Mexican artists are resilient to AI: El Manchón, Mexican cartoonist

AI-generated images in the style of the legendary Ghibli animation studio are flooding social media, and many believe this marks the end of traditional illustrators. For “El Manchón,” artificial intelligence will not replace Mexican artists, as they are resilient to adversity.

Rubén Arriola, better known as El Manchón, explained in an interview with MxPA that AI remains another arm of our existence in the modern world; we don’t need to save humanity from AI, we need to save humanity from itself.

A Mexican cartoonist and artist from Guadalajara, Rubén’s work has conquered social media, with more than 58,000 followers on Instagram and 130,000 followers on Facebook. His honest art of everyday Mexican absurdity captivates his followers.

*_{A woman selling nopales reminds a time traveler of the futility of trying to change the past. El manchón. Facebook, 2024.}*

In response to Studio Ghibli co-founder Miyazaki’s comment that the use of AI is an “insult to humanity,” Rubén was much more receptive to this technology.

“But if humanity itself is using it, I don’t know if it’s an affront to its very humanity. At the end of the day, it is still a face of humanity,” the Mexican commented.

An old problem with a new mask

El Manchón reminded us of the panic that arose when Photoshop became more popular and complex and how traditional drawings were said to be disappearing:

“They also said that with the meme, the work of the cartoonist would be over, and I think the cartoonists who have been able to overcome that are precisely those who recognize the place of the meme and the importance of graphic work, of graphic caricature.”

The Guadalajara artist said the same thing will happen with AI because what people do is make memes, reproduce given images, and leave little room for the creation and dissemination of ideas.

“I see Ghibli-style photocopies but little content creation,” commented the cartoonist.

The key to defeating the AI machine, for this illustrator, is for artists to be consistent and committed to providing an honest view of reality.

*^{The bat-man pollinates agave plants. El Manchón. Facebook, 2024.}*

This is why the advent of GTP Chat doesn’t worry Rubén; the computer can replicate a style, but the social commentary, the transgression of icons, and the raw reflection of the reality of a country like Mexico simply escape any model and therefore cannot be replicated by cold silicone.

Mexican artists are full of living concepts.

Rubén reminded us that Mexican artists live surrounded by living culture. A simple dish like pozole, which our ancestors ate before the arrival of the Spaniards, is loaded with tradition and meaning.

The Mexican ability to understand and project this everyday life is our greatest tool to stand out among creatives from any part of the world.

In Rubén Arriola’s work, El Manchón, we find aliens, robots, video game characters, billionaire killer whales, and above all, a strong social critique of Mexican reality that I always recommend. You can read it on their various social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.