Horror mangaka Junji Ito detailed his fears about AI and the future of the manga industry.
The introduction of AI into the entertainment industry makes many artists, including Ito, deeply interested. As detailed in the journal OtakuUSA, Ito recently discussed how deeply the modern generation is influenced by the psychopathic aspect of people. In his view, this aversion could lead future audiences to want only AI-produced comics. “Unlike the old days there was a word ‘hitokawa’ [unmasking]’, Ito explained. “In a sense, people are afraid of the psychological side of people. I feel this trend stronger than before. However, it doesn’t categorize or put fear into words, so there are things I don’t quite understand. If I can analyze these pieces, I can incorporate these trends into my work and create something that sells.”
Ito’s AI-generated manga nightmare has begun
Ito’s fears are not entirely unfounded as AI has already infiltrated the manga industry. Back in March, Shinchosa released Cyberpunk: Peach John, the first manga series produced by AI. Although some readers criticized the work as an artistic derivative of Sui Ishida’s Tokyo Ghoul, the work opened the door for future AI manga titles. Ito explained that he wanted to use his knowledge of fear to create a one-of-a-kind scary piece — before AI could do the same.
“Basically, I don’t think people’s fears change that much over time,” Ito said. “On the other hand, I have always had a desire to create something new and scary. It’s like something you didn’t think you were afraid of before suddenly becomes scary. I used to draw a manga called Uzumaki. The vortex pattern exists naturally and fear is interconnected, and the vortex pattern seen by chance until then becomes terrifying. In this way, I wanted to create a story where the unexpected turns scary in front of the AI.”
Over the course of his career, Junji Ito has created dozens of critically acclaimed manga. Back in March, Ito’s horror anthology, Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection, hit shelves in English for the first time. In January, Studio DEEN released Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre, an animated anthology based on 20 of Ito’s most famous stories. Shinobu Tagashira, director of Ito’s previous anime anthology, Junji Ito Collection, is also in the director’s chair of Maniac.
Many of Ito’s works, including Tombs, are available in English from VIZ Media. Junji Ito Maniac is available on Netflix.
Source: OtakuUSA Magazine
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