Following a Dandadan fan art that received significant criticism from Japanese anime and manga fans, the main English dub voice actors of the Dandadan anime adaptation changed their X (formerly Twitter) profile pictures in solidarity with the artist.
Previously, a 16-year-old artist named Lynn came under fire for drawing the Dandadan main characters, Ken “Okarun” Takakura and Momo Ayase, as darker-skinned characters.
After the online backlash, particularly from the Japanese community on X, the English dubbing voice actors of Dandadan showed support by adopting the fan art as their profile pictures.
Ken “Okarun” Takakura, voiced by A.J. Beckles (known for Gremmy in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War and Hop in Pokémon Journeys), retweeted the fan art and updated his profile picture with the caption:
“#NewProfilePic this is 🔥 thank you @Lynn6Thorex.”
Seiko Ayase, voiced by Kari Wahlgren (known for Haruko in FLCL and Goddess Rhongomyniad in Fate/Grand Order), also changed her profile picture to the fan art of Momo Ayase. She shared the new profile picture on her timeline with the caption:
“#NewProfilePic had to couple profile pic w.”
This gesture by the dub voice actors shifted the focus of criticism from the fan art to the actors themselves. A.J. Beckles, in particular, faced scrutiny when screenshots of his tweets from 2021 and 2022 resurfaced, showing his opposition to white actors voicing characters of color.
Fans criticized what they perceived as hypocrisy in his stance, given the context of the Dandadan controversy.
Ken Takakura (Dandadan) EN VA supports blackwashing art. Also thinks white vas can’t voice POCs, but not vice versa.
— Pirat_Nation 🔴 (@Pirat_Nation) December 9, 2024
English voice actor again exposing racism and hypocrisy. Again showing we need to clean house the voice acting industry. pic.twitter.com/9IqWLh5nHD
Update: A.J. Beckles has deactivated their account following the backlash. However, Beckles posted on their BlueSky account to reassure fans that everything is fine and there is no need for concern.
The controversy began when Lynn shared a redrawing of a Dandadan anime still, portraying the main characters as African American. The fan art was retweeted widely, especially by anime fans from Japan.
The majority criticized the fan art for altering the race of the original characters. Following the backlash, Lynn privatized their X account temporarily.
However, as of now, Lynn’s account is public again. Amid the controversy, their follower count skyrocketed from around 5,000 to 45,000. The surge in support and visibility coincided with the dub voice actors’ decision to change their profile pictures, signaling solidarity with the artist.
While some fans praised the voice actors for showing support, others expressed frustration, particularly with Beckles’ involvement, citing the historical context of his earlier statements. The debate surrounding Lynn’s art and the actors’ response continues to polarize the anime community.
Related: Race Swap Dandadan Fan Art Sparks Backlash from Japanese Fans
Dandadan is a popular manga and anime series by Yukinobu Tatsu. It tells the story of Ken Takakura, nicknamed “Okarun,” who is skeptical about ghosts, and Momo Ayase, a girl who denies the existence of aliens. Their opposing beliefs lead them to investigate paranormal phenomena together, resulting in strange and thrilling encounters with both extraterrestrial beings and supernatural entities.
