logo
Is this AI video generator the future of anime? Definitely not

Is this AI video generator the future of anime? Definitely not

Digital Trends10-05-2025

Table of Contents
Table of Contents Is there a place for AI tools in the anime industry? How do the generated animations look? Should you use Animon.ai?
Japan has been fairly quiet during the AI boom so far, but now — just after the whole ChatGPTxGhibli trend — Japanese company Animon has come out with an AI video generator specifically for anime.
The free-to-use tool takes still images of anime, cartoon, or CG art and creates five-second-long animations based on the prompt you enter. The company claims it will help both professional and amateur animators speed up the creative process — essentially requiring only one hand-drawn frame per five seconds of video instead of hundreds.
Recommended Videos
Is there a place for AI tools in the anime industry?
Quick confession here — I happen to be a total anime nerd. I've watched hundreds of shows, I visit Japan nearly every year, I've worked there, and I speak Japanese. I'm no expert on the animation process, but I know what good animation looks like and what bad animation looks like.
Even without AI getting involved, there are already a lot of ways to cut corners with animation in the anime industry. A lot of the work now gets outsourced to Korean animation studios, and the time and money going into it keep going down.
When a studio doesn't invest enough in its animation, it affects the shows in two main ways: there's a lot less movement, and there's a noticeable drop in art quality. The character designs might look beautiful on the promotional posters, but the versions drawn from frame to frame don't have the same level of detail or the right proportions, and in some cases, they even look straight-up derpy.
I have an unfortunate example of this from a show I like (a popular volleyball anime called Haikyuu). Earlier episodes were animated really nicely, but for whatever reason, the quality plummeted during one of the later seasons. Here's an image comparing a shot of the protagonist from an episode in season one to an episode in season four.
To be clear, some shows still look great — but low-quality animation can pop up just about anywhere, and it can definitely be bad enough to drive away viewers like me.
With the bar sinking so low, you might think AI video generation tools actually have a chance in this industry. However, judging by the content I got from Animon.ai, I'm afraid that doesn't appear to be the case.
How do the generated animations look?
The tool does work in that it takes the image you give it and makes it move for five seconds, but that's about all you can guarantee will happen. For my first experiment, I gave it a still of Jet Black from Cowboy Bebop about to drink from a whiskey glass.
My prompt was simply 'The pictured character takes a drink from the glass of whiskey he is holding.' The video I got in return has a few things wrong with it.
Firstly, Jet Black does not drink the whiskey. He appears to be talking, and he lifts the glass closer to his face, but I don't see anything that looks like actual drinking. The whiskey inside the glass appears to be very busy, however — the glass both fills up and drains despite the lack of drinking that appears to be going on. If you want to see Jet drink for real, it's right here on YouTube.
The AI model also struggles with Jet's scar. The bottom end of it sort of disappears, and when he opens his eyes, the scar is going straight over his eyeball. Because I grabbed the still from a video on Crunchyroll's YouTube channel, it has CR's logo in the top right. In the AI video, however, the text appears to have morphed into 'Crunchyolo' instead.
Next, I tried feeding it a still of Maomao's dance scene from The Apothecary Diaries, and I got a really weird result. Unlike the trippy, mushy, morphing movements of the 2D Jet video, the AI gave me what looked like a 3D model.
Animon.ai is meant to work with CG art as well, so I suppose it makes sense that it can generate 3D models, but I was pretty surprised. While The Apothecary Diaries makes use of 3D models a lot for buildings and backgrounds, the character was definitely drawn in the shot I used.
Either way, the generated videos seem significantly more stable when 3D models are involved. Movement looks less sloshy, and the model keeps the size and shape of the character more consistent. I still wouldn't want to see it in a show as is, but it's undoubtedly a step up from the 2D-style content it gave me.
However, Animon.ai's sales pitch is all about helping animators save time by drawing fewer frames — and this is irrelevant when it comes to 3D animation. It's already quick and inexpensive compared to 2D, and it doesn't make much sense to create a 3D model and then use an AI video generator to haphazardly animate it rather than using animation software.
Should you use Animon.ai?
If you don't know anything about animation and you want a quick GIF or a video for personal purposes, this tool will probably work just fine (or give you a good laugh if not). However, it's hard to imagine any amateur or professional animators seeing real value in this.
If you want to see what the tool is capable of, the Animon YouTube channel posted a music video that appears to be almost 100% AI-generated — it definitely looks that way, at least.
Overall, I think there are two main reasons AI video generators aren't ready for any real work. One is that movement looks too bad, and the other is the lack of control you have over the result. It's the same as any other generative AI tool, really — they're just not consistent and responsive enough to be reliable. We will likely get there one day, and it's still fun to mess around with early versions of the technology, but don't let the salespeople fool you — none of these tools are ready for commercial use yet.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Teaser Is Our Best Look at the New Hi-Po EV Sedan
Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Teaser Is Our Best Look at the New Hi-Po EV Sedan

Car and Driver

time11 minutes ago

  • Car and Driver

Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Teaser Is Our Best Look at the New Hi-Po EV Sedan

