Lately, the Internet seems to have transformed into a Ghibli universe. People across platforms are sharing dreamy, AI-generated portraits of themselves in the unmistakable style of the Japanese animation house, Studio Ghibli.
 
But as with most viral AI trends, the reactions have been mixed. For some, this was a delightful moment of Internet whimsy. For others, it is a degradation of the legacy of Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, who had once said that AI-generated animation was an “insult to life itself”. But this time, there was a third response: Joy.

Most who have taken to the trend of sharing “Ghibli-fied” portraits have no idea who Miyazaki is; they may not have watched his iconic films, such as Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro. For them, the trend is not about his legacy; it’s about seeing themselves in art.