Studio Ghibli Against Artifical Brushstrokes

If you are into Anime or active on social media, you’ve likely heard of Studio Ghibli. Founded on June 15, 1985, this world-renowned Japanese animation studio has captivated audiences worldwide. From the 1988 film My Neighbour Totoro to the heavily accoladed 2023 film The Boy and the Heron, the works of Studio Ghibli are renowned for their comforting style of art, which sets them apart from other Japanese animations. These films and several other fan-favourites are the brainchildren of the studio’s honorary chairman, Hayao Miyazaki. While not all the studio’s works are his, they often follow a similar art style. His style portrays Japanese and Western elements, resembling watercolour paintings with soft pastel palettes. Each frame radiates comfort, making the visuals a work of art in themselves. Alongside Hayao Miyazaki, visionaries like Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki have also played crucial roles in shaping the Studio Ghibli productions we love and cherish today.

All masterpieces have their low-quality copies. This can be seen with the new trend that has flooded various social media platforms. At first glance, the Ghibli trend may seem like a wholesome and light-hearted internet phenomenon of capturing the distinctive look and feel of Studio Ghibli’s iconic animation style in personal photos. But replicating the art style with AI, though only for personal use, undermines the hard work and dedication of the animators who hand-draw every individual frame we see on screen. Hayao Miyazaki has been outspoken about AI-generated art and once said, "Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever. I am utterly disgusted… I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself.” There’s a specific four-second clip in the 2013 film The Wind Rises that took animator Eiji Yamamori one year and three months to achieve as he refused to use CGI. This four-second clip showcases a frantic crowd scene: a mother separated from her child as they try to grab each other's hands, a couple navigating through the crowd, elderly friends, the rioting horse, the mother with a child tied to her front and back and another mother with a child pushing the giant bag on her husband's shoulders. The attention to detail in each frame is unparalleled by the work produced by AI in a few seconds. No amount of data training will allow a machine to come close to replicating the soul and artistry of human animation. 

This trend became popular with the launch of OpenAI’s new image generator, powered by GPT4o. This paid version can generate pictures based on the user’s prompt. Initially, users experimented with various styles: The Simpsons, South Park, and even simple caricatures or sketches, but it was the Ghibli-style pictures that took the internet by storm. The real issue isn’t artists painting in other artists’ styles, it is AI’s replicating those styles without effort or understanding. Over the years, many people have adapted Vincent Van Gogh’s technique of painting the sky into their works. The squiggly strokes of blue and yellow hues are unique to The Starry Night, yet nobody discredits Van Gogh for popularising this technique. No one is outright plagiarising Hayao Miyazaki. The trend is even referred to as the “Ghibli trend”, acknowledging that the art style comes from their studio. What gets discredited is the time, patience, and effort required to develop this skill and create each workpiece. The Boy and the Heron took Miyazaki 7 years to complete. For an artist to replicate Van Gogh’s technique, they must spend weeks or even months studying each brushstroke’s purpose. AI, on the other hand, merely imitates without understanding. There's a vast difference between copying and referencing an artist's style; this point applies to both human and artificial artists.

Understandably, making art isn’t a piece of cake for everyone. It’s not a skill that can be developed overnight. Not everyone has the time, money or passion to invest into becoming an artist. As a result, many turn to AI for artwork when needed. AI-generated art is replacing human artists in many fields, leaving them struggling to find work. Being an artist is already an unstable career. Many take up menial jobs just to fund their passion. Every AI-generated image represents a lost opportunity for an artist to earn through commissions. Ironically, the version of ChatGPT that allows one to generate images is a paid service. Beyond job displacement, AI also raises serious ethical concerns. Using AI compels people to disregard copyright and ownership laws, as most AI models are trained on vast datasets scraped from the internet, often without the consent of the owner, including copyrighted works, original illustrations, and private portfolios. Legal systems in many countries do not recognize AI-generated work as copyrightable because it lacks human authorship. With little to no legal protection and no way to reclaim stolen styles or techniques, many artists are left feeling powerless in an industry that once relied on their creativity.

Every invention is a bad one if used with bad intentions. The implementation of artificial intelligence in the art domain isn’t evil. For artists, AI picture-generation models can help you in generating reference pictures for your artworks. There are plenty of AI tools in the market that can help artists who have mobility issues. Beginners can also use AI-powered apps and software, such as Procreate’s AI feature, to assist them. They help you develop techniques while still requiring manual input. For consumers, AI can help introduce us to the artists that specialise in the medium you’re looking for. In a vast sea of artists, it is hard to find someone who fits our wants and price range. Studio Ghibli isn’t the sole victim of this trend. Artists from all mediums, those who work on the streets to those who work in the biggest companies, are affected. Art has played a big part in the world as history unravels. Art does not just teach us but also makes us feel things. Don’t let the magic of art vanish with your wish to join the social bandwagon. Question yourself before you follow trends blindly. No artist deserves to be replaced by technology simply for the sake of convenience because art, at its core, will always be human.