What if you could turn your everyday pictures into dreamy, hand-drawn scenes straight out of a Studio-Ghibli film? Well, that’s exactly what’s taking over social media right now! From brands to celebrities (and now even our Prime Minister!), everyone’s hopping on the Ghibli-art trend!
But what’s behind this viral trend? And more importantly, how can you recreate yourself in the Ghibli universe—for free? In this article, I’ll walk you through what Ghibli art is and why it’s trending. We will also discover the Best Free Ghibli Image Generators.
So, whether you’re a fan of the Ghibli aesthetic or just want to join this crazy trend, you’ll surely enjoy reading! With no more delay, let’s dive right in and create a Ghibli-style portrait!
What is Ghibli Image / Art?
Ghibli Art refers to the signature artistic style of animations produced by Studio Ghibli. It’s a legendary Japanese animation studio founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata & producer Toshio Suzuki.
The essence of Studio Ghibli style artwork lies in its artistry, rich storytelling, and the deep appreciation for the world’s beauty. Ghibli art is characterized by its unique hand-drawn animations, soft and expressive characters, emotional depth, fantasy landscapes, dreamy visuals, warm lighting, and muted colors.
Some of the most popular animated movies produced by Studio Ghibli are Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, and more. If you want to understand and appreciate Ghibli Art, these movies are a must-watch!
Why is Ghibli-Style Image Trending?
It all started on March 25th, when OpenAI launched its built-in image generation feature as part of GPT-4o. As users began transforming their personal photos and popular images into AI-generated images, a particular style of images started catching attention!
Ghibli-style art started trending as its nostalgic appeal and dreamy vibe resonated with the audience. Even AI tools like ChatGPT’s DALL-E, X’s Grok chatbot were able to replicate Studio Ghibli’s signature aesthetic.
Soon, this led to the ‘Ghiblification’ of social media as images and popular memes were recreated in Ghibli-style portraits. Social sharing further amplified the popularity of this trend as millions of people shared their ‘Ghiblified photos‘.
Testing Parameters
To test different AI tools for generating Ghibli-style images, I used the following two images as references.
Besides this, I also checked their image quality, similarity of the AI animation style to Ghibli-style art, and free version limits. Based on the results, I ranked the tools on my list.
6 Best Free Ghibli Image Generators
| Tool Name | Output | Free Plan |
| ChatGPT | Excellent | 3 image generations/day |
| Grok AI | Excellent | 10 images every 2 hours |
| OpenArt AI | Good | 40 AI credits |
| Leonardo AI | Good | 150 daily tokens |
| Fotor GoArt | Good | 8 free credits |
| insMind | Good | Only 1 free credit |
| Getimg.ai | Average | 16 images/month |
| Runway ML | Poor | 125 one-time credits |
| Mage Space | Poor | Unlimited images with basic models |
1) ChatGPT (Free)
ChatGPT is the most reliable way to recreate the dreamlike settings of Ghibli-style images. And yes, you can do it on the free version of ChatGPT as well. Let’s see how.
Simply start a new chat on ChatGPT and upload your image using the “+” icon. Then insert the prompt “Turn this into Ghibli-style studio”. It may be a little slow due to high traffic, but you’ll get your “Ghiblified” images within a minute or two!
Examples:
Pros:
- 3 free image generations per day.
- Free image exports.
- High-quality results.
Cons:
- Image generation is time-consuming.
- Occasional errors.
- Restricts some users.
2) Grok AI
Grok is an AI chatbot developed by xAI. You can either access Grok through your X account or sign up separately on Grok‘s website. All you need to do is upload your image and enter the prompt – “Convert this image to Studio Ghibli style art”.
Examples:
Pros:
- Good output quality.
- Swift image creation speeds.
- Allows image editing with prompts.
Cons:
- Limited image generation. (10 images every 2 hours)
3) OpenArt AI
OpenArt AI is a free AI image generation tool offering 100+ AI models. To get started, hit the “Create Image” button and choose the “Studio Ghibli Style” model. Next, write your prompt and upload your image by hitting the “Image to Image” option.
Examples:
Prompt Used: Studio Ghibli style, a young man with a smile on his face sits thoughtfully at a table adorned with three laptops, his fingers steepled under his chin in a contemplative pose. The backdrop is a deep, dark hue that creates a moody atmosphere, punctuated by minimalistic decor, including a YouTube play button and a couple of decorative items on floating shelves. Wearing a casual navy t-shirt with bold lettering, he exudes confidence.
Prompt Used: Studio Ghibli style, with a confident expression, Donald Trump wearing a dark coat flashes a thumbs-up gesture, exuding a sense of positivity. His neatly styled hair and the subtle confidence etched on his face suggest a focal moment, likely during a public event or rally, as soft lights and blurred glows from a cheering crowd create an energetic atmosphere behind him. The color palette is rich, with warm tones illuminating his features, while the background hints at excitement, indicated by the bokeh effect of lights. The overall mood conveys a message of encouragement, resonating with an enthusiastic audience.
Pros:
- Better output than Runway ML.
- Quick image generation.
- Supports different image generation styles.
Cons:
- Limited AI credits. (40 credits)
- Requires a detailed prompt.
