombie-like disease. Will Dr. Kelson be successful? Will young Spike survive his time with the blond-haired Jimmy, who, as we also get hints at in this trailer, remains mentally unwell (as does Dr. Kelson, for that matter, with his titular Bone Temple, which he explains is a memorial for the dead)? Whatever else the film has in store for us, one thing is clear from this trailer: Dr. Kelson is taking a leap into the unknown with his potential cure. We’ll be able to go with him when 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple premieres in theaters on January 16, 2026. Check out the trailer below. [end-mark] The post <i>28 Years Later: The Bone Temple</i> Trailer Has Ralph Fiennes Wielding a Potential Cure appeared first on Reactor.

Climate 'Science' Takes Another Major Hit

In a story about last week’s deadly National Guard ambush outside a Washington D.C. metro station, a lead Washington Post story published online Monday and in Tuesday’s print edition actually tried to paint a sympathetic picture of suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal by wondering if his decision to drive from Washington State was done because he became depressed about the stringency of the immigration process. Leaving aside the very real issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) he almost certainly suffered by working in his native Afghanistan alongside U.S. soldiers and intelligence personnel (including in the CIA), the four-bylined article also lamented “he appeared to struggle to adapt to his new circumstances and refused to take many of the entry-level jobs available to him as a recent immigrant.” The first portion briefly explained his role in Afghanistan with “the Kandahar Strike Force...in one of the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan” and that required constant “multiple layers of vetting” to ensure he could be trusted. In addition, reporters Susannah George, Antonio Olivo, Warren P. Strobel, and Jeremy Roebuck said sources told them he had a sterling record. “The course of Lakanwal’s journey from a trusted U.S. battlefield ally to the suspected shooter...remains unclear, in part. But like many Afghans who had worked for the United States and came...after the chaotic August 2021 U.S. withdrawal...he appeared to struggle to adapt to his new circumstances and refused to take many of the entry-level jobs available to him as a recent immigrant,” the reporters added. They quoted a “former senior Afghan commander now living in the United States” to back this up that former Afghan allies struggle to find work in the U.S., suggesting without evidence this was Lakanwal’s case that “[t]hey’re not ready to just integrate themselves into” America. Furthering this sob story, the reporters kicked dirt on the administration for “characteriz[ing] Lakanwal’s alleged violent crime as a by-product of President Joe Biden’s hasty evacuation...and the influx of tens of thousands of Afghans...these officials say took place without proper vetting” when “interviews with former Afghan fighters and the Americans who worked with them suggest a more complex tale.” The Post huffed that he, “in addition to his earlier vetting to join the Zero Units, underwent extensive vetting by U.S. counterterrorism authorities, including the CIA and the National Counterterrorism Center, before entering the United States, according to people with direct knowledge of the case.” The dam of fluff then broke wide open, fretting “Lakanwal was confident” he’d find “a stable life in the United States” yet “that didn’t happen” and directly blamed his successful asylum claim this summer “did not come with a renewed work authorization card” as having caused his spiral: This summer, Lakanwal received what is known as a “Chief of Mission” letter vouching for his contributions to the U.S. war effort, a required step in the process to obtain a Special Immigrant Visa and to establish lawful permanent residency in the United States, according to a former senior law enforcement official briefed on the matter and the former U.S. intelligence officer. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss Lakanwal’s status. Lakanwal’s humanitarian parole expired in mid-2024, before his visa status was fully approved, so he applied for political asylum instead late last year and was approved in April 2025, multiple people familiar with the matter said. But his grant of asylum did not come with a renewed work authorization card, which made it difficult to find a job, the former U.S. intelligence officer said, citing conversations with Lakanwal’s fellow Unit 03 fighters after the shooting. The inability to support his family weighed heavily on Lakanwal. He worked briefly this summer as an independent contractor for Amazon Flex, a program that employs drivers to deliver packages with their own vehicles, a company spokesperson said. Notice The Post argued it was difficult to find a job to only then admit in the next breath he was able to find work. Saying this stress (of finding employment and a solid wage no less) led to a “fight over finances” with his brother, The Post said this was emblematic of the “struggl[es]” “both financially and mentally” Afghan refugees have faced “in a country whose language and culture they don’t understand.” The Post wrapped by acting out the Norm MacDonald bit about whom they believe are the real victims in this attack (click “expand”): “It’s still unclear what led this individual to commit such a violent and horrific act — whether a mental breakdown or something more severe,” Geeta Bakshi, a former CIA officer who served in Afghanistan and now runs FAMIL, a nonprofit that assists Afghans who served with the U.S. government, said in a statement. Bakshi said her organization had not encountered Lakanwal. (....) The combination of years of high-stress combat in Afghanistan and a different kind of stress in the United States — struggling to support a family in a foreign environment — leaves many of these young men particularly vulnerable to falling through the cracks, the former Afghan commander said. (....) The shooting and its aftermath are “a disaster for the Afghan community,” the former commander said.

