Major studios and government officials warn of a copyright crisis as AI-generated anime sparks backlash.
October has been a crazy month for AI and how people around the world are reacting to it. AI technology continues to improve at an astonishing rate. It has now begun to explore artistic areas that were once thought to be off-limits, such as art, music, writing, and now anime. However, this rapid growth is also causing increasing concern among more and more people. Writers, artists, and copyright owners are concerned that AI is “stealing” their work without permission.
Japan’s cultural exports are deeply linked to anime and manga, so the problem has hit the highest levels of government there. Following the release of OpenAI’s new video generation model, Sora 2, the Japanese government issued the company an official warning. Sora 2 is a tool that enables the creation of high-quality anime-style videos, resembling popular shows such as Dragon Ball, Bleach, and Spirited Away.
The release sent shockwaves through the artistic world right away. Many people on the social media site X began sharing clips created by Sora 2, which closely resembled popular anime styles and scenes. Many people found the reality unsettling because it was so real. Not only was copying a concern, but so was the prospect of widespread copyright violations.
The government will take action if things don’t improve.
According to a report, a member of the House of Representatives and a practicing lawyer raised the issue in public on October 2. He is also the Deputy Secretary-General of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party. In his statement, he noted that the actions of Sora 2 could potentially cause significant legal and political issues.
The next day, it was reported that if things didn’t improve, the Japanese government might invoke Article 16 of the AI Promotion Act (2025), a new law that allows the government to request technical explanations from AI developers. This could include asking how the AI was trained, what filters it uses, and what steps it takes to remove content that might be illegal.
When Japan’s Digital Minister discussed the issue on October 7, things worsened. At a news conference, Digital Minister o Japan asked OpenAI to make sure that Sora 2 follows Japan’s rules on content. He made it clear that “OpenAI will have to change it to fit Japan’s rules.” He also said that the government “strongly urges big tech companies to take voluntary measures.” He warned that civil action could be taken under the AI Promotion Act if these steps aren’t taken.
AI is changing too quickly for us to keep up.
This is not the first time Japan has had to deal with art created by AI that utilizes its intellectual property without permission. AI-generated images in the style of Studio Ghibli were shared online earlier this year, making it difficult to distinguish between respect and theft. But the level of quality that Sora 2 can now make has changed worry into alarm.
Studios are very concerned about the overall quality and recognizable artistic style of the videos, despite some flaws. Many people view this as a turning point—a wake-up call that AI technology could grow faster than the laws and morals that are supposed to regulate it if they are not implemented.
One person said, “It’s scary as hell for these companies.” They didn’t pay attention to this, but now technology has awakened them. Fear has brought together Japan’s most powerful artists.
Creation and rights in the age of AI that learns.
In response, the Association of Japanese Animators (AJA) and other prominent industry figures, including Kadokawa, Kodansha, Square Enix, and others, issued a statement titled “Creation and Rights in the Era of Generative AI.”
The paper, which was released at the end of October, is concerned about AI tools that “generate works resembling well-known creative expressions.” It directly discusses the release of Sora 2 and the dissemination of cartoon clips generated by AI that appear to utilize protected content without permission.
It states that these actions “raise strong suspicions of dependency” on protected works, making it more difficult to distinguish between inspiration and infringement. It informs individuals working on AI that they are fully responsible for ensuring that their systems don’t utilize other people’s original work without their permission.
Opt-out policies are not the same as permission.
The “opt-out” principle is one of the main points of disagreement in the statement. This is a strategy that many AI companies use to allow creators to request that their work not be used in AI training datasets. The Japanese animation industry argues that this concept is fundamentally flawed.
The statement says, “The opt-out approach goes against the basic copyright principle that use needs permission first.” It’s not enough to simply let artists remove their work after the fact; the infringement has already occurred. One critic put it sarcastically: “You can’t say I’m free because I didn’t say no—you already used my work.”
Japan’s creative groups want to switch to an opt-in method, where AI companies must obtain explicit permission before using copyrighted works for training or creating content.
Being honest is the key to rebuilding trust.
The joint statement also notes that one of the biggest concerns is the lack of clarity regarding how AI models are trained. Most companies don’t disclose which datasets their models are trained on, which makes it difficult for individuals who own the rights to their works to verify if they have been used or to complain about misuse.
The statement asserts that this lack of clarity not only weakens copyright rights but also makes it more difficult for creators and AI developers to trust each other. Additionally, without transparency, there is little that can prevent malicious individuals from utilizing AI to alter or harm original works, such as creating inappropriate or false content featuring popular anime characters.
In the worst case, AI could be used to create explicit or offensive content falsely attributed to reputable companies like Ufotable or Toei Animation. This would hurt their reputations and the public’s trust in them.
The business world is united—this time it’s personal.
Japan’s joint statement features a long list of anime industry giants, including Kadokawa, Kodansha, Square Enix, Shueisha, and many more. Together, they cover almost the whole animation industry in Japan, from manga companies to production studios.
The release was organized by the Association of Japanese Animators (AJA), which represents the entire industry and holds significant influence in Japan regarding artistic policy. This unprecedented unity demonstrates the seriousness with which the business world views the threat posed by unchecked AI systems.
Their message is clear: AI has a lot of promise to make things better, but it can’t hurt people’s creativity or intellectual property rights. The rest of the world is paying close attention as Japan, one of the world’s most important creative hubs, draws a line in the sand.
AI will improve, but does it have to do so without a heart?
Many people are interested in AI, but some are concerned about its implications for art as a means of self-expression. Some people argue that AI can replicate style and method, but it lacks the “heart” that makes humans creative.
One person who saw the video said, “Watching clips made by AI is cool, but I don’t feel anything.” It doesn’t have a spirit. There is a growing divide between those who view AI as a game-changing tool and those who perceive it as an existential threat to artistic authenticity.
Japan’s response to OpenAI’s Sora 2 isn’t just about property, ultimately. It’s about keeping the creative spirit of people alive in a time when computers can copy beauty but not meaning.
