Studio Ghibli , a world famous Japanese animation studio, has always hooked its audiences and made people mesmerised with the animation, the settings, the sceneries, the portrayal and depiction of nature and humans, and much more. Founded by Hayao Miyazaki , Isao Takahata, Yasuyoshi Tokuma , and Toshio Suzuki , Studio Ghibli has produced some of the most beloved animated films. Be it the timeless and ever famous ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ to ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’.
Ghibli's signature art style is all about breathtaking landscapes, detailed backgrounds, and expressive characters that create a sense of warmth and nostalgia in people, taking them back to the childhood days when worries were lesser and all things felt friendly and jolly.
A viral trend
About a week ago, netizens went insane when someone discovered that ChatGPT could create Ghibli style artworks. Memes started flooding in, AI generations were made, and cute moments were captured and turned to Studio Ghibli style with the help of AI.
And today, interthe net is flooded with AI-generated images mimicking the Studio Ghibli aesthetic. From Instagram to WhatsApp, people cannot stop sharing their AI generations, the aesthetically coded images, and of course, showing people that they too have hopped onto the trend. There are ‘n’ number of posts featuring AI-generated scenes that resemble classic Ghibli films and these show dreamy landscapes, whimsical towns, and soft-coloured characters that evoke a sense of nostalgia and wonder. Many users are fascinated by how AI can recreate Ghibli’s signature art style, leading to viral trends where people generate and share these images for fun.
Where is it created?
There are several AI platforms that now convert ordinary pictures into Studio Ghibli style artwork, but the start came with ChatGPT. People shared their image generations (yes, not creation, it is generation!), tagging ChatGPT and explaining how they did it, and soon Sam Altman came with the statement “It’s super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT. But our GPUs are melting. We are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient”. Sam Altman posted this on X, and an AI chatbot that was used by millions worldwide without fail was now having people test its limits.
In fact, just a day or two later, Altman had to request people to calm down with the image generations because his team ‘need to sleep’!
And so started the obsession with Studio Ghibli-style images, and soon Grok, Gemini, and more AI platforms came up with their own features, having a certain limitation over how many images could be created in a day.
How are people creating it?
Across the world, people are trying their hands across AI platforms to create Studio Ghibli style images of themselves, their families, group portraits, and many more. From a family photo to the picture where a couple said yes to each other, all of these moments are being enhanced and beautified with AI.
Why? Because one does not need high-level codes or algorithms to do it! The steps are simple - Upload a picture on the AI tool or give it a text to image prompt, sit back, and just relax while the AI tool does the job.
People describe if they need to cut out a character from the picture, or add an object. For example, one could simply upload their wedding picture, and ask the AI tool to ‘Hey, please transform this into a Studio Ghibli style portrait, and add a cute dog on our lap’. And AI will do just that!
Artists against the viral trend
Now for the conundrum, while people are happy and jolly about turning their pictures to Ghibli-style artworks, it has sparked concerns among some in the arts community. There are endless critics who say that by providing a coveted style to the people, AI is devaluing hand-drawn-art.
Why? Well, Studio Ghibli’s magic comes from the hours and days of effort of animators, who draw every frame, think about it for days, and then finally execute it. AI-generated images bypass this artistic process, and there lies no originality in an AI generated work.
Many people who love Studio Ghibli creations also say that the films created by them are filled with warmth and have a sense of soul to them, and while AI generations by people may be beloved to the individual, they are stripping an artist of his or her originality and charm.
And for many independent artists who struggle to make ends meet in an increasingly AI reliant world, this image generation platform is simply a kick in their stomachs.There are many freelance artists who specialise in animated artworks, and have spent years learning how to create the perfect inspired artworks, but when AI generates similar art instantly, it reduces the demand for human-made commissions.
Accusations of identity stealing
While the primary reason why people are against AI tools generating Studio Ghibli inspired artwork is about an artist’s identity and his or her hardwork, some skeptics are now also hinting at identity stealing!
Conspiracy theories are everywhere about how every family picture or a couple picture you give to the AI tool, the information is processed, stored, and will eventually be sold to corporations that could engage in identity theft. And if this does not ring a bell in people’s minds, nothing probably will.
A playful trend or an Art conundrum?
Author and artist Anurag Anand, an art creator and afficionado, says "The core motivation for the creator in me is to expose my works to the world; provide a platform for more and more people to engage with them. And to that effect, the Ghibli trend has made the world better informed about the studio and its animation style. The commercial considerations cannot be negated though, and to that effect the raging debate around IPR and copyrights that this has led to is justified. However, if I were a part of the studio management, I would bask in the fact exposure provided by this trend and leverage it as a channel to percolate future innovations to the world at large."
The rise in obsession for AI-generated Ghibli-style images is a cause of concern for many. People creating alternate ID’s to generate more than 2-3 images a day, waiting intently for 24 hours for the limit to reset, and sharing their pictures with the world, has took the world by storm.
But is it just a playful trend or a complete art conundrum?
Well, on one hand, it’s a fun and engaging way for people to familiarise with generating digital art. People enjoy experimenting with AI, and these tools are getting their limits pushed by people who once saw them as a threat. And the way it is generating dreamlike scenes, similar to their favourite films is surely a bonus.
But then we think about how many days, months, and years, it would have taken the producers to create a single still or a movie, and then the mind wanders to the ethical and artistic concerns. Studio Ghibli has always emphasised the beauty of traditional animation, and AI-generated versions are merely a shortcut that undermines their talent, their hardwork, and their craftsmanship. Not just that, if AI-generated art continues to evolve, the way it would discourage and threaten budding artists, would be a cause of worry.
And so as the gray line between trends and ethical considerations continue to grow in the space, one cannot help but wonder if this image generation is a fleeting trend or will be the reason that many creative minds would get disillusioned with the Arts.
Ghibli's signature art style is all about breathtaking landscapes, detailed backgrounds, and expressive characters that create a sense of warmth and nostalgia in people, taking them back to the childhood days when worries were lesser and all things felt friendly and jolly.
A viral trend
About a week ago, netizens went insane when someone discovered that ChatGPT could create Ghibli style artworks. Memes started flooding in, AI generations were made, and cute moments were captured and turned to Studio Ghibli style with the help of AI.
And today, interthe net is flooded with AI-generated images mimicking the Studio Ghibli aesthetic. From Instagram to WhatsApp, people cannot stop sharing their AI generations, the aesthetically coded images, and of course, showing people that they too have hopped onto the trend. There are ‘n’ number of posts featuring AI-generated scenes that resemble classic Ghibli films and these show dreamy landscapes, whimsical towns, and soft-coloured characters that evoke a sense of nostalgia and wonder. Many users are fascinated by how AI can recreate Ghibli’s signature art style, leading to viral trends where people generate and share these images for fun.
Where is it created?
There are several AI platforms that now convert ordinary pictures into Studio Ghibli style artwork, but the start came with ChatGPT. People shared their image generations (yes, not creation, it is generation!), tagging ChatGPT and explaining how they did it, and soon Sam Altman came with the statement “It’s super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT. But our GPUs are melting. We are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient”. Sam Altman posted this on X, and an AI chatbot that was used by millions worldwide without fail was now having people test its limits.
In fact, just a day or two later, Altman had to request people to calm down with the image generations because his team ‘need to sleep’!
And so started the obsession with Studio Ghibli-style images, and soon Grok, Gemini, and more AI platforms came up with their own features, having a certain limitation over how many images could be created in a day.
How are people creating it?
Across the world, people are trying their hands across AI platforms to create Studio Ghibli style images of themselves, their families, group portraits, and many more. From a family photo to the picture where a couple said yes to each other, all of these moments are being enhanced and beautified with AI.
Why? Because one does not need high-level codes or algorithms to do it! The steps are simple - Upload a picture on the AI tool or give it a text to image prompt, sit back, and just relax while the AI tool does the job.
People describe if they need to cut out a character from the picture, or add an object. For example, one could simply upload their wedding picture, and ask the AI tool to ‘Hey, please transform this into a Studio Ghibli style portrait, and add a cute dog on our lap’. And AI will do just that!
Artists against the viral trend
Now for the conundrum, while people are happy and jolly about turning their pictures to Ghibli-style artworks, it has sparked concerns among some in the arts community. There are endless critics who say that by providing a coveted style to the people, AI is devaluing hand-drawn-art.
Why? Well, Studio Ghibli’s magic comes from the hours and days of effort of animators, who draw every frame, think about it for days, and then finally execute it. AI-generated images bypass this artistic process, and there lies no originality in an AI generated work.
Many people who love Studio Ghibli creations also say that the films created by them are filled with warmth and have a sense of soul to them, and while AI generations by people may be beloved to the individual, they are stripping an artist of his or her originality and charm.
And for many independent artists who struggle to make ends meet in an increasingly AI reliant world, this image generation platform is simply a kick in their stomachs.There are many freelance artists who specialise in animated artworks, and have spent years learning how to create the perfect inspired artworks, but when AI generates similar art instantly, it reduces the demand for human-made commissions.
Accusations of identity stealing
While the primary reason why people are against AI tools generating Studio Ghibli inspired artwork is about an artist’s identity and his or her hardwork, some skeptics are now also hinting at identity stealing!
Conspiracy theories are everywhere about how every family picture or a couple picture you give to the AI tool, the information is processed, stored, and will eventually be sold to corporations that could engage in identity theft. And if this does not ring a bell in people’s minds, nothing probably will.
A playful trend or an Art conundrum?
Author and artist Anurag Anand, an art creator and afficionado, says "The core motivation for the creator in me is to expose my works to the world; provide a platform for more and more people to engage with them. And to that effect, the Ghibli trend has made the world better informed about the studio and its animation style. The commercial considerations cannot be negated though, and to that effect the raging debate around IPR and copyrights that this has led to is justified. However, if I were a part of the studio management, I would bask in the fact exposure provided by this trend and leverage it as a channel to percolate future innovations to the world at large."
The rise in obsession for AI-generated Ghibli-style images is a cause of concern for many. People creating alternate ID’s to generate more than 2-3 images a day, waiting intently for 24 hours for the limit to reset, and sharing their pictures with the world, has took the world by storm.
But is it just a playful trend or a complete art conundrum?
Well, on one hand, it’s a fun and engaging way for people to familiarise with generating digital art. People enjoy experimenting with AI, and these tools are getting their limits pushed by people who once saw them as a threat. And the way it is generating dreamlike scenes, similar to their favourite films is surely a bonus.
But then we think about how many days, months, and years, it would have taken the producers to create a single still or a movie, and then the mind wanders to the ethical and artistic concerns. Studio Ghibli has always emphasised the beauty of traditional animation, and AI-generated versions are merely a shortcut that undermines their talent, their hardwork, and their craftsmanship. Not just that, if AI-generated art continues to evolve, the way it would discourage and threaten budding artists, would be a cause of worry.
And so as the gray line between trends and ethical considerations continue to grow in the space, one cannot help but wonder if this image generation is a fleeting trend or will be the reason that many creative minds would get disillusioned with the Arts.
You may also like
PM Narendra Modi calls passage of Waqf Amendment Bill "watershed moment"
Scientist backed hair growth serum shoppers say gives 'major regrowth' in months
Washing machines and fridges will 'sparkle and smell fresh' with 1 natural 30p ingredient
Indore: Truck Driver, Helper Booked For Embezzling Cigarettes Worth ₹16 L
D Gukesh and Viswanathan Anand Show Off Their Dance Moves At Vidit Gujrathi's Wedding To Nidhi Kataria; Video
