The recent controversy surrounding Toei Animation's ties to AI technology has reignited debate over the future of anime production. After the company’s year-end presentation highlighted a partnership with AI startup Preferred Networks, many assumed AI was involved in the creation of Pretty Cure. Though Toei later clarified this was not the case, the incident proved the growing anxiety in the industry. As the use of generative AI tools becomes more widespread, anime professionals are wrestling with what is gained, and lost, when machines take on creative work traditionally done by hand.

This tension came into sharper focus in March, according to Animenomics, with the television debut of Twins Hinahima, an anime partly produced using AI. While some hailed the show’s experimental use of technology, others in the industry raised alarm bells. Among the loudest critics are animators and studio workers who fear AI not only threatens jobs, but also erodes the artistry that sets anime apart globally. “Aren’t we shooting ourselves in the foot?” asked one producer in a recent interview with the Nikkei, capturing a sentiment many now share.

Hand-Drawn Identity at Risk By the Use of AI

The Risk of Diluting Anime’s Identity With AI

For decades, the visual appeal of Japanese anime has relied heavily on the expressiveness of hand-drawn animation. This painstaking craft has helped anime build a ionate international fanbase. Industry veterans worry that automating key creative processes with AI will water down the very qualities that make anime distinctive. If any studio can use AI to replicate anime aesthetics, the industry may lose its cultural uniqueness, and undercut its own global appeal.

The fear goes beyond style. It is also about control and ownership. With generative AI trained on existing works, the line between inspiration and exploitation becomes blurry. Artists wonder who holds the rights when machines remix their drawings. Without clear legal frameworks, the adoption of AI could create a rights minefield, where creators lose agency over their own art, ironically, in a medium that thrives on personal expression.

A Divided Industry on AI’s Promise

The Contentious Future of Anime Production Using AI

Despite the backlash, not everyone in the anime industry is resistant to AI. KaKa Creation’s chief content officer Naomichi Iizuka, Twins Hinahima, sees AI as a potential lifeline. In a field notorious for long hours and low pay, he believes automation could ease workloads and solve structural problems. However, he acknowledges that even raising the topic of AI has become taboo, a sign of just how polarized the debate has become.

Surveys reflect this divide. According to a 2023 poll by the Nippon Anime & Film Culture Association, most workers regulating AI in some way. The question is not just whether to use AI, but how. Without careful oversight, studios may rush into automation without safeguarding the rights or artistic integrity of their workforce. As Toei’s misstep revealed, even the perception of AI involvement can spark a backlash, an indication that the anime industry has not yet figured out where to draw the line.