Takeshi Natsuno, the CEO of KADOKAWA, not too long ago opened up in an interview with The Worldfolio about how the firm is utilizing synthetic intelligence (AI) to help anime manufacturing, and what the future may seem like for the anime trade.
Proper now, KADOKAWA just isn’t utilizing AI to exchange artists or create full anime episodes. As a substitute, AI is getting used as a help device. For instance, it could assist colour animation frames after the drafts are finished. This protects animators time and improves effectivity. Nevertheless, the firm remains to be testing these strategies, and it’s not but a significant half of their workflow.
Natsuno made it clear that AI can’t be really inventive by itself. He defined that AI works by analyzing enormous quantities of knowledge, and whereas that makes it good at repeating patterns, it additionally limits originality. In keeping with him, AI may by no means give you one thing as distinctive and imaginative as a present like Oshi no Ko. That’s why KADOKAWA desires to make use of AI to help artists, not exchange them.
Natsuno has a tech background and likewise teaches at a college, so he understands the limits and prospects of AI effectively. When he grew to become KADOKAWA’s CEO, he instructed his crew he wished the firm to turn out to be extra tech-driven, utilizing expertise to cut back time spent on repetitive duties so creators can give attention to storytelling.
The corporate can be constructing its inner tech power. One of KADOKAWA’s enterprise divisions employs a whole lot of engineers, together with AI consultants. This permits them to check and introduce AI the place it is sensible, rigorously. The thought is to guard and help creativity, not take it away.
KADOKAWA has already talked about AI in its future plans. In its 2023–2027 technique report, it included “AI-based manufacturing help” as a method to enhance how its studios work. One of its AI initiatives, Mantra, helps translate Japanese manga into different languages utilizing picture recognition and language processing. This helps cut back the time between Japanese and worldwide releases, which may additionally cut back piracy.
Apart from AI, Natsuno talked about how KADOKAWA is altering the anime enterprise. They’re investing in additional studios, like the current addition of Chiptune, and created a brand new Studio Enterprise Division in 2025 to handle all 7 of their studios. The corporate earned over $245 million from anime in 2024 alone and plans to maintain increasing, producing extra content material for TV, streaming, and theaters.
He additionally mentioned Japan’s anime trade and stated there are too many small firms that may’t develop or compete globally. KADOKAWA desires to merge with or purchase these studios to offer them higher assets and allow them to give attention to creativity, whereas KADOKAWA handles gross sales, advertising and marketing, and administration.
In brief, KADOKAWA’s purpose is to make use of expertise to enhance anime manufacturing whereas ensuring artists keep in management of the inventive course of. AI will assist — however storytelling will at all times come first.
