Key Takeaways
1. Morphic, Inc. is a Silicon Valley company co-founded by Jaynti Kanani, known for its work in artificial intelligence and its new anime series DQN.
2. DQN is set in an alternate timeline where World War II never ended, featuring twelve characters in a race to find a transformative hidden vault.
3. The series utilizes Morphic Studio, an AI-driven platform that automates animation processes while allowing artists to maintain creative control.
4. Morphic has launched a US$1 million Creator’s Fund to support emerging talent in anime, gaming, comics, and visual media.
5. DQN represents a potential evolution in animated storytelling, showcasing a collaborative relationship between creativity and AI technology.
Morphic, Inc., a company in Silicon Valley known for its work in artificial intelligence, was started by Jaynti Kanani, a co-founder of Polygon. They have just revealed their first original anime series, named DQN. This project is being created with Tokyo-based director Kushagra Kushwaha and his animation studio, 4861.
A Unique Setting
DQN is set in a different timeline where the Second World War never officially ended. The story revolves around twelve characters who find themselves caught in a worldwide race to discover a hidden vault that is thought to have the ability to change civilization itself. The series delves into a society that is technologically divided and influenced by artificial intelligence, where the control and power seem to come from access to information.
Innovative Animation Tools
For the series, Morphic is using Morphic Studio, an AI-driven platform that enhances animation processes through automation and precise tools. Important features include automated frame inbetweening, training character models to keep a consistent style, and detailed scene editing using interface layers and segmentation. Although this platform speeds up production, it still values the creative direction from artists, giving them control over timing, motion, and visual flow throughout the sequences. Kushwaha, who is at the helm of creative development, has previously worked on shows like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean and Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest.
Supporting New Voices
Additionally, Morphic has introduced a US$1 million Creator’s Fund aimed at supporting new talent in anime, gaming, comics, and various visual media. This initiative seeks to amplify voices that are often overlooked and to foster original storytelling across different formats. A sneak peek of DQN has been shared, and full-scale production of the series is currently in progress.
As DQN continues its production journey, it potentially shows how the future of animated storytelling might evolve, not against AI but rather in a creative dialogue with it.
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