Artist & AI - Oneshot
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Hope you liked this little oneshot.
Edit: Hijacking the top comment to share the translation of 2 articles regarding this story which I hope sheds light on the thought process behind it and the reception it received in Japan.
Interview with the author for The TV
Interview with the editorial department for Gendai
As for the actual public reception, I compiled and translated all the tweets with likes that I could from the initial release below, with the author's response when relevant. You can find the comments with no likes here (reached the character limit for this post)
Responses with like count, sorted by that like count:
Edit: Hijacking the top comment to share the translation of 2 articles regarding this story which I hope sheds light on the thought process behind it and the reception it received in Japan.
Interview with the author for The TV
Q: "Artist & AI" got over 7000 likes. What is your honest opinion on the reception?
A: I'm both happy and relieved. There is so much interesting content in this world to see, so I'm very thankful so many people enjoyed such huge 245 oneshot.
Q: What was your inspiration for "Artist & AI"?
A: My previous work "Kobito no Shita to Karigurashi no Mori" was a happy-go-lucky story, so I wanted my next work to focus on issues I'm concerned with that are happening around me. After laying out several possibilities, I decided to pick AI as the theme.
Q: Could you share your thoughts regarding "Artist & AI" or what you are trying to convey with that Manga?
A: AI (generative AI) at present still has a lot of issues, and even my future as an artist is at risk because of it. However, as I researched about it, I learned about people that couldn't draw for one reason or another but were finally able to thanks to AI, which showed me a positive side of it. On top of that, it made me wonder what kind of creator would be able to widespreadly use AI, and the answer I arrived at was this story.
Q: What are your future goals and prospects?
A: I want my works to provide a place for somebody to feel safe. Also, since both of my latest works feature male protagonists, I think I'd like my next work to have a female protagonist.
Q: Anything you'd like to say to your readers and followers?
A: Thank you so much for reading my work! I'd be delighted if my stories helped you in any way.
A: I'm both happy and relieved. There is so much interesting content in this world to see, so I'm very thankful so many people enjoyed such huge 245 oneshot.
Q: What was your inspiration for "Artist & AI"?
A: My previous work "Kobito no Shita to Karigurashi no Mori" was a happy-go-lucky story, so I wanted my next work to focus on issues I'm concerned with that are happening around me. After laying out several possibilities, I decided to pick AI as the theme.
Q: Could you share your thoughts regarding "Artist & AI" or what you are trying to convey with that Manga?
A: AI (generative AI) at present still has a lot of issues, and even my future as an artist is at risk because of it. However, as I researched about it, I learned about people that couldn't draw for one reason or another but were finally able to thanks to AI, which showed me a positive side of it. On top of that, it made me wonder what kind of creator would be able to widespreadly use AI, and the answer I arrived at was this story.
Q: What are your future goals and prospects?
A: I want my works to provide a place for somebody to feel safe. Also, since both of my latest works feature male protagonists, I think I'd like my next work to have a female protagonist.
Q: Anything you'd like to say to your readers and followers?
A: Thank you so much for reading my work! I'd be delighted if my stories helped you in any way.
Interview with the editorial department for Gendai
How did a 245 page long manga get published in Shosetsu Gendai?
A very long 245 page oneshot was published on the December issue of the literary magazine Shosetsu Gendai.
The title of the work is "Artist & AI." It was written and illustrated by Kamba Yuki, author of "Kobito no Shita o Kariguurashi no Mori."
This oneshot was initially published for free on the manga website "Morning Two WEB" as well as on X (formerly twitter), where it garnered over 10 million impressions.
This month, using more than half of the total pages available in Shosetsu Gendai, the same oneshot was published in full. How did such a feat come to be? We talked to Takahashi Masatoshi from the Morning editorial department, as well as Kawakita Sohei, editor-in-chief for Shosetsu Gendai to learn more about it.
"Yuki-san told me there was a topic they really wanted to depict, so I took a look at the draft and was shocked. At first I thought it would be a manga that mixes AI and war, but after I finished reading it I realized I had an incredible story on my hands." said Takahashi, who then continued.
