Aniplex, a significant player in the anime industry and a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, is open to exploring the use of artificial intelligence to aid in the creative process of anime production. Shu Nishimoto, who assumed the role of Aniplex president earlier this year, indicated this stance in a recent interview with Variety. The company has been instrumental in the production and distribution of globally recognized franchises such as Naruto, Bleach, Sword Art Online, Fate, Solo Leveling, and the immensely popular Demon Slayer.
Aniplex's broader strategy involves maximizing the potential of its intellectual properties across various mediums, including theatrical releases, streaming, merchandising, games, and live events. Within this expansive vision, Nishimoto stated that Aniplex is willing to "carefully consider" the use of AI if it can positively impact creators' work or contribute to the evolution of the creative process. This statement from the president of a company associated with the highly successful Demon Slayer anime marks a notable point, especially given a previous comment from Ufotable's president Hikaru Kondo, who, as writer and chief director for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Infinity Castle, stated that the studio would continue to rely on its human artists, writers, and voice actors.
Nishimoto's comments come at a time when the anime industry is navigating the balance between preserving its unique artistic identity and adapting to new technological advancements. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the originality of anime as a Japanese art form, characterized by its distinctive worldviews, visual direction, storytelling, and cultural context. Nishimoto believes that the essence of Japanese creativity should be preserved and conveyed more deeply to fans globally, rather than diluting it to fit international market demands. He asserted that this originality is the anime industry's greatest competitive strength in the global market, which accounts for over half of its value.
The question of how to integrate AI while safeguarding the inherent originality of anime presents a challenge that companies like Aniplex will need to address in the near future.