Kodansha’s K MANGA app utterly disappoints fans with its pricing system
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The release of Kodansha's manga app K MANGA was followed by heated criticism from users due to its payment system and pricing.
pixiv to tackle the issue of AI art misuse, imitation, data collection & more
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pixiv has announced upcoming policy changes meant to tackle the growing issue of AI art technology misuse within the platform and reduce harm to creators.
Kimono event comes under criticism for AI-generated illustration
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An AI-generated illustration used for a kimono event has sparked criticism among Japanese users as the way the kimono is depicted does not follow tradition.
Japan creates Metaverse Department with AI employee in Tottori Prefecture
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Tottori, Japan’s least populous prefecture, has announced the launch of a virtual Metaverse Department. The department’s first employee is Yakamihime, an AI-powered avatar.
Spy x Family & Japanese government collaborate to promote social security numbers
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Japan’s Digital Agency has launched a collaboration between the government’s My Number Card (Individual Number Card) system and popular manga and anime series Spy × Family. The campaign aims to encourage more Japanese citizens to apply for their own card.
pixiv announces its policies on AI art to differentiate between regular posts and AI-generated works
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pixiv has announced its policy on AI-generated works. The announcement states, “We have recently witnessed a surge of inquiries regarding artworks in which all or most of the production process is carried out by AI,” and starting in late October, the site plans to implement some changes.
Japanese porn site sees large influx of AI-generated art and mandates them to be labeled as such
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The launch of NovelAI Diffusion has caused a rapid increase in the amount of AI-generated works available on Japanese digital content sites like FANZA. According to FANZA's new guidelines, any AI-generated content must now include the “AI-Generated” tag.
Dropkick on My Devil! anime allows monetization of “illegal” uploads with conditions
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Dropkick on My Devil! anime's guidelines for derivative works allow content creators to monetize clips, commentary, and explanation videos on YouTube and Niconico when meeting certain conditions. It appears their aim is to use illegal uploads as advertising while receiving a share of the profit to fund continuing the series.
AI image generator “mimic” renews its anti-fraud policies after receiving criticism
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mimic is an AI-powered image generating service where users upload their own illustrations, and the service’s AI then learns from the images in order to create new illustrations of a similar style. mimic will incorporate stronger measures to prevent fraudulent use of the service and plans to launch the new beta version in October.
Stable Diffusion-made AI art of Pikachu in 1920s Tokyo is both realistic and scary
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Stable Diffusion-made AI art of Pokémon (Pikachu) in 1920s Tokyo is both realistic and scary. We spoke with its creator about what led to its creation and the possibilities of AI-generated images.
Light Anime is a new anime production method that is faster and cheaper
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Light Anime is a new anime production method that can significantly cut down on the time and cost that is associated with traditional animation production methods. It makes it easier to bring more anime into the market in a timely manner.
Over 1,400 digital 3D models of biological specimens have been released by a university in Japan
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Japan's Kyushu University has released over 1,400 digital 3D biological specimens. The majority of the models fall under the CC BY 4.0 license, meaning it is possible for anyone to download and use them. A large percentage of the newly released models are of aquatic life, but there is still a diverse range of insects and plants.
A pixiv clone site has been created, and users were using “magic words” to try to take it down
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vpixiv is a malicious clone site that has caused quite a stir within Japan. The site was created via unauthorized copying of the data from artist community site pixiv. In response to vpixiv, pixiv users were adding “magic words” to their profiles as a method to have their account pages deleted from the clone site.
New AI image generating service in Japan stirs debate. Artists decry their work being used for AI art generation
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RADIUS5 released their new AI-powered image generating service “mimic” in Japan. To use mimic, artists upload their own illustrations to be analyzed by the AI and the service generates new images with a similar style. A debate broke out among creators in Japan with RADIUS5 temporarily suspending the service on August 30, only a day after its release.
A massive anime database cataloging nearly 15,000 titles made available to the public
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The Association of Japanese Animations recently released Anime Taizen, a consolidated database of information regarding Japanese anime, to the public. The database was made available with information for 14,710 different anime and 175,755 episodes of anime.
FIMMIGRM is an AI track generator that automatically creates original songs
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FIMMIGRM is a music creation service that generates songs using AI. The service uses an AI that uses machine learning to analyze the characteristics of hit songs, to create a variety of different melodies and chord progressions. The service allows for songs to be purchased for a low price without any of the hassles that normally come with rights management.
Can’t decide what to read? An online bookstore in Japan now offers a book gacha
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Japanese online bookstore honto has begun offering a “book gacha” in which users only pick the genre that they want to read. There are around 100 paperback novels (all in Japanese) that are included in the gacha.
Students who game longer have lower test scores on Japan’s national achievement test
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Students who game longer have lower test scores on Japan’s national achievement test. It wasn’t just limited to gaming as time spent on social media and video sites also showed a comparable trend in relation to test results.
A Shinto shrine in Japan to offer lucky charm NFTs as it searches for new revenue streams
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The Kemigawa Shinto Shrine in Japan to offer Omamori NFTs (good luck charm NFTs) as it searches for new revenue streams. Like the real thing, the benefits of the NFT charms wear off after a year, after which they are automatically burned.
Initial D collaboration taxis are now running in Gunma, Japan, the setting of the hit series
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Initial D, a popular manga and anime series that takes place in Gunma, Japan, is collaborating with taxis in Gunma’s Shibukawa city. The collaboration sees taxis in the city wrapped with three different designs based on the series, including one based on protagonist Takumi Fujiwara’s Toyota Sprinter Trueno (AE86).
The University of Tokyo to establish Metaverse courses that will teach engineering in virtual space
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The University of Tokyo has announced that they will soon offer Metaverse courses to teach engineering in a virtual space. The intention is to provide a new style of learning to a wide range of people including middle and high school students, working adults, and more.
Haruhi Suzumiya’s real-life school faces an uncertain future due to Japan’s declining population
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The school featured in the popular light novel, manga, and anime series Haruhi Suzumiya was modeled on real-life Japanese high school Nishinomiya Kita High, located in Japan's Hyogo prefecture. But this real school may soon be consolidated into another school.