"The story utilizes AI to intertwine these large subjects such as how one should act towards their country being at war, and what human beauty really is. I just knew more people had to read it. The issue then was the large volume of pages."
"There were too many for a typical tankobon release, and even publishing it in a magazine in full would be hard. But it was possible to publish it online, so we first released it on Morning Two Web as well as Yuki-san's X for free to see what the reader response would be."
The response online blew past Takahashi's expectations. The release tweet had over 10 million impressions, and even today we are still receiving comments and thoughts about the story, AI, and the process of creation.
After seeing such a positive response, Takahashi moved onto the next step.
How should we treat our neighbors?
"It's such a waste that this manga is only available digitally. As I pondered how we could go about further exposing it to more people, I had a discussion with the editor-in-chief Kawakita. His opinion regarding it was that, the more people love literature, the more they will accept such a timeless story."
Kawakita explaind his reasoning to us.
"People may be surprised to hear that a full-length manga was published in a literary magazine, but when I read this oneshot I just knew it had to be published in our magazine. The December issue of Shosetsu Gendai was initially going to feature a special article about the 14th Shosetsu Gendai Newcomer Award Winning story "Neighbor X" (written by Pallus Ayako). That work is set in a near future Japan whose government has decided to accept refugees from another planet and depicts the interactions, friction, and anxiety among the population."
"Well "Artist & AI" bears close resemblance to not only ongoing wars in places like Ukraine and Palestine, but also the ongoing uproar between creators caused by generative AI. At its core, I felt that the story was about how we should treat our neighbors."
Although "Neighbor X" and "Artist & AI" are written in different mediums (novel and manga respectively), both works share a common theme about how people should treat each other. When Kawakita said he wanted to bring the attention of new readers who normally don't read manga to this story, the Morning editorial department agreed, saying they would love to publish it in a print magazine, and that they would love to reach an audience beyond their usual one.
"I wanted this story to reach people who aren't manga readers. The subject was so profound that that I believed it deserved to be read by anyone who has a passion for literature, regardless of their medium of choice. I hoped it would pass the eyes of people in their fifties or older, who normally don't touch manga." said Takahashi, whose aim was to expand the manga's readership.
Creation, AI, and the other...
The story starts when Maurice, a young painter living in a small country where war is starting to loom, meets a new type of creature called a gnome.
Maurice is impressed by the gnome's ability to replicate an action as soon as it's taught how to do it. Readers will be quick to realize these gnomes are a metaphor for the real-life generative AI we currently have. Although gnomes do differ from real-world AI in that they have the ability to think for themselves and feel emotions, making them closer to humans. The way the story depicts painters losing their jobs because of the gnomes is also meant to evoke a possible future where real-life artists may experience similar hardships. As the story progressed, the war also begins to escalate and become ever present.
Though the title "Artist & AI" is meant to draw attention to it, the work itself does not question whether AI is right or wrong. Although the story does make the reader ponder over issues involving how creators use AI and how copyright involving AI works.
AI was certainly just one of the motifs for the author in writing this story. As the reader flips through the pages, questions naturally begin to arise not just about AI but creation as a whole, as well as war and how to face one's neighbors. Likely because, even though this story is set in a fictional country with fictional characters, it bears close resemblance to the unstable world we live in today.
A very long 245 page oneshot was published on the December issue of the literary magazine Shosetsu Gendai.
The title of the work is "Artist & AI." It was written and illustrated by Kamba Yuki, author of "Kobito no Shita o Kariguurashi no Mori."
This oneshot was initially published for free on the manga website "Morning Two WEB" as well as on X (formerly twitter), where it garnered over 10 million impressions.
This month, using more than half of the total pages available in Shosetsu Gendai, the same oneshot was published in full. How did such a feat come to be? We talked to Takahashi Masatoshi from the Morning editorial department, as well as Kawakita Sohei, editor-in-chief for Shosetsu Gendai to learn more about it.
"Yuki-san told me there was a topic they really wanted to depict, so I took a look at the draft and was shocked. At first I thought it would be a manga that mixes AI and war, but after I finished reading it I realized I had an incredible story on my hands." said Takahashi, who then continued.
