<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

An Americanized work (typically, a movie or TV series) is one that was produced for another culture, and then is altered in an attempt to make it more attractive to American audiences.

These alterations include an American over-dub, but that is often only the beginning. The dialog may not be strictly translated, but may be re-written to seem more culturally American. Characters may be inserted in new sequences. Some sequences may be cut (especially to emphasize action over conversation). The plot may even be different than the original.

One of the most famous movie examples is the original Godzilla (Gojira in Japan), which added sequences with Canadian actor Raymond Burr for its US release. In King Kong vs. Godzilla, the ending was different for Japanese audiences (in which Godzilla wins) and American audiences (in which King Kong wins).

Japanese anime series have also been Americanized for for re-broadcast in the United States.

It isn't just Japanese works. Russian, Italian and others have been changed as well.

On the one hand, it allows American audiences to see at least portions of a work that would otherwise be unavailable to them (at least, in the pre-Internet/internationalized media era). On the other hand, what they see may be inferior to the original artistic intent. Some fans make an effort to see the work in its unaltered form.