AI-Generated Studio Ghibli Images Raise Legal Questions in Japan
In March, social media was flooded with AI-generated images that mimicked the distinct style of Studio Ghibli, a renowned Japanese animation studio known for films like My Neighbor Totoro. This trend has now sparked legal and ethical debates in Japan. The issue was raised during a meeting of Japan’s House of Representatives Cabinet Committee on April 16 by Gifu Prefecture representative Masato Imai. Imai asked Hirohiko Nakahara, Director-General for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Strategy, about the legality of ‘Ghiblification’ — creating AI-generated images in the Ghibli style. “There has been discussion of whether the so-called ‘Ghiblification’ constitutes copyright violation. Under the current interpretation of the law, just how legal is it?” Imai asked, as reported by Dexerto.
Nakahara responded by stating, “Ultimately, that is something for courts to decide. If it is only a matter of the style or ideas being similar, then it would not be considered copyright infringement.” However, he added that if AI-generated content is determined to be similar to or reliant on preexisting copyrighted works, it could constitute copyright infringement. Imai clarified that while using styles and ideas is legal, creating an AI image recognized as being ‘Ghibli itself’ would be a violation of the law.
The AI Studio Ghibli treatment was applied to various famous images, including the Afghan Girl, V-J Day Kiss, and George Bush on 9/11. The reason behind Imai raising this issue is unclear, but it’s worth noting that Hayao Miyazaki, one of Studio Ghibli’s founders, had a strong reaction to AI technology in a 2016 documentary. When shown an AI presentation, Miyazaki expressed horror, stating, “I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff, you can go ahead and do it, but I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself.”
Currently, no lawsuits have been filed, and no legislation has been proposed. However, the fact that lawmakers are discussing this issue highlights the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and creativity. Several legal issues surrounding AI remain to be settled, including how algorithms are trained and whether AI-generated output is copyrightable. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Japanese courts will address the matter of AI-generated content and copyright infringement.
