Demon Slayer producer open to using AI while preserving 'the essence of Japanese creativity'

A controversial statement from Aniplex's new president, Shu Nishimoto Aniplex, the anime-producing and distributing subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, is one of the driving forces in the anime industry. Over its 30-year history, Aniplex has been involved in the production or distribution of globally popular franchises such as Naruto, Bleach, Sword Art Online, Fate, Solo Leveling, and Demon Slayer. In a recent interview with Variety, Shu Nishimoto, who was appointed Aniplex president earlier this year, laid out the company's strategy and vision, which includes a controversial stance on the use of AI. Aniplex is a key part of Sony's growing monopoly on the Japanese entertainment industry. For reference, the conglomerate owns Crunchyroll, the biggest global anime streaming platform, and is the largest shareholder in Kadokawa Corporation. Animation studios A-1 Pictures (Solo Leveling) and CloverWorks (Spy x Family) are both Aniplex subsidiaries. Aniplex also sits on the production committee of the Demon Slayer anime, which generated the two highest-grossing anime movies of all time, Mugen Train and Infinity Castle — both of which were distributed by Aniplex globally. In shor