00:00Artificial intelligence is already making its mark on anime, raising questions about the future of
00:05the industry. Japan has published the first manga drawn entirely by artificial intelligence,
00:10mid-journey, which immediately sparked debate about the future of art. Some creators, such as
00:15Hayao Miyazaki, have been strongly critical. He describes AI-generated content as an offense to
00:21life itself. Given this controversy, we ask ourselves, will AI be a liberating tool or a
00:26threat to the soul of anime? Background and image generation, generative networks, e.g.,
00:31stable diffusion or mid-journey, are used to create background art and characters in minutes.
00:36Specialized tools such as AnimeGAN allow real videos to be stylized to look like anime.
00:41Studios such as Toei have tested artificial intelligence, Scenify, to convert photos of
00:46cities into drawn backgrounds. Interpolation and assisted animation, AI engines, Epson,
00:51After Effects plugins, can automate the creation or smoothing of intermediate frames.
00:56Toei itself aims to use artificial intelligence for color corrections and line art generation and
01:01animation. These techniques promise to speed up production times, although the quality is still
01:06uneven. Dubbing and voice synthesis, voice cloning algorithms reproduce the nuances of the original
01:11performer, generating dubbing without real actors. Platforms such as Crunchyroll already use
01:16artificial intelligence to automatically translate and subtitle, and are exploring automated
01:21dubbing. However, this capability clashes with the legal protection of voice actors,
01:26who are demanding new labor agreements. Scripting and creative writing, language models,
01:30ChatGPT and Claude, are being tested to generate ideas, dialogues, or basic scripts. Although still
01:37limited, various creators are already experimenting with feeding the system with plots or character
01:41profiles, obtaining initial drafts. AI is expected to streamline pre-production, although final scripts
01:48will still require human review. Together, these technologies, from art generation to writing,
01:53are gradually being incorporated into the anime workflow. Studios are alternating traditional tools,
01:58clip studio and photoshop, with new artificial intelligence, seeking to streamline processes in
02:04an industry marked by long hours and staff shortages. One of the most talked about examples came from Netflix
02:09Japan. In 2023, it released the short film Dog and the Boy, created by its brand new Netflix anime
02:15creators' base in collaboration with WIT Studio and AI startup Rina. In this experimental project,
02:21the backgrounds were generated by artificial intelligence, first drawn manually and then
02:25processed by an algorithm, similar to stable diffusion. Netflix described the initiative as an
02:30experimental effort to address the labor shortage in the industry. The announcement sparked heated
02:35controversy, critics pointed out that the result looked artificial, and many fans accused Netflix
02:41of seeking to cut costs at the expense of artists. Even Hamish Steele, creator of Dead End Paranormal Park,
02:47tweeted, Not something to be proud of. Another recent case is the anime twins Hainahima,
02:51premiering in March 2025, promoted as the first anime powered by more than 95% artificial intelligence.
02:58Produced by Frontier Works and Kaka Creation, with animation by Kaka Technology Studio,
03:03this project used supportive artificial intelligence in almost all creative stages.
03:08According to specialized sources, more than 95% of the scenes were generated with algorithms and then
03:14retouched manually. In addition to these major examples, there are independent initiatives. For
03:18example, the first science fiction manga created entirely with artificial intelligence, author report,
03:24was completed in six weeks in 2023, bringing into discussion the possible impact on traditional
03:30cartoonists. In all these cases, it is clear that artificial intelligence is already being actively
03:35used, albeit in collaboration with humans, to innovate in anime production. Responses have been
03:41highly polarized. Some in the industry embrace the potential of artificial intelligence. Veteran
03:46Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks, compared the arrival of these tools to Pixar's 3D
03:51revolution, predicting that artificial intelligence will accelerate creative processes and democratize
03:57animation. In Japan, Toei Animation, producer of One Piece, is investing hundreds of millions in
04:03collaboration with preferred networks to integrate artificial intelligence into storyboarding,
04:07coloring, and backgrounds, confident that this will increase efficiency and quality. Large technology
04:13companies are also showing interest. Sony and Crunchyroll apply artificial intelligence to
04:18translations and subtitles, and platforms such as Amazon Prime use artificial intelligence in some
04:24dubbing. There are even those who defend AI as a great companion. Illustrator Madoka Kobayashi,
04:2930-year career, says that AI helps her visualize ideas and generate drafts more quickly,
04:35without replacing human skill. However, critical voices abound. Globally, unions and creators are
04:40organizing protests against the unethical use of artificial intelligence in animation. The 2025
04:46OnSea Festival was the scene of demonstrations led by unions from the US, France, Spain, and others,
04:52who declared a global emergency in the face of the expansion of artificial intelligence in animation.
