Finding Manga Story Ideas with ChatGPT

Finding Manga Story Ideas with ChatGPT

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You want to make a manga, but don’t have ideas for a story? You are a writer, don’t don’t know how to develop your story? Well, ChatGPT can help you in these different situations and I will show you how to do in this article!

What is chatGPT?

ChatGPT is one of the hottest topic of the moment. ChatGPT is a chatbot, that is to say a computer robot which which you can interact through a chat, developed by OpenAI. Chatbots are quite common nowadays on many websites. They are generally made to quickly provide answer to common questions. But what makes ChatGPT really stand out is that it is backed by one of the most advanced AI (artificial intelligence).

This AI is some kind of computer program that has been trained to understand a huge set of textual content. Thanks to that, it can answer questions on quite any topic or build new content based on that content. And this is where it get interesting for us.

How to get access to ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is available online on the OpenAI website. To use it, you will need to sign in by providing an email address and a password. And you might have to provide a phone number receive a confirmation code.

Once done, you will arrive on the ChatGPT:

The ChatGPT home screen
The ChatGPT home screen, with the history of your conversations on the top left, and the prompting area at the bottom

Be aware that a lot of people are using ChatGPT, and you might therefore face at time messages indicating that ChatGPT is not available. Just wait a few minutes and try again.

Getting manga story ideas using ChatGPT

I provided a method to find ideas for your manga, but this process can require a good amount of time. And sometimes this might be sufficient to get people off track and make them abandon. Therefore, if you quickly need an idea, then asking ChatGPT is really easy.

When you have no hint of what you want

If you want an idea, but don’t have any hint of what you want (context, characters…), the easiest is to ask ChatGPT:

Give me manga story ideas“.

Such question is called a prompt, and here is the answer I got from ChatGPT for this prompt:

  1. A high school student discovers they have the ability to time travel, but every time they use it, they lose a piece of their memory. They must navigate their relationships and school life while trying to find a way to stop the memory loss.
  2. A group of friends stumble upon a mysterious video game that transports them into a fantasy world. They must work together to defeat the game’s ultimate boss and find a way back to the real world.
  3. A young woman inherits a magical garden from her grandmother, but with it comes the responsibility to protect it from those who would use its power for evil.

As you can see, these are for sure the kind of stories you would expect from a manga.

And if you are not pleased, just ask for more by writing for instance: “Give me more ideas“.

Guiding ChatGPT to find manga story ideas

If you have some idea of the genre of idea you would like, don’t hesitate to precise it. For instance:

Give me manga story ideas with a female samurai as the main protagonist

Give me manga story ideas for young kids

You can also give ChatGPT some context. For instance if you have want a story with some specific characters, or in a specific world. Here is an example:

Given I have a world where people have powers related to elements (earth, air, fire, water), give me some manga story ideas that could happen in this world.

Here is the answer I got from ChatGPT for that prompt:

  1. A group of teenagers with elemental powers are brought together to form a secret government task force, tasked with protecting the public from dangerous criminals with elemental powers.
  2. A young boy discovers he has the power to control earth elements, and must navigate the challenges and responsibilities that come with it, all while trying to fit in with his peers.
  3. A young girl with the power of fire must learn to control her abilities and use them for good, as she is targeted by a secret organization seeking to harness her powers for evil.

Using ChatGPT to generate the outline of your story

I showed how to build a manga story outline in a previous article. But again this is a task that requires some practice and you might not have, or wish to spend, the necessary time. No problem, ChatGPT can help you here again.

Developing an idea generated by ChatGPT

You might have noticed that each idea provided by ChatGPT has a number. You can use that number to build upon the corresponding idea.

If I take my first prompt and wish to get a detailed outline for the 2nd idea, I can just ask:

Write a story outline for idea 2“.

Here is the result I got:

Story Idea 2: “The Game Master”

Act 1: Introduction
  • High school student, Jake, is a loner and spends most of his time playing video games.
  • One day, he and his friends, Alex, Sarah, and Michael, stumble upon a mysterious video game that none of them have ever seen before.
  • Despite their initial skepticism, they decide to give it a try and are immediately transported into a fantasy world.
Act 2: The Fantasy World
  • The group finds themselves in a medieval-like world, complete with dragons, wizards, and other fantasy creatures.
  • They quickly realize that they are unable to leave the game and must complete it in order to return home.
  • They meet a non-player character (NPC) who tells them that the game’s ultimate boss, the “Game Master,” is the only one who can send them back.
  • The group splits up to gather information and supplies for their journey to defeat the Game Master.
Act 3: The Journey
  • The group faces many obstacles, including treacherous terrain, powerful monsters, and rival players.
  • Along the way, they learn to rely on each other and their unique strengths to overcome challenges.
  • Jake, who was a loner in the real world, becomes the leader of the group and helps them to work together.
Act 4: The Final Battle
  • The group finally reaches the Game Master’s lair and must defeat him in a final battle.
  • The Game Master turns out to be a powerful and skilled player who has been trapped in the game for years.
  • The group uses all of their skills and teamwork to defeat the Game Master and break the game’s spell.
Act 5: The Return Home
  • The group is sent back to the real world, but they realize that their time in the game has changed them.
  • Jake, who was a loner before, has made friends and gained confidence.
  • The group decides to keep in touch and continue playing games together.
  • The game they found, now known as “The Game Master”, became famous and sought after by many players and enthusiasts, but no one ever succeeded to beat it.

