Japanese anime star sues TikTok over AI voice cloning in landmark case

Kenjiro Tsuda, a voice actor whose baritone has defined characters in some of anime's biggest franchises, walked into Tokyo District Court this week to argue that his voice is his own—and that TikTok had no right to let someone else profit from a synthetic copy of it.

Tsuda is known for roles in "Jujutsu Kaisen" and "Yu-Gi-Oh!", shows watched by millions. An anonymous account on TikTok, using an avatar that resembled one of his characters, began posting videos narrated in a voice Tsuda says is unmistakably his: deep, distinctive, trained over decades. The videos mixed images with AI-generated speech about urban legends and conspiracy theories. The account accumulated more than 200,000 subscribers and generated an estimated 500,000 yen—roughly $3,200—in monthly revenue. None of that money went to Tsuda. The account has since been removed, but the question of who bears responsibility for it remains.

This is believed to be Japan's first lawsuit defending an individual's vocal identity against AI cloning. It arrives at a moment when the country's animation industry is grappling with a technology that can replicate what voice actors spend years perfecting. Yuko Sasaki, executive director of the Japan Actors Union and herself a voice actor, told reporters that a performer's voice is "the result of years of rigorous training and apprenticeship." The union has thrown its weight behind Tsuda's case, arguing that voice ownership should be recognized as a fundamental right. A parallel campaign called "No More" has mobilized other performers against unauthorized AI voice mimicry.

TikTok's defense is straightforward: the voice in question is generic, the platform argues, and any similarity to Tsuda's is subjective. The company has also questioned whether Tsuda qualifies as having "national fame"—a legal threshold that matters in Japan's unfair competition laws. More broadly, TikTok contends it is simply a host for user-generated content, protected by free speech principles. The platform says it did nothing more than provide a forum where users could post creative material.

The stakes extend far beyond one actor or one platform. Japan has no explicit law protecting a person's voice, though the justice ministry published non-binding guidelines last month clarifying that voice falls under existing protections for publicity rights and the right to prevent unauthorized use of one's likeness. Whether those guidelines will shape Wednesday's verdict is unclear. Tatsuhiro Ueno, a professor of intellectual property law at Waseda University, believes it is "very unlikely" that Tsuda will be denied publicity rights altogether, given his prominence. He also predicts the ruling will draw international attention, particularly because Tsuda's role in "Jujutsu Kaisen" has made his voice recognizable across Europe and beyond.

The case reflects a broader anxiety rippling through entertainment industries worldwide. OpenAI apologized in 2024 after releasing a synthetic voice resembling Scarlett Johansson without her consent. The International Federation of Actors warned last year that copyright and data protection laws in many countries are not keeping pace with generative AI technology. In Japan's animation sector, the concern is acute. Actor Bin Shimada, part of the "No More" campaign, warned that if TikTok prevails, "unbridled" AI voice cloning could follow, potentially discouraging younger performers from entering the field.

Yet some in the industry hold a different view. Michihiro Ikemizu, an 83-year-old veteran voice actor, expressed solidarity with Tsuda but also confidence that AI, no matter how sophisticated, cannot replicate what human performers bring to their work. "You need to constantly feel and adapt while performing your role," Ikemizu said. "That's something AI can never do. That's our only weapon." The court's decision on Wednesday will determine not whether that weapon remains effective, but whether the law recognizes that voice actors have the right to wield it.