Following the release of Kyūri Yamada’s The Gene of AI manga on emaqi, Final Weapon had the opportunity to interview Ichiro Miyazaki, an editor from the Monthly Shōnen Champion Editorial Department at Akita Shoten, to get more insights into the manga’s first-ever official English translation. Final Weapon also received an exclusive message from Kyuri Yamada regarding the inspiration and creation of The Gene of AI. 

Originally launched in November 2015, The Gene of AI was ahead of its time, giving readers much to ponder about the nature of AI. Set in a futuristic world where advanced AI entities with human-like traits make up considerable portion of the population, The Gene of AI shows readers what protagonist Dr. Hikaru Sudo, a physician specialized in treating humanoids, discovers and realizes as he treats his unique patients. Sudo leads a double life of sorts with his pseudonym “Moggadeet,” but those lives mesh together in gray zones of ethical, legal, and societal complexities. 

“Ever since I was a child, I have loved science fiction centered on robots and artificial intelligence,” Yamada said. “Japan has a long tradition of exploring these questions through manga and anime — from Osamu Tezuka to Hayao Miyazaki — and I have been deeply shaped by that legacy. At the same time, works like RoboCop and 2001: A Space Odyssey had a profound influence on me and helped shape the way I think about AI. Before becoming a manga artist, I worked as an IT journalist, and it was around 2013 that I first encountered deep learning. When I witnessed AI surpass human performance on a particular test, I became convinced that the world was about to change in a fundamental way — and I knew I wanted to explore that through my work.”

Yamada continued, “With The Gene of AI, I wanted to depict not just the technology itself, but the kind of society it gives rise to. Where is the line between AI as a tool and AI as an intelligent being? And when that line begins to blur, what happens to the way we live? More than a decade has passed since I published the first chapter, and these themes feel more real than ever. The development of AI will not stop. That is why the question we now face is how we choose to coexist with it. For anyone picking up this story in English for the first time, I hope it feels not like a distant future, but like something already beginning — right now. And I hope it becomes an invitation to think together about what it truly means to live alongside an intelligence that may one day surpass our own.”

Get the full interview Ichiro Miyazaki from Monthly Shōnen Champion below:

What are your thoughts on The Gene of AI receiving its first-ever official English localization?

Ichiro Miyazaki: Honestly, I’m incredibly excited. In North America, there is already such active discussion around AI ethics and the possibility of AI developing human-like emotions. That is exactly why I believe the inner lives of the troubled humanoids portrayed in The Gene of AI – and the doctors who care for them – will feel fresh, timely, and deeply moving to readers.

I hope North American audiences will embrace the series both as a work of thoughtful science fiction and as an exploration of diverse identities.

Because it is structured as an anthology-style series, I also think it is very accessible for busy readers who want something easy to pick up.

Why is now the right time to release The Gene of AI in English, nearly 11 years after its original serialization in Japan?

Miyazaki: Among the many manga published in Japan, only a small fraction ever receive official English translations. The Gene of AI was one of the many titles that, until now, had not yet had the opportunity to reach readers overseas.

When the series first launched, AI may still have felt like a fairly futuristic theme. But this time, the team at emaqi – many of whom are passionate manga fans themselves – took notice and said, “There is already a manga that has been exploring AI for more than a decade.” That interest became a major catalyst for this English release.

In addition, the fact that Yamada-sensei, the creator of The Gene of AI, was invited to speak at an event in San Francisco centered on AI and manga gave us another strong reason to move forward.

Today, themes such as AI technology and ethics, as well as the relationship between AI and humanity, feel far more immediate and real than they did when the series first began. I believe this is a work that carries even greater meaning when read now, in the context of a world that has changed so much over the past 11 years.

Regarding the translation of The Gene of AI and other titles you work on — what has stood out to you, what challenges have you encountered, and what do you keep in mind when bringing these works to overseas fans?

Miyazaki: At Akita Shoten, we do not handle translation in-house. Instead, we entrust it to local publishers, because we want expressions that are unique to Japanese to be localized in a way that feels natural, accurate, and familiar to native speakers.

Orange, which is handling the official English edition of The Gene of AI, has been communicating with us very closely and thoughtfully. Both the original author and I, as the editor, have full trust and confidence in them.

I recently had the opportunity to travel to San Francisco with Yamada-sensei, the creator of The Gene of AI. During that visit, I remember Orange asking many detailed questions in an effort to deepen their understanding of the world of the series. I was also surprised to learn that one of the Orange team members has extensive knowledge of robotics. So, honestly, I do not have many concerns at all.

As for other titles, I remember the localization of SHY, a superhero manga, being particularly challenging. Some of the characters have names taken directly from Japanese onomatopoeia, such as “Shikushiku” and “Doki,” which made them very difficult for the local publisher to adapt.

I remember being asked questions such as, “What is the meaning or origin of this organization’s name?” and “Was it inspired by anything specific?” The amount of thought they put into those details left a very strong impression on me.

Of course, Akita Shoten – both the author and the editorial team – did everything we could to answer those questions. Seeing the local team devote so much care and effort to such a difficult translation challenge made me very happy.

Do you hope to see The Gene of AI published in print in English?

Miyazaki: Of course! That would make me very happy. It would mean that even more fans in North America are reading The Gene of AI.

That said, personally, whether readers experience the series digitally or in print, what matters most to me is simply that they read it. The format is not the most important thing. I hope people enjoy it in whatever way feels most comfortable for them.

What do you find most compelling about The Gene of AI?

Miyazaki: The Gene of AI is a near-future medical science fiction series, but what I find most compelling is the way it asks, “What does it mean to be human?” through intimate medical stories that feel close to our own lives.

In the series, AI characters struggle and suffer just as humans do. Is it acceptable to alter an AI’s emotions? Is there any fundamental difference between a romantic relationship or family bond involving AI and one between humans?

These questions are explored carefully and thoughtfully through a different patient’s case in each episode. That, to me, is the greatest appeal of the series.

What themes or messages do you hope readers will take away from The Gene of AI?

Miyazaki: I hope readers come away feeling that no matter how much technology advances, what matters most in the end is the desire to understand others, and the love we show one another. I would be very happy if readers experienced the series as a story about identity and took something warm from it.

As readers will discover, the climaxes of the stories are deliberately written not to push a single answer, such as “this is what you should do” or “this is the right choice.” Instead, the series is designed to invite readers to think for themselves.

Personally, precisely because AI is advancing so rapidly today, I hope readers will not forget the importance of thinking for themselves.

Thinking is what has always driven humanity forward. It is also a free space that no one can take away from you. It is one of the greatest strengths we have.

In a world where AI can instantly give us answers to almost anything, I hope readers will continue to value the process of arriving at an answer – not just the answer itself.

Finally, is there anything you would like to say to readers and fans?

Miyazaki: To everyone who became interested after reading this interview, to fans of The Gene of AI, and to manga fans everywhere – thank you so much for reading this far.

Unlike anime, manga has no sound, no color, and no movement. But I believe that is exactly what makes it a medium that sparks the reader’s imagination and allows each person to bring their own interpretation to the story.

Human imagination is powerful and filled with infinite possibility.

I am confident that The Gene of AI is a work that will spark your imagination.