04:57They argue that this technology, far from being a simple support, threatens to destroy creative wealth
05:02and displace human artists. In Japan, many animators and designers fear for their rights. A 2023 survey
05:08indicated that 94% of Japanese artists fear that AI will infringe on their copyrights. Personalities such as
05:15Miyazaki have publicly expressed their displeasure, and groups of fans and creators on social media have
05:21demanded transparency and clear regulations. There are also divisions within the otaku and professional
05:26communities. Many fans reacted indignantly to the dog and the boy case, accusing Netflix of sacrificing
05:32quality for savings. At the same time, some fans see opportunity in artificial intelligence, specialized forums
05:39discuss how it could facilitate the localization of anime or enable the creation of art in classic styles.
05:44Meanwhile, voice actors are raising their voices. Unions such as Adoma, Spain, warn that replacing
05:49an actor with a voice generated by artificial intelligence is infinitely cheaper and demand that
05:54there always be a real actor behind each performance. They also call for a ban on productions training AI
06:00models with the voices of performers without permission. In short, the community is debating the
06:04ethics. Is artificial intelligence an ally of the artist or an unfair competitor? The impact on
06:10employment is already being analyzed. A report by Luminate Data concludes that animation jobs will be
06:15among those most affected by AI. Animation specialists estimate that in the coming years, roles such as
06:21concept artists and storyboarders, 55% of them, BFX specialists, 50% and game designers, 43% will see the
06:29biggest changes due to automation. Indeed, anime pre-production can be very labor-intensive, a half-hour
06:35episode requires almost 12 months, and AI promises to drastically reduce deadlines and costs. For example,
06:42Toei reported that in a short film Irvin, 2021, it generated two-thirds of the funds with AI,
06:48cutting production time to just one-sixth of the traditional method. However, this efficiency comes
06:53with occupational risks. Many animators already work for minimum wages. It has been reported that certain
06:58artists in Japan earn as little as $2,500 per year for grueling hours. The introduction of AI could worsen
07:05this precariousness by justifying replacements. In the U.S., this fear led to strikes by screenwriters
07:10and actors in 2023, demands for clauses in contracts regulating AI, and the recent no-fakes
07:16bill to ban unauthorized digital replicas. Voice actors in particular face an immediate threat.
07:21SAG AFTRA, the U.S. Union, and other guilds in Europe are already demanding that legislation protect
07:27their voices as artistic property. In Spain, ADOMA and the Actors Union are pushing for the urgent
07:33approval of a new artist statute that guarantees that AI imitations are excluded from the employment
07:38relationship. Their argument is clear. Without strict regulation, production companies will opt
07:43for on-demand artificial intelligence solutions to save on hiring professionals. From a global
07:48economic perspective, although anime is growing, Japan is now the world's second-largest exporter
07:53of animation. The crisis in orders in the United States has worsened. Commissions for animated series
07:58fell by 70% from 2021 to mid-2025. This has encouraged the search for new technologies. Major
08:05investors, Kodansha, Katakawa, Crunchyroll, and Amazon, are betting heavily on AI in translation and
08:12dubbing, hoping to boost the global monetization of anime. Ultimately, AI could drastically reduce
08:17production time and cost, but at the expense of radically changing the way creative talent is hired and
08:22compensated. The future of anime will likely be marked by both realities. Artificial intelligence offers new
08:28creative possibilities. It facilitates complex visual effects, allows experimentation with unprecedented
08:34styles, and opens the door to individual creators. A single person, as Charlie Fink predicts, could
08:40produce films with just a few thousand dollars. It could usher in a democratized golden age of animation,
08:46where creative forces previously trapped in repetitive tasks are set free. However, this path is not
08:51without its shadows. If cost savings are the only priority, the richness and diversity of human style is at
08:57risk. Many animators warn that AI will imperfectly copy existing styles. The backgrounds in Dog and
09:03the Boy, for example, were criticized as lacking originality. Animator Sebastian Bisbel observes that,
09:09in these shortcuts, animation loses some of the patience that historically defined it. In his words,
09:14AI works by scraping the work of thousands of artists and, used as a commercial shortcut, can produce a
09:20technical product that lacks human artistic richness. In conclusion, AI will not make anime disappear,
09:25but it will put it to the test. Its contribution can enrich production if used as a tool to enhance
09:30creativity, as Kobayashi supports, alleviating the burden on studios and helping to maintain quality
09:36in the face of talent shortages. But if used without ethical criteria, it risks impoverishing the industry,
09:42fewer artists employed, and a more homogeneous style. The great challenge will be to preserve the artistic
09:47identity of anime, that unique fusion of traditional techniques, narrative, and Japanese culture,
09:52in an increasingly automated environment. As experts warn, change is inevitable. The question is how we
09:58choose to take advantage of it so that the creative spark remains alive in every frame of anime.
10:22and the creative mechanism of the concept of emerging, the full-time key, as far as the play of the
10:38structure being used for a human being? So I think we will clear in this process, and how we use it to
10:42make this sound? So, let's see, in this case we will continue to create an image on the way of the
10:45building. And the way that we choose with it is, it is the right to make this sound. So, you komunikisya,
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