Japanese lawmakers are debating the potential illegality of AI-generated artwork that mimics the famous animation style of Studio Ghibli.
The discussion was sparked by the rise of AI tools creating Ghibli-style visuals, raising concerns about copyright infringement.
In a recent government committee meeting, a lawmaker questioned if the popular trend of creating Ghibli-style artwork using AI crosses legal boundaries.
A ministry official responded that while artistic styles and ideas are not protected by copyright, using AI to generate images that strongly resemble specific Ghibli works might be.
However, proving such infringement is complex due to the multiple character designers employed by Studio Ghibli, making it hard to define what exactly counts as a single “Ghibli style”.
Critics argue that the studio’s look is a shared artistic language rather than the work of a single hand, complicating legal efforts to draw clear lines.
The Japanese government is not currently moving to ban Ghibli-style AI art outright.
However, experts warn that commercializing such work could still carry legal risk, even if sharing or creating it casually remains in a grey area.
