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Why Shows Like Death Battle and DevilArtemis Prove AI Can’t Beat Human Creativity

There's a difference between "replicating" and "creating."
By
Death Battle, DevilArtemis

I admit that this is a much different feature than the previous ones I’ve written about Death Battle in the last month. But when I think about the advancements of “AI Art,” or more accurately, “AI Slop,” and see companies like Microsoft, Disney, and more trying to embrace this as a “new medium” versus a clear attempt to “cut costs” and let people go instead of make quality content (and lower their own paychecks…which we all know those at the top won’t do), I feel compelled to write this. Yet, the inspiration for this piece came from DevilArtemis, an animator/creator whom I have great respect for.

He’s never been afraid to use his social media feeds to talk about the growing usage of AI, and in October, it reached a crescendo in many ways with this post:

That’s really hard to read, if I’m being honest. Here is a guy who has worked HARD to create incredible animations, established a channel with over a million subscribers (that I’m going to enjoy talking about soon), and yet, seeing this AI animation makes him fear the future of the animation industry. Now, naturally, some people didn’t share his concerns, and so, he pointed out in another post the true nature of things like this…and I happened to have caught this one and made a response that certain people liked:

Little did I realize that this simple response to DevilArtemis would make me think long and hard (*Zarbon Moan*) about the state of AI Art and what would come next. In the months that followed, you’ve likely all seen various AI videos and have heard everything from “this is the future” (from those who REALLY want it to be that) to statements about how much it costs just to produce AI slop, and how it’s terrible for the environment, and DA continued to share his worries about things.

Now, if you think this piece about him and Death Battle, among others, is a “Don’t worry! Everything will be alright!” kind of piece…it’s not, because I don’t know the future, and DevilArtemis specifically asked people NOT to do this, because it can do more harm than good.

My goal with this piece is simple: to note how, as I stated to DA before, I truly believe that there are people who want to see TRUE animations that are made with heart and passion and not “AI Slop.” And the more you look at what groups like DevilArtemis, Death Battle, GLITCH, and others are doing to make their work stand out, you see a simple truth:

AI can “replicate things,” but these animators actually CREATE things, and that’s a huge difference. Why? Because humans have CREATIVITY, and AI doesn’t.

Death Battle Puts Effort Into EVERY Part Of Their Show

Death Battle Kickstarter, Best Death Battle Episodes

I’m starting out with Death Battle in large part due to the last list I wrote, featuring the “Most Epic Death Battle Moments.”

A key element in that list wasn’t just that the webseries, which has been on for almost fifteen years now, does great animations, but they make a great SHOW that just so HAPPENS to have great animations. The show wouldn’t be what it is right now in many respects without the analytical nature they put into looking at the characters, their backstories, abilities, and so on, and then translating what they told audiences into the fight in a creative fashion.

Every episode is unique unto itself, and the “little moments and touches” help it stand out in amazing ways that AI could never do, because AI works via prompts. If you tell it, “I need a fight between Goku and Superman,” it’ll do that, but it won’t have any of the personality that Death Battle put into its Goku vs. Superman trilogy.

If you don’t believe me, let’s look at one of the most incredible shots from that fight:

This shot may look “basic” in a vacuum, but when you realize that this shot has multiple references within it, not to mention a team working hard to ensure that every element of this shot looks cool, you realize it’s anything but. Even Goku’s “finally” line is important here, as it highlights how Goku, the entire fight, has been pushing Superman to truly “let loose” for once, and “In This Moment…” he finally got that to happen, and he’s thrilled.

Look at the entire fight, and you’ll witness how Death Battle put personality into it, deep cut comic/anime lore references, and even referencing itself at times to do something that an AI wouldn’t even think to come up with…because it can’t think like that. The DB team can because they have various creative minds coming together to make something truly special…

…including after destroying the universe (oops…), Goku and Superman agree to fight again…because they had fun in their clash.

AI could never be creative enough to come up with something that beautiful and wholesome.

If you don’t believe me, do you remember the controversy last month about the McDonald’s AI ad that got pulled in record time after it hit the internet? It got pulled down because it looked horrible, no one thought it was entertaining, and yet, if you look at the article I linked, you’ll see a quote from the person who headed up this commercial saying:

“For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors. We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn’t an AI trick. It was a film.”

Except…it wasn’t, now was it? And when you have to do THOUSANDS of takes just to get one terribly made commercial done? That says quite a lot. Also, it was noted by someone else that this AI ad took LONGER than a traditional shoot would’ve:

“And here’s the part people don’t see: the hours that went into this job far exceeded a traditional shoot. Ten people, five weeks, full-time.”