"The story utilizes AI to intertwine these large subjects such as how one should act towards their country being at war, and what human beauty really is. I just knew more people had to read it. The issue then was the large volume of pages."
"There were too many for a typical tankobon release, and even publishing it in a magazine in full would be hard. But it was possible to publish it online, so we first released it on Morning Two Web as well as Yuki-san's X for free to see what the reader response would be."
The response online blew past Takahashi's expectations. The release tweet had over 10 million impressions, and even today we are still receiving comments and thoughts about the story, AI, and the process of creation.
After seeing such a positive response, Takahashi moved onto the next step.
How should we treat our neighbors?
"It's such a waste that this manga is only available digitally. As I pondered how we could go about further exposing it to more people, I had a discussion with the editor-in-chief Kawakita. His opinion regarding it was that, the more people love literature, the more they will accept such a timeless story."
Kawakita explaind his reasoning to us.
"People may be surprised to hear that a full-length manga was published in a literary magazine, but when I read this oneshot I just knew it had to be published in our magazine. The December issue of Shosetsu Gendai was initially going to feature a special article about the 14th Shosetsu Gendai Newcomer Award Winning story "Neighbor X" (written by Pallus Ayako). That work is set in a near future Japan whose government has decided to accept refugees from another planet and depicts the interactions, friction, and anxiety among the population."
"Well "Artist & AI" bears close resemblance to not only ongoing wars in places like Ukraine and Palestine, but also the ongoing uproar between creators caused by generative AI. At its core, I felt that the story was about how we should treat our neighbors."
Although "Neighbor X" and "Artist & AI" are written in different mediums (novel and manga respectively), both works share a common theme about how people should treat each other. When Kawakita said he wanted to bring the attention of new readers who normally don't read manga to this story, the Morning editorial department agreed, saying they would love to publish it in a print magazine, and that they would love to reach an audience beyond their usual one.
"I wanted this story to reach people who aren't manga readers. The subject was so profound that that I believed it deserved to be read by anyone who has a passion for literature, regardless of their medium of choice. I hoped it would pass the eyes of people in their fifties or older, who normally don't touch manga." said Takahashi, whose aim was to expand the manga's readership.
Creation, AI, and the other...
The story starts when Maurice, a young painter living in a small country where war is starting to loom, meets a new type of creature called a gnome.
Maurice is impressed by the gnome's ability to replicate an action as soon as it's taught how to do it. Readers will be quick to realize these gnomes are a metaphor for the real-life generative AI we currently have. Although gnomes do differ from real-world AI in that they have the ability to think for themselves and feel emotions, making them closer to humans. The way the story depicts painters losing their jobs because of the gnomes is also meant to evoke a possible future where real-life artists may experience similar hardships. As the story progressed, the war also begins to escalate and become ever present.
Though the title "Artist & AI" is meant to draw attention to it, the work itself does not question whether AI is right or wrong. Although the story does make the reader ponder over issues involving how creators use AI and how copyright involving AI works.
AI was certainly just one of the motifs for the author in writing this story. As the reader flips through the pages, questions naturally begin to arise not just about AI but creation as a whole, as well as war and how to face one's neighbors. Likely because, even though this story is set in a fictional country with fictional characters, it bears close resemblance to the unstable world we live in today.
As for the actual public reception, I compiled and translated all the tweets with likes that I could from the initial release below, with the author's response when relevant. You can find the comments with no likes here (reached the character limit for this post)
Responses with like count, sorted by that like count:
- 235: AI, War, Banksy, the way the story blended all these timeless elements was very entertaining. Though it was in black and white, I really liked the effort put into all the oil paintings and backgrounds. This might be unfair but the structure was so clean cut that it made me wonder if the plot was written by AI as well. Regardless, I enjoyed it.
- 214: This was too adorable (crop of Maurice putting the gnome to his cheek at the end)
- 73: I thought 62 posts was long ut it was over in an instant. It's not uplifting yet fascinated me all the same. Though personally I wish the two main characters had a happy ending. There are way too many tales from this era that end in tragic death...
