Japan warns OpenAI over AI-generated anime rip-offs

The Japanese government has instructed OpenAI to prevent copyright violations after its Sora 2 video-generation tool produced clips imitating well-known anime.

Minister of State for Intellectual Property Minoru Kiuchi announced the directive on Oct. 10, stating that anime and manga are “irreplaceable treasures that we can be proud of around the world.” The Cabinet Office confirmed that its Intellectual Property Strategy Promotion Secretariat issued the request online after Sora 2 users shared hundreds of AI-generated videos resembling “Dragon Ball,” “Bleach” and “Spirited Away” on social media platforms.

Kiuchi said the government had formally asked OpenAI to refrain from “acts that would constitute copyright infringement” following the surge of unauthorized content linked to Sora 2’s launch on Sept. 30. The system, capable of producing realistic short videos from text prompts, quickly drew attention in Japan for replicating the visual styles and character likenesses distinctive to domestic animation. Officials said the spread of such videos raised legal and economic concerns, as Japan’s animation industry, valued at more than 2.5 trillion yen ($16.67 billion), relies heavily on protecting intellectual property and creative ownership.

OpenAI, which has not publicly responded to Japan’s request, plans to release a new version of Sora that will generate videos containing copyrighted material unless rights holders opt out. The company has begun notifying film studios and talent agencies about the process, which requires content owners to request exclusion from the model’s output. The report added that while copyrighted characters can appear by default, the system will block the use of recognizable public figures without permission.