---
title: 'Japan''s $71M AI Translation Investment: A Terrible Decision?'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=O7vvzoSaE5g'
video_id: 'O7vvzoSaE5g'
date: 2026-09-02
duration_sec: 103
channel: 'The Anime Man'
---

# Japan's $71M AI Translation Investment: A Terrible Decision?

> Source: [Japan's $71M AI Translation Investment: A Terrible Decision?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=O7vvzoSaE5g)

## Summary

Japan's government has invested $71 million to help anime companies like Crunchyroll, Shueisha, Bandai Namco, and Kodansha use AI translation tools, claiming it will combat piracy. The video criticizes this decision, arguing the money would be better spent on human translators or improving streaming services.

### Key Points

- **Japan's AI Translation Investment** [00:00] — Japan invested $71 million to support AI-powered translations for companies like Crunchyroll, Shueisha, Bandai Namco, and Kodansha, with the stated goal of combating piracy.
- **Criticism of the Investment** [00:32] — The creator argues that piracy is not caused by a lack of subtitles, and the investment is misguided. They suggest the money could be used to hire human translators instead.
- **Cost-Benefit Analysis** [00:44] — The average translator in Japan earns 3.2 million yen per year. With 11.5 billion yen, the government could fund approximately 3,593 translators annually.
- **Alternative Use of Funds** [01:01] — The creator suggests the money could be used to create a better streaming service that is cheaper, easier to use, and accessible worldwide, which they believe would address the root cause of piracy.
- **AI Backlash** [01:15] — The creator expresses a negative reaction to the use of AI, believing it will increase piracy rather than reduce it, as it may alienate fans.

### Conclusion

The video strongly criticizes Japan's decision to invest in AI translation, arguing it is a misallocation of funds that fails to address the real reasons for anime piracy.

## Transcript

Japan may have just made the worst decision ever by investing a bunch of money into Crunchyroll to use AI translation tools. And by a little bit of money, I mean 71 million US dollars to help companies like Crunchyroll, Shueisha, Bandai Namco, and Kodansha
with a big focus on AI-powered translations, which they say is apparently going to help combat piracy. Oh yes, because that's the reason why everyone's been pirating their anime.
It's because not enough have subtitles in them. Hey Japan, I've got a great idea. Why don't you use that 71 million dollars to instead pay for, I don't know, fucking human translators?
Average translator in Japan earns 3.2 million yen a year. You have 11.5 billion. I'm no fucking math expert, but I'm pretty sure that totals out to 3,593 translators per year.
Or here's a better idea. Why don't you use that 11.5 billion yen that you somehow have just lying around to, I don't know, create a better streaming service that is cheaper, easier to use, and is accessible worldwide?
Because I don't know, maybe that's the reason why everyone's pirating their fucking anime. The moment I saw the word AI in this fucking article, it already left a seriously sour taste in my mouth. And if anything, using AI and putting all of this money into AI when you can instead using it for so many other things is just going to make people want to pirate their anime more.
It's doing the opposite effect. Japan, try not to make a terrible decision challenge. Level impossible.