New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has become the latest public figure to react to the viral Ghibli-style AI trend, which has sparked a debate over the use of artificial intelligence in recreating the signature hand-drawn animation style of legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.

"I’ve been assimilated into the Ghibli trend! These are pics sent by my supporters and well-wishers. Didn’t even know what Ghibli was till now, but consider me officially Spirited Away by this newfound revelation!" Tharoor posted on X, along with AI-generated images of himself in the Studio Ghibli aesthetic.

The internet has been flooded with memes, photos, and movie posters recreated in the Ghibli style using OpenAI's latest image-generation feature in ChatGPT-4o. The tool allows users to generate visuals in Miyazaki’s distinctive animation style seen in films such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro.

However, the viral trend has ignited backlash from artists, filmmakers, and fans who see it as an affront to Miyazaki’s artistic legacy. Critics argue that AI-generated Ghibli-style art undermines the painstaking hand-drawn animation process that defines the Japanese filmmaker’s work.

Among the voices condemning the trend is Zelda Williams, daughter of late comedian Robin Williams, who took to Instagram to criticize AI recreations of Miyazaki’s art.

"People are gleefully sharing 'Studio Ghibli style' AI memes and photos, as though the man himself wouldn’t absolutely despise the technological piracy and negative effects on our environment," she wrote.

Miyazaki himself has previously expressed strong opposition to AI-generated animation. In a widely circulated interview clip, he called AI-created art “an insult to life itself.”

Despite the criticism, many Indian film studios have embraced the trend. Bollywood production houses such as Dharma Productions, Maddock Films, and Red Chillies Entertainment have shared AI-generated Ghibli-style posters of their popular movies.

Dharma Productions released animated versions of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, captioning the images: “Falling in love never felt this cute.”

Maddock Films followed suit, posting AI-altered posters of Stree 2, Bhediya, and Mimi, describing the trend as “adorable intelligence.”

However, many fans and artists have rejected the AI-generated visuals, calling them "plagiarism" and a "mockery" of Miyazaki’s lifetime of artistic discipline.