【The Gallic Chronicles of the Reiwa Era】The Day I, a Senior with Zero Artistic Talent, Summoned the AI Manga 'Chi-ta' ~ COBOL Generation vs Generative AI ~ 'If you can't draw, just have AI do it'
Last time, I launched a grand project: "AI Manga Creation." Today, I report on the practical side of Phase 3: Production (Input & Generation).
This is the crucial stage of "Character Design." Here is the full record of how I, along with my reliable right-hand man (Secretary Gemini), challenged the mission to "Summon Cheetah."
(※ Link to the roadmap of AI Manga Creation here ↓)
■ Current Mission: Force the AI to Read the "Instructions"
The operational process for this mission is as follows:
1. AI Image Generation (Summoning Cheetah)
2. Deletion of Existing Art (Clearing the land)
3. Image Layout (Positioning)
4. Speech Bubbles & Dialogue (Injecting the Soul)
5. Adding Borders (Establishing the Worldview)
The goal is to clear these steps and complete the commemorative "First Panel."
Shocking! A Program That Runs on "Japanese"
First, I solidified the setting for the protagonist, "Cheetah." Concept: A sad beast who possesses the speed of the savanna but has been tamed within the corporate cage and has forgotten how to run...
When I conveyed this mental image, my Secretary (Gemini) instantly created the "Instructions (Prompt)" for the AI (Canva).
[Cheetah Summoning Prompt (Excerpt)] Anthropomorphized fat cheetah salaryman, male in his early 30s. Wearing a mass-produced navy blue suit, tie loosened...
"Wait, it reads ordinary Japanese?"
As someone who has been in the computer industry since the era of Large Mainframes, I was astounded. In my time, commands to computers were cryptic codes like COBOL. Now, it moves with the very language humans speak. It truly feels like a different age.
■ The First Obstacle: Find the Digital "Hidden Door"
I opened Canva in high spirits, but immediately hit a wall.
"I don't know where the generation app is."
I couldn't find the white input box anywhere to enter the command my secretary prepared. Canva is so feature-rich that it felt like a "Ninja Mansion" full of hidden doors.
I began to panic. Is this karma for delegating all tedious administrative tasks and PC operations to my subordinates during my days as an active executive?
"Is it not in the bottom left of the screen?" "No, it's not appearing." I took screenshots of every operation screen and sent them to my secretary for navigation. After several attempts, the moment finally arrived.
■ The Ritual: The Moment Cheetah Was Born
After a hard struggle, the "White Input Box" finally appeared. I copied and pasted the "Cheetah Summoning Spell (Prompt)" created by my secretary into the box, and with trembling fingers, pressed the purple "Generate Image" button.
A few seconds of silence...
Then, four "Cheetahs" appeared at the bottom of the screen.
"Oh... This is it!" It was the moment the exhausted, sorrowful Cheetah in my brain was embodied exactly as I imagined.
■ Finishing Touches: Breathing in the Soul
The subsequent work (deleting existing art, adding borders, and inserting dialogue) went smoothly, almost making the previous struggle seem like a lie. I even leaked to my secretary, "It's going surprisingly well."
And here is the completed, commemorative First Panel:
■ Summary: Achieving a Great Feat
"Giving instructions to AI to create art from zero."
Achieving this is, to put it mildly, a "Great Feat" for me. Why? Because in reality, my drawing skills are devastatingly bad—so bad that they might be considered "avant-garde" in a disastrous way.
But now, someone like me can draw manga. A remarkable era has arrived.
The first article of my company's (Julius Inc.) doctrine is this: "Create what does not exist on Earth now. Have your own style."
Today, I practiced exactly this. A senior citizen, debuting as a manga artist with zero artistic talent. My "Gallic Wars" have only just begun.
[Profile]
About the Author Kenji Kamioka
CEO, Julius Inc. / FIRE Practitioner
Kenji Kamioka is a former IT executive who spent 30 years in the corporate world, with over 10 years working across Asia. His life changed when he read Rich Dad Poor Dad. Realizing the trap of the "rat race," he started building assets in real estate and stocks while still working. It took him 10 years, but he successfully achieved Financial Freedom and graduated from the salaryman life.
He established his own asset management company to optimize tax efficiency and now dedicates his time to teaching others how to escape the corporate cage. His advice is not theoretical but based on the gritty reality of achieving FIRE.
AFP (Certified by the Japan Association for Financial Planners), Licensed Real Estate Transaction Specialist
[My Doctrine of Success (The Laws of the Universe)]
Guiding principles for life and wealth, derived from 11 years in Asia and decades of investing.
- Life is meant to be enjoyed: Don't grind at 100%. Success comes when you operate with 30-40% reserve power.
- Give to receive: Always ensure the other party gains. True success is a "Four-Way Win."
- Bless others' success: Jealousy blocks wealth. Celebrating others brings fortune back to you.
- Adversity is Opportunity: When things go wrong, look closer. That is where the hidden clues for success lie.
- Nothing is wasted: There is no such thing as "working for free." All experiences connect to your future success.
Book
❶『令和のサラリーマンの為のFIREのススメ』(Amazon電子書籍）
❷『FIRE Recommendation for Office Employee』(Amazon Kindle）
