How Erika Hurst is fighting AI with authentic, hand-drawn Japanese portraiture

Seeking human-made alternatives to algorithmic mediocrity? This film translator is connecting five Japanese artists with overseas buyers.

Between 2004 and 2006, I was fortunate enough to live in Saitama, near Tokyo, and work as an English teacher. During that time, I fell in love with Japanese art. But I have to be honest; finding the good stuff among the landfill of mediocre manga was like panning for gold in a dumpster.

Recently, that has become even more of a challenge, thanks to the avalanche of AI-generated slop. This phenomenon means the truly talented Japanese artists (the ones with genuine skill and cultural understanding) often remain invisible, especially to people in other countries. Language barriers, shipping nightmares and cultural gaps also conspire to keep their work locked away from the people who’d treasure it most.

It’s an issue that vexed Erika Hurst, based in Georgia, USA, whose day job involves translating Japanese samurai films. So she decided to do something about it.

Five artists worth knowing

On 5 September, Erika launches the Japanese Portrait Collection to bring the best of Japanese art to a global audience in a highly personal way. Each portrait is custom-made from your photo and hand-drawn in Japan. She’s partnered with five professional artists, each of whom brings something special to the table.

“Every day I scroll past endless AI-made portraits online, but it’s getting harder and harder for people to find artwork made by real hands,” Ericka tells me. “This collection is about giving people that authenticity back.”

Here’s the crucial bit: you don’t need to navigate Japanese websites, worry about international shipping, or struggle with language barriers. Orders are placed in English, and finished artworks ship from the US for fast delivery.

Ericka also adds personalised Japanese calligraphy to each piece: your name rendered in beautiful characters that complement the artwork.

Meet the artists

Here are the five artists that Ericka has signed up for the project.

Midori Iwama is an illustrator whose biology-inspired art appears in An Amazing Look Inside Animal Mouths. She creates portraits in the ukiyo-e style (a school dominant in the 17th–19th centuries, which focuses on subjects in everyday life), but with a scientific twist.

Karaage Manbou works in sumi-e (a style of Japanese ink painting) and earned recognition at the Filmred Cultural Festival, receiving an Honourable Mention and the Art Grand Prix.

Kinonick specialises in anime portraiture but also creates something wonderfully bonkers: pet-as-anime-character portraits. Your cat as a magical girl? Yes, please.

Ao Mochizuki has created countless custom portraits for VTubers and YouTubers. She exhibits a deep understanding of how digital culture intersects with traditional art.

Imomoimoko brings fresh energy to manga portraiture. But her contemporary approach doesn’t abandon tradition; it evolves it.

Fighting for human creativity

Overall, I’m a big fan of this project, and not just because I’m slightly obsessed with Japanese cat art. This isn’t just about a particular print; it’s about preserving something precious. Every time someone chooses a hand-drawn portrait over AI-generated imagery, they’re voting for human creativity, cultural authenticity, and the value of genuine skill.

As Ericka puts it, “This collection connects those two worlds. It allows Japanese artists to be seen and appreciated globally, while giving audiences a seamless way to own a piece of living Japanese culture.”

Japanese artists deserve global recognition. Creative professionals deserve access to authentic work. And art lovers deserve something made by human hands, with a human heart. So really, what’s not to like?