I think Hayao Miyazaki would not be too worried about ChatGPT’s Ghiblification trend. It’s mostly those who are unable to create something like Miyazaki who seem to be obsessing over and ranting about copyright infringement.
Yes, he was horrified back in 2016 when he saw what AI
animation produced and called it “an insult to life.” But if I understand him
right, he was saying that AI would never be able to create what he can —
and that he would never incorporate it into his work. And he’s right.
All AI is doing is mimicking. And while some of the results are charming — especially considering they often take less than five minutes of effort — they aren’t doing anything truly original.
And let’s be honest: the trend is literally called Ghiblification.
Even if it does produce something original, are we
really arguing that artists don’t learn from existing works? Are we suggesting
that if a machine does it, it’s somehow more of an infringement than if a human
artist had done the same?
Are we going to ask artists to use only natural paint, which
takes years to produce, instead of the incredible synthetic paints we have now?
Are we going to say that artists shouldn’t use MS Paint just because it allows
things to be created faster than with watercolours?
Are we going to tell advertisers and filmmakers not to create themes inspired
by popular films?
Are we going to instruct storytellers to avoid the Hero’s Journey as a
structure?
It borders on the absurd.
Leonard Read already explained the modern world through I,
Pencil. AI is just the next new tool humanity has discovered.
Yes, some claim AI might be the last invention of humanity.
But I, for one, remain skeptical.
We shouldn’t confuse a fad with a trend. Artists will experiment with this, the
market will react, and once it commodifies, new forms will need to emerge —
forms that strike a chord, like Spirited Away once did. AI won’t be
creating that. At least not without a prompt from a human.
Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli had a clear passion for their
craft. AI today cannot mimic that.
What we’re witnessing is not just a copyright issue. It’s
the age-old tension between new tools and existing power structures.
The real concern shouldn’t be mimicry — it should be about the concentration
of these capabilities in the hands of anti-competitive forces.
It’s regulation and intellectual monopolies that risk stifling creativity.
On a side note, to understand better Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's potential views, I am reading Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man by Steve Alpert. A book by one of the few foreigners (gaijin) who spent years working with Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. I haven’t finished the book, but in the introduction I find this text below:
Studio Ghibli's films have influenced and inspired both animated and live-action filmmakers worldwide. Reflections and versions of images originally created by Hayao Miyazaki can be found in the films of well-known independent and Hollywood motion picture directors, including some major box office hits. Hayao Miyazaki has been called the Walt Disney and the Steven Spielberg of Japanese film. His influence on other filmmakers has been enormous.
Craft is about learning from the best.
And in some ways, this Ghiblification trend is a kind of homage to Miyazaki’s passion.
It’s not going to derail his creative output.
Owaranai
Hito, the Japanese title of the book, translates to “The Man Who Is
Never Finished.”