Eighteen giants in the manga and anime industry, including Kodansha, Kadokawa, Shogakukan , and Square Enix, have released a joint statement criticizing the use of the AI Sora 2, a video and audio generation tool developed by OpenAI.
According to the publishers, the system is creating content similar to their original works, constituting copyright infringement. The main point of contention is the Sora 2, which operates on an opt-out —meaning any work can be used for training until the owner requests its deletion. However, Japanese law requires prior authorization for the use of protected material, making the process illegal in the country.
Furthermore, the companies, along with the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), are demanding that OpenAI stop the unauthorized use of their works, provide transparency regarding training data, guarantee fair compensation to creators , and adopt an opt-in, where use only occurs with explicit consent.
The publishers emphasized that they are not against the advancement of AI, but stressed that it must respect intellectual property and the efforts of artists. Legal action may be taken if they receive no response from OpenAI.
Sora 2 premiered on September 30, 2025 , and has already sparked considerable debate about the ethical and legal boundaries in the creative industry.
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