The Ghibli-style moment is not about art or algorithms.
Mumbai: The recent controversy surrounding OpenAI’s ability to generate visuals mimicking Studio Ghibli’s distinct artistic style has reignited a long-simmering global conversation—one that sits at the nexus of technology, creativity, and ethics. What began as a showcase of technical prowess has quickly escalated into a broader cultural debate: can machines truly replicate the soul of human artistry, and if they can, should they?
At the heart of this controversy lies the reverence for Studio Ghibli—a Japanese animation powerhouse known for its handcrafted beauty, emotional depth, and the visionary storytelling of its co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki. For decades, Ghibli’s work has represented the pinnacle of animation artistry, inspiring generations of creators and audiences alike. Miyazaki himself has been vocal about his disdain for AI-generated art, once calling it “an insult to life itself.” So when AI tools began producing eerily accurate renditions in Ghibli’s signature style, it struck a nerve—not just with fans, but across the wider creative community.
On the other side of the spectrum is Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who has embraced the growing capabilities of generative AI and its potential to democratize creativity. This stark contrast in philosophies has sparked an international dialogue: are we witnessing the evolution of creativity, or the erosion of it?
What makes this debate particularly significant is how it’s beginning to influence adjacent industries like branding, marketing, and advertising. With agencies and brands constantly on the hunt for fresh, eye-catching content that resonates culturally, the allure of AI-generated aesthetics—especially ones that tap into powerful nostalgic or artistic sentiments—is undeniable. Yet, it also raises complex questions about authorship, ownership, and authenticity.
In conversation with Ambika Sharma, Founder and Chief Strategist, Pulp Strategy on how the company will look at this phenomena and navigate through it…..
Pulp Strategy under her entrepreneurship has in gained the distinction of being India’s Youngest and most awarded independent agency with 124 global and national awards.
She launched NFC based retail marketing solutions in 2013 building Pulp Strategy’s reputation as an innovation hub. She developed Augmented Reality technology based solutions for advertising in 2014 solidifying this position for the agency. With intense competition in Digital advertising, in 2016 Ambika spear headed “Ek Kadam Unnati Ki Aur” a campaign led by technology giants in the country and supported by digital India that engaged and digitally trained 50 million consumers in emerging markets over a long and effective training period. The campaign when on to win an ABBY at goa fest.
Her passion for meaningful technology led her to develop and launch Instappy, a cloud-based Rapid Mobile Application Development platform which allows businesses across the globe to build feature loaded, attractive, customized & fully native applications for iOS and Android. Instappy today has clients across 7 countries and is rapidly gaining popularity with small and mid-segment businesses worldwide
https://madeinmedia.in/from-inspiration-to-infringement-how-ai-is-redefining-brand-creativity/
How Open AI’s ability to mimic Studio Ghibli’s aesthetic affecting the art and animation industry?
We’re witnessing a stunning display of AI capability—and a subtle erosion of creative sanctity. OpenAI’s model mimicking the Ghibli aesthetic is technically brilliant, yes, but it opens a can of philosophical and professional worms.
From a distance, the Ghibli-style outputs feel nostalgic, familiar. But for artists who have spent decades honing that very craft, it’s jarring. The craftsmanship, the imperfection, the deeply human nuances—those get flattened in a pixel-perfect simulation.
As an agency, we’re often caught in the middle—do we educate and reason, or ride the wave? Right now, I’m seeing a tsunami-style panic among both creators and brands, scrambling to use the style, feed the algorithm, ride the virality. That for me, is the most disappointing part. We’re shortcutting process. We’re imitating soul.
The ethical and legal implications for artists and brands?
At this moment, there’s no legal clash. That’s the loophole—and the ticking time bomb. Because while AI isn’t “copying” in the traditional sense, it’s generating close-enough derivatives from a distinctive, copyrighted body of work.
I believe we’re heading toward a tipping point. One where derivative art will be challenged, not just in courts, but in culture. We’ll see new legal frameworks around “style ownership” and visual identity. Brands using AI-generated Ghibli-esque art today might find themselves on the wrong side of a very public, very emotional debate tomorrow.
Is this trend influencing branding, advertising, and creative industries?
Brands are being seduced by aesthetics at scale. Ghibli-style outputs tick all the boxes: emotional resonance, visual beauty, trend participation. And agencies? We’re expected to deliver it yesterday.
But I’d argue—we risk diluting brand authenticity, especially for culturally rooted or premium segments. Yes, AI gives us scale. But without intentional storytelling and contextual relevance, it becomes noise.
This trend is nudging the industry toward a dangerous binary—cheap fast beauty versus slow meaningful creativity. We need to find the middle path: augmentation, not automation of imagination.
Industry perspectives on Hayao Miyazaki’s AI art skepticism vs. Sam Altman’s embrace of AI-generated styles?
It’s the perfect clash of worlds. Miyazaki sees AI-generated art as devoid of soul. Altman sees it as inevitable evolution. Honestly? I empathize with both.
Miyazaki’s concern is valid. His work was never about speed. It was about patience, philosophy, poetry. And AI hasn’t yet learned reverence. But Altman’s point—that AI can democratize visual expression—is not without merit. The challenge is not in the tech, it’s in how we use it.
At Pulp, we use AI heavily, but always with intent. We never outsource imagination. That’s a line we won’t cross.
Closing Thought
The Ghibli-style moment is not about art or algorithms. It’s a litmus test for us as an industry: Do we stand for craft or convenience? My hope is that we move beyond mimicry—and use AI to collaborate with creativity, not colonize it.