The New Jersey attorney general's office confirmed to Blaze News that it has launched an investigation into the NJ Sharing Network, an organ procurement organization, after nearly a dozen whistleblowers accused the group of numerous offenses, including allegedly covering up an attempted organ recovery from a patient who showed signs of life.The NJ Sharing Network, a tax-exempt organization, was also accused of fraudulently billing Medicare, skipping hundreds of patients on the wait list, harvesting organs without appropriate consent, operating a fraudulent taxpayer-funded research program, and creating a culture of fear and retaliation.'The only way patients will be protected is when law enforcement gets involved and prosecutes criminal activity.'The House Committee on Ways and Means held an Oversight Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday with some whistleblowers who have reported concerning patterns among the nation's OPOs. "I think a lot of the problem is that we are not providing the family with updates on actual neurological function and just those kinds of problems where we're using medications to chemically sedate and paralyze patients," Nyckoletta Martin, a former OPO employee, told lawmakers on Tuesday. "We're never really giving patients a chance."Jennifer Erickson, a senior fellow for organ donation policy with the Federation of American Scientists, described the "chilling" accusations against the NJ Sharing Network as "not only extreme abuse of public trust, but also potential violations of law.""A patient who'd been declared deceased reanimated, and according to information obtained by this committee, the CEO told staff on site they should proceed with recovery," she continued. "Several whistleblowers alleged documentation regarding the case was deleted or otherwise manipulated."Erickson urged the committee to continue its investigation into the NJ Sharing Network and contended that the organization should be decertified.RELATED: Organ group wanted to harvest from patient showing signs of life — then tried to cover it up, whistleblowers claim Leon Neal/AFP via Getty Images On November 19, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) sent a letter to the NJ Sharing Network, demanding documents and over 30 transcribed interviews with staff to investigate whistleblowers' claims further. The committee copied the New Jersey attorney general on that letter.When reached for comment, the AG's office confirmed to Blaze News that it was looking into the allegations."Our office is aware of the allegations of potential misconduct involving New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network discussed in correspondence from the U.S. House of Representatives," a spokesperson stated. "We are investigating these allegations and are committed to ensuring that the organ donation system functions appropriately and for the purpose for which it was intended. We ask anyone with information to contact the Division of Criminal Justice at 609-376-2330."RELATED: ‘Donor may still be alive’: How organ donation groups allegedly exploit grieving families to cash in on billions New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesGreg Segal, the founder and CEO of Organize, reacted to the AG's office announcement."After 15 years of organ donation advocacy, I have come to believe that the only way patients will be protected is when law enforcement gets involved and prosecutes criminal activity," Segal told Blaze News. "I am deeply grateful for the New Jersey attorney general. It is time to take out the trash."The NJ Sharing Network did not respond to a request for comment. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A New Jersey police officer has lost her law enforcement career in the state following a home invasion, physical attack, and threats to burn down a former lover's residence.Rebecca Sayegh, 32 — formerly with the Toms River Police Department — pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal mischief, and simple assault on Nov. 17. 'I'm going to f**king burn your house down next, you piece of s**t.'Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced in a statement that his office wants Sayegh to serve 180 days in jail when she's sentenced on Jan. 26. As part of her probation, prosecutors also want her to have no contact with the victims and to pay restitution.Sayegh — who had been suspended without pay since her April arrest — was required to forfeit her position with the police department effective Nov. 17; she's also barred from any future employment with the state of New Jersey, according to the prosecutor's office.Sayegh's guilty plea stems from a violent home invasion of her ex-boyfriend's home in Berkeley Township.As Blaze News previously reported, Sayegh used her baton to smash through the front door of her ex-boyfriend's home around 11:20 p.m. on April 25.But the violent incident didn't stop there. Sayegh — who was off-duty at the time — engaged in a verbal confrontation with her former lover and his new girlfriend that quickly escalated into a physical attack, according to court documents NJ.com obtained.Citing Assistant Prosecutor Isabella Young, NJ.com reported that the girlfriend suffered swelling to the eye when Sayegh poked her with her fingernail.The couple was able to restrain Sayegh before she "broke free" and smashed items in the house and knocked photos off a wall, according to the affidavit of probable cause.Billhimer said Sayegh damaged the hood of a vehicle belonging to one of the victims that was parked in the home's driveway.The New York Post reported, "As Sayegh continued on her chaotic rampage, the new girlfriend retreated into the backyard, where she called 911."The prosecutor's office stated: "Sayegh was taken into custody at the scene — after having resisted efforts to peacefully place her under arrest."Citing police bodycam video, the Daily Mail reported that Sayegh appeared to tell her ex-boyfriend: "I'm going to f**king burn your house down next, you piece of s**t."Sayegh caused $2,000 in damage to the house and another $500 to a vehicle, Young said.RELATED: California police union executive director ran international fentanyl operation, used office to distribute drugs: Feds Just months before the violent home invasion, Sayegh sued the Toms River Police Department, alleging sexual harassment, being passed over for promotions due to her gender, and a "boys club" culture.Sayegh's lawsuit alleges that she "has been victimized by a campaign of disparaging, degrading, harassing, and discriminatory conduct by defendants and the de facto 'boys club' culture cultivated and maintained in the department," the Asbury Park Press reported.The October 2024 suit also claims that fellow officers "spread false and defamatory rumors throughout the department that [the] plaintiff was sleeping with various male co-workers, commented on [the] plaintiff's appearance, and insinuated that [the] plaintiff could not complete the responsibilities of her position simply because she is a woman."The defendants' attorneys have described the lawsuit as "frivolous and without legal basis" and "baseless and/or meritless."Sayegh — who joined the department in 2017 — claimed that her former captain, Shaun O'Keefe, "shamelessly" pursued a sexual relationship with her.Sayegh's lawsuit alleges that O'Keefe followed her into the women's restroom, took out his penis, and told her to perform oral sex on him during a Toms River Police Foundation event at the Bey Lea Golf Course in June 2022.O'Keefe retired from the police department in 2021.In April 2025, Superior Court Judge Robert E. Brenner dismissed the claims against O'Keefe without prejudice, ruling that the lawsuit was filed after the two-year statute of limitations had expired, according to the Asbury Park Press.Sayegh's lawsuit against the police department is still pending, according to the Daily Mail.Sayegh previously had been commended and received an award for her "bravery" after rescuing a woman and her pets from a Toms River house fire in January 2021."Officer Sayegh went to the front door and made entry, locating Ms. Nicolo and her pets. Officer Sayegh was able to escort Ms. Nicolo and her pets across the street to safety. Officer Sayegh is commended for her swift action, bravery, and lifesaving actions," the department stated.The Toms River Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News' requests for comment.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up!

Dem Senator Says Trump Blowing Up Narco Boats Is Destroying Supply, Demand and Livelihoods

Jim Jordan Demands Answers on Arctic Frost, Subpoenas Former Special Counsel Jack Smith