- 47: Thank you for all your work. I think this story is good and must have required a lot of effort, however, for a story with "AI" in the title, it's filled with misleading depictions of AI as we know it. The gnomes are living creatures, not AI, and they also do not resemble the generative AI of today that's based upon unauthorized use of copyrighted material.
- 34: No! My vision got blurry halfway through!!!! ;;;;
- 29: The existence of gnomes is terrifying but I didn't expect the story to go in that direction. I kept reading while at the edge of my seat, wondering if it wouldn't go in a sad direction >.<
- 22: So in the end Maurice is satisfied, all other painters are dead, and no new painters are being born. Shrinking the industry.
- 18: While the story is very interesting and moving, I'm uncomfortable with the use of the word AI in the title. The gnomes certainly have some of traits of AI, but if they also have a personality and a heart, then they're not AI, right? Though part of me did genuinely enjoy the story at face value...
- 12: Sorry but, what became of Maurice in the end? (Author responded that it's up to your imagination)
- 12: I see it's not actually a horror story about gnomes eating up people's brains like generative AI would.
- 11: It was really good. I cried a bunch.😭
- 10: It's been a while since I cried at a manga. Thank you for this wonderful story! I'll buy it on Amazon!
- 10: If you wanted to replicate current AI the gnomes would be collecting child pornography and other artists' material. Adapting that process to the era the story takes place in would mean they'd be stealing. Where's that in the story? Are you not gonna include it??? This is just a fantasy story to advertise AI to the masses. Gross~
- 9: I cried...
- 9: Been a while since I cried this much
- 8: Was this slightly inspired by Banksy? It was fun
- 8: Wonderful. I bought it on amazon. I'd love to read more stories like this.
- 5: It made me cry. The story had such genuine passion for art that it resonated within my heart. You've earned yourself a fan.
- 5: What a strong protagonist and even stronger work.
- 5: In the end we already know whether AI will be used for good or not. (Author's response: I hope we can happily coexist with it☺️)
- 5: I love it.
- 4: Maurice truly challenged art itself...
- 4: Aaah, love it.
- 4: Warning! Do not be deceived by this manga!!! Generative AI is riddled with problems and this story is incredibly misleading in the way it depicts it!!! Problems with AI: Ignores copyright during the learning process; Learns from pirated material and child pornography; Can be used to fabricate incriminating evidence in a crime; Dilutes all individuality from art; is used to harass creators
- 3: (Link to an article about AI being used to generate child pornography)
- 3: (Link to a video explaining the reality of AI)
- 3: So if you can't do what Maurice does you lose your job.
- 2: With 62 posts I don't feel like reading it anymore.
- 2: Story's good so it's a shame the title is not.
- 1: The gnomes are adorable... It was a lovely ttale
- 1: It was a wonderful story🥲
- 1: This was the first time I cried at a twitter manga. I never expected to fall in love with individuals with no personalities like the gnomes. It was a great story. Thank you.
- 1: I loved it💕 It's been so long since I cried🥹 You have my support d(≧▽≦*)✨
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Dex-chan lover
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Oh, so this is that 250-pager I heard about 
Interesting stuff, and particularly salient given some of the recent forum discussions
I see what you did there
Interesting stuff, and particularly salient given some of the recent forum discussions
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Can’t wait for the AI bros to defend “prompt engineering” as a legitimate artistic skill and that AI art is ethically okay somehow
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Wow, this was really interesting.. somehow both what I was expecting and not, lol. Thank you for the translation!!
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I'm interested, but I clicked on this, saw the page count, and said "Woof, maybe later!".
I'm actually interested in what points in brings up in the artist/AI debate, though I doubt it says anything truly substantial that can change any views on it.
I'm actually interested in what points in brings up in the artist/AI debate, though I doubt it says anything truly substantial that can change any views on it.
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Well for starters this is not aout Artificial Intelligence although the first few dozens wow of pages might serve as an analogy for them but I'm thinking the AI in the title is more about 愛 as in love
it's just a story about an idealistic guy in a world where gnomes existbut they are actually living beings that develop will, not artificial intelligences
it's just a story about an idealistic guy in a world where gnomes existbut they are actually living beings that develop will, not artificial intelligences
It's a bit rote and naive, yeah. In the end, it isn't something I'd imagine would change anyone's minds, as the gnome = AI analogy kinda falls apart once you give the gnomes individuality and sentience. Doesn't delve into the emotions of all the other artists either. Like, they literally saw one of their own catapult into fame after fundamentally relying on gnomes.
