Kim Hyung-tae has committed that most British of social sins: bringing a bottle of corner-shop plonk to a dinner party where everyone expected vintage claret. Only instead of wine, he’s served up algorithmic slop. And instead of a quiet dinner, it’s the 30th anniversary of Neon Genesis Evangelion—treated with roughly the same reverence Brits reserve for properly brewed tea.
What Went Wrong
Yoko Taro—the mad philosopher behind Nier: Automata—taking the creative reins for Eva’s milestone should have been pure celebration. Yet Hyung-tae, CEO of Shift Up, decided to “honour” “honour” this announcement by posting an Asuka illustration on X that looked like it had been filtered through a deep-fried meme generator.
- The fingers were wrong
- The eyes had that glassy, thousand-yard stare
- Fans immediately spotted the tell-tale smudge of generative AI
The whole affair was christened “AI Slop” with the kind of affection usually reserved for a cancelled train.
The Mask Maker’s Discovery
Yoshi, the sculptor who crafts Taro’s physical masks, suggested Hyung-tae’s algorithm had likely been fed photographs of his work without so much as a by-your-leave. When Yoshi went to check the CEO’s account, he found himself blocked.
Hyung-tae later claimed this was merely a “mistake caused by an extension”—which sounds about as convincing as claiming your dog ate your homework while the dog is visibly eating your homework.
The Cavalry Arrives
A veteran artist from Sucker Punch Productions posted screenshots showing X flooded with cheap AI copies of Asuka, declaring the internet was being ruined by “AI crap.”
These images possess none of the soul none of the soul, the weight, or the dynamism of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto’s original character designs. The tweet spread like gossip in a pub garden, reopening the old wound between:
- Artists who’ve spent decades honing their craft
- The “AI bros” who think creativity is just a prompt away
The Tactical Read
When a studio head whose entire reputation rests on meticulous character design opts for a digital knock-off rather than picking up a pencil, it signals something has gone pear-shaped in the decision-making process.
It sounds like convenience trumped craft. It looks like algorithmic cowardice.
- How does this shift your expectations for Shift Up’s upcoming releases?
- What would need to happen for the community to believe this was a genuine mistake?
- How might this influence other industry leaders hovering over that tempting “generate” button?
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