Posted on Mar 13, 2023
This is Japan's first AI-generated manga comic. But is it art?
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In his latest comic "Cyberpunk: Peach John," manga author Rootport imagines the Japanese folklore hero Momotaro — who is said to have been born from a giant peach — living in a dystopian future. But while the writer created the storyline and dialogue, his sci-fi-inspired imagery was produced entirely by artificial intelligence.
In fact, the 37-year-old has never drawn a comic by hand.
The publishing house behind the work, Shinchosha, believes that "Cyberpunk: Peach John" is the world's first complete AI manga work. On sale in Japan from Thursday, it was illustrated using Midjourney, an online image generator that can produce detailed pictures based on users' prompts.
To create the panels, Tokyo-based Rootport entered a string of text descriptions, which he then refined using trial and error, to create images that matched his storyline.
In fact, the 37-year-old has never drawn a comic by hand.
The publishing house behind the work, Shinchosha, believes that "Cyberpunk: Peach John" is the world's first complete AI manga work. On sale in Japan from Thursday, it was illustrated using Midjourney, an online image generator that can produce detailed pictures based on users' prompts.
To create the panels, Tokyo-based Rootport entered a string of text descriptions, which he then refined using trial and error, to create images that matched his storyline.
This is Japan's first AI-generated manga comic. But is it art?
Posted from cnn.com
Comics
Manga
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Art
Japan
Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Copies of "Cyberpunk: Peach John" at the office of publisher Shinchosha in Tokyo. - Philip Fong/AFP/Getty Images
Rootport, however, believes that AI technology will ultimately liberate artists from the “grueling process” of creating manga, which he said often entails onerous deadlines that see artists suffering ill-health due to overworking. Tools like Midjourney could, he argued, improve the industry’s “inhumane working conditions.”
“It would not only make things easier for manga creators, but also has the potential to improve the quality of the stories themselves,” he said.
“By reducing the amount of time spent on labor-intensive tasks, creators can devote more time and energy to the creative aspects of manga, leading to more interesting and engaging stories.”
..."Copies of "Cyberpunk: Peach John" at the office of publisher Shinchosha in Tokyo. - Philip Fong/AFP/Getty Images
Rootport, however, believes that AI technology will ultimately liberate artists from the “grueling process” of creating manga, which he said often entails onerous deadlines that see artists suffering ill-health due to overworking. Tools like Midjourney could, he argued, improve the industry’s “inhumane working conditions.”
“It would not only make things easier for manga creators, but also has the potential to improve the quality of the stories themselves,” he said.
“By reducing the amount of time spent on labor-intensive tasks, creators can devote more time and energy to the creative aspects of manga, leading to more interesting and engaging stories.”
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