Danica Davidson
June 20, 2024 
The Ikebukuro Anime Philharmonic concert series, which begins next month, is supposed to be all about celebrating anime and its music. But Yoko Takahashi, the performer for “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” from Neon Genesis Evangelion, has decided not to participate. She pulled out over frustrations that the website, fliers and posters for the concert series used AI art.
She wrote online (translation by SoraNews24):
Yoko Takahashi’s beliefs differ from the operational attitude of the Ikebukuro Anime Philharmonic concert at which she was scheduled to appear on July 10. As an artist, she is unable to see eye-to-eye with the organizers, and after much difficult consideration, she is declining to take part in the event. She deeply apologizes to all those who were looking forward to seeing her, and wishes to place the highest value on the feelings of anime lovers.
Meanwhile, the Ikebukuro Anime Philharmonic also put out a statement that said in part, “We are embarrassed, despite calling ourselves an anime-loving musical organization, at our lack of awareness surrounding recent issues regarding generative AI.”
Yo Matsushita, an organizer for Ikebukuro Anime Philharmonic, also made some statements. Matsushita said that the philharmonic had deadlines hovering, and sought images that already existed. Some of these, it turns out, were made by AI. Apparently the philharmonic didn’t realize until it was already done.
Ikebukuro Anime Philharmonic expressed regrets over the AI artwork, and said those images will be supplanted by art from real humans. Here is their new promotional image, free of AI artwork.
仮に差し替えさせていただいていたチラシの正式な校正が先ほど完了いたしました。
HPも合わせて更新いたしました。
以降はこちらの画像を使用して宣伝/告知を進めさせていただきたいと思います。
チケット販売サイト(e+)https://t.co/oFB0TKIBZr pic.twitter.com/6McTsquQFe
— 池袋アニメフィル (@ikeaniphil) June 19, 2024
GKIDS gave this description for Neon Genesis Evangelion:
Created by Hideaki ANNO, the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION television series is one of the most influential animated series of all time. Since its 1995 premiere in Japan, the story of teenager Shinji Ikari has emerged as one of the most iconic titles in animation history and a global pop culture phenomenon.
A formative title in the animation canon, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION demonstrated the ability of animation to tell stories of philosophy, and intellectual and emotional characters, unlike anything that had been seen before in animation on a global scale.
Source: SoraNews24
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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