"Like a Heartless Monster": Cowboy Bebop Creator Sharply Criticizes Generative AI in Anime

In a new interview with Gizmodo Japan, Shinichiro Watanabe, the creator of Cowboy Bebop, was asked about his exploration of AI themes in Carole & Tuesday and his latest work, Lazarus.

Watanabe also expressed his belief that AI will one day become a reality as a "God of a new religion" and discussed the increasing trend of its use in anime.

"Actually, there's a trend of introducing AI into anime. But I think that people working in the anime field started their careers because they wanted to draw, create stories, and make good works. If AI does everything, does it still have any meaning, no matter how advanced the work is?

I think we forget the fundamental fact that we make music because we want to. Carole & Tuesday was also about why we even make music in an age where it's common for AI to create music.

We can say it's about landing a hit or capturing people's hearts, but ultimately, the question is whether it's fun to make. It's also about why humans create."

The Soul of Handcraft: Why Human Emotion Matters in Animation

"This isn't limited to just AI," Watanabe continued, "but I've been working in the anime industry for a long time, and I've come to the conclusion that anything drawn by human hands has a certain charm, even if the drawing is rough. That's because the feelings of the person who drew it are contained within it. But when something is automatically generated by AI, no matter how detailed or high-quality it may be, it lacks any human emotion. It's like a heartless monster. I don't think people are impressed by the amount of information or the accuracy."

Watanabe was then asked about AI that can create art similar to specific styles:

"Of course, some people will say it's fine because you can't tell the difference. That's why I think people these days are expected to have a strong aesthetic sense. Well, my current conclusion is that, regardless of other fields, it's better not to use AI in the creative field. And I want to continue creating hand-drawn animation without AI, so please support me in the future (laughs)."

Agreement in Rejection: Look Back Director Also Emphasizes the Importance of Animator Emotion

This view, that hand-drawn art contains the "feelings of the person who drew it," was also shared by Look Back director Kiyotaka Oshiyama in our interview with him last year. "From the beginning, when Look Back came to us, I really wanted to make sure that we used this method of drawing with lines and that the key animations of the animators were the main part, and not more in-between animations," he said, adding, "I really think that the key animations really reflect the emotions of the animator who is drawing them."

It was so crucial to the film's production that he described it as a "condition" for taking on the project.

Be sure to read the Gizmodo interview where Shinichiro Watanabe discusses how John Wick director Chad Stahelski came to be involved with the Lazarus anime, the choice of soundtrack, the inspiration for Lazarus' Hapna, and more.

Watanabe directed and co-wrote the series with Dai Sato, Takahiro Ozawa, and Tsukasa Kondo. Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points composed the soundtrack. MAPPA is handling the animation production; you can view the high-profile cast here.

Lazarus is available on Adult Swim and Max in the US and is described as: "2052 – A miracle cure turns deadly, and humanity faces extinction. It's up to a team of outlaws known as LAZARUS to save the world."

Source: Gizmodo Japan

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