Studio Ghibli Meets AI: Where Art Ends and Infringement Begins
In March 2025, OpenAI released a new feature in ChatGPT that allows users to turn photos into hand-drawn artwork inspired by Studio Ghibli—the famous Japanese animation studio behind beloved films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl’s Moving Castle. The feature went viral almost instantly. People everywhere started using it to create Ghibli-style versions of themselves, pets, and favorite places. Even OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, created a version of himself using the tool.
However, like many advancements in AI, this new tool has raised legal concern about potential copyright infringement.
What is Copyright?
Copyright is a type of legal protection for original creative works like books, movies, music, and artwork. It goes all the way back to the U.S. Constitution, which gave Congress the power to protect authors and inventors by granting them exclusive rights to their work for a limited time.
Today, for most works created after 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years. During that time, the copyright owner holds exclusive rights to: (1) reproduce the work (like printing it or sharing it online); (2) make derivative works (like spin offs or sequels); and (3) show/perform the work publicly (like streaming a movie or putting artwork on display).
This means if someone wants to use another person’s creative work, especially to sell or promote a product or service, they usually need permission from the owner of the creative work.
What is Copyright Infringement?
Copyright infringement occurs when someone uses protected work without the copyright owner’s permission. This can include copying, distributing, modifying, or publicly displaying the work without authorization. In response, the copyright owner can take legal action seeking monetary damages or a court order to stop the unauthorized use.
To prove copyright infringement, the owner must show two things: (1) that they hold a valid copyright—meaning they created an original and expressive work, and (2) that someone used it without permission in a way that was substantially similar or directly copied.
Understanding these requirements helps us evaluate whether OpenAI’s Ghibli-style tool could potentially cross the line into copyright infringement.
The Ghibli-Style Debate
While the new feature in ChatGPT enables users to generate images reminiscent of Studio Ghibli’s aesthetic, the challenge lies in the fact that copyright law does not extend protection to general ideas or artistic styles. One cannot copyright “a dreamy landscape” or “a character with big eyes and a whimsical smile.” These are common features in anime and fantasy art. But if someone creates an image that closely copies Ghibli’s specific characters or well-known scenes, it could be considered a derivative work and possibly infringe on Studio Ghibli’s rights, especially if it is used for profit, such as selling merchandise or advertising.
So far, Studio Ghibli has not publicly commented on the new feature. However, given Studio Ghibli’s history of protecting their movies and characters, it would not be surprising if they pursue legal action as the trend continues to gain popularity.
Why Does It Matter?
If you are just having fun turning yourself into a Ghibli-style character for social media, you are likely safe. However, this trend highlights a bigger shift in how we think about art, technology, and ownership. As AI gets better at mimicking artistic styles, it forces us to ask: where is the line between inspiration and stealing?
Whether you are an artist, a business owner, or just someone who enjoys using this new technology, it is important to understand how copyright works and why it exists. While AI may be blurring the boundaries of creativity, the copyright rules still apply.
Sources
Copyright Litigation 101, Dec. 16, 2022, Thomson Reuters, https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/blog/copyright-litigation-101/#what-defines-copyright?
Essenese Obhan & Mehak Dhingra, The Ghibli Effect: Blurring the Lines between Creativity and Copyright, Obhan & Associates, Apr. 1, 2025, https://www.obhanandassociates.com/blog/the-ghibli-effect-blurring-the-lines-between-creativity-and-copyright/#:~:text=Direct%20Copying%3A%20Replicating%20specific%20Ghibli%20scenes%2C%20characters%2C%20or,education%20may%20be%20protected%20under%20fair%20use%20provisions.
Justin Bonfiglio, Ghibli, Ghiblification, Copyright and Style, Authors Alliance, May 8, 2025, https://www.authorsalliance.org/2025/05/08/ghibli-ghiblification-copyright-and-style/.
