Japanese anime voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, demanding the platform remove artificial intelligence-generated voice clones that mimic his baritone. The Tokyo District Court is scheduled to issue a verdict on Sept. 30 in a case regarding performers’ publicity rights against unbridled AI cloning.
The Lawsuit Over AI Voice Cloning on TikTok
Tsuda, known for voicing characters in mega-franchises like Jujutsu Kaisen and Yu-Gi-Oh!, launched the legal action after discovering an anonymous TikTok account using a synthetic copy of his voice. Court records show the account posted videos combining images and AI-generated speech about conspiracy theories, occult phenomena, and urban legends. According to Tsuda’s legal team, the account amassed more than 200,000 subscribers and generated upwards of 500,000 yen (S$4,060) in monthly revenue.
While the specific account is no longer viewable on the platform, the Tokyo District Court must rule on whether TikTok was responsible for deleting the posts. Tsuda’s attorneys argue that the account “only gained popularity because its dubious, sordid content was narrated by the attractive voice of a popular actor,” directly infringing on his publicity rights to control and profit from his identity.
Did you know? Voice actors in Japan’s animation industry often undergo years of rigorous training and apprenticeship. Yuko Sasaki, executive director of the Japan Actors Union, notes that an actor’s voice is “the result of years of rigorous training and apprenticeship” that performers spend significant time and money perfecting.
Platform Defense and Legal Precedents
TikTok has pushed back against the claims in court filings, arguing that the audio in question is merely a “generic male voice” and that any perceived similarity to Tsuda’s is entirely subjective. The platform also questioned the actor’s “national fame,” rejecting accusations that the account violated Japan’s unfair competition prevention laws by free-riding on a well-known brand. TikTok maintained that it merely acted as a platform hosting creative user content protected by free speech.
Although Japan has no explicit statute enshrining a person’s voice in law, the nation’s justice ministry published non-binding guidelines clarifying that a voice, as “the symbol of one’s personality,” is subject to existing publicity rights and protections against unauthorized use of one’s likeness. It is “very unlikely” Tsuda’s voice will be outright denied publicity rights.
Global Industry Backlash and The ‘No More’ Campaign
The legal battle in Tokyo reflects a broader, worldwide anxiety among performers regarding generative AI. Parallel to the lawsuit, Japanese voice actors have organized a campaign named “No More” to protest the unauthorized AI mimicking of performers. Actor Bin Shimada warned that the industry “can be crushed” if a legal victory for TikTok greenlights unbridled AI voice cloning across social media, potentially causing younger performers to lose hope.
The International Federation of Actors stated in 2025 that copyright and data protection laws in many countries fail to adequately protect performers from synthetic clones. High-profile incidents have occurred elsewhere, such as in 2024 when ChatGPT maker OpenAI apologized to Scarlett Johansson over a synthetic voice released after she declined to work on the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kenjiro Tsuda suing TikTok over?
Kenjiro Tsuda is suing TikTok to establish accountability after an anonymous account used an artificial intelligence voice clone mimicking his distinctively deep baritone to narrate videos about conspiracy theories and urban legends.
What are publicity rights in Japan regarding voices?
While Japan has no specific law explicitly protecting voices, the justice ministry issued non-binding guidelines stating that a person’s voice functions as a symbol of their personality and is protected under existing publicity rights and likeness laws.
How much revenue did the disputed TikTok account generate?
According to legal complaints cited in court records, the anonymous account boasted over 200,000 subscribers and brought in upwards of 500,000 yen (S$4,060) monthly before it was taken down.
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