Politics

Industry voices highlight ethical tensions as AI transforms anime creation

Wednesday, 3 December 2025 7:18PM UTC

Taiki Sakurai advocates for AI as a humane tool for animators amidst ongoing debates over rights, transparency, and artistic integrity in the industry’s adoption of generative technology.

According to reports, Taiki Sakurai , the former Netflix executive producer behind Pokémon Concierge and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, now head of Salamander Inc , has argued that using AI in animation can be humane for creators, not just a cost-cutting tool. Speaking at a CEATEC panel entitled "The AI Agent Industrial Revolution and Japan's Potential", Sakurai said many animators do not relish drawing "100,000 pictures all by hand" and favour tools that relieve that burden. ^[1]

Sakurai’s comments follow the long-running controversy over Netflix Japan’s three-minute short The Dog & The Boy, released on 31 January 2023, whose backgrounds were credited as "AI (+Human)". That film prompted immediate backlash from fans and professional artists who argued generative tools undermine traditional craft and threaten jobs. Industry coverage noted the short explicitly used AI image synthesis for backgrounds. ^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

Sakurai framed opposition as stronger among fans than among production staff, and said Japan’s animator shortage , driven by demographic decline and fewer entrants to the industry , makes automation attractive as a practical response. He acknowledged differences across creative sectors, noting manga and illustration communities fear replacement more acutely because still images are easier for current AI to replicate than moving pictures. ^[1]^[3]

Industry and independent reporting, however, emphasise broader concerns beyond convenience. Artists and unions have repeatedly warned that many generative models were trained on copyrighted work without consent, and that opaque use of AI in finished credits fuels distrust. Critics say these issues go to intellectual-property rights, attribution and the economic value of creative labour. ^[5]^[3]^[4]

Sakurai has also described experiments at Salamander in which an AI model is trained on a concept artist’s style to turn rough doodles into finished art, and said the studio agreed to destroy that model after the project. He defended studio practice as collaborative, but opponents argue one-off promises do not resolve systemic questions about model training, data governance and future reuse. ^[1]

The debate remains multifaceted: there are tools that augment workflows without creating finished art, and there are approaches that generate near-complete imagery. Sakurai’s stated preference for the latter reinforces why fans and many creators remain uneasy; as he put it regarding the backlash to The Dog & The Boy, "People wrote things like Netflix had finally wiped out humans and was trying to make all its videos with AI". Whether the industry can reconcile efficiency gains with rights, transparency and fair work practices will shape how widely such methods are adopted. ^[1]^[2]^[5]

Reference Map:

^[1] (Creative Bloq) - Paragraph 1, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 5, Paragraph 6
^[2] (Engadget) - Paragraph 2, Paragraph 6
^[3] (Rest of World) - Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, Paragraph 4
^[4] (Artnet) - Paragraph 2, Paragraph 4
^[5] (Vice) - Paragraph 2, Paragraph 4, Paragraph 6
^[6] (Popular Science) - Paragraph 2
^[7] (The Mary Sue) - Paragraph 2

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.creativebloq.com/ai/ai-art/not-using-ai-for-animation-is-inhumane-netflix-pokemon-producer-says - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-dog-and-boy-anime-short-causes-outrage-for-incorporating-ai-generated-backgrounds-203035524.html - Netflix's 'Dog and Boy' anime short has sparked controversy due to its use of AI-generated backgrounds. The three-minute film, released on January 31, 2023, follows a boy and his robotic dog through various settings. The backgrounds were created using AI image synthesis, credited as 'AI (+Human)' in the film's credits. This approach has led to backlash from fans and artists who view it as a threat to traditional animation jobs and creative processes. Critics argue that the use of AI in this context undermines the value of human artistry in animation.
https://www.restofworld.org/2023/netflix-anime-ai-artists/ - Netflix's 'The Dog and the Boy' has ignited concerns among anime artists due to its use of AI-generated backgrounds. The three-minute short, released on January 31, 2023, employed AI image generation technology to assist in creating its backgrounds, a decision attributed to a labor shortage in the anime industry. This move has been met with criticism from artists who fear the potential for job displacement and the devaluation of their work. The controversy highlights the broader debate over AI's role in creative industries and its impact on employment.
https://www.artnet.com/art-world/netflix-japan-ai-anime-dog-and-boy-2251247 - Netflix Japan's release of 'The Dog and the Boy,' an anime short featuring AI-generated backgrounds, has drawn significant criticism. The three-minute film, released on January 31, 2023, utilized AI technology to create its backgrounds, a decision Netflix attributed to a labor shortage in the anime industry. This approach has been met with backlash from fans and artists who view it as a threat to traditional animation jobs and creative processes. Critics argue that the use of AI in this context undermines the value of human artistry in animation.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/netflix-anime-dog-and-the-boy-ai-generated-art/ - Netflix's 'The Dog & The Boy' anime short has faced backlash for incorporating AI-generated artwork in its backgrounds. The three-minute film, released on January 31, 2023, follows a boy and his robotic dog through various settings. The backgrounds were created using AI image generation technology, credited as 'AI (+Human)' in the film's credits. This decision has sparked criticism from fans and artists who view it as a threat to traditional animation jobs and creative processes. The controversy highlights the ongoing debate over AI's role in creative industries.
https://www.popsci.com/technology/netflix-anime-generative-ai/ - Netflix's 'The Dog and the Boy' anime short has ignited concerns among artists due to its use of AI-generated backgrounds. The three-minute film, released on January 31, 2023, employed AI image generation technology to assist in creating its backgrounds, a decision attributed to a labor shortage in the anime industry. This move has been met with criticism from artists who fear the potential for job displacement and the devaluation of their work. The controversy highlights the broader debate over AI's role in creative industries and its impact on employment.
https://www.themarysue.com/netflix-invents-labor-shortage-as-excuse-for-ai-generated-anime-backgrounds/ - Netflix's 'The Dog and the Boy' anime short has sparked controversy due to its use of AI-generated backgrounds. The three-minute film, released on January 31, 2023, follows a boy and his robotic dog through various settings. The backgrounds were created using AI image generation technology, credited as 'AI (+Human)' in the film's credits. This approach has led to backlash from fans and artists who view it as a threat to traditional animation jobs and creative processes. Critics argue that the use of AI in this context undermines the value of human artistry in animation.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative references recent events, including Taiki Sakurai's comments at the CEATEC panel in October 2025 and the release of 'The Dog & The Boy' in January 2023. The earliest known publication date of similar content is from February 2023, indicating that the narrative is based on recent developments. The report includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The narrative is not republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The content is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. No similar content has appeared more than 7 days earlier. The update may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: The direct quotes from Taiki Sakurai regarding the use of AI in animation and the workload of animators are consistent with his previous statements. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. No variations in quote wording were found.

Source reliability

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative originates from Creative Bloq, a reputable organisation known for its coverage of design and technology topics. This adds credibility to the report. The report mentions Salamander Pictures, led by Taiki Sakurai, which has a verifiable public presence. No unverifiable entities are mentioned.

Plausability check

Score: 7

Notes: The claims regarding Taiki Sakurai's comments at the CEATEC panel and the use of AI in 'The Dog & The Boy' are plausible and align with known industry trends. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a concern. The report includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. The structure does not include excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim. The tone is appropriate for corporate or official language.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is based on recent developments and includes direct quotes from a reputable source. While it lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, the information is plausible and consistent with known industry trends. No major risks were identified.

AI in Animation
Anime Industry
Copyright and Ethics