Shonen Jump Issues Threat to Major AI Company: “It Cannot be Tolerated”

Shueisha has long been one of the biggest movers and shakers in the anime realm, and for good reason. The manga publisher has been responsible for introducing the world to series like Dragon Ball, One Piece, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and too many other stories to list here. Like many other entertainment studios, the Weekly Shonen Jump producers are well aware of the problems inherent in artificial intelligence when it comes to established properties. With OpenAI recently releasing the second version of their program Sora, Shueisha released a heavy statement regarding potential copyright infringement from the A.I.

In a new press release, Shueisha shared its thoughts on Sora2 creating A.I. videos depicting many of their characters. “Regarding measures in response to rights violations involving the use of generative AI. This autumn, with the release of OpenAI’s new generative AI service Sora2, a large number of videos resembling famous works have appeared online. These videos, which infringe upon the copyrights of anime and characters, are generated based on AI learning. The advancement of generative AI is a phenomenon that should be welcomed, as it allows more people to share the joy of creation and appreciate creative works. However, such progress cannot be tolerated if it is built upon acts that harm the dignity of authors who have devoted themselves to their creations and violate the rights of many individuals.”

Read Next

One Piece Leakers Targeted By Shonen Jump Publisher With New Update Cracking Down on Piracy

Shonen Jump Vs. A.I.

The Shonen Jump producers didn’t hold back regarding the measures they will take if the copyright infringement isn’t reined back by OpenAI, “If providers of generative AI services do not take responsibility and present effective measures to combat infringement — beyond the voluntary exclusion (opt-out) method — as well as compensation mechanisms for rights holders, the ongoing cycle of violations through these services will continue to undermine the foundation of the content industry. A national-level response, including the establishment of legal frameworks, is essential for the protection of content.”

Finally, Shueisha ended its press release by stating, “Our company will take appropriate and strict action against any acts we deem to violate the rights related to our works, regardless of whether generative AI is used or not. Furthermore, we will actively work in cooperation with copyright holders and related organizations to build and maintain a sustainable creative environment. – Shueisha Inc.”

Shueisha is far from the first Japanese organization to rally against artificial intelligence. In 2024, the Nippon Anime and Film Culture Association shared a message regarding A.I. In their statement, NAFCA stated it would be ‘difficult’ for creators to receive a fair shake in the anime world in the face of this new technology. “We [the NAFCA] feel it will be very difficult in the future to bring fair revenue to creators when projects are being created through the use of generative AI. For instance, if an AI generates a character with the head of Doraemon, the body of a Gundam, and the voice of Son Goku… If that creation is made with the thought it can be used freely so long as we hand over the required revenue, we’re not interested. Even if a character created using 100 others were to make a ton of profit, there is no good mechanism of sharing profit and approval with the creators of those 100 said characters.”

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!