The Spring 2026 anime season is finally here, and the lineup is as exciting as ever. Now that the Winter 2026 anime season has finally wrapped up, fans are all ready for a new season and a new set of releases and major anime returns. As always, Crunchyroll will be adding dozens of series to its library and streaming new episodes each week after the Japanese broadcast. As the largest anime streaming platform in the world, Crunchyroll offers all kinds of series across various regions, including the new ones that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
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The latest anime season marks the return of some of the best anime with sequels, including Ascendance of a Bookworm Season 4. As a beloved lighthearted isekai, the anime has a massive fanbase as it returns with another season to continue Myne’s journey. However, following the premiere of Season 4, the anime got mixed up in a major controversy regarding potential AI usage. Many fans voice their complaints, especially after the opening theme was released.
Ascendance of a Bookworm Season 4 Faces AI Allegations
Considering that the anime is from a major reputable animation studio like WIT Studio, the outrage is even worse than expected. WIT Studio is known for many beloved shows, especially the first three seasons of Attack on Titan. Over the years, the studio has released several visually striking series such as Moonrise, Love Through a Prism, Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song, and more. Many viral posts on X pointed out the issue with the latest season’s opening theme.
While there is no official confirmation on the use of generative AI, many have pointed out the issues with the backgrounds, especially the random smudging, colors, and even nonsensical shapes that one wouldn’t expect from a hand-drawn animation. On the other hand, the anime episodes don’t seem to face criticism, and the irregularities in the art style are limited to the opening theme alone.
WIT Studio Animation Producer Breaks Silence on The Opening Theme
As fans’ dissatisfaction continues to grow, the studio keeps silent on the matter and hasn’t made an official statement yet. Even so, WIT Studio animation producer Keita Yoshinobu credits those responsible for the storyboard and the key animation in the opening.
He shares on X, “OP was handled by Kazuto Nakazawa for storyboards and key animation, and direction by Saki Fujii. This time, with the two of them standing in as OP director, we went ahead and produced the OP. The group illustration for the final shot was done by animation director Minowa-san, and all other shots were key animated by Nakazawa-san alone.”
The latest season of the anime continues Myne’s struggles as she deals with major threats while attempting to bring books back to life. Season 4 is streaming on Crunchyroll, and it will release new episodes every Saturday.
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