Anime fans are accusing Sekiro: No Defeat animation artists of using AI: "Oh that’s really bad"

Update: Qzil.la and the Sekiro: No Defeat production committee have made an official statement, with a translation supplied to us by Crunchyroll: "We're incredibly excited to bring Sekiro: No Defeat exclusively to Crunchyroll in 2026. The whole anime adaptation is a fully hand-drawn 2D animation created by the talented teams at Qzil.la, ARCH and Kadokawa. We can confirm that no AI is being used in the creation or production of this anime. Fans can look forward to the same artistry and precision that defined the original game, now reimagined in a new medium." Original story follows...

The upcoming anime adaptation of the popular video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has just released its first trailer, and the creators have already been accused of using AI in animation.

Soon after the trailer for anime series Sekiro: No Defeat dropped, one viewer took to Reddit to ask whether other anime fans think that the show has used AI to create animation. Although the screenshot has now been deleted, the still showed one character who seemed to have an extra finger. The user said, "Honestly, if I'm going to watch a Sekiro anime made with AI, I'd rather it not even be produced."

Sekiro: No Defeat | Official Trailer | Crunchyroll - YouTube

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At first, it seemed as though some Reddit users agreed that the dubious-looking screenshot did look AI-rendered. "Oh that’s really bad," replied one fan, and another added, "I usually tell people to reserve their judgment, but I won’t lie, it’s not the frame here, but the trailer looks like an everyday fan-made animation on YouTube."

The user does have a reason to question the anime, as although Sekiro: No Defeat is said to be a fully hand-drawn adaptation, the studio behind the series has already fallen in hot water for its AI usage. Via its official website, anime studio Qzil.la states that the company “is pioneering the future of entertainment by combining the latest technology and creativity without being bound by conventional ideas.” The question is whether that 'technology' includes AI-generated animation.

However, many fans quickly jumped to the series’ defence, stating that the still was simply a smear frame used to show motion. "That's a smear frame. We've really reached the point where kids are calling smear frames AI," said one user. Another added, "Look up anime in-between frames and you’ll quickly see that even the best anime have hilariously awful motion or in-between frames. Like, we know this by now."

Based on the popular video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice by FromSoftware, Sekiro: No Defeat follows a hero who tries to restore balance to a dismantled Japan, after a ceaseless war left it fractured into many independent nations.

Sekiro: No Defeat does not yet have a release date. For more, check out the best anime ready to watch right now, and keep up to date with new anime heading your way.