The AI Manga filter on TikTok has recently gone viral, allowing users to transform photos and videos into anime-style cartoons. As a content creator and TikTok enthusiast, I was eager to try out this captivating effect for myself. However, accessing popular TikTok filters isn’t always straightforward. Through trial and error across multiple days, I finally unlocked the AI Manga filter and explored its creative capabilities.
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My Initial Attempts to Find the Filter
When the AI Manga filter first started trending, I immediately opened TikTok to give it a try. I tapped on the effects icon while recording a new video, expecting to easily find “AI Manga” amongst the available options. Unfortunately, no matter how much I scrolled or searched, the filter was nowhere to be found.
Perplexed, I turned to Google to understand why such a viral effect was missing from my app. Several forums indicated that TikTok rolls out features gradually, so the AI Manga filter likely hadn’t reached my region yet. I restarted TikTok, updated to the latest version, and still had no luck accessing the coveted manga effect.
Discovering the Filter Through Other Users’ Videos
Rather than continuing to search in vain for the absent filter, I pivoted to a workaround strategy. I typed “AI Manga filter” into TikTok’s search bar, scrolling through the hashtag until I found a video actively using the effect.
When I tapped on the first manga-transformed clip, the effect name and logo finally popped up in the bottom left corner. I pressed “Use This Effect,” and the TikTok camera opened to a loading screen as the AI Manga filter downloaded onto my device. At last, I could join in on the creativity!
Playing Around with the Filter’s Creative Capabilities
Once I had access to the filter, I was eager to test out the possibilities of the AI Manga effect. Most videos I’d seen only used static selfies, so I experimented with movement, props, pets, and even inanimate objects. The results ranged from impressively accurate to hilariously glitched.
My attempts to create a cohesive scene by slowly panning across a room resulted in disjointed body parts floating mid-air. However, when I stood relatively still holding my cat, the filter captured us in a cute anime style. I had the most success using tightly-cropped selfies that clearly showed my facial features.
Joining in on the TikTok Trend with My Own Manga Videos
Now that I unlocked the AI filter and tested out what it could reasonably handle, I felt ready to make my own videos showing off manga transformations. I decided to create TikToks displaying the original photo alongside the AI-generated version, so viewers could appreciate how drastically an image changes.
I recorded myself rotating slowly in place, then added a split screen effect to simultaneously play both clips. The contrast between my normal appearance and a cartoonized blue-haired anime girl made for an eye-catching video.
I also made silly meme videos purposefully moving erratically to showcase the glitches produced. These unexpected effects, like my nose detaching from my face, ended up being incredibly funny and engaging. My new manga content started garnering likes and comments right away.
Why This Filter Has Gone So Viral
It’s easy to see why the AI Manga filter has spread like wildfire across TikTok. The effect taps into anime fandoms already present on the platform while allowing regular users to transform themselves with just a tap. Videos range from impressive full scene renderings to hilarious AI mishaps.
There’s also a voyeuristic curiosity in seeing yourself and those around you cartoonized. The effect can reveal unexpected stylistic choices, inside jokes, or simply a version of you from an alternate reality. Even if the filter isn’t available in your region yet, it’s worth the effort to access this creativity catalyst.
Final Thoughts on My Experience
Trying out TikTok’s latest viral effect for myself was an enjoyable creative endeavor. I learned not to take the absence of a trending filter at face value and instead problem-solve my way to the desired effect. Experimenting with the AI Manga possibilities outside the expected selfie format made for engaging, unexpected content.
If this augmented reality effect does finally show up under my TikTok effects tab one day, I’ll have an even smoother time applying it to future videos. But for now, I’m loving the extra creativity and problem-solving required to transform my content into a stylized anime wonderland. Viral filters come and go, but unlocking this one provided me with inspiration, laughs, and new video ideas that I’ll continue benefiting from long-term.
