The recent controversy surrounding OpenAI’s Sora 2 video generator has pushed Japan to a critical inflection point. The government’s formal request for the company to prevent copyright infringement of its iconic anime and manga characters is more than just a legal skirmish; it is a defining moment for the entire Japan Technology Future.

That message, a cry of despair from a friend deeply familiar with the rights landscape of manga and anime, arrived on October 1. It was the beginning of everything.