No, Jujutsu Kaisen Isn't Using AI to Animate Season 2
Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 looks epic, and it isn't because AI is paving its path.
It is a rite of passage at this point for anime. When a show gets popular, its army of critics double and so too do the fans who comment on all things animation. Now that Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 is live, there are plenty of fans detailing its sakuga, and one such essay has gone viral thanks to its AI claims. But to be clear, Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 isn't using AI by any means to cut corners.
No, that is not the case at all. AI is being used to keep viewers from having seizures, so it is time went over what the Harding Test is if you've never been introduced.
Ghosting in anime isn't AI. It's a technique used to pass the Harding Test, which is a test that determines the level of risk for epileptic seizures. Ghosting has been around since well before current generative AI technology. https://t.co/tAMY2xdycq
— Samuel Deats 🌕 (@SamuelDeats) July 29, 2023
For context, you can see the viral Jujutsu Kaisen video above as a TikTok blew up recently. It was there a fan suggests the anime is using AI tools in season 2 to cut corners with its frame rate and connectors. However, industry execs and animators were quick to debunk the video with help of the Harding Test.
"Ghosting in anime isn't AI," Samuel Deats, the director of Castlevania, shared on social media. "It's a technique used to pass the Harding Test, which is a test that determines the level of risk for epileptic seizures. Ghosting has been around since well before current generative AI technology."
For those unfamiliar with the Harding Test, it is a standard met in film and television to protect viewers with epilepsy. The test uses algorithms that analyze frame rates and dictate whether they contain problematic image sequencing. If a certain number of sequences are flagged, the media fails and is most often barred from broadcast. For anime and animation, these tests are taken very seriously given their wide demographic. So of course, Jujutsu Kaisen is subject to the Harding Test.
In order to create seamless image sequencing, companies like MAPPA Studio using ghosting. This artwork is often made digitally, using AI or not, and it fills in the gap between key scenes. By adding this buffer, animated images are sequenced smoothly and provide no resistance for the Harding Test. So there you have it! The more you know, right?
Of course, AI and animation is a definite concern within the industry. Everyone from artists to writers and beyond are worried about how the merging tech will impact anime's future. This worry has given AI a bad reputation within the anime fandom, and it is certainly right to be wary when creativity is at stake. But when it comes to Jujutsu Kaisen and this season 2 debacle, there is nothing to worry about.
If you are not caught up with Jujutsu Kaisen, you should know the anime is streaming on Crunchyroll. For more details, you can read the anime's official synopsis below:
"For some strange reason, Yuji Itadori, despite his insane athleticism would rather just hang out with the Occult Club. However, her soon finds out that the occult is as real as it gets when his fellow club members are attacked! Meanwhile, the mysterious Megumi Fushiguro is tracking down a special-grade cursed object, and his search leads him to Itadori..."
What do you think about this latest Jujutsu Kaisen debacle? Are you loving season two so far? 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!
