Panel-by-Panel Souls: A Performative Workflow for Expressive Faces in AI-Assisted Manga Creation

Qing Zhang, Jing Huang, Yifei Huang, Jun Rekimoto

Track: Paper

Keywords: Human-AI Interaction, Human-AI Co-Creation, Facial Reenactment, Generative AI, Manga Creation, Creative AI, Performative Workflow, Expression Mapping, Artist-in-the-loop

TL;DR: A panel-by-panel workflow that allows artists to perform and refine character expressions, enabling nuanced storytelling of group dynamics in manga.

Abstract: Current text-to-image models struggle to render the nuanced facial expressions required for compelling manga narratives, largely due to the ambiguity of language itself. To bridge this gap, we introduce an interactive system built on a novel, dual-hybrid pipeline. The first stage combines landmark-based auto-detection with a manual framing tool for robust, artist-centric face preparation. The second stage maps expressions using the LivePortrait engine, blending intuitive performative input from video for fine-grained control. Our case study analysis suggests that this integrated workflow can streamline the creative process and effectively translate narrative intent into visual expression. This work presents a practical model for human-AI co-creation, offering artists a more direct and intuitive means of "infusing souls" into their characters. Our primary contribution is not a new generative model, but a novel, interactive workflow that bridges the gap between artistic intent and AI execution.

Submission Number: 207