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58-Year-Old Goro Miyazaki Declares: AI Can Never Replicate the Unique Charm of Ghibli’s Hand-Drawn Animation

As ChatGPT’s image generator rapidly generates art reminiscent of classics like Spirited Away and Totoro—sparking copyright disputes and insensitive tech actions—Miyazaki warns that no algorithm can capture the timeless, authentic creativity of a human.

April 2, 2025

Summary

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Goro Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli's managing director and son of co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, predicts a future where AI could complete an entire animated film.
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ChatGPT’s revamped image generator is already producing visuals similar to the style of Studio Ghibli's iconic films, prompting fresh debates over copyright and creative authenticity.
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Miyazaki is adamant that decades of traditional artistry and deep creative vision simply can’t be substituted by technology.
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While digital tools may help new talent emerge, there are concerns that this could undermine the legacy of traditional, hand-crafted animation.
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Ghibli films, rich with history, personal loss, and hope, exemplify a creative spirit that no algorithm can capture.

Goro Miyazaki doesn’t mince words. The 58-year-old managing director of Studio Ghibli—a title he inherited from watching his father shape an industry—is clear: while AI-generated art may eventually piece together an entire anime film, it will never replicate the genuine warmth and meticulous intricate details crafted by hand that have become synonymous with Ghibli.

The latest version of ChatGPT’s image generator is already crafting artworks that echo beloved films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl’s Moving Castle. The tool is opening up new creative possibilities, yet it stares down big questions about artistic ownership and the true nature of art, especially when Ghibli’s signature style is at stake. OpenAI insists it avoids copying living artists’ styles, but the undeniable presence of Ghibli’s influence across social media and the digital realm is sparking concern.

At its heart, the conversation centers on preserving the irreplaceable value of artistic expression. Miyazaki warns that while technology can unearth emerging talent, it also threatens the painstaking artistry honed over decades by traditional animators—a craft that AI-assisted techniques can never capture.

The studio’s legacy speaks for itself. Even at 84, Hayao Miyazaki continues to astound audiences with films built frame-by-frame, his latest, The Boy and the Heron, often viewed as a heartfelt farewell to a lifetime of artistic achievement. Goro Miyazaki stresses that what makes Ghibli magical isn’t just visual splendor but emotional narratives interlaced with rich historical context, explorations of personal suffering, and an enduring sense of optimism.

A resurfaced documentary clip from 2016 further emphasizes this point. In the clip, Hayao Miyazaki’s reaction to an AI-assisted demonstration is unmistakable—he dismissed it, arguing it could never evoke the deep, genuine emotion found in human-made art. His words remind us that no matter how far technology evolves, machines can’t match the soul of traditional artistry.

The rush to produce Ghibli-like images on platforms like X and Instagram has ignited a firestorm over intellectual property rights and ethics. The rapid proliferation of these images is creating a tangle of legal ambiguities, placing traditional media companies in direct conflict with nimble tech giants. Even with OpenAI upholding fair use policies, the future of artistic copyright remains uncertain, leaving many to wonder about the fate of creative professionals.

The debate recently took a sharp turn when OpenAI CEO Sam Altman adopted a profile picture inspired by Ghibli—a move that many saw as tone-deaf. This incident underlines a larger clash: the tech sector’s profit-driven mindset is at odds with the irreplaceable richness of authentic, human creativity.

Studio Ghibli has been a beacon for art since its founding in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Goro Miyazaki, who joined in 1998, recalls the studio’s early days—observing the creative process of his father and Takahata instilled in him an unyielding commitment to their craft. Every carefully crafted frame in a Ghibli film is a living testament to that dedication.

In the end, the question isn’t simply about technological capabilities—it’s about whether we are ready to sacrifice the enduring artistic value and emotion of human artistry for the transient efficiency of modern tech. For those who hold the Ghibli legacy dear, the answer is clear: true art, born of personal experience and historical insight, will always stand apart from the cold calculations of computer code.