One Piece Director Slams Ghibli AI Art: “You’ve Tarnished Ghibli”

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The initially innocent social media fad has escalated into a significant dispute, as the proliferation of AI-created Ghibli-style images has been increasingly criticized by artists, animators, and anime directors. The recent application of AI to mimic Hayao Miyazaki’s painstakingly crafted art has understandably stirred resentment within the anime community, who appreciate the dedication behind the art form. Most recently, One Piece‘s cherished director Megumi Ishitani has weighed in on the matter through platform X, voicing her opinions on this ongoing Ghibli AI debate.

Recently, I’ve found myself deeply immersed in discussions about the Ghibli AI controversy. As a dedicated fan and director of some of “One Piece Fan Letter” episodes, I feel compelled to voice my strong opposition to this trend. A post that encapsulates my feelings particularly well reads, “You’ve sullied Ghibli. I can never forgive you.” An additional post further expressing my discontent follows: “I want legal action to be taken. It pains me to see Ghibli being devalued in such a manner.”

Interestingly, this situation takes on an ironic twist as I’ve been receiving AI-generated images of myself, styled after the iconic Ghibli aesthetic, from users. In response, I can only say, “I find it truly horrific.

ジブリを汚しやがって…許さん……

— 䂖谷牛乳 (@ishigyunyu) April 1, 2025

Megumi Ishitani Speaks Out on the Ghibli AI Trend

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It’s evident from the One Piece Fan Letter that a brief special can require numerous months to complete, and it’s animators and directors who truly understand the immense effort involved in producing an anime, much like Megumi Ishitani. However, even without this behind-the-scenes knowledge, Ishitani’s reaction to the Studio Ghibli AI trend is deeply moving and echoes feelings that many fans of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s work can identify with.

日本人でもジブリAI使ってるやついんの！？
絶望だ…
ジブリのブランド価値を落としかねない行為なのに

— 䂖谷牛乳 (@ishigyunyu) April 2, 2025

On her latest post on X platform, Ishitani expresses doubt about whether any Japanese individuals are participating in the Ghibli AI craze. She laments, “I wonder if there are Japanese people using Ghibli AI? It’s disheartening… This action could potentially damage the Ghibli brand.

ジブリ公式が許可出すわけないよな！？
無断だよな！？なんでこんなことが許されるんだ…

— 䂖谷牛乳 (@ishigyunyu) April 2, 2025

After this post, Ishitani advocates for Studio Ghibli to pursue legal action, expressing her discomfort at seeing the studio’s work being handled in such a low-quality manner. In another post, she queries how this infringement was permitted, stating, “Surely Studio Ghibli wouldn’t officially approve of this, right? This was done without permission! How is this allowed?

Anime and Manga Are Fighting a Losing Battle Against AI

Regrettably, Ishitani’s worries remain unaddressed as there are limited safeguards for anime and manga artists and their intellectual property against theft and misuse by AI. Just a few months ago, the introduction of X’s policies sparked controversy when it was disclosed that any content uploaded to X could potentially be utilized by external entities to educate AI models.

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Although creators such as Hirohiko Araki have criticized the application of AI, others like Eiichiro Oda display a more ambiguous stance. This is evident in the latest reading app for One Piece, One Piece Base, which incorporates an AI-driven portrait generator. However, it’s crucial to note that this was done with Oda’s explicit approval, making it a key point of discussion. As Ishitani points out, the increasing use of AI in Ghibli productions may diminish the worth of Miyazaki’s art and potentially harm the Ghibli brand overall. Here’s hoping that this trend comes to an end soon.

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2025-04-02 23:40