"An insult to life itself": Fans slam 'Israeli' army’s use of AI Ghibli images

The emerging trend of using artificial intelligence (AI) to generate images in the iconic style of Studio Ghibli animation has come under fire, particularly after the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) utilized this technology to depict its military operations in Gaza.

The backlash intensified, especially in light of Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki's well-documented opposition to the use of AI in art and his strong anti-war stance.

- Ghibli's staunch anti-war track record -

Hayao Miyazaki, revered for his films that often explore themes of conflict and the human cost of war, has consistently spoken out against the use of AI technology as well as occupation, war, and violence.

His notable absence from the 2003 Oscars, where his acclaimed film Spirited Away won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, was a silent protest against the United States' invasion of Iraq. Miyazaki's dedication to peace and his critical view of militarism stand in stark contrast to the IOF's recent use of AI-generated imagery that trivializes serious military actions.

The images produced in the style of Studio Ghibli, which are often characterized by their whimsical and fantastical elements, were shared by the Israeli army to illustrate their operations in Gaza. This has sparked outrage among fans of the animation studio and advocates for peace, who argue that using such imagery to depict military actions is deeply inappropriate and misrepresents the gravity of the situation.

We thought we’d also hop on the Ghibli trend. pic.twitter.com/fdmUfn3o4o

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 30, 2025

Critics have pointed out that Miyazaki’s films, such as Grave of the Fireflies and Howl’s Moving Castle, convey powerful anti-war messages and highlight the devastating effects of war on innocent lives. The juxtaposition of these heartfelt narratives with the portrayal of military operations raises ethical concerns about the commodification of art and the potential for AI to be used as a tool for propaganda.

- AI versus artistic integrity -

Advocates for artistic integrity, one of them being Miyazaki, also argue that AI-generated images lack the emotional depth and moral weight that human artists bring to their work. Additionally, much of the widespread mainstream AI programs are learning-based technologies, meaning they continuously learn and adapt based on new data, artwork, and information constantly fed to them. Many argue that AI steals others' hard work.

Following the controversy of the Ghibli AI image trend, a video of Miyazaki resurfaced in which he strongly critiques the use of AI, stating that he is "utterly disgusted" by the animations created by AI technology and that it is "an insult to life itself."

Here are some online reactions:

"Hayao Miyazaki didn’t come to the United States in 2003 to accept his Oscar for Spirited Away because of his opposition to the Iraq War, so I have to imagine he’d be nothing short of furious to see a genocidal occupational military using Ghibli art style to advertise…

— dimateo (@pauldimateo) March 31, 2025

miyazaki would be throwing up if he saw this

— ̶̧̟̩̲̦̻̜̽ͅv̵̰͕͚͕̰̎̓͑̈́̒̀̀øidfvck (@xenosynxx) March 31, 2025

 A commonly used response to this trend was quoting Miyazaki's Porco Rosso film: "Better a pig than a fascist."

pic.twitter.com/lRNqvtfgYH

— AI Slop Finder (@SlopFinder) March 30, 2025

As a person from the country where Ghibli was born, I want to say,

Shame on you.

— 毬谷友子  TOMOKO MARIYA (@mariyatomoko) March 31, 2025

studio ghibli already made a movie where children starve and die because an imperialist power wanted to go to war so there was no need for the ai. https://t.co/0LvwacgY7J pic.twitter.com/WH6K3lGbtV

— rhys (@saccharinegreen) March 30, 2025

Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata hated all war and genocide.
You can see that by viewing their work.
We protest that these AI-generated illustrations are an insult to their ethos. https://t.co/o251CpJ8n2

— アネシドラ/ハイドラ (@anesidora_hydra) March 31, 2025