Japanese Politician Suggests AI Protection Is Coming for Manga Artists

A popular manga artist-turned-politician is ready to crack down on AI infringement in Japan.

By Megan Peters

When it comes to artificial intelligence, the emerging tech cannot stay out of the headlines. The field is very new in the scheme of things, but it is already causing controversy with artists. From environmental concerns to copyright exploitation, AI has become the bane of artists everywhere. And now, a manga artist-turned-politician is looking to protect other artists from the technology.

The confession comes from social media courtesy of Ken Akamatsu. For those who don't know, the man is the creator of hits manga titles like Love Hina. A few years ago, they began a career in politics, and their most recent post online made followers listen up about the impact AI has on manga creators.

"We have received plenty of question about Kishin Higuchi's LoRA. What's unique about this situation is that the distribution channel Civitai says, "All images used for learning were created by myself, and no copyrighted work by an illustrator was used." However, even if the illustrator's own work is not used for AI learning, it can be copyrighted if the act of creating and using the product satisfies "similarity and dependence" to existing copyrighted works," he shared.

"In addition to users, there is the possibility that the developer (that is the person who created LoRA) may become an infringer," the post continues. "By the way, the government is considering the violation of non-copyright allowance, such as publicity rights, with regards to generative AI."

Now for those curious about Akamatsu's mention of Higuchi, he is talked about the creator of Ekijin no Karute. The artist has gained attention in Japan as of late as he learned an AI tool had been developed to mimic his art style. The discovery left Higuchi depressed and forced him to disavow all fan-art for his series. He also reached out publicly to bigger manga creators like George Morikawa (Hajime no Ippo) for guidance. And now, the artist's plight has caught the attention of Akamatsu.

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As you can imagine, generative AI can have great uses, but its place in the arts is nothing short of contentious. For creators like Higuchi, their small followings can be railroaded by AI while established artists can better withstand the assault. But given how wild the use of AI has become, lawmakers in Japan may post legal guidelines for its use before long.

What do you think about this latest industry update? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

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