Kioxia Announces English Version of World’s First AI-Designed Manga
3.6.2020 12:30:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Kioxia Corporation today announced that an English version of “PHAEDO,” a new manga created and designed by AI and human collaboration, inspired by the artistic style of manga legend Osamu Tezuka, will be released on June 3 as part of TEZUKA 2020, the first phase of Kioxia’s #FutureMemories brand campaign. PHAEDO, which debuted in February in Japanese comic magazine “Morning,” will be made available for English-language audiences on Kioxia’s TEZUKA 2020 website. PHAEDO is the world’s first1 international manga created through human collaboration, high-speed and large-capacity memory and advanced AI technologies.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200603005356/en/
"PHAEDO" (Graphic: Business Wire)
The process of developing PHAEDO involved using AI technology to generate the story and create the characters. As a first step, to learn the essence of Tezuka’s work and his characteristics as a writer, AI analyzed 130 manga episodes, written and drawn by Osamu Tezuka, including globally famous titles such as “Astro Boy” and “Black Jack”. Based on this analysis, the AI then generated 129 candidate storylines. As a next step, the AI studied 6000 images and applied transfer learning to generate visuals for the characters.
By analyzing Tezuka’s works, AI was able to generate the physical characteristics of new characters, outlines of new stories, after which illustrators hand-drew clothing and other Tezuka inspired details and writers added dialogue. The project team consisted of engineers from Kioxia, who optimize semiconductor fab productivity and product performance using AI technology, illustrators and writers from Tezuka Productions Co., and AI researchers from Keio University and Future University Hakodate.
PHAEDO is the story of a homeless philosopher and his robot bird, Apollo, who try to solve crimes in Tokyo in 2030. This marks the first time Tezuka’s work has been recreated in 30 years.
Kioxia launched its #FutureMemories campaign last October to commemorate the company’s rebranding as Kioxia. PHAEDO is one of the many ways Kioxia intends to change the world by pursuing the potential of memory to create new value with never-before-seen experiences.
For details about PHAEDO, including videos and interviews, please visit TEZUKA 2020 website.
Notes
1. As of June 3, 2020. Kioxia Corporation research.
About Kioxia
Kioxia is a world leader in memory solutions, dedicated to the development, production and sale of flash memory and solid state drives (SSDs). In April 2017, its predecessor Toshiba Memory was spun off from Toshiba Corporation, the company that invented NAND flash memory in 1987. The company pioneers cutting-edge memory solutions and services that enrich people's lives and expand society's horizons. Kioxia's innovative 3D flash memory technology, BiCS FLASH™, is shaping the future of storage in high-density applications, including advanced smartphones, PCs, SSDs, automotive and data centers.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200603005356/en/
Contact information
For more information
Sam Ghirardello (phone: +81-3-5427-7396, SGhirardello@webershandwick.com)
Satoshi Ito (phone: +81-3-5427-7309, SIto@webershandwick.com)
Weber Shandwick (Tokyo)
Natalie Telson (ntelson@webershandwick.com)
Weber Shandwick (New York)
Public Relations
Kota Yamaji (kioxia-hd-pr@kioxia.com
)
Kioxia Holdings Corporation
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Helical Fusion Launches Helix Program “Official Partners” to Build Japan’s Industrial Coalition for Commercial Fusion Energy28.4.2026 06:00:00 EEST | Press release
Helical Fusion Co., Ltd., a fusion energy company developing a Helical stellarator power plant, today announced the launch of Helix Program Official Partners, a new strategic partnership framework designed to bring together long-term industrial collaborators committed to advancing fusion from laboratory progress to real-world fusion power deployment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260427596284/en/ Helical Fusion’s Integrated Demonstration Device, “Helix HARUKA,” currently under construction (photographed at the company’s dedicated workspace within the National Institute for Fusion Science in Gifu, Japan) The Helix Program is Helical Fusion’s core initiative to realize commercially viable fusion energy in the 2030s. Rather than starting from a reactor concept alone, the program works backward from the three essential requirements for commercial fusion power: net electricity, continuous operation, and high main