The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N is just around the corner, as the automaker today released several teaser photos. The images show the high-performance electric sedan's side profile, rear wing, taillight design, and more. While Hyundai hasn't released any powertrain details, the Ioniq 6 N is expected to share the 641-hp all-wheel-drive setup that powers the Ioniq 5 N. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, our reigning EV of the Year, is about to get a baby sister. Hyundai has just released a handful of teaser photos that give us our best look at the forthcoming Ioniq 6 N, which was hinted at earlier this year when the Korean automaker shared details about the refreshed 2026 Ioniq 6. Hyundai While the various photos only show shadowy elements of the racy sedan, we now have an up-close look at its prominent rear wing and ducktail spoiler. Hyundai also says that the Ioniq 6 N will feature flared fenders that accompany a wider stance. Under those wheel arches will be a set of lightweight wheels, which, in the picture above, are more than willing to do smokey burnouts. As with the Ioniq 5 N, we expect the 6 to come with bigger brakes and stickier tires than the version that your local librarian drives. Hyundai The Hyundai Ioniq 6 N will feature pixel-like elements in its taillights, as seen below, but there also appear to be individual pixels that dot its trunklid, like a reverse version of a Ford Raptor's grille-mounted clearance lights. Hyundai also says the I6N will emphasize a trio of performance pillars, our favorite being "Corner Rascal." The other two names are boring by comparison: "Everyday Sports Car" and "Racetrack Capability." Yawn. Still, there should be nothing yawn-inducing about an electric sedan with more horsepower than a V-8-powered Mustang. Hyundai Hyundai didn't release any concrete details about the upcoming Ioniq 6 N. However, it did say earlier this year that the hi-po EV sedan will be revealed sometime in July. When that happens, we expect to find out that it features the same 641-hp all-wheel-drive powertrain as the Ioniq 5 N. That model currently starts at just over $67K—a performance bargain, if you ask us. The 6 N will likely come in under the $70K mark, but we'll have to wait and see. Eric Stafford Managing Editor, News Eric Stafford's automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si. Read full bio

Sam Altman Says AI Has Already Gone Past The Event Horizon But No Worries Since AGI And ASI Will Be A Gentle Singularity
Sam Altman Says AI Has Already Gone Past The Event Horizon But No Worries Since AGI And ASI Will Be A Gentle Singularity

Forbes

time37 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Sam Altman Says AI Has Already Gone Past The Event Horizon But No Worries Since AGI And ASI Will Be A Gentle Singularity

