Japan's biggest doujinshi event, Comic Market (C107, aka Comiket), is set to drop on December 30th and 31st, 2025, and fans and creators alike are hyped.
But lately, Japan's X (formerly Twitter) has been buzzing with a heated debate over AI-generated art. Attendees are clashing over whether AI works should even be allowed to have booths, with some even playing "AI police" and scrutinizing other creators' submissions. Now, George Morikawa, the legendary mangaka behind "Hajime no Ippo," has stepped into the fray, expressing his frustration and offering some sharp advice.
Let's be real: as AI art becomes more commonplace, this isn't a new fight. Before every Comiket, social media lights up with questions like, "Why are AI artists getting booths?" and "How is AI art even considered doujinshi?" Naturally, AI proponents push back, sparking endless online brawls.
With some attendees already slinging aggressive comments online about others' potential AI use *before* the event even kicks off, Morikawa didn't mince words: "You're not directly harmed, you don't even know these people, so why are you harassing them? And this is happening before the event has even started. Seriously, enough is enough. From what you're posting, people can figure out where your booth is. Don't do things that benefit absolutely no one."
Morikawa's message is clearly a call for creators to chill out and stop attacking each other on public platforms just because they have different stances.
He then doubled down, adding, "I find people who are tearing each other apart over supporting or opposing AI incredibly boring." He pointed out that in its early days, doujinshi culture was often slammed by outsiders as "theft" or "illegal." Yet, Comiket's organizers persevered, slowly growing the event and welcoming more creators.
"Now, it's turned into people *within* the community shouting 'You're thieves!' and trying to exclude each other. What's that about?" he questioned. Morikawa stressed that if Comiket's official stance allows it, there's no need to play AI detective; just follow the rules, right?
Morikawa clarified he wasn't taking sides, but simply felt it was a shame: "Comiket is one of the world's top events; everyone should be there to have fun." Instead, he lamented, it's become a free-for-all with "AI police" scrutinizing works and launching online attacks. "Honestly, what kind of scene is this?" he wondered.
Morikawa's comments clearly struck a chord, with many netizens chiming in with support: "Sensei is absolutely right!" "All this bickering is pointless!" and "Creation should be about freedom and joy!"
While he didn't explicitly weigh in on the pros or cons of AI, his advice — "Don't do things that benefit absolutely no one" — is a plea for peace in the creative community. After all, a smooth-running scene where creators can thrive without tearing each other down is definitely better than this two-sided standoff.