CRITICALFailure Reference

Pika Labs Anatomy Artifact — Pre-Generation Risk Reference

Technical Classification

Anatomical Topology & Coherence Failure

Pika 1.5's diffusion model produces non-manifold mesh geometry for human anatomy when the scene includes motion-heavy close-ups. The failure is most reproducible in hand close-ups (extra or fused fingers, paddle-shaped palms) and articulated joint motion (elbows or knees hinging the wrong direction). Multi-character physical contact frequently produces limb-through-body interpenetration. Output is unusable for any human-subject commercial work.

How to identify this failure

✕Six or seven fingers on a single hand
✕Elbow articulating backwards mid-motion
✕Arm or leg phasing through torso
✕Fingers fusing into a paddle shape
✕Joint disappearing during fast motion

Real generation examples

Prompt used

"Close-up of pianist's hands on the keys, soft lighting"

Failure observed @ 0:01

Right hand grew a sixth finger at 0:01; thumb hinged backwards at 0:03

Prompt used

"Two children hugging in a sunlit field"

Failure observed @ 0:04

Arms interpenetrated through torsos at 0:04

Documentation strength

If you need to escalate

VERY HIGH — anatomy failures are a recognised critical mode; Pika support refunds with the generation ID and timestamped artifact.

AVA is a pre-purchase prevention tool, not a post-purchase recovery tool. Platforms generally do not guarantee credit refunds for output-quality failures; goodwill credits are at each platform's discretion. The strength rating reflects how well-formed your support ticket can be, not a promised outcome.

Prevention + documentation steps

01
Score your prompt before you generate
Run your prompt through AVA's pre-flight scoring against the Anatomical Topology & Coherence Failure pattern. Green light = generate. Yellow/red = rewrite using the suggested fix before you commit credits.
02
Capture Generation ID + timestamp if it failed anyway
Find the Generation ID in the URL or share link. Note the exact time when the Anatomical Topology & Coherence Failure first appears (e.g. "failure first visible at 1.2s"). Timestamped evidence is significantly stronger than a general complaint.
03
Use the correct technical term in your support ticket
Describe this failure as "Anatomical Topology & Coherence Failure". This term maps to a recognised internal workflow in the support system and routes the ticket to the right team.
04
Submit via the correct support channel
Runway has no direct email intake. Pro+ plan: open the in-app AI Assistant (help widget bottom-right of app.runwayml.com), describe the failure with the technical term, attach evidence. Free/Standard plan: human support isn't available — your channel is Discord #community-help with @On Call - Moderators.

Frequently asked questions

Does Pika support response credits for anatomy artifacts?

Yes. Submit the generation ID, the technical term "Anatomical Topology & Coherence Failure", and a timestamped failure point through Pika support. The failure mode is recognised and routinely refunded.

Why does Pika generate extra fingers?

Pika's diffusion model lacks an explicit skeletal prior — finger count is statistical, not enforced. Close-up hand shots and articulated motion push the model into low-probability regions where topology fails.

How can I avoid Pika anatomy failures?

Avoid close-up hand shots, finger-detail actions, and multi-character physical contact. AVA flags high-risk anatomy prompts before submission.

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