The Ethical Concerns of Using AI to Recreate the Ghibli Style

The Ethical Concerns of Using AI to Recreate the Ghibli Style

The Ghibli style that’s trending today refers not only to the visual aesthetic of Studio Ghibli’s iconic films but also to the emotional atmosphere, narrative tone, and overall artistic philosophy that defines their work. Created by the legendary animation studio in Japan, this style blends dreamlike fantasy with the beauty of everyday life, capturing hearts around the world.

A defining characteristic of the Ghibli style is the harmonious relationship between humans and nature. Scenes often depict tranquil landscapes—rustling trees, golden fields, sun-dappled streets, and quiet villages—filled with a sense of peace and wonder. These natural elements aren’t just backgrounds; they are characters themselves, imbued with life and emotion.

Visually, Ghibli-inspired art tends to use soft brush strokes, warm watercolor tones, and gentle lighting effects to evoke a nostalgic and heartfelt atmosphere. Rather than relying on bold digital effects, it favors a hand-drawn look with subtle texture, emphasizing the organic and human touch.

Characters in this style are often ordinary people in extraordinary moments, portrayed with sensitivity and emotional depth. Their interactions with the world around them are deeply felt, creating stories that are quiet yet powerful. Themes like childhood curiosity, environmental respect, personal growth, and quiet heroism are common.
​
Today, many artists and creators use AI tools and digital painting techniques to reinterpret real-world photos or original drawings into the Ghibli style. These illustrations are highly popular on social media and in personal portfolios, reflecting a collective longing for serenity, imagination, and connection. Ultimately, the Ghibli style is beloved for its ability to transform simple scenes into something magical--a soft blend of reality and dream.

​As an example of this Ghibli-style conversion, I converted my daily photos using ChatGPT.
The results were truly amazing. It felt as if the real scenes in the photos had been transferred to the world of animation.
Thanks to the feeling of light, colors, and softly expressed lines, ordinary landscapes or portraits that I took turned into animated backgrounds that contained a story of a single scene.

What is especially surprising is that this Ghibli style goes beyond simply being 'pretty converted',
and even captures the emotions and atmosphere in the photos.

For example, a photo of a swan taken by a river was expressed with water and sunlight like watercolor, further emphasizing the warmth and tranquility of nature,
and a photo taken in the city at sunset was produced with soft color gradations and the position of the moon,
making it feel like a climax scene in an animation.

In this way, Ghibli-style conversion using ChatGPT can be an emotional experience that reinterprets moments I have experienced as scenes from an animation,
going beyond simple visual fun. This brings about a new appreciation for the everyday scenes that we normally pass by, and makes us feel again how beautiful and precious those moments were.

As a result, this transformation is a warm attempt to add emotion to memories beyond simple styling, and it becomes a special experience where anyone can become the main character of the animation world through their own photos.

​There are several controversies surrounding AI’s use of the Ghibli style.
First, there are concerns about copyright infringement and possible legal issues when using it commercially.
Second, there are criticisms that the original creator’s creative rights and artistic uniqueness may be violated.
Third, there is a risk that the generated images may be mistaken for official Ghibli works, causing confusion.
Finally, there are concerns that the AI ​​may have used image data learned without permission.

As AI tools increasingly mimic Studio Ghibli’s iconic art style, debates arise around copyright infringement, artistic integrity, and the use of unlicensed training data. This article explores the key controversies surrounding Ghibli-inspired AI-generated content.

​This kind of conflict or discussion will probably be a big question mark that is always thrown at us living in the AI ​​era. In particular, as a generation that has experienced all eras of the AI ​​era through the analog and digital eras, I am worried about the confusion and difficulties that the younger generation will have to experience.

Rather, since they do not know the previous analog era, the younger generation will not realize what difficulties there are. Even I sometimes get lost in the novel ideas and enjoyment when I watch Reels or Shorts, so I envy this era equipped with new technology. However, from the perspective of a creator, it does not seem to be an element to be completely happy about. In fact, one of my students is having difficulty with this digital area, and I worry when I think about the confusion she feels. When I first entered digital art with a big dream and was studying hard, the AI ​​area was only in the experimental stage and was not that threatening. Sometimes I laughed at the low quality.

But now, no one laughs at the digital images created by AI. No, they cannot laugh. Because they often go beyond the realm of what humans created. People predict that this technology will actually advance and increase efficiency in the digital art sector. However, this is only for the top 2% who have the creativity and talent to use the tools well and create freely. Most people working in the digital art field have been repeatedly creating something using the editing tools they learned. However, these jobs will now completely disappear.

​ The Ghibli style is also popular. So will Studio Ghibli prosper in the future? Perhaps it will succeed in terms of recognition and business. However, if you manually take a scene and AI uses it and distributes it to ordinary people without any compensation, commercial gains are bound to decrease.

​Whenever a new technological revolution occurs, we witness the rapid collapse of existing systems before our eyes.
As if a huge wave were sweeping everything away, familiar tools, jobs, and ways of thinking disappear into history,
and new order, speed, and efficiency take their place.
Words like AI, big data, and automation are no longer imaginations of the future,
but are rewriting the essence of our lives, art, and creation today.

In this flow, what role can art play?
When everything is moving in a fast, calculable, and predictable direction,
art that contains emotions, sentiments, ambiguity, and depth may be seen as inefficient and outdated.

However, I believe.
Art can shine even brighter in such a revolutionary era.

When the technological sky is too bright and blinding, art can be a quietly twinkling star in that sky.

Even if it cannot light up the entire sky,
it can be a small, strong light that gives way to a person's heart,
and reminds us of the meaning of how humans can exist as humans even in the midst of chaos.

Art is not converted into efficiency, nor measured by profit,
and does not have to be accurate or fast, but it illuminates our inner self truthfully and slowly.

That is why, even if innovation changes everything,
we hope that art will survive in it, or rather, live more deeply and strongly.

Because art is ultimately the last language of humans.

Even though technology can change life, it is always the role of art to make us feel life deeply.
Send feedback