How to Generate Ghibli-Style Images for Free

You must be seeing these Japanese animated versions of everyone’s pictures on Instagram and Facebook with the caption “Following the Ghibli trend.” If you are active on Instagram or other social media sites, many users are posting pictures of themselves and their loved ones in the Ghibli style. 

The trend started when OpenAI added built-in image creation to GPT-4. People immediately began turning their pictures into animated versions. However, there’s a catch – to use the ChatGPT Ghibli art generator, you need a ChatGPT Plus subscription, which costs $20 per month which can be used to create style 1080p resolution videos of up to 20 seconds in widescreen, vertical, or square aspect ratios. ChatGPT only allows a maximum of three animated images for free users.

As Indians, we always find ways to do things for free, so many users have turned to apps other than ChatGPT’s Ghibli art generator to create the same Ghibli art for free. One famous alternative is xAI’s Grok 3 chatbot, which allows users to create Ghibli-style images for free. Grok is accessible through X (formerly known as Twitter), so you need to sign up on X if you are a new user to create Ghibli art using Grok.

Grok is not the only chatbot available that can generate Ghibli-style images for free; there are other tools that can do it too. In this blog, we’ll show you how to generate stunning Ghibli art without spending a dime. Plus, we’ll explore other free tools and different art styles you can experiment with.

Create Ghibli-Style Images Without a ChatGPT Subscription

There are many tools available to generate Ghibli-style images. Some of the free tools are mentioned below:

Create Ghibli-Style Images Using Grok

1. Open the Grok website or app, or go directly to your X App and select the Grok icon.
   
2. On the Grok start page, ensure that the Grok 3 model is selected.
   
3. Upload your desired image by clicking the paperclip icon located at the bottom left corner.
   
4. Enter a text prompt requesting Grok to “Ghiblify” the image. Use the prompt, “Change this image into a Studio Ghibli-style illustration.”
   
5. Once processed, you’ll receive the transformed image. If you’re not satisfied with the result, you can easily edit the image further within Grok.
   

Here is an Ghibli style image created by using Grok-

Create Ghibli-Style New Images Using Gemini 2.5 Pro

Google launched Gemini 2.5 Pro for free users amidst ChatGPT’s viral Ghibli moment. Although it doesn’t change your photo into a Ghibli-style art, it can generate a new image based on a given prompt. Follow the steps below to create Ghibli-style images using Google Gemini:

1. Log in to the Gemini AI platform.
   
2. Enter a brief description of the image you’d like to create in the chat box. You can add prompts like, “Generate a fantasy forest scene with lush greenery, flying creatures, and a magical atmosphere, resembling a Ghibli animation.”
   
3. Submit your prompt.
   
4. Once the AI generates the image, you can share it online.
   

What Is the Ghibli Image Trend and How It Started?

The Ghibli image trend grew as fans of Studio Ghibli began replicating the studio’s distinctive visual style in their own artworks. Movies from Ghibli Studio, like Princess Mononoke and Howl’s Moving Castle, captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, inspiring many to create Ghibli-style images as a way to express their love for these films.

The Ghibli image trend gained even more popularity with the latest update to ChatGPT, which now allows users to transform their photos into animated versions, including Ghibli-style images. This new feature enabled users to easily convert their personal photos into animated characters or scenes, inspired by the distinctive art style of Studio Ghibli.

Now that ChatGPT has some limitations in generating Ghibli-style images, many users have turned to other tools, like Elon Musk’s Grok, to create Ghibli-style images for free.

Why is OpenAI Limiting Ghibli Image Generation?

Since OpenAI introduced the Ghibli-inspired image filter in ChatGPT, users have been posting anime-style versions of famous scenes all over social media. From generating an Ghibli style image from your own picture with loved ones to a photo of Donald Trump after an assassination attempt, the trend has quickly become popular.

However, this huge demand is putting a strain on OpenAI’s servers. Altman shared on X (formerly Twitter) that the popularity is causing problems. “It’s super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT, but our GPUs are melting,” he said. To prevent the servers from crashing, OpenAI is now introducing rate limits.

In conclusion, the Ghibli-style image trend has become wildly popular, with many seeking to turn their photos into animated art. While ChatGPT’s paid option offers this feature, free alternatives like Grok and Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro allow users to create Ghibli-inspired images without spending a dime. With these accessible tools, anyone can enjoy the charm of Studio Ghibli’s distinctive art style.