【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.
■Author Profile
About the Author Kenji Kamioka
AFP (Certified by the Japan Association for Financial Planners), Licensed Real Estate Transaction Specialist
President and CEO of Julius Co., Ltd.An investor and strategic media owner with over 10 years of business management experience in three Asian countries: China, Thailand, and Vietnam. While actively managing real estate and financial assets through his own company, he promotes a lifestyle that leverages the structure of capitalism. He has authored numerous books.
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