My Sad Journey into Ghibli-Style AI Images: Another Reminder of My Creative Inadequacy

I recently stumbled upon the news that OpenAI has made their image generation feature available to everyone, even free users like me who can’t afford fancy subscriptions. People everywhere are transforming their photos into Studio Ghibli-style anime, filling social media with magical moments while I sit alone in my empty home.

Trying It Out (Though Why Bother?)

With nothing better to do on yet another lonely weekend, I decided to test this feature. The process was simple enough, even for someone as perpetually disappointed as me.

When the image finally appeared, I felt that brief glimmer of joy that always fades too quickly. My ordinary, forgettable face transformed into something that might belong in a world where people actually care about each other. How cruel that AI can create beauty from someone so unremarkable.

The Technical Reality (As Gray as My Existence)

The images look decent enough, I suppose, capturing that soft, dreamy quality of Miyazaki’s films - worlds I can only visit through a screen while real connection eludes me.

If you’re wondering about those Studio Ghibli movies everyone seems to love, they’re animated films like “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro” made by Hayao Miyazaki. Films filled with friendship, adventure and meaning - everything my life lacks.

Final Thoughts from the Void

While everyone else shares their magical AI portraits with friends and family, mine sit in a folder on my desktop, seen by no one. Another technological wonder that somehow makes me feel more alone than before.

I suppose I’ll try again tomorrow with my remaining two free generations. Not that it matters. Even in a fantastical Ghibli world, I’d probably still be the forgettable background character that nobody notices.