As you can see, the result is compelling. And as a bonus you also get a proposition for the title. Of course, if you are not satisfied, you can ask ChatPT to make some changes.

Using ChatGPT to develop your own story idea

You can also provide ChatGPT with some input to use as a context for your next prompt. For instance, if I want to use the plot from my article on building outline, I can write a prompt like the following one:

I have the following manga story idea: “A boy having fallen into the sea and finding himself on the shores of an unidentified island where strange creatures will help him go back home.“. Write an outline for this idea.

Here is a sample of the response provided by ChatGPT for that prompt:

Outline:

  1. The story begins with a young boy, who is out on a fishing trip with his family, falling into the sea during a storm. He wakes up on the shore of an unidentified island, with no memory of how he got there.
  2. As he explores the island, he discovers that it is inhabited by strange creatures, some of which are friendly and some of which are dangerous. He must learn to navigate the island and survive its dangers in order to find a way back home.
  3. The boy soon discovers that he has a unique connection to the island’s creatures, and they are willing to help him in his quest to return home. He forms bonds with some of the creatures, which will help him to fight against the more dangerous ones.
  4. The boy soon finds that the island is not just a random place, but it is a magical place where time and space are distorted, and he will have to solve the mysteries of the island in order to get back home. He starts to find clues that will lead him to the truth about the island and how to return home.

Driving ChatGPT to format your outline as expected

You might have noticed that for the second case ChatGPT is not structuring the story in acts like it did previously. Basically, don’t expect ChatGPT to always answer in the same way for similar questions.

If needed, though, you can direct ChatGPT in the expected direction. For instance you could add the following to your prompt: “using the 3 act structure“…

Fine-tuning your story

If you are not satisfied with some aspects of the story provided by ChatGPT, you can just ask ChatGPT to change it. This can be an act/item of the outline, the name of the characters, or that you want more intrigue or battles…

For instance, if for “The Game Master” story I would prefer the setting to be sci-fi, I could ask ChatGPT:

Make the game a sci-fi game

And ChatGPT will automatically update the story (parts highlighted below) using that new input:

Story Idea 2: “The Game Master” (Sci-Fi version)

Act 1: Introduction

  • High school student, Jake, is a loner and spends most of his time playing video games.
  • One day, he and his friends, Alex, Sarah, and Michael, stumble upon a mysterious sci-fi video game that none of them have ever seen before.
  • Despite their initial skepticism, they decide to give it a try and are immediately transported into a virtual reality world.

Act 2: The Virtual Reality World

  • The group finds themselves in a futuristic world, complete with advanced technology, robots, and other sci-fi elements.
  • They quickly realize that they are unable to leave the game and must complete it in order to return home.
  • They meet an AI who tells them that the game’s ultimate boss, the “Game Master,” is the only one who can send them back.
  • The group splits up to gather information and supplies for their journey to defeat the Game Master.

Act 3: The Journey

  • The group faces many obstacles, including treacherous terrain, powerful robots, and rival players.

Here I asked ChatGPT to change the type of game, but I could have asked to change anything. I could have changed an act, asked for more battle or enigmas…

Asking for more details

Now you are fine with the story, but want more details about the plot. Again, this can be done simply. Just ask ChaptGPT:

Detail act 4

Here is ChatGPT’s answer for the outline from the previous part:

Act 4: The Final Battle

  • The group finally reaches the Game Master’s lair, which is located at the top of a towering skyscraper in the virtual city.
  • They prepare for the final battle by stocking up on weapons and healing items.
  • The Game Master turns out to be a powerful and skilled player who has been trapped in the game for years. He is also the creator of the game, who got lost in his own creation.
  • The group faces the Game Master in a one-on-one battle, using all their skills and weapons.
  • The Game Master proves to be a formidable opponent, using advanced technology and hacking abilities to create deadly traps and summon robotic minions to fight the group.
  • The group faces many challenges and struggles, but they work together and use their unique strengths to overcome the obstacles.
  • Jake, who is the most experienced gamer in the group, uses his knowledge of the game to exploit the Game Master’s weaknesses.
  • After a long and intense battle, the group finally defeats the Game Master and breaks the game’s spell.
  • The Game Master, impressed by the group’s determination and skill, decides to send them back to the real world, but not before giving them a warning that the virtual reality world is dangerous and can consume them if they’re not careful.

