Major Japanese voice acting agency 81 Produce has announced a business partnership with ElevenLabs Japan. The collaboration aims to address the growing issue of unauthorized AI use of voice actors’ voices while enabling controlled, multilingual global expansion of Japanese content.
The partnership was officially announced on December 15, with both companies emphasizing the importance of protecting Japan’s voice acting culture while responsibly utilizing AI technology to support the industry’s future.
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase, both in Japan and overseas, in cases where voice actors’ voices are copied without permission and used in AI-generated audio. As voice acting is considered a cultural asset unique to Japan, protecting these voices has become an urgent issue for the industry.
81 Produce stated that “the voices of voice actors are a treasure Japan can be proud of,” and emphasized that addressing voice misuse is no longer an individual concern, but a critical, industry-wide challenge.
For 45 Years, 81 Produce has been one of Japan’s most established voice acting agencies, representing more than 400 voice actors. By entering this partnership, 81 Produce becomes one of the first major agencies to proactively take action against AI-related voice misuse, potentially setting a precedent for the wider industry. ElevenLabs Japan, part of the global ElevenLabs group, is known for leading AI voice research and development worldwide. The company provides advanced technology capable of verifying and protecting authentic voices while supporting multilingual voice generation.
Through this partnership, ElevenLabs will provide technologies described as “voice-protection systems,” including Voice CAPTCHA, digital watermarking, and C2PA-compliant authentication. These technologies allow platforms and creators to confirm whether a voice is genuine, helping prevent unauthorized usage and impersonation.
Another key strength of ElevenLabs’ platform is the high-quality digital voice registration. Registered voices retain the original voice actor’s tone, texture, and performance nuances, even when converted into other languages.
Under the partnership:
- 81 Produce will register affiliated voice actors’ voices with ElevenLabs as needed.
- ElevenLabs will use the registered voices, with proper authorization, to create multilingual versions of anime, narration, and other content.
- Voices can be generated in up to 29 languages while preserving the original voice actor’s characteristics.
- The localized content can then be distributed globally, allowing overseas audiences to experience performances that remain faithful to the original Japanese acting.
- This approach allows Japanese content to reach international audiences without replacing the original voice actor, a long-standing concern in global localization.
As a result of this initiative, the companies propose a new concept referred to as the “Hybrid Voice Actor.” This describes performers who possess both their original Japanese voice and AI-assisted multilingual versions, enabling them to participate directly in global releases while maintaining control over their voice and rights.
This concept significantly expands the potential scope of voice actors’ careers, allowing them to reach audiences far beyond Japan.
81 Produce and ElevenLabs stated that the partnership aims to:
- Preserve Japanese language and dubbing culture while connecting it to global markets.
- Reduce the cost and time associated with traditional dubbing-based localization.
- Improve the global competitiveness of Japanese anime and entertainment.
- Protect voice actors’ rights while creating new revenue opportunities.
- Improve productivity and reduce strain within content production environments.
Michiyoshi Minamisawa, President and CEO of 81 Produce, reflected on the timing of the partnership as the agency approaches its 45th anniversary. He noted that generative AI has introduced new challenges, including voice protection, preservation of dubbing culture, and multilingual expansion.
More than 60 years have passed since the birth and broadcast of Japan’s first domestically produced anime television series, “Astro Boy.” The anime industry has taken flight globally, with a succession of hit titles, and the voice acting industry has played a vibrant role in this. 81 Produce will soon celebrate its 45th anniversary.
In this milestone year, the issue of “generative AI” has emerged, and we have come face to face with Eleven Lab, which possesses some of the world’s leading AI technology, to address themes such as voice protection, the preservation of dubbing culture, and the multilingualization of works.
The voices of Toru Ohira, Noriko Obara, and other great voice actors who mentored me are coming back to life! Such heartwarming proposals have led me to believe that voice actors and AI will coexist and usher in an era of expanding and developing content. Thiswill create “hybrid voice actors” who combine their own Japanese voices with voices rendered in multiple languages through AI technology. Despite various opinions, we are taking this step to incorporate the acting, technology, and production skills we have carefully cultivated into generative AI. We sincerely hope that our next generation of colleagues and juniors will feel comfortable working with generative AI and become true business partners.
Michiyoshi Minamisawa
Gen Tamura, General Manager of ElevenLabs Japan & Korea, highlighted the global value of Japanese voice acting, stating that the partnership respects this cultural asset while using advanced AI technology to create new business opportunities and accelerate international distribution of Japanese content.
Japanese voice actors’ high level of expressiveness and unique culture hold great value in the global content industry. This initiative respects this cultural asset while leveraging cutting-edge AI technology to unlock new business opportunities. By providing both Eleven Lab’s voice preservation technology and its technology for multilingualization while preserving the original voice, we will accelerate the global expansion of works and further expand Japan’s creative industry.
Gen Tamura
Source: Livedoor
