The One Piece by WIT Studios has shocked the entire fanbase in a good way. One Piece started in 1999 and since then, it has been going strong to this day, and people love every bit of it. The anime is so popular it has earned its place as one of the Big Three of anime that helped the industry boom over the course of the next decade.
Recently, at the Jump Festa 2024, it was announced that the fan-favourite anime would be reanimated with modern technology. Netflix will handle the project, and it is said to debut sometime in 2024. But amidst such great news, some of the fans got worried when it was mentioned that ‘modern visual technologies’ would be used, which they thought referred to Artificial Intelligence.
Will The One Piece Be AI-Generated?
The One Piece is definitely one of the biggest announcements of 2023. Since the anime started in 1999, the visuals greatly differ from the initial animation to the latest one. So, WIT Studios will try to enhance the visuals by keeping the animation the same throughout. Another reason for this project is to attract more audiences. Most of the time, people skip the anime due to its huge number of episodes. So, The One Piece might encourage them to start from the beginning with great visuals.
Alright so AI is adaptating the new one piece project…. Y’all would pay for gassing me up over AI anime adaptation. pic.twitter.com/NbrO75Y3PG
— cherry 🇵🇸 (@shabb003) December 17, 2023
However, the use of cutting-edge visual technology has raised an important question among fans. They feel that AI will be used for the project, which might take away the nostalgic feeling and result in something horrible. Moreover, the use of AI means that the animators would be left with no work. WIT Studios’ last short film, The Dog & the Boy, used AI for the background. So, it might not be totally wrong for the fans to bring up the question about AI.
For the moment, it is just a possibility. The use of AI has not been confirmed. The ‘cutting-edge visual technology’ might mean a more advanced way of video representation. Until further news, nothing can be said.
Is AI Bad for The One Piece?
The major problem that lingers with the use of AI is that it will lead to loss of employment for several animators. The anime industry is based on the animators, and if the AI replaces the handwork, then the animators will be jobless. But from the positive side, AI is a great discovery that can be a boon if used correctly. It can be used to transform the pictures into vibrant shades to make them more appealing to the audience.
WIT Studios used AI for the background generation in The Dog & the Boy. It was revealed that the panels were first made by the animators, then AI used its magic and then the animators gave its final touch. Even if AI does The One Piece, animators might still play a big role in the project. When One Piece first commenced, it used high-quality pictures and ratios of that time. The current project might follow the same procedure as the recent times.
It is natural for the fans to fear AI since it can potentially destroy Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus within seconds. He spent the last 26 years creating something that is at the peak of success, but one wrong step and it can come crumbling down. Also it is the first time when an anime is being remade, while the original one is still going strong. One Piece is precious to anime fans, and they are pretty protective of it. So, until WIT Studios clears up all the doubts, the fear of One Piece’s destruction is natural for the fans.
