Sentai Filmworks Script Writer Holly Segarra Explains Why ‘To Love Ru’ Dub Was Changed To Include Misogyny

Spencer Baculi |

Mar 10, 2020

Sentai Filmworks script writer Holly Segarra responded to the backlash after she changed the script of the To Love Ru dub to directly reference misogyny. Segarra defended the changes on the basis of making the scripts seem natural while also promising that she has “no hidden agendas.”

On March 7^th, Segarra addressed upset fans on her personal Twitter account, noting that while she is aware of the mounting complaints, “there’s some difficulties in dubbing you may not be aware of.”

I wanted to put this out there cause I know folks are mad at me, (and honestly I hate making anyone mad) but there’s some difficulties in dubbing you may not be aware of that can effect choices; such as syllable count, animation mouth flaps, and rhythm. 1/3

— Holly Segarra 🍰 momomomo-sparkle 🍰 (@pocket_gremlin) March 7, 2020

Segarra went on to explain that the dub scripts have to “flow and work with the animation.”

Ideally we keep it as close to original translation as we can but dubs just aren’t that simple they have to flow and work with the animation. For you purists out there subs are definitely for you and I personally like both depending on the show. 2/3

— Holly Segarra 🍰 momomomo-sparkle 🍰 (@pocket_gremlin) March 7, 2020

Concluding her response, Segarra states that “there is no 1:1 trade when it comes to translation.” But she did promise that, despite the controversial edit replacing the neutral phrase “old-fashioned” with the unfortunately politically-charged ‘misogyny,’ “no hidden agendas” influenced the To Love Ru production:

My job as an ADR writer is to make things sound natural, & avoid sounding too stiff. There’s no 1:1 trade when it comes to translation.
It involves a lot of puzzle solving & spending tons of time with the material. I put a lot of love in my work, I promise no hidden agendas. 3/3

— Holly Segarra 🍰 momomomo-sparkle 🍰 (@pocket_gremlin) March 7, 2020

However, some fans were unsatisfied with Segarra’s defense and continued to criticize the changed script on the basis of the use of the word “misogyny” due to the word’s contemporary political connotations:

We don’t care if they don’t match the mouth movement or sound weird. That is perfectly normal for people of another language. They can be introduced with something that is foreign, and they can get used to it. Translating is important for communicating.

— Luigithemetal64 (@Luigithemetal64) March 7, 2020

As a translator myself, there had to have been a way to not put implaid meaning of gender discrimination into the script and still match the lips

“Get with the times”
“You’re so behind the times” etc
時代遅れ isn’t 女嫌い

— リゴニ鈴音(Alita) (@alita87) March 8, 2020

Which is why I said there is probably something similar.

“Old fashioned” and “Misogynistic” are VERY different words.

The second does push an agenda, which people are right to be annoyed about.

When dubbing you have to adapt, but completely changing the implied meaning is a no

— リゴニ鈴音(Alita) (@alita87) March 8, 2020

Your choice of words was to use a politically charged one that has been thrown around to devalue individuals that disagree with a specific political agenda in order to make them into some sort of subhuman
These days wanting to have the AC on can make you an evil misogynist.

— Winter (@Winter20240634) March 8, 2020

Yes because ruining japanese creator’s work for “localization” by blatantly changing dialogue in a show (Mind you I HATE ToLoveRu) and the fact that I’m sitting her defending ToLoveRu of all things is sad. You guys are better than this. You aren’t big Hollywood I thought you

— LetsComplain (@CharlesComplain) March 8, 2020

The length of time to say
“That’s misogynistic!”: 1 second
The length of tim to say
“That’s old fashioned!”: 1 second
It’s an easy fix.

— Dragnarok (@rogerbrock2) March 8, 2020

YouTuber Hero Hei also weighed in. He stated, “There’s all sort of words or phrases you could have used and you chose not to. What you instantly thought for that scene was apparently to add misogynist in there.”