Interest

Shinchosha Publishes AI-Drawn Manga

AI art may be controversial in the art world, having been banned on prominent platforms like Skeb, but one manga publisher is interested in exploring its potential. The Cyberpunk Momotarō manga is one such example; it is created with the Midjourney AI art software. Shinchosha's Bunch Comics imprint will publish the full-color manga on March 9.

The manga's creator Rootport used the AI software to edit and assemble the output into a cohesive science-fiction tale. The story is a reimagining of the legend of Momotaro, called "Peach John" in the manga. An old couple who runs a strip club in Neo Okayama discovers an unconscious boy at their doorstep. The boy is an amnesiac but has locked data from "KBY" at his hip. It is Peach John's destiny to fight against formidable foes.

Rootport began posting the manga on Twitter on August 10, where it quickly became a viral internet sensation and received coverage from mainstream news programs such as NHK News Ohayō Nippon and Nippon Television's News Zero.

The compiled volume will feature a revised version of the manga, original behind-the-scenes stories, and information on how to use AI.

Sources: Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web, Comic Natalie