It’s amazing when the creator of your favorite manga praises an illustration of their characters. But what if that image was generated by artificial intelligence? That’s what happened with Makoto Yukimura, author of Vinland Saga, who found himself in a debate after complimenting an illustration of Thorfinn without initially knowing it was AI-created. The situation led him to clarify his stance on this technology, emphasizing that acknowledging its capabilities doesn’t mean supporting it.

It all started when Yukimura found on X an image showing Thorfinn standing in a vast wheat field. The mangaka liked the illustration so much that he congratulated the poster and thanked them for understanding his protagonist’s feelings. He even reflected on one of his story’s central ideas: that people wouldn’t have reasons to fight if everyone could live with what they needed.

However, another user explained that the illustration was generated using artificial intelligence. They also accused the account that shared it of appropriating work from other artists, though these claims weren’t independently verified.

Upon learning the image’s origin, Yukimura replied with a brief statement: «Wow, really? AI does a good job». Although he likely didn’t expect it to cause much reaction, several followers interpreted his words as support for using AI in illustrations.

Vinland Saga creator says AI steals art

In response to the debate, the mangaka posted a new message on November 8 to explain his intended meaning. Far from defending AI-generated images, Yukimura stated he finds the development of these tools concerning and their potential consequences for artists worrying.

«AI steals art», wrote the author, before explaining that the technology’s ability to produce convincing results is precisely what poses a problem for professional artists. He noted that admitting AI can do good work to a certain extent is simply acknowledging reality, not expressing approval for it.

In other words, Yukimura believes the quality of AI-generated images is part of what makes this technology concerning. His original comment wasn’t meant to endorse using others’ work to train systems or encourage followers to replace human illustrations.

The author also acknowledged that his words surprised many people and, in conversations with other users, admitted he should be more careful about how he expresses opinions in brief posts.

The situation is particularly interesting because Vinland Saga is a work that has explored the meaning of human effort, violence, and the pursuit of a better life. Thus, the image of Thorfinn surrounded by wheat held special significance for its creator, regardless of how it was made.

This case again brings up a growing discussion among manga and illustration fans: can you acknowledge that an AI-generated image is well-made without supporting how it was created?