What can we say? It’s not a good look for Tsuburaya Productions, one of Japan’s most legendary animation companies, as one of its most legendary IPs, Ultraman, has been taken over for AI production. The update was recently posted (on X) by a fan who was utterly disappointed by the development:
Ultraman is now turning into AI slop licensed by a crypto company. This is straight-up disgraceful to Tsuburaya’s original vision and the soul of tokusatsu. You should be ashamed of yourselves, @TsuburayaGlobal for letting this tarnish the franchise’s legacy. https://t.co/VmbiMKn7i6— Kaiju No. 14 (@14_kaiju) January 27, 2026
The coveted IP is to be acquired by a crypto company, @bythenAI, and will be presented at Abstract, a Layer 2 (L2) network built on top of Ethereum by Michael Lee Speaker. This is just a sad development for the coveted Japanese title, and many fans have expressed their disappointment in the same tone.
Ultraman Taken Over by AI Disgraces Japan’s Most Coveted IP
Japan’s most legendary IP – the Ultraman – has been an iconic presence for many decades, with both legacy and nostalgia factors contributing to its symbolism. However, recently the franchise made a drastic decision and licensed the IP to a crypto company, ByThen, to produce it for the Abstract L2 network platform.
The series’ fans were utterly disappointed, and they were right to feel that way. What came as even more of a shock was that it was no third-party acquisition by the company – the actual Tsuburaya Productions company has handed it off. This came as shocking news, and the fans’ enraged and disappointed reactions say it all:
UltraSLOP. You were about to have a phenomenal generational run and then you decided to 💩 on all your fans with this, good work.— Tim Baksh ~ FREE AGENT 🥏 (@timbaksh) January 27, 2026
How did we went from this masterpiece to ai slop I hate it here pic.twitter.com/GYOOZBdwXp— Pirate Jayce ⚡🏴☠️ (@Thunder_Jayce) January 27, 2026
I swear, lots of enthusiastic AI adoption is done by naive boomers who treat it as magic instead of what it really is, a means to take and own Japanese IPs for misuse especially for a CRYPTO SCAM COMPANY!!— The (Cautionary) Multipolar Curator (@CuratorPunished) January 27, 2026
It’s insane how they thought this was a good idea at all, shameful how out of touch higher ups keep tarnishing the legacy of multiple beloved franchises — A z n a r t h (@Az_Artorius) January 27, 2026
I’m absolutely disappointed @TsuburayaGlobal AI and NFTs take the soul away from one’s art and name. Please reconsider your decision I know your company is aware of the wrongs that come with ai and you’re aware how much heart and soul comes from work made by actual people— Leo 🍁 (@wtf_a_psycho) January 27, 2026
From all the gathered comments, it is evident that fans of the franchise are very enraged by the decision to turn Ultraman into AI. The reason they are so upset has largely to do with who the characters were and the legacy they carried for decades.
The Legendary Series’ Legacy Throughout the Decades
Ultraman | Credits: Tsuburaya Productions
The name is not a new one to the global fans, as it is Japan’s most legendary IP, and we are not using the “legendary” term lightly here. The first television series premiered in 1966 and marked the start of something that would become a global phenomenon in the years that followed. Ever since then, the series has been released at regular yearly intervals, with a total of 30 seasons (1026 episodes) to date.
There were also several movies released for the franchise, starting in 1976, which was a compilation movie. To date, 37 movies have been released globally, with the latest being Ultraman Arc The Movie: The Clash of Light and Evil, released last year. Additionally, 9 short films were also released, including a few live-action ones.
TITLEUltramanPRODUCTION STUDIOTsuburaya ProductionsRELEASE DATEJuly 17, 1966IMDb RATING7.5/10
What are your thoughts on the AI transition for the legendary series? Let us know your opinions in the comments below.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
