Japan Considers Making AI-Generated Studio Ghibli Images Illegal

Apr 21, 2025

Matt Growcoot

A large stone government building with a central pyramid-shaped tower, columns at the entrance, and a Japanese flag on a flagpole, surrounded by trees under a clear blue sky. — Parliament of Japan, National Diet Building.

A flood of AI-generated images mimicking the distinct style of Studio Ghibli washed over social media in March, thanks to ChatGPT’s powerful new AI image generator. But the trend has now sparked legal and ethical questions in Japan.

Studio Ghibli is the renowned Japanese animation studio behind films such as My Neighbor Totoro. The widespread popularity of the AI images was raised during a meeting of Japan’s House of Representatives Cabinet Committee. On April 16, Gifu Prefecture representative Masato Imai raised the issue with Hirohiko Nakahara, Director-General for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Strategy.

“There has been discussion of whether the so-called ‘Ghiblification’ — making AI-generated images in the Ghibli style — constitutes copyright violation. Under the current interpretation of the law, just how legal is it?” Imai asked per Dexerto.

“Ultimately, that is something for courts to decide,” Nakahara said in response. “If it is only a matter of the style or ideas being similar, then it would not be considered copyright infringement. If AI-generated content is determined to be similar to or reliant on preexisting copyrighted works, then there is a possibility that it could constitute copyright infringement.”

Imai later clarified that “the use of styles and ideas is legal, but if [an AI image] were recognized as being ‘Ghibli itself,’ then that would be a violation of law.”

A triptych features three illustrated scenes: a child in a red scarf with large eyes, a sailor kissing a nurse in a city setting, reminiscent of a famous WWII photo, and a man in a suit with people and colorful posters in the background. — Afghan Girl, V-J Day Kiss, and George Bush on 9/11 all got the AI Studio Ghibli treatment.

Who or what prompted Imai to raise the issue in the House of Representatives is unclear but in a 2016 documentary Hayao Miyazaki, one of Studio Ghibli’s founders, reacted in horror when first shown AI technology.

“I am utterly disgusted,” Miyazaki said when shown an AI presentation. “If you really want to make creepy stuff, you can go ahead and do it, but I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself.”

So far, no lawsuits have been filed and no legislation proposed, but the fact that the issue has caught the attention of lawmakers signals how quickly the intersection of AI and creativity is evolving. There are numerous legal issues around AI still to be settled; including how the algorithms are trained and whether AI-generated output is copyrightable.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.