Partnership to extend to other Kodansha IP
Image via hypnosismic.com
© King Record Co., Ltd.
AI avatar technology company Genies announced last Tuesday that it is entering a partnership with Kodansha’s King Music label to transform the company’s IP into interactive AI companions, beginning with the Hypnosis Mic franchise.
The project will turn all 21 Hypnosis Mic characters into AI companions with 3D character models. The company claims it can convert characters in days instead of weeks with its technology.
The American company features tools that allow users to convert characters into companions called “Genies” for use in apps and games. The company is also partnering with the Major League Baseball (MLB) organization to turn athletes into companions.
King Records’ Hypnosis Mic rap-themed project features voice actors who rap in the personas of original characters, and it launched in September 2017. Hypnosis Mic’s first full album Enter the Hypnosis Microphone launched in April 2018. The group earned the top spot as the most popular voice actor Twitter account in Japan for 2018. The project includes multiple manga tie-ins, a mobile game, stage plays, and live events.
The Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- movie, described as “Japan’s first interactive film,” screened in Japanese theaters in February 2025. GKIDS screened the film on February 27 in 15 Regal theaters in the U.S.
The film uses CtrlMovie’s in-theatre polling technology to determine the routes, songs, and endings based on audience votes.
Sources: Genies’ X/Twitter account, Variety (Naman Ramachandran), Anime! Anime!