So they took longer, did thousands of takes, and it ended with the whole thing getting pulled. Great job, everyone. You could’ve just hired real people and then made something truly meaningful…which is what Death Battle does with each episode. Sure, not all of them are received well, but that’s about the community, not necessarily the product.

And when you think about the effort they put into showing off the characters, you realize that every episode is a true “passion project” for them, and that’s something to applaud, especially when they do things you don’t expect. Allow me to give you some very recent examples of this kind of creativity and passion.

First, do you know who this well-dressed guy is?

That’s Soul Evans, from Soul Eater. For Death Battle’s 200th episode, they did the long-awaited matchup of Ruby Rose vs. Maka Albarn. Why does this matter? Well, because the DB team worked hard to ensure that, just like in the manga and anime, Soul had a huge part in the fight, as his teamwork with Maka is essential to how they get things done.

In my “epic moments” list, I was blown away by the number of people who noted that the scene of Soul playing the piano in tune to “Death In Bloom” blew them away because of how well it synergized with everything going on. They loved the CREATIVITY of that musical moment.

The DB team didn’t HAVE to do that…but they did, and it was a memorable beat as a result.

Yet, if you typed into an AI animation generator, “Ruby Rose vs. Maka Albarn,” do you really think it would show Soul Evans outside of his “scythe form?” Why would it? You didn’t tell it to. Yet, the DB team KNEW they had to put those scenes in, as he’s as vital to the battle as Maka.

Speaking of “Death In Bloom,” that was a track that was highlighted by many in the community as one of “The Best Death Battle Tracks Ever.” That in and of itself is another showcasing of creativity, because between Brandon Yates and Therewolf Media (and the guest singers and musicians that accompany them sometimes), they bring in people who will put their all into every music track, making each fight not just a feast for the eyes, but the ears.

AI wouldn’t do that, as you likely didn’t tell it to put “epic music” with the animation, nor would it likely have the capability to do so. Ask any anime fan, and they’ll tell you that a great musical beat and sound effects help elevate anime fights to new levels, and Death Battle does that in spades.

Now let’s move to the episode EVERYONE was pumped for, Ash Ketchum vs. Yugi Moto.

Everything about this episode screamed “passion project,” from how the breakdowns were edited to how they determined the victor, and so on. Yet, as you’d expect, the animation is what blew people away, because the Death Battle team had to figure out how to use the WIDELY DIFFERENT battle systems of the Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh anime to work in a multi-minute animation.

So, what did they do? They put it all into play!

That’s right, EVERY monster that they could get a decent model (or sprite) for was used, including some of Yugi’s earliest monsters, and Ash’s entire HOARD of Tauros. There are so many “blink-and-you’ll miss it” moments that you NEED to see it multiple times to see who’s all there.

And that doesn’t even count all the “personal touches” that made the battle stand out further because the animation team CARED ABOUT EVERY DETAIL.

Like what? How about Krokodile taking a hit for Ash early in the fight? Or when Charizard was summoned, he looked like the trading card from the first batch in the series? Or Ash’s “Who’s that Pokemon?” line with the anime-style graphic behind him? Solgaleo DESTROYING THE MOON to come save Ash certainly wasn’t from the anime! And Slifer is being summoned by Yugi and recreating the animation from the episode where he’s summoned on Kaiba’s blimp! That was stunning to see.

And, of course, when Ash finally “meets his end…”

…he doesn’t give up, and does his Z-Move, with ALL OF HIS OUTFITS BEING SHOWN so that it feels like we’re watching his whole journey in a few seconds. I still cry watching that bit.

Even Yugi winning via a trap card and not via a monster attack speaks to how this was made by people and not AI, as that was an “atypical Death Battle finish.” Seeing Ash “die” via being turned to stone (a reference to Pokémon The First Movie) with all of his Pokémon surrounding him was just… *chef’s kiss*.

Every element of this fight was pure creativity because the team on the writing, editing, and animation side wanted to make this as incredible as possible. Brandon Yates even got Jason Paige from the Pokémon anime to sing the battle track! AI could never.

You can see this dedicated passion throughout their videos, including other recent ones like Dante vs. Clive, where Torrian Crawford went full-tilt to not only make one of the most epic 3D animations ever, but make it feel like a video game cutscene that you didn’t want to see end. If you want to note “creativity in how the team showed the result,” you can look at Hulk vs. Godzilla, where the team had Bruce Banner “win the day” and not his “green friend.” AI wouldn’t go that route if you typed in “Hulk vs. Godzilla.”

But the one I’ll finish this Death Battle section on is Bowser vs. Eggman. The reason I’m singling this one out isn’t just because it’s my favorite episode of the indie era, but because I KNOW AI could never replicate this due to the sheer size, effort, and detail Moro put into the animation:

That scale alone isn’t something AI could do without serious effort…and even then, it wouldn’t match the quality and creativity that this Death Battle episode had.

