Newhu Yuri! That was fast, but given the story for these two, it was only a matter of time.
FluffyCow
Aug 18, 2025 10:54PM
Is the new Touhou the one ZUN used ai-gen backgrounds for? I could be wrong and apologies if I am, though if he did I wish he would have hired an actual artist for that...
Moedred
Aug 19, 2025 2:28AM
I checked what other have been saying and according to some ZUN is often using stock images for background. And AI-generated ones are often not tagged, so it could be mistake. People who post Ai-gen stuff often "forget" to tag it as such.
FluffyCow
Aug 19, 2025 2:32AM
^From what I recall there was some things complications with a translation post that was going around about him and a recent game. Ultimately though it sounded like he normally uses stock images for backgrounds, but then for a new game he was openly embracing ai gen for the backgrounds saying it saves him time to focus on other things. Which I still think him hiring another artist to draw nice backgrounds would be better.
Moedred
Aug 19, 2025 2:40AM
While I agree on hiring someone for backgrounds (some artists specialize in that), one can argue that it's "good" usage of Ai-gen, using it to fill-in something that isn't important, not a central piece, saving time for more important stuff. But still, I don't like Ai-gen stuff.
FluffyCow
Aug 19, 2025 2:48AM
^I don't think it's a good use personally, since I think backgrounds are part of the project as a whole, and a good background artist can really add to a project. It's maybe less important than other things, but I appreciate it when love and care is poured into all areas. That's where I stand with it anyhow, and it's of course fine if we agree to disagree there, ultimately it sounds like neither of us like ai gen stuff either way.
Aureole
Aug 19, 2025 2:49AM
^^ Even non-important stuff are generated based on training data, which is ripped off by AI company from uncompensated artists (and co).
last edited at Aug 19, 2025 2:49AM
Zesc
Aug 19, 2025 9:15AM
Whilst I can't comment on this particular outlet's general veracity, this Automaton article sums up the most important points regardings ZUN's use of matrix hallucination in Fossilized Wonders. Notably the model in question claims to be only trained on public domain sources.
Aureole
Aug 19, 2025 9:43AM
^ If that's true then I'm fine with it (if not counting the huge power/water need for model training).
^I wish those themes were explored in the narrative while not actually using ai gen, but that's just my preference I suppose lol
ninryu
Aug 20, 2025 6:04AM
^ Same : \
Ferdina
Aug 22, 2025 12:37PM
AI is inevitable. I much prefer horses and swords, but cars and guns are here.
last edited at Aug 22, 2025 12:37PM
FluffyCow
Aug 22, 2025 1:35PM
^Agree to disagree, and I don't think the comparison works. Plus I strongly dislike the "inevitable" attitude when a lot of it is already failing because so much of it is an investment scam. Also there will always be people that want to actually draw, engage with art and make their own evolving style, express themselves through the act. Generated content isn't actually art or engaging with that process. That's where I stand.
Ferdina
Aug 22, 2025 2:03PM
Except that it's already at a quality that one can't tell apart from real art. I'd like to take drawing myself as a hobby, and i dislike using AI even when looking something up. Horse carriages also exist, but as a novelty, not when you actually need to go somewhere, same might be with art.
But hey, i pray that my opinion looks stupid in couple years.
FluffyCow
Aug 22, 2025 2:28PM
^There's a lot of AI gen'd content you can still easily tell is generated, especially as a lot of it doesn't hold up under scrutiny. There's also a lot of human made art that looks human made, that someone with real passion actually drew something, and has the person's signature style. Plus artists constantly prove their ability to actually draw. Again I don't think your comparison works. Picking up a pencil or stylus and actually drawing vs using an image generator is not the same as guns and swords, or horses and cars, these are all extremely different. Anyways I don't want to get further off the topic of the posted art, so I wish you a pleasant rest of your day.
rlyehtaxidermist
Aug 23, 2025 5:56PM
The pairing tag should probably be Ariya x Yuiman, not Ariya x Asama - Yuiman's name has a ・, which usually indicates Western name order, and all the characters refer to her as Yuiman, not Asama. Nobody in Touhou is polite enough to use surnames.
TaeDye Aug 18, 2025 10:18PM
Newhu Yuri! That was fast, but given the story for these two, it was only a matter of time.