Speculating on the future of AI including artificial general intelligence (AGI) and artificial ... More superintelligence (ASI). In today's column, I examine a newly posted blog piece by Sam Altman that has generated quite a bit of hubbub and controversy within the AI community. As the CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman is considered an AI luminary, of which his viewpoint on the future of AI carries an enormous amount of weight. His latest online commentary contains some eyebrow-raising indications about the current and upcoming status of AI, including aspects partially coated in AI-speak and other insider terminology that require mindful interpretation and translation. Let's talk about it. This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here). First, some fundamentals are required to set the stage for this discussion. There is a great deal of research going on to further advance AI. The general goal is to either reach artificial general intelligence (AGI) or maybe even the outstretched possibility of achieving artificial superintelligence (ASI). AGI is AI that is considered on par with human intellect and can seemingly match our intelligence. ASI is AI that has gone beyond human intellect and would be superior in many if not all feasible ways. The idea is that ASI would be able to run circles around humans by outthinking us at every turn. For more details on the nature of conventional AI versus AGI and ASI, see my analysis at the link here. We have not yet attained AGI. In fact, it is unknown as to whether we will reach AGI, or that maybe AGI will be achievable in decades or perhaps centuries from now. The AGI attainment dates that are floating around are wildly varying and wildly unsubstantiated by any credible evidence or ironclad logic. ASI is even more beyond the pale when it comes to where we are currently with conventional AI. In a new posting on June 10, 2025, entitled 'The Gentle Singularity' by Sam Altman on his personal blog, the famed AI prognosticator made these remarks (excerpts): There's a whole lot in there to unpack. His upbeat-worded opinion piece contains commentary about many undecided considerations, such as referring to the ill-defined and indeterminate AI event horizon, the impacts of artificial superintelligence, various touted dates that suggest when we can expect things to really take off, hazy thoughts about the nature of the AI singularity, and much more. Let's briefly explore the mainstay elements. A big question facing those who are deeply into AI consists of whether we are on the right track to attain AGI and ASI. Maybe we are, maybe we aren't. Sam Altman's reference to the AI event horizon alludes to the existing pathway that we are on, and he unequivocally implies and states that in his opinion, we not only have reached the event horizon but that we are avidly past it already. As espoused, the takeoff has started. Just to note, that's a claim embodying immense boldness and brashness, and not everyone in AI concurs with that viewpoint. Consider these vital facets. First, in favor of that perspective, some insist that the advent of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) vividly demonstrates that we are now absolutely on the path toward AGI/ASI. The incredible semblance of natural language fluency exhibited by the computational capabilities of contemporary LLMs seems to be a sure sign that the road ahead must lead to AGI/ASI. However, not everyone is convinced that LLMs constitute the appropriate route. There are qualms that we already are witnessing headwinds on how much generative AI can be further extended, see my coverage at the link here. Perhaps we are nearing a severe roadblock, and continued efforts will not get us any further bang for the buck. Worse still, we might be off-target and going in the wrong direction altogether. Nobody can say for sure whether we are on the right path or not. It is a guess. Well, Sam Altman has planted a flag that we are incontrovertibly on the right path and that we've already zipped down the roadway quite a distance. Cynics might find this a self-serving perspective since it reinforces and reaffirms the direction that OpenAI is currently taking. Time will tell, as they say. Another consideration in the AI field is that perhaps there will be a kind of singularity that serves as a key point at which AGI or ASI will readily begin to emerge and keenly showcase that we have struck gold in terms of being on the right pathway. For my detailed explanation of the postulated AI singularity, see the link here. Some believe that the AI singularity will be a nearly instantaneous split-second affair, happening faster than the human eye can observe. One moment we will be working stridently on pushing AI forward, and then, bam, the singularity occurs. It is envisioned as a type of intelligence explosion, whereby intelligence rapidly begets more intelligence. After the singularity happens, AI will be leaps and bounds better than it just was. In fact, it could be that we will have a fully complete AGI or ASI due to the singularity. One second earlier, we had plain AI, while an instant later we amazingly have AGI or ASI in our midst, like a rabbit out of a hat. Perhaps though the singularity will be a long and drawn-out activity. There are those who speculate the singularity might get started and then take minutes, hours, or days to run its course. The time factor is unknown. Maybe the AI singularity will take months, years, decades, centuries, or lengthier to gradually unfurl. Additionally, there might not be anything resembling a singularity at all, and we've just concocted some zany theory that has no basis in reality. Sam Altman's posting seems to suggest that the AI singularity is already underway (or, maybe happening in 2030 or 2035) and that it will be a gradual emerging phenomenon, rather than an instantaneous one. Interesting conjecture. Right now, efforts to forecast when AGI and ASI are going to be attained are generally based on putting a finger up into prevailing AI winds and wildly gauging potential dates. Please be aware that the hypothesized dates have very little evidentiary basis to them. There are many highly vocal AI luminaires making brazen AGI/ASI date predictions. Those prophecies seem to be coalescing toward the year 2030 as a targeted date for AGI. See my analysis of those dates at the link here. A somewhat quieter approach to the gambit of date guessing is via the use of surveys or polls of AI experts. This wisdom of the crowd approach is a form of scientific consensus. As I discuss at the link here, the latest polls seem to suggest that AI experts generally believe that we will reach AGI by the year 2040. Depending on how you interpret Sam Altman's latest blog post, it isn't clear as to whether AGI is happening by 2030 or 2035, or whether it is ASI instead of AGI since he refers to superintelligence, which might be his way of expressing ASI or maybe AGI. There is a muddiness of differentiating AGI from ASI. Indeed, I've previously covered his changing definitions associated with AGI and ASI, i.e., moving of the cheese, at the link here. We'll know how things turned out in presumably a mere 5 to 10 years. Mark your calendars accordingly. An element of the posting that has gotten the gall of especially AI ethicists is that the era of AGI and ASI seems to be portrayed as solely uplifting and joyous. We are in a gentle singularity. That's certainly happy news for the world at large. Utopia awaits. There is a decidedly other side to that coin. AI insiders are pretty much divided into two major camps right now about the impacts of reaching AGI or ASI. One camp consists of the AI doomers. They are predicting that AGI or ASI will seek to wipe out humanity. Some refer to this as 'P(doom),' which means the probability of doom, or that AI zonks us entirely, also known as the existential risk of AI or x-risk. The other camp entails the so-called AI accelerationists. They tend to contend that advanced AI, namely AGI or ASI, is going to solve humanity's problems. Cure cancer, yes indeed. Overcome world hunger, absolutely. We will see immense economic gains, liberating people from the drudgery of daily toils. AI will work hand-in-hand with humans. This benevolent AI is not going to usurp humanity. AI of this kind will be the last invention humans have ever made, but that's good in the sense that AI will invent things we never could have envisioned. No one can say for sure which camp is right and which one is wrong. This is yet another polarizing aspect of our contemporary times. For my in-depth analysis of the two camps, see the link here. You can readily discern which camp the posting sides with, namely roses and fine wine. It is important to carefully assess the myriads of pronouncements and proclamations being made about the future of AI. Oftentimes, the wording appears to brazenly assert that the future is utterly known and predictable. With a sense of flair and confidence, many of these prognostications can be easily misread as somehow a bushel of facts and knowns, rather than a bundle of opinions and conjecture. Franklin D. Roosevelt wisely stated: 'There are as many opinions as there are experts.' Keep your eyes and ears open and be prudently mindful of all prophecies concerning the future of AI. You'll be immeasurably glad you were cautious and alert.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store