Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar shared AI-generated illustrations on his Instagram story, reimagining iconic cricket moments in a Ghibli-style animation. One of the images shows Indian players carrying Tendulkar on their shoulders while holding the national flag. India’s victory on April 2, 2011 was one of the most memorable achievements in the country’s sporting history. Led by MS Dhoni the team defeated Sri Lanka and won India's second World Cup title after 28 years. Virat Kohli, who played a crucial role in the match, famously said, “He has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It was time we carried him.”
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In another Instagram story, Tendulkar appears in a Team India blazer, holding the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup trophy. He captioned the post, "AI-sa kuch trend ho raha hai, maine suna. Toh socha, what if Ghibli made cricket?"
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Other Instagram pages have also joined the trend. They shared AI-generated portraits of cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah in Ghibli-style visuals.
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What Is the Ghibli Art Trend?
OpenAI’s latest image creation tool has sparked a wave of creativity online. Social media users have been experimenting with its ability to transform photos into Ghibli-style illustrations. The trend gained momentum when OpenAI CEO Sam Altman updated his profile picture on X with a Ghibli-inspired image. He even invited users to create a better version using ChatGPT. Studio Ghibli, founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, is a renowned Japanese animation studio known for its hand-drawn animation, intricate backgrounds, and emotional storytelling. The studio’s films, such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, are celebrated for their distinctive art style featuring soft pastel colors and a dreamlike atmosphere.
Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli is known for its hand-drawn animation, intricate details, and emotional storytelling. The studio’s films, including Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, have a signature look featuring soft pastel colors and a magical, dreamlike quality. The term "Ghibli" originates from a Libyan Arabic word for a hot desert wind and was also inspired by the Italian aircraft Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli. AI-generated Ghibli portraits have become popular for their visually striking and nostalgic feel, appealing to anime fans worldwide.
Anime has a massive global following. In the United States around 72% of people watch it regularly according to World Population Review. Studio Ghibli’s signature aesthetic has fueled this fascination and made the AI-generated Ghibli-style trend even more appealing. With OpenAI’s tool users can instantly transform their photos into Ghibli-style images. The feature’s ability to create magical anime-like portraits has captivated social media and made it one of the most viral trends in recent weeks.
