Introduction
I found out that ChatGPT can even draw pictures,
so I thought, “Then maybe it can create manga too?” — and decided to give it a try.
At first, I just set up the characters and left the rest to ChatGPT.
To my surprise, it went pretty smoothly — I thought, “This might actually work!”
But then… I got a little too confident and tried making a second episode.
That’s when I ran into all sorts of unexpected pitfalls...
The Pitfalls of AI-Generated Manga
🖼️ 1. The Image Size Problem
DALL·E has strict limitations on image size — it won’t let you draw freely.
Especially for manga-style panel layouts, you need to be precise with your instructions beforehand.
Sample prompt:
> Each panel is part of a large image that is 1024 pixels wide and 1536 pixels tall, with a 2:3 aspect ratio.
Width and height are important. Please follow these strictly.
🈳 2. It Doesn’t Understand Japanese!?
Thinking back, DALL·E is an AI developed for English users.
If you want Japanese text in speech bubbles, you need to clearly specify that it should be in Japanese.
Sample prompt:
> Make sure the speech bubble text is in Japanese.
Use a Japanese manga-style font, written horizontally.
Do not use English.
🧩 3. Random Changes to Panel Count
Even if you ask for two panels, sometimes you get three… or even just a single full-page image.
If you really want a 2-panel comic, you need to explicitly say so.
Sample prompt:
> I’m requesting a 2-panel comic. Please make it exactly two panels.
🚫 4. The “All-Ages Safe” Barrier
I once thought, “It’s summer — let’s make a beach story!”
But surprisingly, that got rejected.
DALL·E seems very strict about swimsuits, young children, and anything remotely adult-themed.
Rather than trying to get around this with prompts, it’s better to carefully choose your themes from the start.
Conclusion
My first attempt at generating a manga went great.
But once I started injecting more of my own ideas, things quickly became “out of control.”
Still, this kind of trial and error is part of the fun.
Creating with AI can be a unique and enjoyable experience.
I encourage everyone to give it a try — treat it like a fun experiment!