SHAH ALAM – OpenAI's latest image generator has taken the internet by storm, with users amazed at its ability to replicate artistic styles, including the beloved aesthetics of Studio Ghibli.
This week, social media has been flooded with AI-created images inspired by Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro, sparking both admiration and controversy.
However, a resurfaced clip of Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki reveals his long-standing disdain for AI-generated art, reinforcing his belief that true creativity cannot be replicated by machines.
The viral video, taken from the 2016 NHK documentary Hayao Miyazaki — The One Who Never Ends, shows the legendary animator reacting with visible disgust when presented with an AI-generated animation.
In the footage, a group of designers demonstrated an AI tool that could create unnatural, eerie movements, showcasing a grotesque, zombie-like figure.
Miyazaki, appalled by what he saw, did not hold back in his criticism.
"I can't watch this stuff and find [it] interesting. Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever.
"I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff, you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all,” he said.
For Miyazaki, animation is deeply tied to human emotion and experience, something he believes AI fundamentally lacks.
He went as far as to call AI-generated art "an insult to life itself" and expressed his concern that reliance on such technology signals a decline in humanity’s creative spirit.
Miyazaki’s views aligned with those of other prominent filmmakers and artists who have voiced their opposition to AI-generated art.
Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, in an interview with Decider, echoed similar concerns, dismissing AI-generated works as lacking the depth and soul of human-made art.
"I think that art is an expression of the soul. At its best, it encompasses everything you are. Therefore, I consume and love art made by humans. I am completely moved by that,” del Toro said, adding that AI merely ‘interpolates information’ rather than genuinely creating.
Similarly, anime producer Yoshihiro Watanabe, known for his work on Trigun Stampede, has criticised the use of AI to mimic Studio Ghibli’s signature style.
According to Screen Rant, he emphasised that ‘the only Studio Ghibli is Studio Ghibli’, rejecting the idea that AI-generated images could ever replicate the studio’s artistic integrity.
Despite the rise of AI in creative industries, Miyazaki remains unwavering in his commitment to hand-drawn animation.
He came out of retirement to direct The Boy and the Heron, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Last year, he was also honoured with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize, in recognition of his contributions to storytelling and artistry.
Miyazaki's legacy is built on films that have shaped generations—My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo, among others.
For him, animation is not just about creating beautiful visuals but about capturing the essence of life—something he firmly believes AI can never achieve.