Kinda fucked that the overall conclusion is that it's a 'good' thing for an artist's work and style to be imitated and perpetually produced, for the purposes of profit by the market, even after bro himself is dead af too.
Kinda fucked that the overall conclusion is that it's a 'good' thing for an artist's work and style to be imitated and perpetually produced, for the purposes of profit by the market, even after bro himself is dead af too.
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Edit: I went browsing through the author's Twitter to see if they had ever shared thoughts on this series and to my surprise they did in this interview which clarifies their viewpoint in this story.
Here is the relevant bit:
So even the author is making it clear the story is meant to portray a positive use of AI, particularly as a tool to help those who can't express themselves (like Maurice after the bomb).
I won't extrapolate their overall feelings on generative AI because only they know that but what I took from this is the author wanted this story to envision a world where AI can be used for good, and that's what we see here.
I think part of why this one shot and this outlook feels very rosy is also because it came out in 2023, when generative AI was still mostly looming and people hadn't fully suffered its impact yet. Reading it with today's perspective when most people know the very negative consequences of generative AI makes this a tougher future to envision. Dunno if the author would have written the same thing today.
There is another article (lengthy) talking about the production of this oneshot that details more thoughts on it but I'm on my phone and don't wanna translate it all now but I think with the above and how the story pans out it's clear where the mindset was. Maybe I'll translate it tomorrow.
My original comment below, which I retract after reading this
I realize now I should have probably translated the little blurb on the corner of the last page that says an artist always draws with love.
Here is the relevant bit:
So even the author is making it clear the story is meant to portray a positive use of AI, particularly as a tool to help those who can't express themselves (like Maurice after the bomb).
I won't extrapolate their overall feelings on generative AI because only they know that but what I took from this is the author wanted this story to envision a world where AI can be used for good, and that's what we see here.
I think part of why this one shot and this outlook feels very rosy is also because it came out in 2023, when generative AI was still mostly looming and people hadn't fully suffered its impact yet. Reading it with today's perspective when most people know the very negative consequences of generative AI makes this a tougher future to envision. Dunno if the author would have written the same thing today.
There is another article (lengthy) talking about the production of this oneshot that details more thoughts on it but I'm on my phone and don't wanna translate it all now but I think with the above and how the story pans out it's clear where the mindset was. Maybe I'll translate it tomorrow.
My original comment below, which I retract after reading this
I believe so too. I think this was made as a double entedre where the gnomes are more so supposed to represent love, not artificial intelligence, and the title is a play on words. The entire manga is about how Maurice as an artist expresses his feelings through his paintings, and the gnomes are just a vehicle for those emotions.
I realize now I should have probably translated the little blurb on the corner of the last page that says an artist always draws with love.
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uuu.. i was double think to reading this.. when i saw "AI", i don't want to read this.
But... something make me click and read this..
THis is a great piece, a little oneshot..
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Why are you to trying to start a war with something that doesn't exist, like nobosy mentioned this don't be so dramatic lol
Here's my viewpoint on gAi: unless you are an artist who has made thousands of paintings/drawings, train the AI and unluckily lose the ability to draw, gAI is not a tool for you. The AI have no emotions (as of now). If you are an artist who turns to AI user, you're no better than the big corpos who are plagued with greed, trying to earn more without putting more effort into your work. Art is not about being efficient at making it, but it is to put in the time, the work and even put in part of you into make it something that you, and everyone can call art.
Before anyone comes saying thay I don't know anything about gAI, about how hard it is to make a decent image, I do know that, and it's easy. Why do I know it? Because I believe in "know something before criticizing it". Want it to do a specific pose? Use controlnet. want a specific style? Download a checkpoint. want a specific outfit? Download a LORA. gAI is not art, it is merely an imitation of art.
