Japan's anime industry, one of the country's most significant cultural exports, is undergoing a major technological transformation. While demand for new series and films is skyrocketing, the number of animators can't keep pace. The solution comes in the form of specialized AI tools that can automatically create in-between frames, synchronize lip movements with dubbing, or generate backgrounds. But the excitement over time savings is dampened by two burning questions: copyright and animators' fears for their very existence.
300 series a year, 10,000 drawings per episode. Human hands are falling behind
The anime market has more than doubled over the past decade. In Japan alone, around 300 anime titles are produced annually, with the global market value exceeding 30 billion dollars. But behind this expansion lies a less visible problem — a chronic shortage of animators. Producing a single episode is incredibly labor-intensive. According to production studios, a typical series episode requires 4,000 to 10,000 individual drawings. The process from storyboard through key frames, cleanup, in-between frames, all the way to colors and backgrounds — all of this employs over 100 people on a single episode and takes six months to a year. Yet the result is only about 20 minutes of finished material. "The number of animators can't keep up with the pace at which titles are being produced. Studios aggressively compete for every available artist," describes the situation one production supervisor who wished to remain anonymous.How AI enters the process: from in-between frames to lip sync
The most attention is drawn to the tool for automatic in-between frame generation. In the traditional process, an animator must manually create dozens of transition images between two key poses — similar to a flipbook. One in-between frame takes an average of 30 minutes, and up to an hour for more complex scenes. An AI tool developed by a Japanese company handles it dramatically faster. From five prepared key drawings, it generates 80 in-between frames within 10 minutes. In total, it can produce roughly 200 images in 10 to 20 minutes — work that would take a human animator dozens of hours. Other companies are developing tools for automatic synchronization of lip and eye movements with recorded dialogue. Simply upload a base character image and an audio track — the animation is created in about a minute. Another system takes CG character movement and AI automatically draws in the clothing, hair, and facial expression movement, which according to developers shortens the conventional process by 80 percent. A separate chapter is background generation. Reference samples can be converted using AI into the desired style within one minute.Copyright: the main barrier to adoption
The key problem slowing the massive adoption of AI in anime is not technical limits, but copyright. "If it's not clear what data the model was trained on, who checked it, and whether the resulting image doesn't infringe on existing works, the tool cannot be used in a production environment," explains the production supervisor. The concerns are not theoretical. In March 2026, OpenAI shut down its video generation application after facing criticism for creating clips with popular anime characters without the consent of rights holders. For anime studios, the risk is fatal: in the worst case, the finished work could not be broadcast or streamed. That is precisely why tools trained exclusively on data provided by studios with their consent are emerging. The aforementioned in-between frame generator works only with material licensed directly from anime studios. The goal is clear: eliminate legal risk. But even that is not enough to calm the public. One studio that, after resolving legal issues, used AI technologies to produce anime faced harsh criticism. Opponents argued that AI destroys the environment in which animators learn their craft. Others called the use of AI "harmful to the anime industry" and "disrespectful to animators.""The drawing department could disappear." What animators say
Akiko Nakano, an animator with 46 years of experience, has witnessed several technological breakthroughs — from digital drawing through digital editing to the rise of 3D. "With previous innovations, there was never a threat that drawing itself could be eliminated. But if it becomes possible to create fully AI-generated anime, the drawing department could disappear. And that thought is terrifying," she says. At the same time, she pragmatically adds: "Even if my job disappears, that's just how it is. We ultimately have to accept AI as part of our era." According to her, the human role won't vanish completely — people will provide final touches, bring emotion into the image, and collaborate with AI. "Ordinary animators who create anime today can be the bridge between the world of handcrafted creation and the world of AI." Yet the atmosphere in the industry is so sensitive that some animators and production companies refused to give interviews the moment they heard the phrase "AI and anime." Part of the fan community strictly rejects the technology, and mere association with AI can bring a studio a wave of backlash on social media. This leads to a paradoxical situation — many studios use AI quietly, even if they follow the rules, because an open admission would trigger negative reactions.What this means for the European viewer
For a Czech anime fan, this debate is not just an exotic report from faraway Japan. The Czech anime community is one of the strongest in Central Europe — events like Animefest in Brno or Advík in Prague attract thousands of visitors every year. The streaming platform Crunchyroll is available in the Czech Republic, including Czech subtitles for most major titles. How Japanese production handles AI will directly affect what — and at what quality — we will be watching. From the perspective of European regulation, the situation is all the more interesting given that the EU AI Act, which has entered into force, requires transparent labeling of AI-generated content. If Japanese studios begin using AI more extensively, the question arises whether — and how — this content will be labeled for European audiences. For now, there is a legal vacuum in this area.Poison or cure? Japanese animation at a crossroads
The future of AI in anime depends on how it is used. Technology can take away jobs, but it can also relieve overloaded schedules, create space for new projects, and generate new job positions. People in the industry describe AI as "something that can be both poison and cure." If studios succumb to the short-term vision of profit and start churning out cheap production with massive use of AI without respect for creators, it will harm the entire industry. But if they embrace AI as a tool that supports creativity rather than replacing it, it can help sustain the growth of the anime industry without burning out a generation of young animators. Nakano sums it up simply: "When anime that previously required many people, time, and money can be created more easily thanks to AI — that prospect is exciting." But the condition is a clear legal framework, copyright protection, and above all — respect for the people who love and create anime.Are AI tools for anime production also available to independent creators and smaller studios outside Japan?
Most of the specialized AI tools described in the article are developed in close cooperation with Japanese studios and are not publicly available. However, there are more general tools such as CACANi (semi-automatic in-between frame completion) or AI features in Clip Studio Paint, which anyone can use — including Czech animators. Their capabilities, however, are more limited compared to proprietary solutions.
How can I tell if the anime I'm watching was created with the help of AI?
Currently, as a viewer, you practically cannot tell. Most studios don't label AI usage, partly due to fears of fan backlash. The European AI Act does require transparency for AI-generated content, but its application to imported Japanese content is not yet clarified. In the future, it can be expected that streaming platforms will have to provide such information.
Can AI replace the creative decision-making of an anime director or artist?
Current AI tools in anime are purely assistive — they handle mechanically demanding tasks such as completing in-between frames or lip synchronization. Creative decisions about shot composition, style, pacing, or the emotional tone of a scene remain fully in the hands of directors, artists, and animation directors. AI has no artistic intent of its own — it only executes what people assign to it.
