An independent filmmaker has sparked intense controversy by releasing a trailer for his live-action adaptation of “Princess Mononoke,” using artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate the iconic world of Studio Ghibli. The creator, who has worked on this project for more than two decades, expressed his pride in the production, despite the criticism.
Through his Twitter account, the filmmaker commented: «I've been wanting to make a live action version of Princess Mononoke for over 20 years. I've invested $745 in Kling credits to show you a glimpse of the future of cinema». According to the director, this project has been a personal dream, inspired by the work of Hayao Miyazaki, and although he knows that the legendary filmmaker is known for his anti-AI stance, that has not stopped him.
The trailer, which is a frame-by-frame recreation of the original “Princess Mononoke” trailer, has sparked a strong response on social media. Many users criticized the project's lack of originality, pointing out that simply replicating Miyazaki's work does not represent true artistic creation.
- «This feels like spitting in Mr. Miyazaki's face».
- «what a waste of money».
- «Don't get me wrong, while this is insulting, it's still pretty interesting to see what a possible live action movie from Princess Mononoke».
- «“700 in AI credits” sounds so dystopian».
- «Horrendous, it's sad that this is the future».
- «seems to be dead».
- «How to ruin a masterpiece, leave Ghibli films alone. Live action adaptations are already hard to make, but cheap AI crap kills any value they may have».
- «This could have been free and it would still be a waste of money».
- «If you really wanted to thank them, you wouldn't do this crap. He has made it clear that he is against this type of thing done with AI».
- «I love that the AI industry is consuming the equivalent of some countries' energy just to produce this garbage».
- «It looks completely lifeless».
- «This is shameful and disgusting, techbros they are a disgrace».
- «Miyazaki didn't actually say that. It wasn't a general disapproval of the AI, it was a disapproval of a specific game they were showing him about zombies and corpses and that kind of thing. He criticized THAT. It turned out it was made with AI».
One of the most viral comments came from actor Swann Grey, who posted on his account: “'I've heard that Miyazaki is against AI. That's ok'. Sorry? Saying that in the same sentence as the word 'ethical'? And call a frame-by-frame recreation 'creating a new world'? Zero creativity, zero respect and zero concept of what art is. You are not an artist, you are a fraud».
These types of reactions have highlighted the growing debate around the use of AI in content creation. In the interview that the filmmaker offered for the BBC, one of the British network's collaborators criticized the lack of “soul” in the content generated by AI, pointing out that, although technology can facilitate certain processes, there seems to be something essential that is loses in automated artistic creation.
The creator was quick to respond to criticism, stating that his intention was not to replace traditional art, but rather to explore ethical ways of using AI tools to “empower artists to create new worlds.” According to him, this adaptation was a personal project, rather than an attempt to redefine art: «I made this adaptation mainly for myself, because Miyazaki's work inspires me to create new worlds».
On the other hand, Hayao Miyazaki, famous for his critical stance towards technology in animation, had expressed on previous occasions that the use of AI in artistic creation is, for him, “an insult to life itself”. This statement has been widely cited in debates about the ethics of using artificial intelligence in film and animation, calling into question the role of these technologies in a world where art is deeply subjective and human.
Fountain: THE WRAP