Before anyone comes saying thay I don't know anything about gAI, about how hard it is to make a decent image, I do know that, and it's easy. Why do I know it? Because I believe in "know something before criticizing it". Want it to do a specific pose? Use controlnet. want a specific style? Download a checkpoint. want a specific outfit? Download a LORA. gAI is not art, it is merely an imitation of art.
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So according to the interview the mangaka is shilling for AI too lol which I'm not surprised given his dogshit writing ability.
His art is okay but the storytelling and plot is all over the place, idk why Japanese mangaka love the concept of self sacrificing mfs without any critical thinking. Mangaka says in the interview AI is good because it can help disabled people draw, he should take a look at the thousands of disabled people already making great art way before AI, drawing with one hand, feet and even the mouth sometimes.
The ending made me groan. This manga is just worthless, yeah bro you're happily painting in the afterlife with your AI gnomes, meanwhile actual AI companies are busy buying up entire databases of movies, art and music to keep producing generic slop till the end of time. Can't believe this guy wasted 240 pages drawing this middling, unconscientious, John Lennon-ahh swill.
His art is okay but the storytelling and plot is all over the place, idk why Japanese mangaka love the concept of self sacrificing mfs without any critical thinking. Mangaka says in the interview AI is good because it can help disabled people draw, he should take a look at the thousands of disabled people already making great art way before AI, drawing with one hand, feet and even the mouth sometimes.
The ending made me groan. This manga is just worthless, yeah bro you're happily painting in the afterlife with your AI gnomes, meanwhile actual AI companies are busy buying up entire databases of movies, art and music to keep producing generic slop till the end of time. Can't believe this guy wasted 240 pages drawing this middling, unconscientious, John Lennon-ahh swill.
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My issue is what everyone else kinda says which is that for some reason the tone is pro ai art(?)
author feels like one of those ai hogriders judging solely off the story though its more messy then anything else
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ok something that is very funny in this story is that the MC's solution to saying that there will be a path for artist in the future in the AI world is...to monopolise art effectively to himself and put all artists on welfare effectively indefinitely, also during a war.
Which is doubly funny considering that the AI continues to make his art well long after his death so essentially there is permanent welfare for all artist forever, considering no one else besides him seems to be doing any art afterwards (besides the one friend in the military which is also ironic considering the military out of all people will be hiring actual humans to do art instead of mass produced AI).
another point is the argument in the beginning about how the value in a painting is the trends baby and somehow his particular style continued on by the AI continues to be popular long after his death.
Like I dont know if the author did this deliberately or not, but effectively the story ends with AI ending art, like with the end of history, there is only one art left.
Which is doubly funny considering that the AI continues to make his art well long after his death so essentially there is permanent welfare for all artist forever, considering no one else besides him seems to be doing any art afterwards (besides the one friend in the military which is also ironic considering the military out of all people will be hiring actual humans to do art instead of mass produced AI).
another point is the argument in the beginning about how the value in a painting is the trends baby and somehow his particular style continued on by the AI continues to be popular long after his death.
Like I dont know if the author did this deliberately or not, but effectively the story ends with AI ending art, like with the end of history, there is only one art left.
It was inevitable. Evidence: the very next post after yours...
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it's totally different to what you said tho lol
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Continuing from my first post where I reached the character limit, here are all the replies to the original posting of this work on twitter that didn't get any likes
This hopefully concludes all the info/context from when this oneshot was first released.
This hopefully concludes all the info/context from when this oneshot was first released.
- At first I thought it was just social commentary... Did he fuse with the AI at the end? I was crying out loud by then.
- It was iiiincredible... Thank you for this amazing work..
- I was questioning reading it since it was so long but I'm glad I did.
- My emotions were a wreck after reading this. Thank you for the wonderful work.
- I know it was supposed to be long but I was so entranced by it that I finished before I even noticed it!
- I'm so glad I got to read this story.😭 Thank you so much.😭
- It was so wonderful I couldn't help but cry...😭 I'll be sharing it with my friends✨
- I cried
- Wonderful
- The story made me think about a lot of things. Of course the gnomes in the story and real life generative AI are not the same, but I think the way humans might deal with them could be the same.