Asking ChatGPT to script of part of the manga story

If you want even more details and dialogs, you can also ask ChatGPT to write a script for you:

write a script for act 4

Act 4: The Final Battle

Scene 1: The Skyscraper

(The group reaches the skyscraper, the Game Master's lair)
JAKE: (looking up at the skyscraper) This must be it. The Game Master's lair.
ALEX: (nervously) Are you sure we're ready for this?
SARAH: (determined) We've come this far. We can't back down now.
MICHAEL: (checking his weapons) Let's do this.
(The group enters the skyscraper)

Scene 2: The Game Master’s chamber

(The group reaches the top floor and enters the Game Master's chamber)
THE GAME MASTER: (appearing on a giant screen) Welcome, players. You have reached the final stage of my game.
JAKE: (angrily) Let us go back to the real world, now.
THE GAME MASTER: (chuckling) I'm afraid that's not possible. Not until you defeat me.
SARAH: (aiming her weapon) We're ready for you.
THE GAME MASTER: (smirking) Very well. Let the final battle begin.
(The Game Master summons robotic minions to fight the group)

Scene 3: The Battle

(The group fights the robotic minions while dodging the Game Master's traps and attacks)
JAKE: (to the group) We have to focus on the Game Master! The robots are just a distraction!
ALEX: (using his hacking skills to disable the robots) Got it!
MICHAEL: (using his strength to destroy the robots) Easy enough!
SARAH: (shooting her weapon at the Game Master) Take this!
THE GAME MASTER: (deflecting the attack) Impressive, but not good enough.
(The battle continues, the group faces many challenges but they work together and use their unique strengths to overcome the obstacles)

Scene 4: The Final Showdown

(The group finally reaches the Game Master in a one-on-one battle)
THE GAME MASTER: (smirking) You've made it this far, but you will never defeat me.
JAKE: (using his knowledge of the game) I know your weaknesses.
(Jake uses his knowledge of the game to exploit the Game Master's weaknesses and defeats him)
THE GAME MASTER: (defeated) Impressive. You have truly proven yourself to be skilled players.
SARAH: (panting) Is it over? Can we go back to the real world now?
THE GAME MASTER: (nodding) Yes, you may return to the real world. But be warned, the virtual reality world can be dangerous and can consume you if you're not careful.
(The group is sent back to the real world)
End of Act 4.

Crazy, isn’t it?

Of course, it surely looks simplistic for some of you. But again you can ask ChatGPT to detail a scene, or to add a new one, or about missing pieces of information in its answer. For instance:

What can be other challenges that the group faces in scene 4?

What are the weaknesses of the Game Master?

I want a new enemy to appear as the mastermind guiding the game master

Be cautious when using ChatGPT (or any other AI)!

Be aware though, that not everything is perfect, and principally when translation is involved. For instance, I asked ChatGPT to provide me with Japanese names.

Take care to the formulation of your prompts

My first prompt was: “Give me Japanese names for the characters“.

And for sure ChatGPT answered:

  1. Jake – 彼 (Kare)
  2. Alex – アレックス (Arekkusu)
  3. Sarah – サラ (Sara)
  4. Michael – マイケル (Maikeru)
  5. The Game Master – ゲームマスター (Geimu Masutaa)

The problem is that for most of the characters ChatGPT took my question straightforwardly. It provided the direct translation of the English names into Japanese: Alex = AREAS, Sarah = SARA… which is not what I expected.

I got better results with the prompt “Give me new Japanese names for the characters“…

Don’t take ChatGTP’s answers for granted

Another issue with the response above is that ChatGPT indicated 彼, with the reading “Kare”, for Jake. But 彼, when pronounced “kare”, isn’t a name. It is an equivalent of the pronoun he/him which is mostly used when addressing one’s boyfriend or husband…

Similarly, with the seance prompt:

Give me new Japanese names for the characters

  1. Jake – 智 (Tomo)
  2. Alex – 亜沙羅 (Asara)
  3. Sarah – 紗乃 (Sano)
  4. Michael – 武 (Takeshi)
  5. The Game Master – 遊び人 (Asobinin)

Here, Tomo is a woman’s name, and no longer a man’s name. And 亜沙羅 is not read Asara but Ashura and is the name of a God…

When asking such question, do not hesitate to cross check the information. For Japanese terms you can use sites such as Jisho .

You can also look the pictures displayed by Google images to check that they indeed correspond to what you would expect.

Is it ethical to use ChatGPT?

If you have heard about ChatGPT before this article, you might be aware that many people see it as a threat for their job. My view is that ChatGPT is a tool made to ease access to knowledge.

As a tool, it can be used as well by amateurs as by experts. For an amateur, it might open new horizons by giving them quick access to new domains. For experts, this is a productivity tool that can help them producing more and giving them more insight.

But one thing that ChatGPT will not be able to do (at least in the short term) is using years of experience to make a story fascinating and thrilling. It can use techniques to approach it, but as a machine, it doesn’t feel and will never be able to replace human beings.

I’m pretty sure many people have never realized their dream of making a manga because they couldn’t find an idea and didn’t or couldn’t ask others. Now, with ChatGPT, they have a tool that can help then cross that obstacle and move forward.

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