It produces several shows in the English language, including translated anime. Its distribution services are handled by FUNimation. All programming on 4Kids TV (formerly the Fox Box) is licensed by 4Kids.
Many anime fans in the US are highly critical of 4Kids because of its policy of extensive Americanization of the anime titles it licences. On one hand, such alteration alters the series from what they originally were, and some feel that it defaces the original work and demeans the original author. On the other hand, 4Kids tends to licence only titles targeted to preteens, and is modifying the titles to appeal to the same demographic in the US - leaving the title as is would limit its access in the US, as well as potentially raising the ire of parent groups.
However, in order to combat the complaints, 4Kids has allowed FUNimation, their DVD distributor, to release unedited versions of Shaman King and Yu-Gi-Oh! on DVD as a test (similar to how DiC allowed ADV Films to release unedited versions of Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya (Knights of the Zodiac)). If the unedited releases do well, 4Kids may expand them, as well as release uncut DVDs to other animes such as Sonic X, Ultimate Muscle, etc. to its entire lineup.
On January 17, 2006, 4Kids and Microsoft signed a deal to license children's video games exclusively for the Xbox 360 gaming system, in an effort to put more child-oriented games on the system, whose gaming library is currently dominated by games targeted toward the 13-and-up market.
4Kids CEO Al Kahn has stated in his interview with Anime News Network that 4Kids is planning on extending uncut DVD releases to include all anime titles in their lineup at some point in the future; however, there is no further evidence that this is still a priority.
4Kids Entertainment is a company headquartered in New York City that licenses children's television shows in the United States and in other countries.
Many anime fans in the US are highly critical of 4Kids because of its policy of extensive Americanization of the anime titles it licences.
On the other hand, 4Kids tends to licence only titles targeted to preteens, and is modifying the titles to appeal to the same demographic in the US - leaving the title as is would limit its access in the US, as well as potentially raising the ire of parent groups.
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