Sword Art Online Director Says ‘Global Appeal Leads to Failure’ For Anime

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Tomohiko Itō, director of the first two seasons of Sword Art Online, the upcoming film Kusunoki no Bannin, and assistant director of Death Note, recently spoke with Daily Shincho about the future of anime. He discussed growing use of AI in animation, the decline in original anime series compared to the 1990s, and the dangers of creating anime specifically to appeal to Western audiences.

When asked about creating anime for an international audience, Itō explained that focusing too much on global appeal can actually backfire. He believes what Japanese creators think will resonate with a worldwide audience often doesn’t, and pointed out that America has very high standards for political correctness. He suggested they might find anime with content considered unusual in North America – like action scenes with revealing outfits – strangely appealing because Japan is one of the few places still making such content.

Itō raises an important point that’s been on the minds of many anime and video game fans: localizations—translations and adaptations for English-speaking audiences—are increasingly changing the original Japanese content. He argues that fans appreciate anime because it reflects Japanese culture, not despite it. He believes that being overly concerned with “political correctness” stifles creativity and leads to the removal of unique Japanese elements to make the content more palatable to Western viewers. Ironically, by trying to appeal to a broader audience, studios risk losing what initially attracted many fans to anime in the first place.

Japanese Anime Can & Will Replace Hollywood, According To Tomohiko Itō

During a recent interview, Daily Shincho highlighted the growing popularity of Japanese anime in the United States, pointing out the significant opportunity this creates for the industry. Fans who’ve followed anime since the 80s and 90s have noticed how much more widely accepted it has become. Anime is no longer a niche hobby; companies like Crunchyroll and BoxLunch are even releasing anime-themed clothing lines. Itō believes Crunchyroll has been key to anime’s increasing popularity both globally and especially in the US.

Since Aniplex bought Crunchyroll in 2020, Japanese anime has become incredibly popular worldwide. According to Itō, this growth isn’t just due to the pandemic, but also the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. He believes that with the decline in influence of Hollywood films – partly caused by the strike and COVID-19 – anime has stepped in as a strong alternative.

During the pandemic, while Hollywood faced challenges with production and writer disputes, anime gained popularity by offering consistently high-quality animation and storytelling. While issues like overwork at studios like MAPPA exist, this success isn’t about anime trying to mimic Western styles. Instead, audiences are connecting with anime because of its unique Japanese elements – its cultural perspectives, storytelling traditions, and distinctive style.

The Only Way To Stop AI In Animation Is To Create Anime AI Cannot Make

Itō shared his thoughts on the growing use of AI, noting that it will likely take over tasks previously done by humans, even in the anime industry, and that we’ll continue to see AI-created works. He believes technological advancement is inevitable. While acknowledging AI’s potential, Itō experimented with tools like Midjourney to create image boards for animation, but found the results didn’t meet his expectations. AI couldn’t quite achieve the specific visual style he had in mind.

According to Itō, the question isn’t if AI will be used to create anime, but when the technology is ready. He believes AI will eventually make anime creation more accessible, but isn’t sure that will automatically result in higher quality work. Ultimately, he feels that creators will need to focus on producing things AI can’t replicate in the coming years to stay relevant.

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2026-01-08 01:04