Case in point, a specific element of this episode was showing off the personalities of everyone involved, like Bowser trying to save his army multiple times over, and getting furious because Bowser Jr. got hurt.

Add in things like the Egg Dragoon, the Death Egg, and even Eggman’s reaction to seeing that Sage (his “daughter”) might be harmed, and you can only truly get something like this from people who know the lore and want to express it to the best of their abilities.

Don’t forget that this battle ended with Bowser sending the “good doctor” into the sky and crashing into a giant “?” Block, making it rain down coins right after:

Yeah, AI could never be that clever. Plus, something like that (to my knowledge…) has not happened in the Mario games, and certainly not the Sonic franchise! So, why would AI even think to do something like that based on the prompt of “Bowser vs. Dr. Eggman army battle”? Exactly, they couldn’t, but the DB team could, because they thought about what would be “the best ending” for this and came up with a truly creative and hilarious answer.

Death Battle is a trusted show, even with its volatile community, because the fanbase knows that they work hard to make every episode special, even for a matchup you “don’t think will be that fun to watch.” Every episode is an adventure, and I look forward to watching the 2026 episodes because I KNOW it’ll be done by a team that truly cares about what they put out.

In fact, Sam Mitchell, one of the four owners of the Death Battle brand in its indie era, even talked about this very subject in the show’s latest Champion’s Cast, and echoed many of my thoughts about how AI can’t and shouldn’t replace human creativity.

“But Todd!” you scream, “Death Battle’s a very specific thing that’s built upon certain parameters. Surely AI could replicate what other animators do, right?” …yeah, now we’re going to talk about DevilArtemis again.

The Insanity That Is The DAU

I honestly don’t remember how I found out about DevilArtemis. My gut tells me it was because of Death Battle (as he’s animated numerous episodes for them), but once I checked out his channel and saw a few of his videos, I was hooked and became an instant subscriber.

The DAU (aka the DevilArtemis Universe) started as a 2D thing that “expanded upon” what the equally famous Team FourStar did with their “Cell vs.” videos…and then he went off the deep end and created a universe where literally anything and everything can happen…and you can’t help but watch.

…especially when you realize that AI could never hope to match the level of randomness and insanity that DA puts into his videos.

For example, have you ever wanted to see Seto Kaiba repeatedly call Yugi Muto poor, only for him to get decked by the “King of Gains”?

No, you haven’t? Well, how about a “Thanksgiving dinner” featuring Frieza, Cooler, and King Cold that goes horribly wrong and right all at the same time?

No? Never thought about that? You should now, because that was one of my favorite episodes he made last year!

Oh, and remember when Pokémon Legends Z-A came out, and Mega Starmie weirded all of us right the heck out because we couldn’t help but wonder what The Pokémon Company was doing making this thing? Yeah, DevilArtemis took that and ran with it:

…AI would never have thought of turning Broly into Mega Starmie and having Blastoise react as it did, and I will happily die on that hill!

Nothing makes sense about these videos at times, but that’s the beauty of it! The DAU takes the characters you know and “twists them” into something unique, funny, creative, and special. Kermit the Frog, for example, has a “massive dump truck” that he’s always willing to flex, has a LOT of relationships that are complicated and odd (including his brother, “Cermit with a C!”), and he loves pulling fast ones on Cell.

Their “relationship” throughout the series is actually rather in-depth because DevilArtemis worked hard to craft it that way.

Cell, meanwhile, just wants to be left alone, only fights when he wants to, and gets owned…a lot. Don’t worry, it’s typically hilarious every time he fails spectacularly. He does get wins, though! Like when he got Wallace & Gromit (yes, really) to kidnap Kermit and do whatever they wanted with him.

Oh, and the episode was animated in Wallace and Gromit style:

How could AI try to replicate that level of creativity in a way that works? Exactly. But because it was DevilArtemis and his team doing it (as he hires guest animators from time to time, including Death Battle animators like Luis Cruz!), they made it work, despite how insane it all is.

Arguably, my favorite characters that DA got creative with are Zamasu and Goku Black, who have an entire ongoing arc about “adapting to the human world” with hilarious results, including Zamasu’s obsession with food, which you can hilariously see through the following episodes and compilations:

Seriously, that’s poetry and comedy of the highest order and not something that AI could ever create because it’s not standard for these characters! DevilArtemis has crafted his universe into something so unique that he’s arguably one of the inspirations that other animators should go by when it comes to trying to make their own animation channel.

