If you’ve been on the internet anytime since ChatGPT 4.0 debuted, you’ve probably seen images that look suspiciously like stills from Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro. ChatGPT’s newest version—which arrived on March 26th—allows paid subscribers to create pictures from text prompts. Within twenty four hours of the new feature going live, users across the internet were directing ChatGPT to turn their pets, friends, and family members into Studio Ghibli memes. The irony? Hayao Miyazaki is on the record as describing AI-generated art as “an insult to life,” joining a long list of artists, musicians, and writers who feel violated by OpenAI’s training methods. OpenAI, for its part, claims that it’s making fair use of other people’s copyright-protected material. Until there is a definitive ruling on the legality of OpenAI’s methods, artists may need to use different legal strategies to prevail in court. One potential remedy, legal expert Rob Rosenberg suggests, is suing for OpenAI for trademark infringement instead: “Ghibli could argue that by converting user photos to ‘Ghibli-style,’ OpenAI is trading off the goodwill of Ghibli’s trademarks, using Ghibli’s identifiable style and leading to a likelihood of confusion among consumers that this function is endorsed or licensed by Studio Ghibli.” You’ll find more of his commentary here.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Katy Castillo runs down all of April’s new manga and light novels. [Yatta-Tachi]
MyAnimeList just posted its annual You Should Read This Manga list. Though some of the titles aren’t available in English yet, there are plenty of great recommendations that are, from Hirayasumi to The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy At All! [My AnimeList]
If you’re currently watching Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty, I have good news for you: Yen Press will be publishing the manga this fall, alongside five other new titles. [The Outerhaven]
And speaking of rock ‘n’ roll, Titan Manga announced that it will be releasing Isekai Metaller, the saga of a “a die-hard metalhead who, after getting electrocuted during his band’s farewell gig, wakes up in a world full of dragons, werewolves, and monsters that are just begging for a guitar solo.” Sold! [Behind the Manga]
Netflix just unveiled the trailer for The Rose of Versailles, which will begin streaming April 30th. [Otaku USA]
Trump’s new tariffs mean you’ll be paying more to import your favorite Japanese video games, manga, and merch. [Otaku USA]
This week’s must-hear podcast is an in-depth discussion of Moyocco Anno’s work hosted by Gee and Ray. [Read Right to Left]
Helen, Apryll, and Kory convene a roundtable on The Trials and Tribulations of My Next Life as a Noblewoman. [Manga in Your Ears]
How does the original Mixx edition of Parasyte compare with Del Ray’s? Tim and Patrick have the answer on the latest installment of Full Manga Alchemists. [Full Manga Alchemists]
REVIEWS
Over at Anime Nation, John explores disability representation in You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already!… the latest Reader’s Corner offers pithy reviews of Pink Candy Kiss, Friday at the Atelier, and Dandadan… and I finally got around to reviewing Confession, a twisty thriller that gets the job done in a single volume.
New and Noteworthy
- The Color of the End, Vol. 1 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)
- Dogsred, Vol. 1 (Ian Wolf, Anime UK News)
- I Tamed My Ex-Husband’s Mad Dog, Vol. 1 (Noemi10, Anime UK News)
- Kenji Miyazawa’s A Night on the Galactic Railway (Matthew, No Flying No Tights)
- The Last Elf, Vol. 1 (soy, Behind the Manga)
- The Long Summer of August 31st, Vol. 1 (Winter Venom, Behind the Manga)
- Mujina into the Deep, Vol. 1 (King Baby Duck, The Boston Bastard Brigade)
- A Star Brighter than the Sun, Vol. 1 (Bill Curtis, Yatta-Tachi)
- Wind Breaker, Vols. 8-9 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
Complete and Ongoing Series
- Chainsaw Man, Vol. 17 (King Baby Duck, The Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Gogogogo-Go-Ghost!, Vol. 2 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- Let’s Do It Already, Vol. 4 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- The Liminal Zone, Vol. 2 (Kara Dennison, Otaku USA)
- Medalist, Vol. 7 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- Mission: Yozakura Family, Vol. 15 (King Baby Duck, The Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Otherside Picnic, Vol. 9 (Erica Friedman, Okazu)
- Throw Away the Suit Together, Vol. 3 (Matt Marcus, Okazu)