Studio Ghibli, the iconic Japanese animation studio founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, has consistently served as a pillar of creativity, producing animated films that blend unique visuals with heartfelt storytelling. The studio gained popularity with the production of several successful films, such as Spirited Away, Ponyo, and Princess Mononoke.
Nearly all the studio’s films share a consistent animation style and artistic approach, making them distinctly unique. Below are examples of the animation style used by Studio Ghibli:
Credit: The Secret World of Arrietty, Studio Ghibli
Credit: Spirited Away, Studio Ghibli
AI-Generated Images
While AI technologies have been capable of generating images for years now, it has become a recent phenomenon — namely on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok — to use AI to mimic specific artistic styles, such as Studio Ghibli’s style. On March 25, 2025, Open AI released a tool on ChatGPT that allows users to upload an image and recreate it in the style of the user’s choosing. The AI is trained on vast datasets of images, including those created by human artists, and can generate new images tailored to the user prompts. For example, I uploaded my professional headshot and used the prompt, “please create an image in the style of Studio Ghibli.” The image that ChatGPT generated clearly resembles the distinctive visual characteristics associated with Studio Ghibli.
Are AI-Generated Images Considered Derivative Works Under U.S. Copyright law?
Studio Ghibli, like other major studios and artists, holds copyrights over its works. However, copyright law does not protect ideas or general artistic styles, as it only protects specific expressions of those ideas. Therefore, while Studio Ghibli’s iconic characters from its films are protected by copyright, the general artistic style or aesthetic they embody may not be.
Copyright law grants creators the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and publicly display their works, as well as the right to create derivative works. A derivative work is defined under copyright law as a work that is based on or derived from existing copyrighted work (e.g., fan art, music remixes, film adaptations of a book). For example, if an AI tool generates an image that closely resembles a specific character or scene from a Studio Ghibli film, it may be viewed as a derivative work, potentially violating the studio’s copyright.
Unfortunately, the line between mere inspiration and infringement is not always clear. AI models usually generate images that are not exact reproductions but are instead combinations or variations of elements learned from a wide range of data sources. If an AI-generated image draws from Studio Ghibli’s aesthetic but does not copy specific copyrighted works, it likely falls into a gray area of the law.
As the law stands as of right now, the AI-generated image of my professional headshot shared above likely wouldn’t be classified as a derivative work, as it doesn’t replicate any specific copyrighted content. However, if I prompted ChatGPT to create an image copying Ponyo from Studio Ghibli — with Ponyo being a main character from the well-known film — there would be a stronger case that the image is considered a derivative work, assuming Studio Ghibli holds a copyright over the character.
For artists like Studio Ghibli, the rise of AI tools capable of generating images that closely mimic their distinct visual style presents a harsh reality. These creators often devote enormous amounts of time to cultivating a singular artistic vision, only to now see computers produce strikingly similar results in mere seconds. Given the emotional — and likely financial — impact this could have on artists, legal challenges are almost certain to emerge on this issue soon.
