One Piece Director Criticizes ChatGPT for Copying Ghibli’s Style and Demands Legal Action

The ongoing debate around artificial intelligence in the art world has taken another controversial turn. One Piece director Megumi Ishitani has publicly expressed her desire for legal action to be taken against ChatGPT for copying Studio Ghibli’s unique artistic style through AI-generated images.

One Piece Director Criticizes ChatGPT for Copying Ghibli’s Style and Demands Legal Action

Megumi Ishitani is far from an unknown figure in the anime industry. A graduate of the Tokyo University of the Arts, she’s responsible for directing some of the most impactful episodes in One Piece, including the widely praised Episode 1015 — considered by many fans as one of the best in the entire series. Her experience and prestige give her words even greater weight.

The controversy came to light through a series of posts she shared on Twitter (now known as X), where she expressed strong disapproval over the situation.

In one of her posts, written in Japanese, she said:

“There’s no way the official Ghibli gave permission, right!? This wasn’t authorized, was it!?”

Her statements immediately raised serious questions about copyright, stylistic appropriation, and the ethical responsibilities of tech companies developing generative AI tools.

In another tweet, she added:

“I want legal action to be taken… I can’t stand seeing Ghibli treated so cheaply.”

These declarations went viral quickly, sparking concern in the creative community about where the line should be drawn when it comes to AI-generated art.

What Did ChatGPT Actually Do?

The situation began when OpenAI introduced a new image generation feature within ChatGPT. With this tool, users can request artwork in the style of well-known creators — and one of the most used was the unmistakable look of Studio Ghibli.

The results were striking. The generated images closely resembled real Ghibli productions, leading to discomfort among artists and longtime fans of the studio’s work. The core of Ishitani’s concern is that Studio Ghibli did not authorize any use of its visual style, making this a case of artistic identity being used without permission.

Ghibli Has Yet to Respond Officially

So far, Studio Ghibli has not issued an official statement, though U.S. distributor GKIDS briefly commented on the matter. The silence from the studio has led to a wave of speculation. Some believe legal action may be in the works; others think Ghibli is simply waiting to assess public reaction before making any decisions.

Still, we know at least one founding member’s stance on AI: Hayao Miyazaki — the legendary co-founder of Studio Ghibli — once stated in a 2016 documentary that AI-generated animation was “an insult to life itself.”

That quote has resurfaced widely on social media as the controversy continues, further supporting the idea that Studio Ghibli views artificial intelligence in animation with significant skepticism, especially when it’s used to imitate their signature style.

via Você Sabia Anime