- It was very moving (;
- (Note: comment in English) At the moment, these "AI" are not gnomes. They are Vampires. They take other people's work without permission, a theft, a scam. Crazy damage in both the economic and cultural spheres. And whoever is behind these deliberately creates deepfakes, cyberbullies and child pornography. ...The story would also be nice, well drawn, objectively speaking. What a great shame.
- I cried
- It was really fun and I cried a lot. I want more people to read it.🥲
- That was so touching🥲 You're a genius🙈
- I cried
- The scene where the gnome drew the thing it liked the most moved me. Thank you for this wonderful story.
- I'm boarding a train now and cried because the story was so good... I wish there was a physical edition but since there isn't I think I'll buy it on Amazon. Thank you for this wonderful story..
- Maurice...
- I discovered one of the best stories thanks to you.
- Wasn't boring even after 62 posts...
- You never know how things will turn out until you try them. This story cheered me up.☺️
- With proper usage, there could be a future where artists are kept alive forever thanks to AI. That would be nice...
- I have a meeting on Zoom soon and am bawling my eyes out.
- The tears keep coming. That was so touching. I loved it.😭
- I cried. Thank you so much. My heart was cleansed.
- That was so moving!!
- I cried so much...
- It was an incredible story. I have nothing but respect for the author. Thank you for giving us this story.m(_ _)m
- Wonderful work.
- In the end love is what saves the world.
- More social commentary on AI? Is what I thought when I started reading it but then I was sucked into the world and by the end of the second half I couldn't help but cry.😭 What a wonderful story.✨
- The story was way too good... Was it okay to share it all for free?🥺
- It was the best manga I've read recently.
- Damn, that was so touching. You're a genius.
- Great subject choice!
- Didn't think it would end like that. It was a very interesting story.
- I vote for the theory that Maurice's body decayed while his soul became one with the gnome.
- The story was magnificent yet also so transient. I couldn't stop reading.
- ( ・∀・) Love and heart go together
- It was fun. Made me believe in the potential of AI.
- I started crying when he brought the gnome to his cheek
- It's been ages since I've come across such an impactful work. I was so touched by the end I started crying. I'd love for more people to read this.
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I appreciate the author's good intentions with the story and the virtues represented by some of the characters (part of the stupidity bothered me though), but I believe the way this story portrayed this themes is very shallow and can be misleading for people who are unaware of the current debate regarding AI and how it's actually being used in the real world.
What I find it to be the most glaring fault concerning this (besides the cartoon villain, which I believe is unecessary and hurts more than it helps) is the lack of other viewpoints besides Maurice, which ends up portraying the other artists as stupid masses who cannot adapt to the times and that is a very unfair conclusion (I understand that this is not the message of the work, but I feel like it's what it implies).
And the topic of generative AI as a tool for disabled artists is barely even tackled, most people won't even think about it as they finish the story, and considering how generative AI currently works, it's more of an idealistic message than anything else. (and it's not like it's a necessary tool as well, take a look at the works of Henry Fraser for example)
I found the anti-war theme to be more compelling, though even that was portrayed in a very shallow manner. I feel like the author tried to tackle too many elements at once and spread himself too thin, or he didn't have much to say, or wasn't able to articulate himself well, he was successfull in getting attention to his work and bring people to the conversation a bit though, but I don't think with a positive influence.
What I find it to be the most glaring fault concerning this (besides the cartoon villain, which I believe is unecessary and hurts more than it helps) is the lack of other viewpoints besides Maurice, which ends up portraying the other artists as stupid masses who cannot adapt to the times and that is a very unfair conclusion (I understand that this is not the message of the work, but I feel like it's what it implies).
And the topic of generative AI as a tool for disabled artists is barely even tackled, most people won't even think about it as they finish the story, and considering how generative AI currently works, it's more of an idealistic message than anything else. (and it's not like it's a necessary tool as well, take a look at the works of Henry Fraser for example)
I found the anti-war theme to be more compelling, though even that was portrayed in a very shallow manner. I feel like the author tried to tackle too many elements at once and spread himself too thin, or he didn't have much to say, or wasn't able to articulate himself well, he was successfull in getting attention to his work and bring people to the conversation a bit though, but I don't think with a positive influence.
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