Evangelion and Danganronpa star Megumi Ogata says she is…

Renowned Japanese voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda has initiated legal action against the operators of TikTok, citing the unauthorized use and monetization of his voice through artificial intelligence. This incident highlights the growing tension between the voice acting industry and the proliferation of unregulated AI-generated content.

What happened

Kenjiro Tsuda, widely recognized for his roles as Kento Nanami in Jujutsu Kaisen and Seto Kaiba in Yu-Gi-Oh!, discovered that his distinct vocal profile was being mimicked by AI models on TikTok. These AI-generated videos, which utilized deepfake voice technology to replicate Tsuda's iconic tone, were being monetized by the platform's operators. According to reports, these videos were generating an estimated monthly revenue between 500,000 and 750,000 yen, or approximately $3,100 to $4,700 USD.

This case has emerged amidst a broader industry push for legal protections regarding vocal identity in Japan. Voice actress Megumi Ogata, known for her role in Neon Genesis Evangelion, has publicly criticized the lack of a legal framework to prevent the unauthorized training of AI models on human voices, describing her voice as an intrinsic part of her identity. Following advocacy from industry veterans like Ogata, the Japanese Ministry of Justice has begun drafting guidelines that may categorize unauthorized AI voice copying and online monetization as infringements of publicity rights, similar to the unauthorized use of a celebrity's name or likeness. Tsuda’s lawsuit serves as a significant legal test case for these evolving protections in a landscape where Japanese anime and manga creators are increasingly seeking to defend their intellectual property against generative AI exploitation.