{"id":67195,"date":"2026-05-26T15:01:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T06:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=67195"},"modified":"2026-05-26T15:01:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T06:01:10","slug":"seto-kaiba-and-kento-nanami-voice-actor-kenjiro-tsuda-sues-tiktok-over-ai-generated-copycat-voiceovers-but-the-platform-argues-its-just-a-generic-male-voice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/seto-kaiba-and-kento-nanami-voice-actor-kenjiro-tsuda-sues-tiktok-over-ai-generated-copycat-voiceovers-but-the-platform-argues-its-just-a-generic-male-voice\/","title":{"rendered":"Seto Kaiba and Kento Nanami voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda sues TikTok over AI generated copycat voiceovers, but the platform argues it’s just a \u201cgeneric male\u201d voice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Veteran voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda has filed a lawsuit against the company operating the video-sharing app TikTok over the unauthorized use of his iconic voice. As reported by Yomiuri Shimbun<\/a> on May 23, Tsuda, the unmistakable deep and husky voice behind Jujutsu Kaisen\u2019s Kento Nanami and Yu-Gi-Oh!\u2019s Seto Kaiba, filed the lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court in November 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The suit seeks the immediate removal of over 180 videos featuring narration that Tsuda\u2019s legal team alleges was created using generative AI to mimic his specific vocal identity without permission. These videos reportedly garner an estimated monthly revenue of 500,000\u2013750,000 yen (about $3100 \u2013 4,700 USD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tsuda\u2019s legal team argues that the videos infringe upon his publicity rights (the right of celebrities to control the commercial use of their name, likeness, and persona) and violate the Unfair Competition Prevention Law (which prohibits unauthorized use of well-known products and intellectual property). On the other hand, TikTok\u2019s side asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that the narration used in the videos is simply a \u201cgeneric male voice\u201d and does not infringe upon Tsuda\u2019s publicity rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though it wasn\u2019t explicitly stated whether it\u2019s directly related to this case, In April 2026, Japan\u2019s Ministry of Justice established a review panel<\/a> to clarify the circumstances under which damages may be awarded in cases involving generative AI videos that use a person\u2019s likeness or voice without permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, in 2025, Japanese consulting company group IP Forward published the results of a large-scale survey <\/a>on suspected infringement cases of publicity rights in the age of generative AI. \u201cTechnological innovations such as generative AI have helped us realize that Infringement cases which were previously analog in format are now digitally spreading across the world through social media,\u201d the company concludes. It also adds that Japan Publicity Rights Protection Non-Profit Organization (JAPRPO), which commissioned the survey, will continue investigations on this matter in the following years, while also aiming to establish collaborative systems with platform operators and formulate industry guidelines for the commercial use of AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capcom engineers say even the smartest\u00a0AI \u201ccan\u2019t match our creators when it comes to sensibility.\u201d\u00a0The technology is\u00a0being adopted to reduce\u00a0\u201croutine tasks\u201d\u00a0instead<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bleach: Brave Souls developer KLab launches new initiative to help integrate AI creators into commercial production<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Japanese voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda sues Tik Tok owners over videos that feature AI generated voiceovers resembling his own voice. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":87,"featured_media":67202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,65],"tags":[67,73,17,66],"class_list":["post-67195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-nongaming-news","tag-ai","tag-anime","tag-japan-related-news","tag-non-gaming-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nSeto Kaiba and Kento Nanami voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda sues TikTok over AI generated copycat voiceovers, but the platform argues it's just a \u201cgeneric male\u201d voice - AUTOMATON WEST<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Japanese voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda sues Tik Tok owners over videos that feature AI generated voiceovers resembling his own voice.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/seto-kaiba-and-kento-nanami-voice-actor-kenjiro-tsuda-sues-tiktok-over-ai-generated-copycat-voiceovers-but-the-platform-argues-its-just-a-generic-male-voice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Seto Kaiba and Kento Nanami voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda sues TikTok over AI generated copycat voiceovers, but the platform argues it's just a \u201cgeneric male\u201d voice - 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