Using AI technology to create a short anime based on Lafcadio Hearn’s “Ghost Stories”! TSK San-in: Central Television and DLE Team Up to Take on the Challenge
TSK Sanin Central Television Press release: September 6, 2025 To Members of the Press Using AI technology, we’ve produced a short anime based on Lafcadio Hearn’s “Ghost Stories”! TSK San-in, Central Television, and DLE team up to take on the challenge Produce two different videos using the same scenario! Broadcast on terrestrial TV in Sanin from October
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(Headquarters: Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture; President and CEO: Choemon Tanaka; hereinafter referred to as TSK) has teamed up with DLE Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo; President and CEO/CCO: Ryo Ono; hereinafter referred to as DLE) to jointly produce and broadcast a mini-program. ■Program Title: “The World of Lafcadio Hearn’s KWAIDAN (Ghost Stories)” Koizumi Yakumo (Patrick Lafcadio Hearn) is a Meiji-era literary master known for his works such as “Kwaidan” (ghost stories). Born to an Irish father and a Greek mother, Koizumi Yakumo came to Japan after reading the English translation of the “Kojiki.” He was assigned to Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, as an English teacher, and married Koizumi Setsu, the daughter of a Matsue samurai, and became a naturalized Japanese citizen. From the works of Yakumo, who has deep ties to Shimane, we have carefully selected 13 stories of mysterious and bizarre tales that are passed down in Japan and will be produced as a three-minute mini-program. The first episode is “Hoichi the Earless.” Other stories set in his hometown of Matsue are also scheduled to air: “The Woman Buying Candy,” “The Great Turtle of Gesshoji Temple,” “The Mystery of Matsue Castle,” and “The
Azukibean-Polishing Bridge.” ■Create high-quality content using AI Our partner, DLE, has worked on numerous anime projects to date. This year, they opened a new studio, OBETA AI STUDIO, incorporating AI technology. By incorporating AI into content production, which is typically done manually at most anime production sites, they are now able to rapidly produce large volumes of high-quality content. DLE’s President Ono once lived in Shimane Prefecture, and as a result, the AI Studio’s first terrestrial broadcast project was a collaborative production with TSK, featuring a visual adaptation of “Kaidan.” To allow viewers to enjoy the unique horror and visual beauty of AI, the studio will produce and broadcast two versions of the same script: a 2D “anime-look” version that utilizes the aesthetics of Japanese animation, and a “live-action” version that delivers a realistic, live-action feel unique to AI.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/86416/94/86416-94-85c01d138019c998264f838e2f9ea82e-3840×1080.jpg Anime look version
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/86416/94/86416-94-691f9aaaf6053121cc4530b9a27baf69-3840×1080.jpg Live-action look version The film is directed by FROGMAN, president of DLE, known for films such as “Secret Society Eagle Talon” and the creator of Shimane Super Ambassador Yoshida-kun. Konka, the program’s navigation character, was designed by Matsue-born manga artist Sera Izumi. Voice roles will be provided by talented voice actors such as Matsue Tourism Ambassador Chafurin (Inspector Megure in “Detective Conan,” among others) and Miki Ito (Android 18 in “Dragon Ball Z,” among others). ■Koizumi Yakumo and Matsue: Attracting Attention This fall, NHK’s serial drama “Bakebake,” starring Yakumo’s wife, Koizumi Setsu, will begin airing, drawing attention to Matsue City, the setting of the drama, and Lafcadio Hearn. TSK, whose broadcast area covers Shimane and Tottori, hopes that this will not only help boost excitement in Matsue, but also provide a great opportunity for viewers to rediscover Lafcadio Hearn’s work. We hope you enjoy the
“horrifying” and “beautiful” effects of the AI-generated images. ■Broadcast TSK San-in Chuo Television (Broadcast area: Shimane Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture) – Anime Look Version: October 2, 2025 – Every Thursday, 8:54 PM – 9:00 PM Live-action version: October 3, 2025 – Every Friday, 24:45-24:50
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/86416/94/86416-94-a843ac35ff4166ff0cc85fdd65aed766-3900×1463.jpg From Episode 1, “Hoichi the Earless”
