Over the last few days, Studio Ghibli-style edits have taken over the internet. With the help of OpenAI’s latest native image generator, people across the world are trying to reimagine their daily lives into Studio Ghibli’s iconic animation style art. But let us not forget that Studio Ghibli chief Hayao Miyazaki is strongly against such practices, as he called these tendencies ‘insult to life itself’ in a documentary. (Also read: Like Studio Ghibli-style ChatGPT portraits? Founder Hayao Miyazaki thinks AI-generated art is ‘insult to life itself’)
What is Studio Ghibli?
Studio Ghibli is a renowned and award-winning Japanese animation studio based in Koganei, Tokyo. It was founded by animators and directors Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao and producer Suzuki Toshio in 1985. Over the years, the company has come to be known across the world for their high-quality animated feature films that feature hand-drawn figures.
The animation style of Studio Ghibli
The name Ghibli comes from a Libyan Arabic word referring to a hot desert wind. Some of the most acclaimed films to come out of Studio Ghibli are Ponyo, My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Moonooke, and Kiki’s Delivery Service. Their animation style is distinguished by meticulous detailing of its human figures, along with soft pastel and muted colour palettes.
X (formerly Twitter) user shared the clip from the NHK documentary series NHK Special: Hayao Miyazaki — The One Who Never Ends, where Miyazaki was seen addressing a group of students who had proposed a machine that would create animation. “I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel this is an insult to life itself.”
These works are labor-intensive, made by a dedicated team of craftsmen who work under the guidance of Miyazaki. For example, take The Wind Rises, where each frame of the film is hand-drawn and painted with watercolors. One scene in particular, which depicts a crowded market, took more than a year to complete. Last year, Miyazaki was honoured with this year’s prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize.
Why is Ghibli trending
The latest image generator released on OpenAI’s ChatGPT has sparked a newfound attention for Ghibli’s animation style. The new feature has led to a surge in user-generated content, with many sharing their creations across social media.
Amid the trend, a X (formerly Twitter) user shared the clip from the NHK documentary series NHK Special: Hayao Miyazaki — The One Who Never Ends, where Miyazaki was seen addressing a group of students who had proposed a machine that would create animation. There he was seen sharing his reaction to the idea that a machine could replicate the style of Ghibli animation. He said, “I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel this is an insult to life itself.”