If you look at where he was when he started to where he is now, you’ll see that he’s never gone stagnant. He’s always trying to bring in new characters or “what’s hot” right now to flesh things out further. He always takes the route of creativity, even when he does seemingly “low-hanging fruit” episode collabs, like a recent episode with the K-pop Demon Hunters.

As noted in one of his most recent videos, he’s doing other animations this year on the side outside of Death Battle to help “rekindle” his passion further, while also taking suggestions from his community on what to do next.

That’s creativity personified, in some respects, because he wants to do even more and work in tune with his community so that EVERYONE feels more connected to the channel and his work.

Oh, and don’t forget the masterpiece that he did once he reached a million subs…Cell vs. Cell:

I KNOW that AI couldn’t replicate that, because it’s filled with references not only to the DAU and Team FourStar, but to DA’s own life, which AI wouldn’t know about.

I’m in awe of what DevilArtemis does, and I hope he never loses his passion to make fun stuff for his universe and beyond (like helping Team FourStar with their HFIL series!), because we absolutely need the madness and creativity that his universe, and others, offer, because that’s something unique and special that AI could never hope to truly replicate.

So, in the name of DevilArtemis…you may simp!

Now, if you want to hear some other examples of this level of crazy creativity…I know a guy…

Welcome To The Island…

So, allow me to introduce you to an animator who goes by SXR123. AKA…Dave. He’s done animation over the years via Source Filmmaker and other programs like Blender, and has even helped out with Death Battle and Devil Artemis on their various animations! I ran across him on social media due to his personal channel, where he posts videos featuring the characters from the Fate series, mixed with dinosaurs and various forms of Godzilla.

…now, WHY does he have this menagerie of characters together on an island most of the time? Well…I never actually figured that out. Oh well!

Needless to say, when you put all this together, you get unique videos like this:

…I laugh every time I see that. Legit.

The beauty of his channel is that he doesn’t have the longest videos, but they all have a charm and impact all their own:

And this ties back to the AI animation/art question because while AI can “make something look pretty,” if you have the right generator that knows enough, it doesn’t add true PERSONALITY and CREATIVITY, as that requires someone to put themselves into their work. This next video from Dave is a perfect example of that, due to how much personality it has:

There’s more personality in those 22 seconds than I’ve seen in most AI animations, and I commend Dave for getting everyone to have such personality through limited time and voice lines. I can literally FEEL the disappointment from Godzilla at the end.

Yet, my favorite one that I’ve seen from Dave is this one:

…it never gets old, and how Dave has done Rex in the past was so impactful on DevilArtemis that Rex is a recurring character on his channel, including his latest video featuring Stitch.

Plus, if you didn’t catch it, Dave’s “island” features characters with different art styles. They’re not all perfectly “meshed” with one another, but that doesn’t matter. It just makes them all stand out further.

I am in such awe of what these channels do that I wish I had the talent to be an animator (or, at least the time to learn and try it myself) so I could make a channel in the vein of the DAU or Dave’s unique “island” so that I could have some fun with my own favorite characters (like one that just came to Nintendo Switch Online the other day…) and show them in unique scenarios.

And in the end, that’s really the “line in the sand” when it comes to things like AI art. Do you want to merely see “AI animation” and hope it’s good? Or, would you rather support someone like Moro, who made the incredible Indie Cross episodes? He took beloved indie game characters and threw them into a well-compiled animation and story, including having unique interactions that you can ONLY see there.

The two episodes that have been made have about 20 million views combined, which shows just how much people loved them.

Or how about the GLITCH team? They’ve put a LOT of effort and creativity into their animated series, and people KNOW they are good, which is why their latest episode of The Amazing Digital Circus has over 45 million views on YouTube in just a few weeks!

Look, I can’t predict the future; I already made that pretty clear early on. And I won’t say that this “wave of pressure” from those pushing AI for selfish reasons won’t get worse before it gets better…because I don’t know for sure. However, what I can say, as a fan and someone who creates his own works in the comic and novel field, is that there’s a key difference between those who create things on their own and those who just “bring it to life” via tools like AI engines.

Passion and creativity will always create a better product, and those who take the time to do the best by their project through that passion will have the best results. No, it won’t always be easy, or get you millions of views or subscribers first time out. Or for indie creators of games and books, it won’t get you loads of sales the moment you release it, more often than not.

But in the end, it’s yours. Always. Death Battle, DevilArtemis, Dave, GLITCH, Moro, all of them can say 100% that their art/animations were done by them and their crews, and no one else. That really matters, and I hope that creators like them don’t go away anytime soon, because I’ll always be interested in seeing what they make next.

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A self-proclaimed Nintendo fanboy, born, bred, and Mushroom fed! He’s owned every Nintendo handheld and every console since the SNES. He's got a degree in video game development, is a published comic book writer and an author of several novels!