Investor Supporting Japan’s Entertainment Industry, Yoshihiro Shimamura, to Visit France Workshop to be Held During the Cannes Film Festival28.4.2026 05:00:00 EEST | Press release
Shimamura Yoshihiro Film Planning Inc. (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; CEO: Yoshihiro Shimamura), a company engaged in film production and investment, will host a workshop in France during this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as part of its commitment to further advancing the entertainment industry. The company invests in leading entertainment-related businesses in Japan and places strong emphasis on long-term value creation. It identifies the cultural and entertainment sectors as high-growth areas and is actively involved in international co-productions as a core part of its film production activities. As a recent investment, the company acquired 2,000,000 shares of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, Inc.—a major Japanese entertainment conglomerate known for producing content enjoyed across generations—and became a major shareholder (as of March 25, 2026). Through such investments, the company aims to support the global expansion of Japanese entertainment while exploring synergies with its own interna
Alsym Energy Announces Na-Series Battery Success Developed With Physics-Informed AI Platform27.4.2026 22:25:00 EEST | Press release
Alsym Energy, a pioneer in non-flammable, high-performance sodium-ion batteries, today announced details of the proprietary physics-informed AI platform used to develop the company’s recently launched Na-Series sodium-ion batteries. By integrating fundamental physics models with AI, autonomous testing and proprietary molecular diagnostics in a closed-loop system, Alsym is accelerating the design of safer, inexpensive, commercialized batteries through all phases of the development cycle. As global demand for electricity surges, the limitations of lithium-ion batteries have become increasingly apparent, particularly around safety and supply chain constraints. Lithium-ion chemistry presents inherent challenges, including flammability and reliance on constrained global supply chains—issues that become more acute in large-scale energy storage, where higher energy densities considerably increase fire risks, and growing demand across sectors further strains the supply chain and imperils energ
Backed by Investments Exceeding $1 Billion, PCI Pharma Services Announces Major Expansion of US Sterile Fill-Finish and Drug-Device Delivery Combination Capabilities27.4.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
PCI Pharma Services (“PCI”) – a world-leading integrated global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) focused on innovative biologic and small molecule therapies – announced a series of major infrastructure investments that substantially deepen its sterile fill-finish and advanced drug delivery capabilities. As pharma manufacturers and their development partners increasingly prioritize US supply chain resilience, PCI’s latest investments come as part of a broader commitment exceeding $1 billion across the CDMO’s US and European operations, reinforcing its ability to provide seamless support for drug product development and manufacturing, clinical trial supply and drug-device combination assembly from clinical stages through commercial launch – all underpinned by global capacity, technical expertise, deep scientific knowledge, and an industry-leading quality and regulatory track record. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.
Pure Lithium Appoints Renowned Battery Expert Dr. Yuan Gao to Board of Directors27.4.2026 16:53:00 EEST | Press release
Pure Lithium Corporation, a vertically integrated lithium metal battery technology company, is pleased to announce that world-renowned inventor and battery expert Dr. Yuan Gao has joined the company’s Board of Directors. Dr. Gao has been an invaluable member of Pure Lithium’s Scientific Advisory Board since October of 2023. "We are thrilled to have Dr. Gao join our board as we focus on rapidly scaling our technology in the most capital efficient manner possible,” said Pure Lithium Founder, Chairman and CEO Emilie Bodoin. “Dr. Gao is a brilliant scientist who also has deep commercial expertise, a rare combination. He is also unique in the industry because his experience spans the entire battery materials value chain, including all of Pure Lithium’s verticals. His insights over the years have been critical in advancing our technology, and his experience as a director of public companies will strengthen our board.” Dr. Gao commented: “I am thrilled to join the board of Pure Lithium Corpor
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom