Fans of Studio Ghibli movies are furious. A new AI tool from OpenAI lets people make images that look like Hayao Miyazaki, the legendary artist behind films like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, drew them. Many fans call these AI copies “sloppy” and say they disrespect Miyazaki’s hard work.
Miyazaki, who is 84 years old, has always made his movies by hand. He spends years drawing each scene with his team. Fans say using AI to copy his style is lazy and wrong.
How the AI Trend Started
Last week, OpenAI added a new feature to ChatGPT. For $20 a month, users can type words and get AI-made images. People started typing “Studio Ghibli style” to turn memes or photos into cartoons that look like Miyazaki’s art.
Some examples included the “Distracted Boyfriend” meme as a Ghibli cartoon. Others turned real events, like the 9/11 attacks, into colorful anime scenes. Even politicians joined in. The White House shared a Ghibli-style image of a deported immigrant, and El Salvador’s president posted a cartoon of himself.
Fans Say AI Art Steals Miyazaki’s Soul
Miyazaki’s fans flooded social media with angry posts. Many said AI art misses the point of his movies, which celebrate nature, peace, and hard work.
One fan wrote, “Miyazaki didn’t draw for 60 years just so AI could turn his art into memes. Pay real artists instead of using robot slop.” Another added, “This is why we can’t have nice things. AI sucks the soul out of everything.”
Miyazaki Hates AI Art
In 2016, Miyazaki saw a demo of AI-made animation. It showed a creepy zombie moving weirdly. He said, “This is disgusting. The people making this don’t understand pain or life. It’s an insult.”
Fans shared this old clip to show why Miyazaki would hate the ChatGPT trend. They say his art is about human feelings, not computer shortcuts.
Is AI Art Illegal?
OpenAI says its tool avoids copying living artists. But users found easy tricks to make Ghibli-style images anyway. For example, typing “anime movie with forests and spirits” instead of “Studio Ghibli.”
Some fans want Studio Ghibli to sue OpenAI. Lawyers say it’s tricky because you can’t copyright an art style. However, specific characters or scenes from Ghibli films might be protected.
OpenAI’s CEO Mocked the Backlash
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, made the problem worse. He changed his social media profile picture to a Ghibli-style cartoon of himself. When fans complained, he joked, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Artists fired back. A movie illustrator tweeted, “Says the CEO of Big Trash.”
Why This Fight Matters
This fight is part of a bigger debate. Should AI copy artists’ work? Fans say no. They argue that AI steals jobs and makes art boring. Tech fans say AI helps people be creative without skills.
For Miyazaki’s fans, the issue is personal. His movies teach kindness and respect for nature. Using AI to copy his style feels like spitting on those lessons.
As one fan put it, “Go watch Princess Mononoke and see real art. Then you’ll understand why AI can’t replace humans.”