This hub focuses on production-ready tools for AI-generated anime, manga/comics, and stylized illustration. It groups tools by job-to-be-done so you can assemble dependable pipelines, not just demos.

What’s covered:

• Generators (text-to-image, image-to-image)
• Orchestrators and node editors
• Composition and control (pose, depth, reference)
• Style and character consistency (LoRA, embeddings)
• Inking/lineart and panel workflows
• Upscaling, restoration, and halftone
• Cost, licensing, and safety considerations

Use the “Starter stacks” section to choose a build path by goal.

• Stable Diffusion (SDXL/SD3 variants): Open, local-friendly. Strong for custom styles, LoRA support, controllability. Best for repeatable comic/anime pipelines.
• Flux and modern diffusion forks: Faster, cleaner base aesthetics; check ecosystem maturity for anime models and control adapters.
• Midjourney: Cohesive art direction out-of-the-box; limited fine control; no official API. Good for concept boards and key art.
• DALL·E class models: Great prompt adherence and typography; less community control modules; consider for posters and marketing assets.
• Anime-focused models (e.g., Anything, AOM, Pony, CuteMix, Meina): Tuned for anime/manga line work and stylization; pair with ControlNet/IP-Adapter for production.

Pick based on control needs, licensing, and pipeline compatibility (ComfyUI, A1111, Invoke).

• ComfyUI: Node-based, production-grade. Best for modular pipelines (pose → ref image → LoRA → upscaler). Easy batch and server automation.
• Automatic1111 (WebUI): Mature ecosystem, many extensions. Great for experimentation and smaller teams.
• InvokeAI / Fooocus: Simpler UX, opinionated defaults. Good for fast iteration.
• APIs and hosted: Stability API, Replicate, Fal.ai. Useful for scaling and serverless builds; watch model/version availability.

Recommendation: Standardize on ComfyUI for team workflows and reproducibility; keep A1111 for rapid R&D.

Key modules that turn “pretty pictures” into layout-accurate pages:

• ControlNet: OpenPose (poses), Depth/Normal (structure), Lineart/Scribble (inking), Tile (hi-res fixes). The backbone for panel consistency.
• T2I-Adapter and IP-Adapter: Lightweight controls and image reference conditioning; IP-Adapter Plus for stronger style transfer.
• Reference-only and style ref: Keep character and costume consistent across panels without overbaking LoRA.

Tip: Start with pose + depth controls, then add style ref. Keep ControlNet weights modest (0.5–0.8) to avoid stiffness.

Tools:

• LoRA / LyCORIS / LoCon: Train lightweight adapters for character, artist style, or costume packs. Aim 5–20 minifigs per character, varied angles.
• Textual Inversion (embeddings): Compact tokens that bias style; good for motifs and logos.
• Face/ID guidance: InstantID, ReActor, FaceID models for consistent faces across scenes.

Practice:

• Keep separate LoRAs for character vs. costume to recombine flexibly.
• Use low weights (0.6–0.8) and reinforce with reference images for natural variation.

Line-centric workflows benefit from dedicated preprocessors:

• Lineart preprocessors: Lineart Anime, Scribble, SoftEdge for clean inks.
• Panel layout: Create gutters and frames in CSP/Krita or via node templates; use depth/pose guides per panel for continuity.
• Text/FX: Add balloons and SFX in Clip Studio Paint, Krita, or Affinity Publisher; keep text out of the diffusion step for readability.

Tip: Generate grayscale inks first, then tone and screen separately for print-ready manga.

Upscalers and fixers commonly used for anime/comics:

• ESRGAN family: 4x-UltraSharp, 4x-AnimeSharp, RealESRGAN, Manga109 for line-heavy art.
• Face restoration: CodeFormer, GFPGAN (use sparingly to preserve style).
• Halftone and screentone: Do in post with CSP/Krita plugins for consistent LPI and print specs.

Workflow: Generate at 768–1024px, upscale 2–4x with anime-tuned ESRGAN, then add halftone/tone. Export CMYK-proofed PDFs for print.

Check model licenses and dataset provenance for commercial projects. Apply content filters where needed. Keep a record of:

• Model versions and LoRA sources
• Training data ownership/consent for custom LoRAs
• Vendor terms (Midjourney tiers, API usage rights)

When in doubt, use models with clear commercial-friendly licenses and maintain an asset manifest per project.

Evaluate tools on:

• Quality: Style fit for anime/manga, line integrity
• Control: Pose, depth, reference, LoRA support
• Cost/speed: Local VRAM, cloud/API pricing, batch throughput
• Ecosystem: Node availability, community support, updates
• IP risk: License clarity, dataset transparency

Quick picks:

• Best all-around pipeline: SD-based model + ComfyUI + ControlNet + IP-Adapter + ESRGAN
• Fast concepting: Midjourney + light paintover
• Maximum consistency: SD + LoRA (char/costume) + pose/depth + reference-only

Anime character sheet (turnarounds):

• SD anime model + IP-Adapter (style ref) + OpenPose + LoRA(character) + 4x-AnimeSharp

Manga page (5–7 panels):

• ComfyUI graph: thumbnails → OpenPose per panel → Lineart preprocessor → SD anime model → halftone in CSP → lettering in CSP

Stylized poster/cover:

• Midjourney or SDXL + IP-Adapter (composition ref) → ESRGAN upscale → typography in vector tool

Local: 12–24 GB VRAM is comfortable for SDXL/SD3 with ControlNet; 8 GB workable with optimizations. Batch via ComfyUI Queue. Cloud: Stability/Replicate/Fal for burst workloads; budget by output size and batch volume. Midjourney is subscription-based; no official API. Tip: Cache LoRAs and control maps; reuse panels and backgrounds to cut costs.

Options:

• ComfyUI server mode + HTTP APIs for job submission
• Replicate/Fal/Modal for autoscaling workers
• Webhooks and job queues (Redis, SQS) for panel-by-panel rendering
• Asset manifesting (JSON) to track prompts, seeds, models, LoRAs, and control weights

Goal: Reproducible renders and easy re-runs when art direction changes.