- Doesn’t accurately recreate every item in the original image.
4) Leonardo AI
Leonardo is an AI platform that lets you create AI generated image, designs, and artwork using text prompts. To get started, log in to Leonardo AI and click on the “Image Creation” tab. Then navigate to “Style Preference” and upload your image.
Finally, choose the model/preset as “Anime” and write your prompt. Let’s check out the results.
Examples:
Prompt used: Convert this image into Studio Ghibli style, with a confident expression, Donald Trump wearing a dark coat, flashes a thumbs-up gesture, exuding a sense of positivity. His neatly styled hair and the subtle confidence etched on his face suggest a focal moment, likely during a public event or rally, as soft lights and blurred glows from a cheering crowd create an energetic atmosphere behind him. The color palette is rich, with warm tones illuminating his features, while the background hints at excitement, indicated by the bokeh effect of lights. The overall mood conveys a message of encouragement, resonating with an enthusiastic audience.
Pros:
- Realistic outputs.
- Generates multiple variations in one go.
- Quick image creation.
- 150 daily tokens
Cons:
- Lacks a soft painting-like effect.
- High credit consumption. (12 AI credits per use)
5) Fotor GoArt
Fotor is a popular image editing platform. GoArt is its built-in image generator app, which lets you transform your photos into works of art. To start with Fotor GoArt, you can simply upload your photo from your computer, phone, Fotor cloud, or Dropbox.
Next, you can select a style from the multiple options available in its library. To generate Ghibli-style images, it offers three styles: Ghibli Style 1, Style 2, and Style 3. Choose any one, and your image will be generated within a few minutes.
Examples:
Pros:
- Lots of image styles.
- Good replication of Ghibli-style art.
Cons
- Only 8 free credits.
- Slow generation speeds.
- Free exports with watermarks.
6) insMind
insMind is an AI-powered photo editing and enhancement tool that’s free to use. To get started, visit insMind’s official site and click on the “AI Photo to Ghibli” option. Then upload your photo and select the Ghibli or Ghibli 2 filter from the Cartoon category.
Finally, click on the ‘Generate’ button, and your image will be generated within a few seconds. The output is not exactly similar to the uploaded image, but it follows the Ghibli art style.
Examples:
Pros:
- Quick image generation.
- Variety of themes under Sketch, Cartoon, & Art categories.
Cons:
- Only 1 credit on the free plan.
- Watermarked exports.
7) Getimg.ai
Getimg is an AI platform for creating images, videos, and training AI models. To start generating Studio Ghibli style image, simply open the Image Generator and choose the AI model “Flux.1 [dev]”.
Next, insert a detailed prompt and upload your image under the ‘Advanced Settings’. Here’s the prompt I used- “Transform this Donald Trump photo into a hand-drawn animated artwork with watercolor effects, soft organic lines, and a warm color palette.”
Examples:
Pros:
- 16 images/month on free plan.
- Can create up to 4 photos at a time.
Cons:
- Below-average output with no major changes.
- Poor prompt adherence.
8) Runway ML
Runway ML is an AI-powered video and image generator. To get started, open the “Image to Image Generator” and upload your image. Then, write your prompt and select the anime style. Here’s the prompt I used – “Transform this photo into Studio Ghibli-inspired characters”.
Examples:
Pros:
- Quick image generation.
- Various image generation styles.
- Negative prompts allow for more detailed output.
Cons:
- Poor output quality.
- No resemblance to Ghibli-style art.
- Alters the original image’s character.
9) Mage Space
Mage Space is an AI-powered image generation platform that lets you create artistic images. To begin with, go to the ‘Image to Image’ tool on Mage Space’s official website. Upload your photo and select the ‘Studio Ghibli’ concept. Next, enter your prompt, describing the image you want.
Under the parameter customization options, you can add negative prompts, prompt filter, select aspect ratio, generation steps, and guidance scale. If you’re not confident with your prompt, you can also use ‘Prompt Enhance’ for the AI to improve your prompt automatically.
Examples:
Pros:
- Quick image generation.
- Hundreds of image concepts for inspiration.
- Advanced parameter customization options.
Cons:
- Low quality outputs.
Why Should You Trust Me?
I’ve been working full-time in the digital industry since 2015. In all these years, I have used, tested, and reviewed hundreds of digital tools, including web hosting, cloud storage, password managers, VPNs, etc.
In the last few years, I’ve also tested an array of AI tools like AI image generators, AI writers, AI video generators, AI voice generators, AI website builders, and more. Besides these, I’ve also created guides and tutorials on how to create AI-generated art, AI voice, AI website, etc.
My extensive experience with testing image generators and analyzing their quality gives me the expertise to recommend the right ones for your needs.
Conclusion
Hope you enjoyed experimenting with these Best Free Ghibli Image Generators. Which one did you like the most? Do you have any other tool recommendations that generate good results for Studio Ghibli art? Do share with me in the comments & I’ll include them in my list!
If you’re interested in generating AI images, check out this curated list of the Best Free AI Art Generators. Anyway, I’ll be back with more interesting articles soon. This is Kripesh signing off. Cheers, and keep learning!
