Israeli army's militarisation of Studio Ghibli trend sparks online backlash

Users post alternative images and highlight the animation house's many anti-war messages

An image posted on the Israeli military's X account shows pilots in a warplane rendered in the style of Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli. Photo: IDF

Israel’s military is facing an online backlash after it posted AI-generated images of its operations in the style of Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli, a trend that has gone viral in recent days.

The images posted on the military’s official X account on Sunday showed scenes of soldiers under the Israeli flag, the country's navy and air force, with the caption “we thought we’d also hop on the Ghibli trend”.

A backlash soon emerged in the comments below the post, which had attracted 20,000 likes by Wednesday. One user posted an image referencing the war in Gaza, where a large number of civilians are among the more than 50,000 people killed in Israeli military operations against Hamas. That post, which had 57,000 likes, depicted two soldiers pointing weapons at a woman and children amid the ruins of buildings.

Other users posted AI-generated images of Hamas spokesman Abu Obaida, who has become a symbol of the group during the war. Another posted an image of Israeli troops holding up women’s clothing in a ruined building, an apparent reference to mocking social media posts by Israeli troops in which they parade in women’s clothes found during raids on Palestinian homes. One post depicted anti-Semitic tropes.

A pro-Israel user responded to the criticism with an image of soldiers standing beside what appears to be the Western Wall, a symbol in Israel of Zionism’s victory and the country's Jewish identity.

Israel’s military has a significant online presence, including on social media platforms, which is run by a large Spokesperson's Unit that, in part, seeks to counter criticism of the army’s actions.

One comment highlighted the anti-war beliefs of Studio Ghibli’s director and co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki. He refused to travel to the US to receive the Oscar for Best Animated Feature awarded for Spirited Away in 2003 because of his opposition to the Iraq war. Many of the studio’s films contain anti-war messages.

Studio Ghibli did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel denies targeting civilians in Gaza, accusing the militant groups it is fighting of embedding in local populations. It has nonetheless been accused of committing genocide by a number of human rights organisations, a claim that the International Court of Justice is investigating. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes in Gaza.

Comment: Studio Ghibli-inspired AI images are going viral, but here's why they shouldn't

Courtesy Studio Ghibli