FluffyCow Aug 18, 2025 10:54PM
Is the new Touhou the one ZUN used ai-gen backgrounds for? I could be wrong and apologies if I am, though if he did I wish he would have hired an actual artist for that...
Moedred Aug 19, 2025 2:28AM
I checked what other have been saying and according to some ZUN is often using stock images for background. And AI-generated ones are often not tagged, so it could be mistake. People who post Ai-gen stuff often "forget" to tag it as such.
FluffyCow Aug 19, 2025 2:32AM
^From what I recall there was some things complications with a translation post that was going around about him and a recent game. Ultimately though it sounded like he normally uses stock images for backgrounds, but then for a new game he was openly embracing ai gen for the backgrounds saying it saves him time to focus on other things. Which I still think him hiring another artist to draw nice backgrounds would be better.
Moedred Aug 19, 2025 2:40AM
While I agree on hiring someone for backgrounds (some artists specialize in that), one can argue that it's "good" usage of Ai-gen, using it to fill-in something that isn't important, not a central piece, saving time for more important stuff. But still, I don't like Ai-gen stuff.
FluffyCow Aug 19, 2025 2:48AM
^I don't think it's a good use personally, since I think backgrounds are part of the project as a whole, and a good background artist can really add to a project. It's maybe less important than other things, but I appreciate it when love and care is poured into all areas. That's where I stand with it anyhow, and it's of course fine if we agree to disagree there, ultimately it sounds like neither of us like ai gen stuff either way.
Aureole Aug 19, 2025 2:49AM
^^ Even non-important stuff are generated based on training data, which is ripped off by AI company from uncompensated artists (and co).
last edited at Aug 19, 2025 2:49AM
Zesc Aug 19, 2025 9:15AM
Whilst I can't comment on this particular outlet's general veracity, this Automaton article sums up the most important points regardings ZUN's use of matrix hallucination in Fossilized Wonders. Notably the model in question claims to be only trained on public domain sources.
Aureole Aug 19, 2025 9:43AM
^ If that's true then I'm fine with it (if not counting the huge power/water need for model training).
ninryu Aug 19, 2025 3:28PM
According to ZUN the use of genAI was part of the theme of the game. https://bsky.app/profile/richardeffendi.bsky.social/post/3lwlrk4kbsc2k
last edited at Aug 19, 2025 3:28PM
FluffyCow Aug 19, 2025 3:35PM
^I wish those themes were explored in the narrative while not actually using ai gen, but that's just my preference I suppose lol
ninryu Aug 20, 2025 6:04AM
^ Same : \
Ferdina Aug 22, 2025 12:37PM
AI is inevitable. I much prefer horses and swords, but cars and guns are here.
last edited at Aug 22, 2025 12:37PM
FluffyCow Aug 22, 2025 1:35PM
^Agree to disagree, and I don't think the comparison works. Plus I strongly dislike the "inevitable" attitude when a lot of it is already failing because so much of it is an investment scam. Also there will always be people that want to actually draw, engage with art and make their own evolving style, express themselves through the act. Generated content isn't actually art or engaging with that process. That's where I stand.
Ferdina Aug 22, 2025 2:03PM
Except that it's already at a quality that one can't tell apart from real art. I'd like to take drawing myself as a hobby, and i dislike using AI even when looking something up. Horse carriages also exist, but as a novelty, not when you actually need to go somewhere, same might be with art.
But hey, i pray that my opinion looks stupid in couple years.
FluffyCow Aug 22, 2025 2:28PM
^There's a lot of AI gen'd content you can still easily tell is generated, especially as a lot of it doesn't hold up under scrutiny. There's also a lot of human made art that looks human made, that someone with real passion actually drew something, and has the person's signature style. Plus artists constantly prove their ability to actually draw. Again I don't think your comparison works. Picking up a pencil or stylus and actually drawing vs using an image generator is not the same as guns and swords, or horses and cars, these are all extremely different. Anyways I don't want to get further off the topic of the posted art, so I wish you a pleasant rest of your day.
rlyehtaxidermist Aug 23, 2025 5:56PM
The pairing tag should probably be Ariya x Yuiman, not Ariya x Asama - Yuiman's name has a ・, which usually indicates Western name order, and all the characters refer to her as Yuiman, not Asama. Nobody in Touhou is polite enough to use surnames.